Category: Character

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Annoying Circumstances

There are little circumstances that can cause big annoyances. Let me explain.

We have been dealing with a refrigerator issue for about a month now. The freezer stays at a constant -2 degrees, however, the refrigerator won’t cool below 44 degrees. This isn’t a big problem for most of the items but things like milk, mayonnaise and eggs get a little too warm.

The manufacturer of our RV has been great. First, they sent us some “trouble shooting” guidelines. Perfect. We followed them step by step. Everything checked out. Next instruction was call a mobile tech. Check. He came and assessed the issue. Sent pictures, written explanations and waited. We received another more detailed check list from the manufacturer’s of the refrigerator. Really???

Notice, I am now getting annoyed. Emails are being exchanged a couple of times a day. Had one arrive yesterday morning at 5 am my time. I responded immediately. As Dave and I were talking, trying to keep our blood pressure down, the phone rang. It was the RV manufacturer. The rep on the other end was very sympathetic and knew our need to have a working refrigerator in place before we leave in three weeks for the mountains. She listened to our frustration and assured me she was on it.

Within two hours she sent another email. A new refrigerator is on the way. It will be there in four business days.

Big sigh and a “thank you Jesus”!

Each day that we have been dealing with this Dave has been saying, “I will not let this spoil our summer. We’ll work it through one way or another. We just need it fixed and God knows that”.

Truly, He did. He knows all the little things that come about to steal our joy and when we trust Him he will bring us through with a proper attitude.

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” James 1:2-4 NLT

“The Lord is your God. He is the God of gods and the Lord of lords. He is the great God. He is the amazing and powerful fighter. To him everyone is the same… 21 He is the one you should praise. He is your God. He has done great and amazing things for you. You have seen them with your own eyes.” Deuteronomy 10:17-21 ERV

Will we have annoyances? Yes. Will we face circumstances that are frustrating? Yes. Do we have to give in to them? No.

If we trust Him, our Father will guide us through each situation. He is the amazing and powerful fighter. He will be the one to defend and protect. When we keep our focus on Him and His ability we will have joyful victory over annoying circumstances.

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Working Together

I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating, “I love my RV home”!

Each week we are feeling more settled. It does take time to adjust, though. When we first moved in the biggest adjustment for me was the kitchen space.

You all know that I love to cook, bake, and create in my kitchen. I’ve learned to place everything at my fingertips and have become quite comfortable with the limited counter space. When we first saw a video on this model, the man doing the walk-through called this an “OBK”, or one bottom kitchen.

He was right.

I was preparing sour cream enchiladas for lunch yesterday and Dave was going to make his fresh pico de gallo. It’s so yummy! He had to wait until I cleaned up the counters and had the enchiladas in the oven. We couldn’t both fit in the space. We make a good team – working together.

He finished with the pico and guacamole just about the time the enchiladas were done. Perfect timing.

“Two people are better than one. When two people work together, they get more work done. 10 If one person falls, the other person can reach out to help. But those who are alone when they fall have no one to help them.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 ERV

Working side-by-side in harmony is a blessing from the Lord. There is someone to share the load and the joy.

As I read through the New Testament writings of Paul, in particular, I take note of the number of times he mentions those who have helped him in ministry. He calls them by name and asks the readers of his letters to pray for them and to encourage them.

Paul also tells us that we should work together as members of one body, the body of Christ. When one hurts, we should all come to assist; when one rejoices, we should participate in the joy.

“Christ gave these gifts to prepare God’s holy people for the work of serving, to make the body of Christ stronger. 13 This work must continue until we are all joined together in what we believe and in what we know about the Son of God. Our goal is to become like a full-grown man—to look just like Christ and have all his perfection… we will speak the truth with love. We will grow to be like Christ in every way. He is the head, 16 and the whole body depends on him. All the parts of the body are joined and held together, with each part doing its own work. This causes the whole body to grow and to be stronger in love.” Ephesians 4:12-16 ERV

If we see someone who is isolated and hurting, try to help. Don’t become offended if help is refused. It could be they are too wounded to let anyone come close but don’t quit trying. Keep reaching out in love.

Working together, each of us doing our part, makes us grow strong in Christ.

