Simmering Summer

 

The Lord watches over you - the Lord is the shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. ~Psalm 121:5-6

Summer is not a season that Danny and I ever truly embrace.  While I understand that many of you adore the summer months and mourn when they are passed, I'd venture to say that the majority of you live far north of our Georgia locale and ideally, close to the seashore where ocean breezes radically modify brutally hot temperatures.  I do recall loving those weeks in summers long ago when we would visit relatives in Massachusetts who lived along the coast.  The weather, it seemed, was perfect!

Beginning last Friday, we fall under the wickedly warm influence of a heat dome.  Temperatures are predicted to soar to the nineties every day for at least a week.  Add to this no significant precipitation during this time, and that's a signal for us to hunker down in our air-conditioned safe space, venturing abroad only to attend church or run errands that cannot be postponed.

Danny, in particular, is extremely sensitive to high temperatures.  He thinks it may have something to do with all the heart medication he has to take on a daily basis.  But whatever the cause, simply moving across a scorching parking lot to access a grocery store isn't an option for him.

I don't like the sweltering heat, but thankfully, I have a higher tolerance for it.  when we go grocery shopping this past Friday (predicted as the coolest day in the string of scorchers to come), we take my little Scion instead of Danny's Subaru as I've never felt comfortable driving the latter.  We can pull up to the store front, flip on the hazard lights, and engage in what we used to call a "Chinese Fire Drill" in the days before political correctness descended, then Danny can quickly enter the store while I hunt for a place to park.

When we're finally in the check-out line, I head back out to the parking lot so I can have the car right there at the curb for Danny the moment he emerges from the store.  This routine definitely keeps his exposure to the debilitating heat to a minimal.  Once we're home, since our yard is so shaded, he can let down his guard and breathe a sigh of relief.

As the Psalmist states above, the Lord is our shade at our right hand.  Trusting completely in Him, we know that the sun cannot cause us harm on even the most simmering of summer days.  God's plan to place Danny and me together in marriage so many years ago is no random coincidence.

It is an intentional act on His part.  Knowing from the beginning and the end of our lives how we could, and would, be of help to one another, in His great love, God brought us together for His purpose and our benefit.

And for that, and so many other blessings, we give Him all our thanks and praise.

Amen!

What Would Jesus Undo?

 

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are!  The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. ~1 John 3:1

Humility isn't thinking less of yourself, but thinking about yourself less. ~C. S. Lewis

I'm sure most of you recall the popular use in Christian circles of the WWJD, What Would Jesus Do bracelets.  In my case, it's not a bracelet, but a "charm" affixed to my key ring, one I treasure as my daughter, Sarah, gives it to me.  So thoughtful!

Two Sundays ago, Pastor Jared introduces a new series of sermons focused not on "What Would Jesus Do" but "What Would Jesus Undo?"  Huh?  Where can he possibly be going with this theme?

The idea comes from Jared's skepticism about seeing people wearing those bracelets, yet displaying anything but Christian-like behavior.  Because, as he aptly explains, behaving like Jesus does not come naturally to us humans.  After all, who among us can claim that we never think about how others perceive us; stop to help anyone in need even when it interrupts our lives; forgive quickly and often, or are willing to lay down our lives for the sake of another?

Hard questions, aren't they?  Our secular culture runs counter-intuitive to Jesus' teachings.  It values greed, envy and control, all of which is exacerbated by the lie that we can make it on our own without God's help.  This leads to lives centered on us, not on God as they should be. 

Especially in this age of social media, images of others' "perfect lives" only serve to make us feel "less-than."  We make constant comparisons.  We refuse to try new things because we imagine we might fail.  As Jared stresses to us, we mistakenly think we're simply not good enough.  This form of self-condemnation says I know myself better than Jesus does.

Our culture wants to label us, rank us, tell us that love is conditional.  In order to be the best, you have to "Be the Best."  Is that even possible?  Of course not!  There will always be someone better at what you may perceive as your best trait or talent.

But God.

Jesus willingly became one of us and willingly died for every one of us that we might be restored to a right relationship with the Father as He intended.  From Adam and Eve to the present, we have all messed up, but because of Jesus' sacrifice, we are now works in progress in the glorious process of sanctification.  If we even entertain the notion that we don't need God's help in doing this, we fall for the greatest lie of all.

Society may tell us that we have to earn love, but with God, that love is unconditional.  There is nothing we can do more or less that can alter His love and grace.

Remember, my friend, you are created in God's image.

You are His beloved child.

You are enough.

Amen!

These are the bracelets Pastor Jared made for us to take and wear.  Great way to start a conversation!

Watching and Listening

 

Where can I go from your Spirit?  Where can I flee from your presence?  If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. ~Psalm 139:7-8

Danny and I enthusiastically anticipate our Face Time conversations with daughter, Sarah, and the grandchildren, especially our oldest, Virginia.  Consumed by work as of late, Sarah hasn't had the opportunity for any lengthy chats in the last two weeks, so we are delighted to finally connect with here this past Saturday.

