How Do You Look at Your Life?

...the Lord does not see as man sees...

1 Samuel 16:7 

It is the last day of July, 2011 – the summer has flown by so fast!  Only thirty days or so before these warm, lazy days vanish, and we all return to the heavier responsibilities that fall brings.  Have you finished all your summer projects?  I am still frantically trying to get mine done:  new gardens [too hot outside], interior house painting [coming right along :)], and preparing family photos to be digitally scanned [HUGE job!].  Too many projects, not near enough time!!

When I look at my life in that vein, I tend to get discouraged.  What, after all, do I have to show for my three months of summer?  Perhaps I am looking at it the wrong way?  I have had great visits with my daughters, wonderful conversations with friends, a far earlier start than usual with my music planning, and a wonderful little house that is coming along, step-by-step, room-by-room, flower-by-flower.  When it comes to our outlook, a great deal depends on our perspective!

This last music video (for now!) is one of my absolute favorite songs.  When I tend to get discouraged with myself, I listen to it again for a different outlook.  Is my worth dependent on what I gain, or what I give?   Listen for yourself!

Look at Yourself through Heaven’s Eyes

A single thread in a tapestry,
though its color brightly shines,
can never see its purpose
in the pattern of the grand design.
And the stone that sits up on the very top
of the mountain's mighty face:
does it think it's more important
than the stones that form the base?
So how can you see what your life is worth
or where your value lies?
You can never see through the eyes of man:
you must look at your life,
look at your life through heaven's eyes

A lake of gold in the desert sand
is less than a cool fresh spring;
and to one lost sheep, a shepherd boy
is greater than the richest king.
If a man lose everything he owns,
has he truly lost his worth?
Or is it the beginning
of a new and brighter birth?
So how do you measure the worth of a man:
in wealth or strength or size?
In how much he gained or how much he gave?
The answer will come to him who tries
to look at his life through heaven's eyes

That's why we share all we have with you,
though there's little to be found.
When all you've got is nothing,
there's a lot to go around!
No life can escape being blown about
by the winds of change and chance;
and though you never know all the steps,
you must learn to join the dance!

So how do you judge what a man is worth:

By what he builds or buys?

You can never see with your eyes on earth;

Look through heaven’s eyes.

Look at your life through heaven’s eyes.

Friends

 ...there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24

Yesterday was the last day of work for the administrative assistant at the church.  Ms.B is a wonderful woman who has retired several times, only to take another job.  She has been at the church for six years and has now retired again; this time, however, her husband has also retired, so she has no intention of taking another position.  They are off to new adventures – Florida, Europe, and wherever else their lives take them.

We decided to have a small, informal party on her last day.  There was nothing for her to do work-wise except answer the phone, so we sat and gabbed and ate and gabbed some more.  Fudge pie, toffee bars, a cheese ball and crackers, grapes, Colby cheese and Ritz crackers, Doritos, lemonade – all the carbohydrates you could ever want!  As we walked her out to the car for the last time, the associate pastor remarked that the morning had been more of a cross between a party and a wake.  We will miss her terribly, but we are also joyful for this new direction that will bring her and her husband even closer together.

The secretary previous to Ms. B is good friend of mine that I see as often as our busy schedules permit.  I have every intention of keeping my friendship with Ms. B alive and well.  We already have three dates on the calendar for various activities.  Friendships are a great deal like the flowers in my garden:  they must be nurtured and cared for in order for them to thrive. Give a friend a call today.  Your day, and theirs, will be brighter for the effort.

Press On

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than

all we ask or imagine…

Ephesians 3:20

One of my colleagues at work is a young woman in her early twenties.  She has been athletic all her life, and recently required surgery to repair her knee.  She is quite tall with endlessly long legs, and has made quite a sight swinging along with her extra-long crutches.  Just as the knee was on the mend and she was down to one crutch, misfortune struck again.

As she was sitting waiting to turn, with another vehicle behind her, a large truck ploughed into the back of the SUV, forcing it forward to rear-end her little car.  The result was whiplash and severe pain in her hip and both knees.  The whiplash healed quite quickly, but the knees and hip are another story altogether.  She is in severe pain, has both knees braced, may face hip surgery, and will most likely miss her last semester of college.  The pain etched into her face is very difficult to behold.

