He asked me, "Do you really think 45 minutes is going to wipe away all the hours of this past week?"

 Ahhh, Sunday morning, everyone rushes to put on a happy face and walk across the parking lot to greet friends and grab a welcoming hug.  Visitors look on wondering if this is really how it is...these people are actually glad to be here?  Encouraging words shared and pleasantries exchanged while friends quickly shove down the frowns that lined their faces moments prior.  We all put on a good face in front of others.  Christians, old and new, have mastered the art of presenting that all is great and church is the best place to be.  Is it really?

As we walked into Sunday school, a friend made a comment about hurrying to get to class which prompted Ted to ask me this question.  "Do you really think 45 minutes is going to wipe away all the hours of this past week?"  It made me stop because I wasn't sure what he was saying and if he was saying it to me or to someone else.  "What!?"  Again, he asked the question and added how silly we are to rush about like we are earning God's favor on Sunday morning when we have ignored God the entire week as we surfed through social media filling our minds with the influencers and junk of the day and got slammed with the filth of this world filling our hearts and minds. 

Ouch!  It stings a little when put in those terms, especially as we are on our way into the church building.  Seems a little harsh when those thoughts or pictures of what the Christian life is to look like are put into spoken words.  No one would ever say out loud, well, almost no one!  My husband has a way of saying things that stop me dead in my tracks.  I felt a little bristly at the timing of it all, but he is not wrong!

 We are nice and polite and proper to put on the mask of a good, respectable person while God calls us "whited sepulchers full of dead mens bones", but we all made it to church!  Why go through the motions?  Because people are watching the outward actions...but God sees our hearts.   Whoops, always seem to forget that part!  Why do you go to church?  To feel better?  To check the box?  

We walked into the class and settled in with our niceties and the Sunday school lesson started.  Then came the morning message, both the SS teacher and Pastor hit the same idea.  I marvel at how God works through all circumstances.  I've been meditating on the thoughts ever since.

Actually, we do feel better when we worship with God's people.  But it is so much more meaningful and helpful when we have spent time with God all week in our private times of Bible reading, meditation on what we are reading, and in prayer.  My relationship with God isn't just a Sunday checklist thing!  I need to seek His face every day.  I "Look to the Lord" for the needs I have in life.  The influencers of today come and go.  Their opinions and helpful tips change with the seasons.  My "Strength for the day comes from the Lord" when we seek His face and ask for His wisdom.  Am I seeking God all week long?  Or just on Sundays?  A 45 minute lesson and message are not enough to counteract the hours in the week that I spend doing everything else.

He asked me, "Listen to this...and tell me...What does that mean to you?"

Surrender:  to cease resistance to an enemy or opponent and submit to their authority;  to give up or hand over a person, rights, or possessions typically on compulsion or demand;  to abandon oneself entirely to a powerful emotion or influence, to give in to;  lose a point, game, or advantage;  an insured person cancels (a life insurance policy) and receive back a proportion of the premiums paid

All to Jesus I surrender

All to Him I freely give

I will ever love and trust Him

In His presence daily live

All to Jesus I surrender

Humbly at His feet I bow

Worldly pleasures all forsaken

Take me, Jesus, take me now

I surrender all

I surrender all

All to Thee my blessed Savior

I surrender all

All to Jesus I surrender

Make me Savior wholly thine

May Thy Holy Spirit fill me

May I know Thy power divine

I surrender all

I surrender all

All to Thee my blessed Savior

I surrender all

To me...it means saying I am not going to hold on to having and doing things my own way.  It means letting go and following God's way...and not taking things back into my grasp and hold.  It means hands off!  It is easy to say I will let go of control...but it is another thing to actually release the grip you have on something and actually let it go.  It's our human instinct to grab at what is falling, tumbling, and spinning out of control.

God's ways are not our ways!  He does not flail His hands trying to gain control.  He always has us in His grip and under control.  His time table is not our time table!  He has plans.  We have plans.  But what happens when the plans don't match up...when we get anxious and frustrated...when we don't like His plans...when we second guess His plans...

Surrender is more than just an idea we sang about our whole life.  It is living in faith.  It is bringing our thoughts and plans in line with what He wills by asking in prayer.  Surrender is a daily letting go to allow God to work in the small details as well as in the big ideas...for His good purpose knowing He will get the glory.  What am I attempting to hold on to each day?  What will it take for me to freely give in surrender?

Simply Trusting...That is all!

Simply trusting every day, Trusting through a stormy way;

Even when my faith is small, Trusting Jesus, that is all.

Refrain:

Trusting as the moments fly, Trusting as the days go by;

Trusting Him whate’er befall, Trusting Jesus, that is all.

