Surviving Versus Abiding

I asked a friend how she was doing today and she said, "Oh, I'm surviving. I'm getting by." I thought nothing of it at the time except that she was under some stress and needed a friend. After our conversation, I thought more about that word: Surviving.

It means to endure or live through. To remain alive after a loss. To continue in existence. Exist means: To achieve the basic needs to have life.

What a tough way to live. I'm guilty of having a mindset of surviving, too, from time to time. Because Christ lives in us, we don't have to simply survive our lives; we can abide in our lives.

By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his own Spirit. - 1 John 4:13

Abide means: To continue to be present. To wait for, await one, not to depart. To be held, kept continually.

Present means: Existing, being there. It means actively living.

We were born again into a new life where we don't merely have to survive difficult circumstances. Instead, we are free to abide in those same circumstances! There is such hope in that word! We continue to be present, active participants, in our lives, waiting for the One who is our source of hope! We don't have to simply wait for the clock to tick off one more day, one more year, one more decade getting us closer to heaven. We can take comfort in knowing He is holding us, continually keeping us and will never depart. Ah, the hope there is in that thought!

Summer Book Club

Want to read a book together this summer? How about Chasing Fireflies by Charles Martin! I picked up a copy today and would love to discuss this book at the end of the summer. It looks like a great summer fiction read. From the back cover:

"They have one summer to find what was lost long ago. 'Never settle for less than the truth,' she told him. But when you don't even know your real name, the truth gets a little complicated. It can nestle so close to home it's hard to see. It can even fourish inside a lie. And as Chase Walker discovered, learning the truth about who you are can be as elusive - and as magical - as chasing fireflies on a summer night. "

"A haunting story about fishing, baseball, home cooking, and other matters of life and death..."

With all that going for it, this should be a book that can interest both men and women. FYI, review for the book here. Excerpt from the book here. Check in here if you plan on reading along with me. We'll touch base now and then through the summer and find a way to discuss the book online towards the end of August. C'mon, join me!

Tethered: The Freedom of Obedience

Major crisis yesterday. We lost the dog's leash. He was at the groomer's waiting to be picked up and we were stuck. We absolutely could not pick him up without the leash. Tucker is a wonderful Dog and loves us very much. He really tries to be on his best behavior all the time. Every once in awhile, though, without any warning, he goes "rogue" on us. He'll chase after a cat or even jump another dog. He's the cutest little terrier mix with an Alpha Dog personality. I saw him go after our boxer mix once and, in the midst of pulling all 22 pounds of him off our 75 pound dog, needed to stifle a giggle at the sight. So getting him past all the other animals in the veterinarian's waiting room (they also do grooming) without a leash would be a risky move. As it turned out, the leash had been forgotten at the vet office when we dropped him off that morning. Thank goodness! It was definitely a needed accessory as we negotiated around all those agitated animals and made our way safely home!

Although we don't have leashes, Christians, too, are at risk of straying or even leaping from our path from time-to-time and can benefit from a bit of tethering ourselves. We are free to live by grace through our faith in the One who has given us that freedom. We live under the authority of God, thanks to Christ who has set us free. However, although we are free from the old law, it is in our best interest to obey the guidelines set before us in scripture.

Looking at it one way, you could say, "Anything goes. Because of God's immense generosity and grace, we don't have to dissect and scrutinize every action to see if it will pass muster." But the point is not to just get by. We want to live well, but our foremost efforts should be to help others live well. 1 Corinthians 10:14

If we run every which way, without tethering our behavior to His Word, we will not be living in the fullness God desires for us. Even when we have the best of intentions, even when we love the Lord very much, it is so easy to give in to our fleshly desires when we don't stay close to His desires for us. We have total freedom in Christ. That freedom is not the kind that makes it OK to do whatever we want and ask forgiveness later, though. It is freedom to love each other, freedom to forgive each other and freedom from the burdens placed upon us when we fall into the sinful traps this world throws in our path.

It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don't use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that's how freedom grows. For everything we know about God's Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That's an act of true freedom. If you bite and ravage each other, watch out—in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then? Galatians 5:13-15

We are not dogs; however, we can learn a lesson from them. They are happiest when they submit to their master. In the most tempting situations, they are happest - and safest - when they are actually tethered to their master. Through their obedience, they can enjoy the most full life possible.

Through our obedience to God's Word, being tethered to Him through a constant conversation with Him by means of prayer, His Word, listening to Him, and discussing His Truth with fellow believers, we can enjoy the fullness of His blessing on our lives. We can find our purpose and pursue our ultimate goal - bringing glory to God - while minimizing our risk of being distracted by useless dog and cat fights along the way.