We catch up on each other's news, always more on their end than ours and are especially anxious to hear about Virginia's recent trip to the Great Smoky Mountains, Gatlinburg to be specific, with her friend whose family has invited her to join them on their vacation.  Danny and I have taken Virginia to the mountains with us on two different occasions where we stayed gorgeous cabins.  The first trip is in 2019,

And the second, in 2022.

Virginia is bubbling over with all the details of her recent mountain adventures.  She describes here first foray into the icy waters of Little Pigeon River via innertube, even the time or two that the rapids practically upend her.  Although they do stay in a cabin-like motel in town, she does get to visit a sprawling luxury cabin owned by a relative of the family where, she says, she had vast and breathtaking views of the mountains all around them.  What a thrill!

Since her birthday (sweet 16!) falls during the week Virginia is there, her friend and her mother even take her shopping in Gatlinburg and gift her with a beautiful, and what Sarah describes as probably expensive, bracelet.  How thoughtful of them!

But the highlight of her adventure is when they go to one of Gatlinburg's finest restaurants, The Peddler, for dinner.  I instantly recognize the name as I've heard my friends, Karen and Mike Friday at Friday's Forever on YouTube, talking about what a high-end place it is, one best suited for special occasions when it's okay to splurge.  While we're using Danny's phone for this Face Time call, he checks his computer to see the Peddler's menu.

Holy guacamole!  Those prices!!!  And Virginia tells us there were six people at dinner that evening.  Six!!!  It takes me a moment to pick my jaw up off the floor.

The long and short of it is, Virginia will never forget how special her 16th birthday was.  After chatting for over an hour, we end the call with our prolific good-byes and love-yous before shutting down the screen.  I find myself wishing, not for the first nor last time, that they lived closer to us.

After a while, I decide to check my email on my phone to see if anything important has landed in my inbox during the interim.  I can't believe what I see!  Front and center, as plain as day, is an ad for The Peddler!  What???  We use Danny's phone for the Face Time, his computer to research the restaurant, yet the ad comes to my phone!

No matter what we do, intentionally or not, our devices are always listening to us and tracking our every move.  It's intrusive, unsettling and yes, downright scary.  Big Brother is no longer confined to Orwell's 1984.  He's here, he's now and he's watching.  Sadly, it's the price we have to pay if we wish to stay in touch with family and friends over the miles.

But here is the good news - Our Father has looked over us and out for us time out of mind.  There isn't anywhere we can roam that He doesn't see us, hear us, care for us, and love us beyond measure.  We are bound to Him through Jesus and the Spirit with everlasting ties that nothing in heaven or on earth can ever unravel.

I'll take that kind of watching and listening any day of the week!

Amen!

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The Light of Life

 

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." ~John 8:12

I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen; not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else. ~C. S. Lewis

My word for the year is Light.  Although I haven't written about it here in quite some time, it has been a constant in my daily life as I observe seasons transitioning from winter to spring and now summer.  Our home, nestled in the woods, tends to be darker than most during the day, so those glimpses of the sun's radiance are a coveted sight.

The top photos shows my work area for my Bible and devotional readings.  I've noticed, with great delight, that starting around 11:00 in the morning, the sun streams through the window on a clear day, providing such ample illumination that I don't have to turn on my overhead lamp.  Needless to say, that hour has become my favorite time for engaging with my Bible study.

And yes, as summer rolls on, the time of the sunshine's entrance will shift; I'll be following its progress faithfully.  Now if our Congress would decide to keep to Daylight Savings Time as I mention in my previous post, I can look forward to this reenactment next July, too.  No, I'm not holding my breath.

We enjoy a bright, sunny day just this past week, and I can't resist snapping some photos of the sunlight on the leaves.

Even on rainy days, the light that gets through the clouds shimmers and dances on the leaves in such a magical style.

As Christians, we know that Jesus walks with us each and every day.  He is truly the light of the world, the light of life, and in Him there is no darkness at all.  Even on a starless, moonless night, His light shines through us as our faith and trust in Him grows and flourishes.  Because God's Holy Spirit dwell within us, we can, and we will, experience what C. S. Lewis describes in the quote above.

We will see the world around us with the loving eyes of Jesus.

And that's the only way we can live freely and fully.

Amen!

Something We Can All Agree On

 

Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.  Let all the people say, "Amen!"  Praise the Lord. ~Psalm 106:48

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. ~Hebrews 13:8

Once again, the possibility of keeping the USA on one time year-round instead of switching semi-annually, is on the table.  The House of Representatives passes a bill just last week to keep Daylight Savings Time permanent.  There are already doubts that the Senate will vote in the affirmative.  However, I, for one, am happy that it's at least being discussed, and I'm hoping that they will come to a bi-partisan consensus agreeable to the majority of Americans.

The following quote in a July 16th press release from the AP encapsulates the essence of why time changes matter:  Currently, the shift is forward in spring and back to standard time in fall as a way to give people more daylight time in the summer evenings.  But the semi-annual change has few fans - and AP-NORC* poll last year found that only 12% of American adults were in favor of it, while almost half opposed it.  Proponents of a single time include the American Medical Association and American Academy of Sleep Medicine - outfits to whom daily rhythms are deeply important.