Brightly doth His Spirit shine Into this poor heart of mine;

While He leads I cannot fall;  Trusting Jesus, that is all.

Singing if my way is clear, Praying if the path be drear;

If in danger for Him call;  Trusting Jesus, that is all.

Trusting Him while life shall last, Trusting Him till earth be past;  

Till within the jasper wall,Trusting Jesus, that is all.

From winter to spring to summer

Psalm 43:10  "Be still and know that I am God."

"Oh the goodness, the goodness of Jesus...satisfied...He is all that I need...may it be...come what may...

that I rest all my days in the goodness of Jesus!"

Last July 31, 2021, I shared a picture of the same flowers...but no words.  And now...a year later...I took the same picture of my front flowerbed...reflecting once again on the seasons of life.  My last post on this site was in January...and then silence.  I find it interesting that I went silent about so many things that I was struggling with and learning while living each day trying to focus on doing what I needed to do.  Sometimes are like that!  Struggles are private things...that sometimes we share once we get to the other side.  I know people see when we struggle...but they don't know the deep down stuff unless we share it.  They may assume...I know because I do it...but they will be totally misinformed and mistaken!  For now...I just know that each season of life brings struggles that are private heart matters and I am not obligated to share all the details of what God is doing...till He prompts to do so.  In a day where everyone feels the need to post the good, bad, and ugly...I'm finding the richness of holding on to some times as just for our family.  Such sweet times with Him are so personal...maybe in the next season...I'll be ready to share the good, bad, and ugly.
 

Missing Peace

                              "Don't allow other people to hold the key to your peace of mind."

We are living in a world of no peace!  Satan has attacked the peace of Christians and they have continued to hold on to the lies that satan has used.  Now...no one has peace!

Shame on us!

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not asthe world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 

It is so discouraging these days to go out and about anywhere in our state of Michigan.  People are out of their mind...mostly impacted by the fear of what may be.  No peace...masked faces and darting eyes...wary or accusing at every turn.  I cannot and will not live like that!  I smile at people when I go out!  But more often than not...I don't go out...because I can't take the oppression and lack of peace.

And even sadder...people of the church are living that same exact way!  It stunned me when one lady even went so far to say "You need to do the Christian thing..." when it comes to CDC or WHO standards that are ever changing and flip-flopping.  What!?  We are now two years into this mess...and we still are blinded by the lies of satan and his army. 

It bothers me greatly...yet...I feel that I cannot even utter an opposite view because I will be (have been) attacked and labeled unloving and uncaring.  Since when did we move away from taking care of our own house...family?  Who on this earth decided that the government will make decisions for our home...family?  We have never consulted them before and will not start now!  They do not know what is best for our home...family.  They do not point me to God's way...so why do so many people think that I will even consider their way?  These are the same groups of people who kill babies and elderly.  These are the same people who ignore and silence God's Word and His way.  They are working in opposition to God's laws...so why now in 2021 and 2022 would I all of a sudden begin to follow their recommendations for life? or godliness?

FEAR of getting sick or dying?  Really.  Like I can control what only God has control over!?

2 Timothy 1:7

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

I will not follow our governments' way of thinking because it is anti-Bible and anti-God!  I will take care of our home...family...in the best way by following years of sound instruction for physical, mental, emotional, psychological  and spiritual stability!  Take care of the body God gave you by eating healthy food.  Sleep.  Exercise.  Vitamins.  Washing hands regularly.  Working hard.  Spending time in prayer and in God's Word.  Trusting in the sovereign God who has always been faithful!  A shot isn't going to fix life's problems!

And when God decides to announce it is my time to leave this earth...I will gain Heaven!  So we choose to live in peace...here on earth...by quieting the noise of the Covid chaos and craze that is driving everyone to their breaking point.  

Either way...I win following God's way...peace here and now or Heaven!  Some Christians need to spend time reading God's Words more than listening to man's words.  Remember...satan, the enemy of God...the great deceiver...is still walking around as a roaring lion...did you forget that God said it would be this way?

What is wrong with those that say they follow Christ?  You have an opportunity to live out what you have said you believe...but yet...all I hear is attacks and name calling and accusations that I am "not being Christian.'  What?!?  And what you are doing is Christian?  

Jesus called out those who were spreading lies and doing things under the guise of religion and they hated him for it.  As a Christ follower, I am doing my best to follow Christ's example.  He did not cower under the evil of the Roman government.  He obeyed the will of His Father...Who is also my Heavenly Father!   My God says not to fear.  My God says let not your heart be troubled.  My God says I should be perfect (mature),stablished, strengthened, and settled.  My God says I need to watch and wait for His coming.