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Hard to Be Humble

Those of you who remember the country music of the 80’s will remember this song by Mack Davis:

Oh Lord, it’s hard to be humble
When you’re perfect in every way
I can’t wait to look in the mirror
‘Cause I get better lookin’ each day

Humility is lost to a great many in today’s society. Taking sole credit for the good and putting all responsibility for things going wrong on someone else seems to be the norm.

Yesterday we found a list of qualities that the Father wants us to add to our lives. Qualities that will reflect His DNA (divine nature attributes) and when displayed will show that we are like the Father.

“Do your best to improve your faith by adding goodness, understanding, 6 self-control, patience, devotion to God, 7 concern for others, and love. 8 If you keep growing in this way, it will show that what you know about our Lord Jesus Christ has made your lives useful and meaningful.” II Peter 1:5-7 CEV

Goodness, understanding, self-control, patience, devotion, concern and compassion could all be used as descriptive terms for a person of humility. These are the characteristics of Christ; they show that we are conforming to His image.

“God has chosen you and made you his holy people. He loves you. So your new life should be like this: Show mercy to others. Be kind, humble, gentle, and patient. 13 Don’t be angry with each other, but forgive each other. If you feel someone has wronged you, forgive them. Forgive others because the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:12-13 ERV

Oh yes, it’s hard to be humble; to respond like this when we are treated poorly is often a monumental task. To be kind and forgiving when we are maligned is not easy but it is Christlike.

“Don’t be jealous or proud, but be humble and consider others more important than yourselves. 4 Care about them as much as you care about yourselves 5 and think the same way that Christ Jesus thought: 6 Christ was truly God. But he did not try to remain equal with God. 7 Instead he gave up everything and became a slave, when he became like one of us.” Philippians 2:3-7 CEV

Jesus never compromised on the Word of God. He never apologized for His hatred of sin and evil but He never retaliated in a selfish or unloving way. His mission was the message of forgiveness and reconciliation to those on earth and He did that by becoming one with us.

Everything He did, He did to honor the Father. His life is our example.

“In fact, God treats us with even greater kindness, just as the Scriptures say, ‘God opposes everyone who is proud, but he blesses all who are humble with undeserved grace.’

7 Surrender to God! Resist the devil, and he will run from you. 8 Come near to God, and he will come near to you… 10 Be humble in the Lord’s presence, and he will honor you.” James 4:6-10 CEV

Humility is a lifestyle that reflects the Father. He gives us the grace we need to live in such a way and honors us for our obedience.

Be humble!

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Getting God’s Perspective

A few weeks back I was reading the story of Gideon and how God used him, even when Gideon doubted his own worth.

Something in Gideon strikes a cord in me.

Meet Gideon. We find him threshing grain in a wine press, a very impractical endeavor. Part of winnowing the grain requires it to be thrown in the air, letting the chaff be blown away and the grain heads remain. But there is no breeze in a wine press. A counterproductive effort at best. Gideon was living in fear.

The Lord sent an angel to encourage Gideon and look what the angel says:

“The angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and said, “The Lord be with you, brave soldier.” 13 Then Gideon said, “Pardon me, sir, but if the Lord is with us, why are we having so many troubles?… 14 The Lord turned toward Gideon and said, “Then use your great power and go save the Israelites from the Midianites. I am sending you to save them.” Judges 6:12-14 ERV

The first thing the Lord did was give Gideon His perspective. Gideon saw himself as timid and afraid but God called him brave. Then the Lord commissioned Gideon to save the nation.

Much is said in Judges 6-7 between Gideon and the Lord. God proved to Gideon that He could be trusted and He would empower Gideon for whatever battle he faced.

Gideon started out with an army of 32,000 men and God reduced the size to 300. Gideon sent home everyone who was afraid to fight and also those who weren’t alert enough to watch for danger.

“The Lord said to Gideon, ‘I will use the 300 men who lapped the water like a dog. I will use them to save you, and I will allow you to defeat the Midianites. Let the other men go home.’” Judges 7:7 ERV

Greatly outnumbered and out skilled, Gideon and his small band of soldiers faced overwhelming odds but he had a promise. God had promised him victory.

“Then all three groups of Gideon’s men blew their trumpets and smashed their jars. The men held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands. As they blew their trumpets, they shouted, ‘A sword for the Lord and a sword for Gideon!’