What do you do when it seems that you just can’t catch a break – that the whole world is against you – that you can not take even one more step?  When the burden is too heavy and the pain is too great, where do you look for relief?  When giving up is just not an option, where do you turn? 

It may seem ridiculous to say, “Turn to Jesus,”  but I’m going to say it anyway!  He alone is the One who can bring peace in the midst of the storm, comfort in the midst of pain, wisdom in the midst of confusion.  He strengthens our mind and our spirit so we can press on in spite of overwhelming difficulties.  He is the source of our strength, our courage, and our peace.

Bring on the Rain!

They are like clouds without rain…

Jude 12

I was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona – a city of blazing sunshine with precious little rain.  Located in the Sonoran Desert, Phoenix gets on average about eight inches of rain per year.  There were years when it seemed like it didn’t rain at all, yet I never remember anyone telling us that we could not water our plants or fill the swimming pools.  Watering restrictions were not a part of my life there.

Now I live in Virginia – a verdant area with no evidence of desert sand.  The average rainfall in my area is forty-four inches – almost six times that of Phoenix, yet water restrictions in the summer are a way of life here.  First it is voluntary three-day-a-week watering, then mandatory, then emergency.  Last year we sank to the level of emergency restriction:  no watering at all. 

Whenever rain is forecast – I will often be found on my porch, looking at the sky, praying that this time it might actually rain in my area.  It reminds me of Israel in the time of Ahab and Jezebel – who had no rain for three plus years.  I cannot even imagine.  How did the people survive?  They believed that their god Baal provided the rain.  After more than three years of drought, you’d think they would begin to wonder about that. 

The human heart can experience drought – a  barrenness of the soul that shrivels the spirit.  Without hope, the human soul begins to die.  The writer of Hebrews tells us that “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure…”  He is referring to the love and ministry of Jesus Christ, who died for us, rose again for us, and lives for us – a constant Companion, a source of hope in the midst of hopelessness.  He invites us to come to Him and “…take the water of life freely.”

 

His Strength is Perfect

NYC across from Central Park

The Lord is my strength and my shield…

Psalm 28:7

My middle daughter is a professional tutor and university instructor.  Yesterday she was at the home of a very beautiful young teenage girl and her older teenage brother, each of whom she tutors in various subjects. Two teenage cousins were also in the house, but no parents. Toward the end of the session, the home phone rang and the girl answered it.  Shortly thereafter, she wandered into the dining room and said, “That was odd.”  When her brother inquired as to what was so different, she relayed a phone conversation that chilled my daughter to the bone.

Someone claiming to be a police officer wanted to speak to the mother.  When the girl indicated that the mother was not available, the caller said, “Oh, then your mother is not home?”  The teen answered in the affirmative.  The same questions were asked regarding the father, with the same answers.  The caller then ended the conversation.

My daughter sat stunned and suspicious, then her mind was filled with things that had to be done – now.  She tried to call the parents – no answer.  She called state and local police – no one from those agencies had called the home. The children called their aunt who lived nearby, and in no time flat they were out of the house and being driven to the aunt’s home.  When the kids were safely inside, she called me – wondering if she had done the right thing, or simply overreacted.

My answer was simple:  when you are at a point of weakness, confusion and indecision, that is the moment when God is at His strength.  The solutions that flowed rapid-fire through her mind were from a loving Father who knew exactly what needed to be done.  He provided the answers to her unasked questions.  She followed His leading – the wisest choice anyone can make.

Stethoscope

NYC Street Artist in Central Park

I have been crucified with Christ.

It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.

Galatians 2:20

Commercials are a common part of everyday life for anyone with a television.  Every ten to fifteen minutes, there is a commercial break for two, three, sometimes four advertisements for various products and services.  Some say that’s a great time to run to the kitchen for a snack.  A few of the ads, however, are so clever and unique, you are caught up in their message before you have time to escape.  Some of them become fodder for “Did you see…?” conversations in the break room at work.