I can tell you from personal experience that those daily rhythms are of utmost importance to me.  And the older I get, the more I find my body craves a dependable routine.  Even when I was much younger, having to adjust to new sleep schedules and dealing with growing children became irritatingly problematic, especially the "spring forward" aspect of the whole ordeal.  Add to that a cat and a dog who had no concept of time, and things could and did go south in a hurry.

In the end, necessary adjustments are realized, but why put us through this mess in the first place?  I know there will be plenty of opinions regarding whether we should remain on Daylight Savings Time or permanently revert to Standard Time, and I'm sure, too, depending on where in the country you live, you much prefer one over the other.  Or perhaps, you don't have strong feelings either way.  Pro or con, I'd love to hear from you in the comments.  This should produce a lively discussion for all who choose to participate!

We can certainly agree or disagree about time changes here on earth, but I take great comfort in knowing that our God is the unchanging, everlasting Father.  Time never dictates His agenda.  He is beyond our worldly understanding of time, yet never inaccessible in the present moment.  What a blessing that is!

And I think that's something we can all agree on.

Amen!

*National Opinion and Research Center

Mom Always Liked You Best!

 

My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. ~James 2:1

Back in the late 1960's, audiences were treated to the music and comedy of The Smothers Brothers on various variety shows and on their own show for three seasons. Dick Smothers played the straight-man, and brother, Tommy, was the clown and upstart. One of their famed routines, which never failed to evoke laughter from their viewers, involved Tommy, slowly but surely, losing an argument with Dick and finally, in exasperation at the lack of any better rejoinder, defiantly blurting out, "Mom always liked you best!" As a child watching this, I was unsure if it was only a joke or if Tommy really felt his mother had shown favoritism toward Dick as they were growing up together. It made me wonder, quite uncomfortably I might add, if my own parents liked my brother more than they liked me. With these worries, I struggled to find this skit humorous, and always felt immeasurably sorry for Tommy.

In the scripture referred to above, James exhorts the early church to avoid showing favoritism to any of the members. It seems this church was deferring to their wealthy members while treating the poorer with indifference. This partiality indicated that worldly values were being placed above heavenly ones, and James is anxious to guide them away from such practices which lead not to glory, but to sin. He doesn't tolerate a lip-service faith, but demands one of action where belief in and the following of Christ Jesus is lived out to the letter. If Christ died for all, then all should be welcomed with the same love He showed to us.

Do you perceive partiality or favoritism being played out in your church? Do you struggle with the notion that all who walk through the doors of the sanctuary should be equally accepted? When strangers enter the Sunday service or a Sunday school class for the first time, how are they greeted? How are they treated? Do they feel like Dick, the loved one, or like Tommy, the one who isn't quite lovable enough? Today, think of the ways partiality affects your life, and if you find it does, vow to make the change which allows you to love your neighbor as yourself.

Amen!

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A More Perfect Union

 

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. ~Proverbs 16:3

We spend the evening of July 4th viewing consecutive shows on Fox News highlighting events happening on the national mall and around the country as everyone is gearing up to celebrate our 250th birthday.  Danny and I know we can't possibly stay up for the grand finale of fireworks as we have church the next day, but we certainly enjoy what festivities we do see, especially the earth-shaking fly-overs, and we admire the thousands who are braving the sweltering heat to secure their place on the mall to hear our president speak and watch the momentous fireworks which will ensue.

Then the unexpected, unwelcomed interruption occurs.  A thunderstorm with lightning is fast approaching.  The news anchors who are broadcasting from an open, raised pavilion are swiftly ushered into a safe trailer, dubbed the Freedom Bunker, which also serves as protection for musical guests, celebrities and, most importantly, WWII veterans who are to be honored on stage later that evening.  In a twinkling, the carefully choreographed coverage has all but dissolved and the challenge of thinking on their feet reveals just how talented and versatile these Fox News anchors are.

The ways in which they interact so seamlessly and congenially with the people into whose midst they are thrown displays to a person their genuine concern for and interest in others and their stories.  More than once, Danny and I find ourselves exchanging looks of amazement at everyone's candor and friendliness as the coverage, now more personal and meaningful, takes on a life and energy all its own.

From the singing of God Bless America by the 106-year-old Cpl. Wilbur "Jack" Myers to Jason Crabb and Michael W. Smith belting out Awesome God in an impromptu duet, to the excellent rendition of Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy by a talented trio of ladies dressed like the Andrews Sisters, we are blissfully afforded a sneak peek at the entertainment we would have seen later that evening if we were night owls.  Danny and I repeatedly remark while watching this spontaneous, unscripted version of our nation's birthday is the best, most memorable, we've ever seen.

We witness, in real time, the very embodiment of American resilience.  The lightning may flash and the thunder roll along our nation's journey, but our belief in a sovereign God and the freedoms only He can guarantee will never be defeated.  United as One Nation Under God, we can celebrate our 250th birthday and look forward to the next 250 years with the hope and confidence that only comes from the Lord.

Let us pray that with each passing day, we become that more perfect union that our Founding Fathers envisioned for our great nation so many years ago.

Amen!