21 Gideon’s men stayed where they were. But inside the camp, the men of Midian began shouting and running away. 22 When Gideon’s 300 men blew their trumpets, the Lord caused the men of Midian to kill each other with their swords.” Judges 7:20-22 ERV

Was Gideon someone special? Not in the natural. Gideon said of himself that he was the youngest son of the most insignificant family in his tribe. But, God saw someone who would trust Him.

“The Lord answered Gideon and said, ‘I will be with you, so you can defeat the Midianites as easily as if they were only one man.’” Judges 6:16 ERV

How do you see yourself? Do you doubt your value and abilities?

I’ve said it before but I will remind you again. The greatest ability that God is looking for is availability. God is still looking for those, like Gideon, who will trust Him in spite of their own shortcomings.

Let God give you His perspective!

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Loving Service

These two words were on my heart when I woke up this morning, loving service. What a wonderful combination.

I think each of us can relate a story of being served by a grumpy or unenthusiastic waiter or waitress in a restaurant. Their attitude was curt, sharp-tongued and even down-right rude. Even though the food may have been good we probably walked away not desiring to return anytime soon.

Now compare that with a kind and attentive server. One who anticipated your needs and greeted you with a smile and pleasant demeanor. They made your mealtime more enjoyable because they genuinely cared.

Our attitude makes a difference. We choose joy or grumbling, peace or turmoil.

Our daily chores – washing dishes, doing laundry, fixing meals, buying groceries, cleaning house – can be acts of love or drudgery. We can be grateful for opportunity to provide for those we love, or we may be tempted to feel taken for granted and unappreciated. I strongly advise against the second.

“ Whoever wants to be first must serve the rest of you like a slave. 45 Follow my example: Even the Son of Man did not come for people to serve him. He came to serve others and to give his life to save many people.” Mark 10:44-45 ERV

Jesus is our perfect example. He could have expected to be waited on hand and foot, after all he was God’s son. But He laid all that aside and came to lovingly serve those He encountered. Each act of kindness pointed to the compassion of His Father.

Embrace each task with an attitude of loving service.

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Words, Words, Words

Have you seen those “hidden word” pictures that are often posted on Facebook? They ask you to write down the first five words you see. I find the responses interesting. Some people seem to find the negative words – anger, sad, hate, envy, cheat. Others find more positive words – joy, love, kind, good, sweet.

It makes me wonder – do people even notice that they are drawn to certain words or emotions.

It was interesting to note the reaction of some of our fellow travelers on our last flight. Everything went well. We took off on time, the skies were smooth for flying and we landed well. Nothing to complain about except…the wait for our luggage – 45 minutes.

Few were talking about the beautiful, warm, sunshine. We had just come from 35* and chilly. This was 80*. Only one or two families acted like they were having fun with their children during the wait. I overheard one mother having to quiet her son, a teenager, who was complaining loudly about the wait.

All of this prompted my thinking this morning. I had just one verse in mind. When I went and looked it up I found that the others around it all spoke of the same thing. My words – my mouth and keeping the peace. I don’t know what today has in store for me or for you, it won’t be delayed luggage.

These verses are a strong reminder of how we need to act.

“A gentle answer makes anger disappear, but a rough answer makes it grow. 2 Listening to wise people increases your knowledge, but only nonsense comes from the mouths of fools. 3 The Lord sees what happens everywhere. He watches everyone, good and evil. 4 Kind words are like a life-giving tree, but lying words will crush your spirit. 5 Fools refuse to listen to their father’s advice, but those who accept discipline are smart.” Proverbs 15:1-5 ERV

Sounds like what our Mommas always taught us. If you can’t say something nice, say nothing at all. Listen more, speak less.

I want my words to be life-giving and kind. I chose to make my words, words, words pleasant and life affirming.

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Sweet Smell

Some days back I told you about the snow crocus and hyacinths. Spring brings us so many beautiful flowers. Most of them have a distinct and pleasing aroma. A walk down the street or in a garden unfolds a cascade of fragrance.

Many years back my mother was living in Dillon, MT where we lived. She had moved into a duplex and right outside the back door was a tall lilac bush. Each time she opened the door to walk out she would be greeted with the smell of lilac. She told me that she remembered being a small girl and smelling lilacs at her home. That smell, that sweet smell, reminded her of home!