The Super Bowl has developed into the Olympics of television commercials.  Companies pay millions of dollars for the privilege of showing a commercial during televised breaks.  They then hire the best creative minds in the business to come up with a unique, eye-catching advertisement.  The public even votes on which ad was the best for that particular game.  My personal all-time favorite is the little boy who offers Mean Joe Green his Coke, receiving his hero’s football jersey in return.

The video below was also a commercial – one for a completely unique product.  Be sure to watch it all the way through.  As always, the punch line is at the very end.  Have a blessed day!   

He Who Has Promised is Faithful - Part 2

God told Moses to lead Israel out of the land of Egypt to the Promised Land.  Moses said, 

“All right, if I am the man You want, I might as well get started.”

He started swinging his sword and killed one Egyptian.  Then he fled into the wilderness, where for forty years, as he herded sheep, he learned the lessons of faith and the will.  At the end of forty years, God reminded him that he was to lead Israel out of Egypt.  Moses replied, 

“I can’t do it.  I’m a born sheepherder.  It’s impossible for me to deliver Israel.”

But now God knew he was ready, for Moses was finally willing to depend on divine power.

Then, in spite of their wonderful leader who had learned the hard way, Israel went through the same experience.  They had the promise, “The Lord your God, He shall fight for you” [Deuteronomy 3:22].  But Israel wandered in the wilderness for forty years, trying to absorb the same lesson that Moses had had to learn before them:

When God makes a promise, He has the power to keep it,

and He does not need our interference.

Our meddling merely hinders Him from accomplishing His purposes.

~Salvation by Faith and Your Will by Morris Venden

R & H Publishing Association, 1978

He Who Has Promised is Faithful - Part 1

  And God is able to make all grace abound to you,

So that in all things at all times,

Having all that you need,

You will abound in every good work.

2 Corinthians 9:8

God led Abraham to a land that he would receive as an inheritance and He further promised him that he would be the father of a great multitude. When he arrived in Canaan after a long journey, the people greeted him:

       

            “Welcome to our land.  What is your name?”

            “My name is , ‘Father of a Multitude,’” he replied, because that was what his name meant.

            “Oh,” they said, “your name means ‘Father of a Multitude’?  How many children do you have?”

            “Well, … I don’t have any.”  And the people smiled.

            They met Sarah.  “Welcome to Canaan.  What is your name>”

            “My name is ‘Mother of Nations.’”

            “Oh, it is!  How many children do you have?”

            “Well, … I don’t have any children.”

            Then the people took a little closer look at Sarah and asked, “How old are you, anyway?”

            “I’m sixty-five.”  And that was even more embarrassing.

Finally Abraham decided that God must have made a promise He couldn’t keep.  “He needs our help,” he concluded.  Abraham and Sarah discussed the problem together and came up with a plan that seemed acceptable according to the customs of their day.  Soon a tragic family situation developed.  Only after years of heartache did Abraham finally learn the lesson that would qualify him for the name “Father of the Faithful.” 

Salvation by Faith and Your Will by Morris Venden

 R & H Publishing Association, 1978

–to be continued

Summertime

But You, O God, are my king from of old;

You bring salvation upon the earth.

It was You who set all the boundaries of the earth;

You made both summer and winter.

Psalm 74:12, 17

As I am sitting here this morning in front of my computer, in my wonderful little house with its air-conditioning on, the temperature outside is in the low 90’s, headed to a high of 102° today, with a heat index of 110° - the same as yesterday.  I lived the first 18 years of my life in Phoenix, Arizona, so I have seen this temperature [and much higher] many times.  I used to have a t-shirt proclaiming I Survived 122°! when the mercury hit that mark in the greater Phoenix area.  The proverbial “frying eggs on the sidewalk” was a foregone conclusion!

The men and women in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait see temperatures of 122° on a daily basis.  In fact, it was a “cool” day in Iraq yesterday – it only reached 115° at one of the military bases.  They don’t get to don a bathing suit or a pair of shorts and a tank top either. They wear full military camouflage – long sleeves and all.

The homeless are another group who, for the most part, don’t have an air-conditioned room to pop into.  They are constantly looking for shade, and are also dressed in long sleeves in order to protect themselves from the sun.  Our city has opened three cooling shelters for this weekend; they do so whenever the heat index rises above 95°.  Hopefully most of those living outdoors will be able to find their way to one of these cool havens.  This heat wave covers much of the Midwest through the Eastern United States, putting many homeless people at risk.