 I Peter 5:7-11

I am done being told by Christians to just follow what the CDC and WHO are telling us to do.  I will not take counsel from fearful people or institutions who endorse killing people.  I will take care of the body God gave me using the brain that He gave me to research and find the truth as best as I can.  Do not spread your fear on me and then be ugly about it.  That is NOT how a Christ follower should act.  That is NOT loving.  That is NOT truth.  

I am tired of all the noise from all the fear-filled people.  I wish more faith-filled people would stand up and be louder than the noise...but FEAR has silenced everyone!  And so we say nothing...so as not to cause a scene or be labeled unloving or uncaring.  We are admonished to show grace...but I believe we are misusing grace!  But that is where Christians went with this whole Covid chaos right from the get go...show grace and do what the evil government tells you and don't ask questions.  Where is my grace?  When will it end?  Where is the line?  The damage to our testimony as a Christ follower has been done...and Christians have helped.  I'm curious...what will it take to get your peace back?

Always remembering that there is something to delight in each day!

 

With each new year comes many moments of reflection and remembrance, usually regarding the previous year.  The older I get, the farther back I go in counting the blessings that have added up year after year.  This week in Kindergarten, we have talked about why Jesus came at Christmas.  I have shared with my class that Jesus didn't stay a baby...He grew in wisdom, in stature, and in favor with God and man. Luke 2:52.  He grew up and lived his life without sin!  Jesus is our example.  He taught us how to love others as He loved His Father.  Each evening, I have the opportunity to talk to my husband who is a thousand miles away working.  Most days, I am able to function in peace and happiness.  But if I am honest, there are many days that I am hanging on and trying to be joyful in our present situation and it is so hard my throat constricts with tears when I see he is calling.  I will myself to not dissolve into a puddle of tears when I hear his voice.  I long for his hugs and company.  We share the usual pleasantries and exchanges about our day or the latest news...both working through the loneliness...and then the real stories of the day start...and I find my resolve to find my strength in the Lord and keep going each day...

because God has given my husband a work to do that is far beyond the business of this world!  Ted shares the conversations and questions that he has each day with co-workers on all different levels...often at the hardest times...and I wipe the tears silently away and pray for his wisdom and strength to keep on doing what is right in the face of hard.

I'm a grown up.  I have lived 52 years so far...and still counting thankfully.  I would like to think I have friends and can get along with people.  But the part of the verse that has hit me this week as I have explained it to my class..."in favor with God..."

I want God to be happy with my life.  And right now He is asking me to live for Him in Michigan while my husband lives for Him in Georgia.  I am spending a lot of time looking back to what God has taught us through our years together.  I am choosing to delight in the circumstances that God has brought to our life right now in 2022.  And I want to be genuine in my thoughts and life as I share with my five and six year olds that Jesus' way is the best way to live in favor with God and man!  I won't lie and say it is easy, but I will say that it is worth it if people can see Jesus in our lives.

"but his delight is in the law of the LORD..."

Psalm 1

LORD, please help me to think right!  Help me to focus on the right things...even when it is hard.

What does discipleship look like?

I have learned through the years that there are many ways to touch lives with love and support.  I have learned the importance of having your eyes and ears open to notice the opportunities that God gives.  I have witnessed many people turn up their noses, claim schedule conflicts, hold to the thought that it isn't their thing, and ignore opportunities.  I know who students won't go to for help and encouragement because of past situations.  What happens to adults that they lose their way in what is important in life?The students always get the blame as having bad attitudes or being disrespectful.  Yet not one person ever stands up and confronts the why of how things got to that point.  No one ever calls out the provocation.  Our student spoke up and asked for help.  So...we jumped into "Operation Help Our Kiddo with a Project" that needed a staff chaperone. 

Four bags of 450 balloons each...plus a couple hundred more, four air compressors, five hoses, nine seniors, two adults, ten pizzas, and three two liters...as they finished their spirit hallway decorations.  It was a struggle for two weeks to get things going.

We enjoyed hanging out with these seniors.  Talking and sharing time with these young people who are getting ready for a big change in a couple months.  Want to stay young?  Eat pizza.  Laugh.  Blow up and tie hundreds of balloons till you can't feel your fingers.  Laugh.  Encourage.  Stay out late.  Enjoy simple things...and you will see big smiles...just because you were willing to be there...so they could see a plan play out.  Encouragement is not hard!  It takes time...how selfish we can be as adults.  How quickly we forget what it was like to be that age!  Do you ever think about what you needed when you were that age?  Be that person...now!