Our sense of smell is very strong – we can smell a favorite food cooking and our mouth will water, even if we have just eaten. The odor of vinegar and cleaning products can make us wince.

What type of smell do we emit? I’m not asking about bathing habits or what type of cologne. I’m talking about our life.

“You may prepare sacrifices to give thanks in any of these three ways. Bring your sacrifice to a priest, and he will take it to the bronze altar. 9 Then, to show that the whole offering belongs to me, the priest will lay part of it on the altar and send it up in smoke with a smell that pleases me. 10 The rest of this sacrifice is for the priests; it is very holy because it was offered to me.” Leviticus 2:8-10 CEV

Offerings of thanksgiving to God were to be a mixture of fine flour, olive oil and incense. When they were burned by the priest, the offering had a sweet smell that was pleasing to the Lord.

Do our lives have the sweet smell of thanksgiving? Do you spend more time thanking God for His goodness and His love than we do complaining about how things could/should/would be better “if only”?

As Christians – Christ like ones – our lives should be an offering that pleases the Father.

“Do as God does. After all, you are his dear children. 2 Let love be your guide. Christ loved us and offered his life for us as a sacrifice that pleases God.” Ephesians 5:1-2 CEV

We are to be like Christ and our lives should be like His, a sacrifice that pleases God.

Paul tells us in Romans 12:1-2 that we are to present our bodies a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable unto God. Just as the priests presented the sacrifices to the Lord and it pleased Him, we should offer our lives as a pleasing sacrifice. And it’s not only the Father who notices that our lives are a sacrifice, but those around us will also notice.

“I am grateful that God always makes it possible for Christ to lead us to victory. God also helps us spread the knowledge about Christ everywhere, and this knowledge is like the smell of perfume. 15 In fact, God thinks of us as a perfume that brings Christ to everyone. ” II Corinthians 2:14-15 CEV

I would much rather have the fragrance of a rose than the odor of stink weed. I desire that my life “smells sweet” with praise and thanksgiving to the Father and forgiveness and love to those I meet.

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Begin Small

Have you ever felt small, insignificant or left out?

Yesterday our youngest daughter and her family came for lunch. We bar-b-qued hamburgers, I had made potato salad and we had homemade ice cream for dessert. It was a fun day.

Kaci and Stephen have blessed us with our three youngest grandchildren. On Sunday, we had taken the older two for an “adventure” to the ostrich ranch but the youngest had to stay home. When her brother and sister walked out the door without her, she cried. It broke my heart!

Yesterday we were getting ready to take a walk up to the mailboxes and she was going to need to stay home again. We felt the walk would have been too much for her little legs. But as we started to leave, she cried again at the thought of being left behind. We stopped and took her with us.

I carried her a bit; her mom carried her some and we let her walk on her own. It made for a longer walk timewise but it also created an atmosphere of acceptance and learning. We included her and that was what was important.

I am impressed by the significance of small gestures, small beginnings.

We sometimes make judgements of what is or isn’t important, what has value. Here the disciples judged the boy’s lunch as small or insignificant but what Jesus saw was the significance of a heart willing to share.

“But they said, “We have only five small loaves of bread and two fish.” 18 Jesus asked his disciples to bring the food to him, 19 and he told the crowd to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish. He looked up toward heaven and blessed the food. Then he broke the bread and handed it to his disciples, and they gave it to the people.” Matthew 14:17-19 CEV

A small lunch fed thousands. A small act of kindness changed Zacchaeus’ life. A small basket in the Nile River cradled Moses. A small seed of faith can move mountains. A small babe brought salvation to the world.

“Finally, Jesus said: What is God’s kingdom like? What story can I use to explain it? 31 It is like what happens when a mustard seed is planted in the ground. It is the smallest seed in all the world. 32 But once it is planted, it grows larger than any garden plant. It even puts out branches that are big enough for birds to nest in its shade.” Mark 4:30-32 CEV

We all can play a “small” part in God’s kingdom. The Father isn’t bothered by small. He takes what we offer and uses it for His glory. Never despise small beginnings!

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Fast And Dumb

With a title like this, I know you’re probably wondering what this morning’s blog is all about!

Ostriches.

We are taking two of the grandkids, Sam and Kristine, to the Ostrich Ranch today. It’s a fascinating place, a petty zoo of sorts. They have miniature donkeys and deer, chickens, rabbits, goats, lorikeets, ducks, sting rays and ostriches, of course.