Please pray today for the military men and women serving in the hot zones overseas, and especially for the homeless who are trying to survive here in our own hometowns and across North America.  The summer is beautiful, but the heat can be deadly.

Sound the Trumpet!

NY Philharmonic Orchestra at The Met

For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven,

With a loud command, with the voice of the

Archangel, and with the trumpet call of God…

1 Thessalonians 4:16

I believe that one of God’s favorite musical instruments is the trumpet.  Oh, I grant you, He loves horns as well, but I think He has a special spot in His heart for trumpets.  He’s always giving one of the angels a trumpet to blow – or seven angels with trumpets at once, for that matter!  Our text above implies that God even has His own trumpet call.  I think even God has His favorites.  I know I have mine. 

I love choirs of just about every kind, including children, but my favorite is the Male Chorus.  There is nothing that sounds quite like a good men's singing group.  I enjoy orchestra music very much, but my favorite is a brass ensemble such as the Canadian Brass.  My favorite string instrument is the cello; my favorite woodwind is the oboe; my favorite brass instrument is the trumpet.  My favorite percussion?  The tympani!  My favorite musical instrument of all?  The piano, hands down! 

Music is one of the greatest gifts we have been given from the Creator’s hand.  It calms our minds, lowers our blood pressure, lifts our spirits, and encourages us throughout our day.  You wouldn’t dream of buying a car that did not have a CD player or I-Pod port. Even the elevators play music!  Give thanks to the Lord today for the melodies that He has placed in your life and the lives of those you love.

Music of the Mind

Each man has his own gift from God…

1 Corinthians 7:7

Ludwig von Beethoven is another of my favorite composers.  His first music teacher was his father, who, according to many accounts, was a jerk and hoped to promote his son for money as a child prodigy such as Mozart.  He was performing at the age of seven [his father claimed he was six] as an accomplished pianist  He also studied organ, violin and viola.  He wrote and published his first composition at the age of thirteen.

That which inspires me about Beethoven, however--aside from his gorgeous music, is his determination to rise above the infirmity that began to plague him at twenty-six years old – the loss of his hearing.  He briefly thought of suicide in his early thirty’s, but the music in his head persuaded him to live for his art.  By the age of forty-four, Beethoven was profoundly deaf.  He could no longer perform on the piano, but continued to conduct and compose.  When he conducted the premiere of his Ninth Symphony, he had to be turned around at the end of the performance so that he could see the thunderous ovation.  He could hear nothing.

How in the world do you write music when you cannot hear a thing?  How do you hear each instrument of the orchestra and which portion of the music they are to play?  How do you conduct an orchestra that you cannot hear?  You do so by pouring forth the glorious music that God has placed in your mind. 

Genius

Each man has his own gift from God…

1 Corinthians 7:7

Do you know anyone who is a genius?  Webster defines genius, as we think of it, as: great natural ability, strong disposition, great mental capacity, great creative ability.  I think the closest I will ever come to a genius is my own daughter.  She has a mind that works like a computer, a memory like an elephant, and qualified as a member of MENSA, the largest and oldest high I-Q society in the world – within the upper 2% of the general population of the world.  When she was very little, she would stand behind me while I tried to play a game on the computer, winning it in her head long before I either won or gave up.  She is now a statistics teacher, which seems only right.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a genius extraordinaire.  He was considered a child prodigy, and began composing music when he was five years old [I started singing in public at two, took voice lessons at four, but I certainly wasn’t writing music!!].  He began playing the clavier at three, and the violin at four.  At the age of six, he and his family embarked on a three and a half year concert tour through Europe.  His abilities in performing and composing were astounding.

Mozart has always been my favorite composer, and my favorite composition is Eine Kleine Nachtmusik – A Little Night Music.  Music such as this lifts the spirit and brightens the day.  It is a precious gift from a loving Creator.  Enjoy!

Witness

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit

comes on you; and you will be my witnesses

in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,

and to the ends of the earth.