On their Q&A page it says, “Can you ride an ostrich? Not here! They are really fast and really dumb… that’s a bad combination!”

I whole-heartedly agree. God said the same thing about ostriches in the book of Job.

“That’s because I did not give wisdom to the ostrich. She is foolish, and I made her that way.
18 But when the ostrich gets up to run, she laughs at the horse and its rider, because she can run faster than any horse.” Job 39:17-18 ERV

Being void of wisdom can be dangerous so it’s good, in that case, to be fast.

I think we have all had times that we have made “dumb” mistakes. We were too quick in choosing a course of action that got us into trouble. I know I have. Those mistakes can be quite costly.

Solomon has much to say about wisdom. In fact, the whole book of Proverbs is written to help us make wise choices.

“These are the proverbs of Solomon,…2 They will help you learn to be wise, to accept correction, and to understand wise sayings. 3 They will teach you to develop your mind in the right way. You will learn to do what is right and to be honest and fair. 4 These proverbs will make even those without education smart. They will teach young people what they need to know and how to use what they have learned. 5 Even the wise could become wiser by listening to these proverbs. They will gain understanding and learn to solve difficult problems.” Proverbs 1:1-5 ERV

Today will be a fun day with the kids but it will also be a day to share with them about wisdom and not being foolish in a way that a 4-year old and 6-year old can understand. As parents and grandparents we need to take the opportunities we have to share the teachings of God’s word with our littles.

They need the guidance.

“My son, pay attention to what I say. Remember my commands…4 Look for wisdom like silver. Search for it like hidden treasure. 5 If you do this, you will understand what it means to respect the Lord, and you will come to know God. 6 The Lord is the source of wisdom; knowledge and understanding come from his mouth. 7 He gives good advice to honest people and shields those who do what is right.” Proverbs 2:1-7 ERV

It’s never too late to gain wisdom. Maybe we all need to slow down a bit, seek the treasure of wisdom and do right!

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Wash Day

Do you remember the kitchen towels that had different chores for each day of the week? Maybe your Mom had them or maybe you remember them fondly from your grandmother’s kitchen.

I found them in both those homes and in fact, those towels provided me with my first lessons in embroidery. According to the towels, Monday is wash day but since we were moving back from the racetrack on Monday, Wednesday became laundry day and so will today.

Too many loads to handle in one day so I divided it up.

A week or so ago I was telling Dave one of my memories from our early years of marriage. We were poor and money for groceries was often scarce. I told him I talked to the Lord about this and knew in my heart that one day I would no longer have to shop with my calculator in one hand and my grocery list in the other. Every purchase had to be considered because I only had so much that I could spend.

But…I didn’t tell him the rest of the story. The other part of my conversation with the Lord was about our clothing. It was necessary to do laundry several times a week so that we would have clean clothes to wear. To say our wardrobe was limited would be an understatement.

For years now, I thank the Father for prospering us. I no longer take a calculator to the grocery store and the only reason I have to do laundry more than once a week is because the hamper it full.

The Lord has taught me many lessons on wash day.

Hanging clothes on the line in those early days were some of my favorite times with the Lord. He taught me the meaning of so many Scriptures as I would reach in the basket of wet laundry and take the clothes pins from the bag. Yesterday’s lesson was a different one with no clothes line, this time there’s a dryer, but there was still a teaching to be learned.

“After Jesus said this, he spit on the dirt, made some mud and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 Jesus told him, “Go and wash in Siloam pool.” (Siloam means “Sent.”) So the man went to the pool, washed and came back. He was now able to see.” John 9:6-7 ERV

Washing was important in the Bible. It was an action of promise. For the blind man it was an act of faith and obedience that gave him his sight.

For a man named Naaman II Kings 5), obediently washing brought cleansing from leprosy. But the washing that stands out most in my mind was when Jesus washed the feet of his disciples.

“When Jesus finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and went back to the table. He asked, “Do you understand what I did for you?…14 I am your Lord and Teacher. But I washed your feet. So you also should wash each other’s feet. 15 I did this as an example for you. So you should serve each other just as I served you.” John 13:12-15 ERV

Washing was an act of serving, an act of love. I hope this gives you a whole new outlook for Wash Day.

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