Acts 1:8

I have always loved the song, Witness, by Jack Halloran.  Written in the style of a spiritual, the lyrics ask, “Who will be a witness for my Lord?”  The answer might surprise you!  The first character we see is Nicodemus, the Pharisee who sought Jesus by night.  Jesus told him that he must be born again through water and the Spirit.  Only then could he witness to the power and love of his Savior and Lord.  Nicodemus believed in Jesus as the Messiah, and became a tremendous witness to the Gospel, particularly after the death of Christ.

The second character introduced in this song is a little strange, in my mind, when talking about being a witness.  Samson was many, many things – mostly untamed and dissolute! His name would definitely not be the first one that would come to my mind as being a witness for the Lord.  Yes, he acted as a judge of Israel, but much of his life the message he lived was, “Do as I say, don’t do as I do.”  Yet this deeply flawed man finally gave his heart and soul to the God of his fathers amidst immense pain and humiliation, and the final act of his life was a tremendous witness to the power of God in the life of His children.

Who’ll be a witness for my Lord?  I’ll be a witness for my Lord.

There was a man of the Pharisees;

his name was Nicodemus and he didn’t believe.

The same came to Christ by night; 

wanted to be taught out of human sight.

Nicodemus was a man who desired to know 

how a man can be born when he is old.

Christ told Nicodemus as a friend, “Man, you must be born again.”

He said, “Marvel not, if you want to be wise – 

repent, believe and be baptized.”

Then you’ll be a witness for my Lord, 

your soul is a witness for My Lord.

You read about Samson – from his birth

he was the strongest man that ever lived on earth.

Way back yonder in ancient times, 

he killed ten thousand of the Philistines.

Then old Samson went a-wanderin’ about. 

Samson’s strength was never found out.

Till his wife sat upon his knee – she said,

“Tell me where your strength lies, if you please.”

Samson’s wife, she talk so fair, Samson said, “Cut off my hair!

Shave my head just as close as your hand,

and my strength will become like a natural man.”

Samson was a witness for my Lord, my soul is a witness for my Lord.

Who’ll be a witness for my Lord?   

There’s another witness for my Lord!

Prayer

New York Harbor

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions,

with all kinds of prayers and requests.

Ephesians 6:18

I love it when my children ask me to pray for them.  They are grown women now – with busy lives of their own.  When push comes to shove, however, they all ask Mama for prayer.  This morning it was my oldest daughter asking for prayer for her flight back to New York from the Gulf Coast.  When I texted my best friend to ask her to join me in praying, I found that she was at Kennedy Airport in NYC waiting for her flight to California.  She was instantly added to the prayer request!

I don’t know that I have ever really read this text from Ephesians before.  It is the verse after the ones about the armor of God – a passage I know I have read.  I love it, though, for it has been my philosophy for a long time – prayer about anything, anytime, anywhere.  Little things or big things.  Requests and Thank you’s.  Peaceful prayers and agitated prayers.  It doesn’t matter what kind – our Father loves to hear from us on any and all occasions.

I have no control over the airplane, the sky, the weather, or any other aspect of flight. In terms of being a physical help to my daughter or my friend, I am completely helpless.  Spiritually, however, I am a warrior – utilizing the gift of prayer that I have been given by the Creator of the universe.  It is one of the greatest gifts I have ever received.  Thank you, God!

Christmas in July

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign:

A virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son,

And will call Him Immanuel.

Isaiah 7:14

When I was growing up in Phoenix, Arizona, we attended the Phoenix Central Church.  Housed in an old sanctuary near the downtown area, the church congregation was young and vibrant – never more so than in the area of music.

Dr. James Bursey was a medical doctor and a musician extraordinaire.  In the summer of my eleventh year, Dr. Bursey approached my mother with a copy of the Messiah and suggested I might “play around with the accompaniment” as a summer project.  My piano teacher was always giving me something to “play around with,” so I attacked the Messiah accompaniment with great vigor.  My hands have always been tiny, and the chords were very big, so a little ingenuity went in to making it all work. 

By Christmas of my 12^th year, I felt like I was ready.  Dr. Bursey asked me to begin playing for the Messiah choir rehearsals, and I did so with great pride and a little trepidation.  For the next ten years or so, I accompanied every Messiah rehearsal, even when Dr. Bursey moved to the new church in Scottsdale.  While I played the music, my heart absorbed the text.  To this day, I can quote long passages from the book of Isaiah, because I learned them in Messiah rehearsals.  All I have to do is think of the music, and the text flows through my soul like a mighty river.

Alleluia!

South Street Seaport, NYC

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,

And His ears are attentive to their prayer.

1 Peter 3:12a

I awakened this morning to a cool, beautiful day – and a beeping cell phone.  I had a message waiting for me – one that absolutely delighted me, and that I was not expecting today:  my daughter traveling/working in West Africa was HOME.  What a wonderful surprise!  I did not realize that the team flew out yesterday and arrived home at 5:00am this morning.

I want to thank each and every one of you for your prayers on their behalf during the team’s two week sojourn in Sierra Leone and Benin.  If I might paraphrase Peter – the eyes of God are on all the peoples of the earth, and He hears all thoughts and prayers sent in His direction.  And we know that …He who promised is faithful. [Hebrews 10:23].  Alleluia!   

Angels Watching Over Me

It is 4:30am in the morning, and I am getting ready to leave for a day trip up north.  Across the world, my daughter is in her last day auditing in West Africa - she begins her journey home tomorrow.  I had not heard from her all week until last night, when she commented on an email I had forwarded.

When I am getting ready for my journey and thinking about my daughter getting ready to return from hers, I think of.... angels.  Angels that have been with her these last two weeks.  Angels that will be with me as I drive north.  Angels that are with us, watching over us, every day of our lives.  Thank you, Father, for the angels that will guard my daughter and me today and every day.

Day 12 of Prayer for West Africa

For completion of a job well done.

For safe travel home.

For the Beauty of the Earth

Then God saw everything that He had made,

And indeed it was very good.

Genesis 1:31a

For the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the skies

For the love which from our birth over and around us lies,

Lord of all, to Thee we raise this, our joyful hymn of praise.

For the beauty of the hour, of the day and of the night,

Hill and vale and tree and flower, sun and moon and stars of light.

Lord of all, to Thee we raise this, our joyful hymn of praise.

For the joy of human love – brother, sister, parent, child,

Friends on earth and friends above – for all gentle thoughts and mild,

Lord of all, to Thee we raise this, our joyful hymn of praise.

For each perfect gift of Thine to our race so freely given:

Graces human and divine, flowers of earth and buds of heaven.

Lord of all, to Thee we raise this, our joyful hymn of praise.

Day 12 of Prayer for West Africa

Coming to the end of the journey.  

Prayers for safety and health. 

Forty Brave Soldiers

He [Peter] denied it again with an oath:

“I don’t know the man!”

Matthew 26:72

What would you do if you were faced with denying your Lord or losing your life?  Sitting in my comfortable office in the United States, it is easy for me to say, “Oh, I would not deny Jesus!  I couldn’t do that!”  When I am faced with death, however, I can really only hope and pray that I would stand true to my faith.

Look at Peter – a faithful disciple, a strong friend, a man eager to further the ministry of Christ.  Jesus even warned him that catastrophe was right around the corner, and Peter swore that he would never deny his Lord..  But around that glowing bonfire, before the servants, soldiers and politicians who were there to watch the kangaroo court trial, Peter’s faith failed and his mouth poured forth curses and denials.  At a glance from his Savior, Peter fled into the oblivion of night – a broken man.  He had his life, but he had lost part of his soul.

I often think of the young girl at Columbine High School in Colorado who was asked by one of the teenage killers whether she believed in God [not Cassie Bernall, whose story has come under question, but Valeen Schnurr].  She had to have instinctively known that this was not a game of 20 Questions.  She was already bleeding from wounds caused by 34 shotgun pellets, but she had the courage to say YES.  The gunman reloaded his weapon, then turned elsewhere; Valeen crawled away and survived.

Please pray today for those individuals around the world who are suffering for their faith and beliefs.  Pray for courage and strength, for them and for us.

Day 11 of prayer for West Africa

Thank you for your continued prayers for the audit team.