Detour for my Detour, or Singin' the Freight Train Blues

Coming home from work usually takes 20 minutes, 25 if I hit all the red lights. Today the train crossing arms came down across one of the busiest streets in our city. Why they haven't built a bridge or tunnel so the train bypasses such a busy throughway boggles my mind. Anyway, that infernal train inched it's way across the tracks, then stopped, completely blocking all four lanes of the highway. After 10 minutes, during which time the train did not move an inch, I was able to make my way to a spot where I could turn around and take an alternate, albeit longer, route home. I was able to get within 1/2 mile of my house. I could even see the street where I turn into our development! But, alas, it was not to be. The spot where another set of train tracks crosses this portion of Bakersfield is being renovated. Road closed. Now I had to make another detour BACK to the highway I had left 15 minutes before. This time, however, I entered the highway on the other side of that dadgum train track. What should have taken 20 minutes took 45.

As I was about to pound my head into my steering wheel in frustration, the song "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" came on the radio. Which reminded me how many blues songs include the subject of trains and now I know why. Check these titles out:

Train Whistle Blues

Boxcar Blues

Seminole Coal Train Blues

C&NW Railroad Blues

A friend told me not to forget Folsom Prison Blues, of course!

...and my favorite (although maybe not a blues song, technically) Locomotive Breath

I thank God for giving me a reason to laugh today!

God's Perfect Timing

This was part of my Bible reading last night and it really made me think about God's timing:

2 Kings 8:1-2

Elisha had told the woman whose son he had brought back to life, “Take your family and move to some other place, for the Lord has called for a famine on Israel that will last for seven years.” 2 So the woman did as the man of God instructed. She took her family and settled in the land of the Philistines for seven years.
3 After the famine ended she returned from the land of the Philistines, and she went to see the king about getting back her house and land. 4 As she came in, the king was talking with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God. The king had just said, “Tell me some stories about the great things Elisha has done.” 5 And Gehazi was telling the king about the time Elisha had brought a boy back to life. At that very moment, the mother of the boy walked in to make her appeal to the king about her house and land.
“Look, my lord the king!” Gehazi exclaimed. “Here is the woman now, and this is her son—the very one Elisha brought back to life!”
6 “Is this true?” the king asked her. And she told him the story. So he directed one of his officials to see that everything she had lost was restored to her, including the value of any crops that had been harvested during her absence.

This woman has been through the wringer! You can read the backstory here: 2 Kings 4:8-37. She nearly lost her son, had to flee her home and lived in exile for many years.

Yet, even while living in exile, God was with her! What must it have felt like for her to be away from her home, believing she had lost everything but her son. I'm sure her boy was cherished beyond words! But, how could she provide for him? What kind of security or future could she offer him? Just when all seems lost, she makes one final plea.

At precisely that moment, God ordained that Gahazi and the King would be talking about her and the miraculous event that surely was legendary in their region; the restoration of her son's life by God through Elisha. The king was so impressed he returned her property and all of its profits to this woman. This is a great reminder to me that God is actively involved in my life, even when I don't see Him at work.

This woman had all of her security taken from her, had to flee what she knew and abide in the unknown. How many times had she cried out to God while in the midst of her dire circumstances? Did she sometimes think God was not listening? That he had abandoned her? Boy, I can relate! Yet, we see that He had a plan for her life the entire time! Just because we don't see Him - and maybe even don't feel Him - doesn't mean He doesn't care. He will reveal Himself when the time is right. Man. God is so cool!

It's Not as Bad as I Thought

61%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

I guess it could be worse.....

The Pressure of Being a Pastor's Wife

I have kept an eye on the news regarding a woman who disappeared from a conference about three months ago. There is still no new information, but there is a current article regarding the affects of her disappearance on her friends and family here.

No one really knows if something happened to her or if she ran away. If it is the former, I pray she is safely in the arms of Jesus; if the latter, I can understand why.

When we are at our best, raising a family, caring for our spouses, doing well at our occupations and managing a home is a daunting task. Add to that mix falling into a pit of addiction and/or illness of any kind, especially mental illness, and there is great potential for anyone to completely lose it. If a family is involved in ministry, a microscope is placed over their family that can't be fully understood unless it is experienced personally. There is pressure to look like "you are living in the fullness and freedom of salvation," all the time. Any struggles within the family and that pastor might be accused of their home "not being in order," which is a scriptural requirement for being involved in ministry. In short, getting caught up in the struggles of a fallen world can cost your husband his job.

Even if help is desired, where does she go? Is there another woman in the church she can trust? Maybe. But, what if she's wrong and her personal stuff becomes fodder for gossip? If she seeks professional help, what if someone in the community finds out she's seeking counseling? What conclusions might they jump to?

Yeah, I can fully understand why someone living like this might want to run away.

Lesson: Women of the church, strive to be a safe place for your pastor's wife to be herself. Such trust is built over time. Don't push. Trust her enough to confide in her, too! Don't just act like a friend to her, BE a friend to her. Write her encouraging notes from time to time. Take her to lunch. Spoil her. She, of all people, deserves it! If you hear anyone speaking about her - or anyone else for that matter - squash it like a bug. Lovingly confront that sinful behavior, like a good sister should!

I am not implying that any pastor's wife I know might be having these struggles. I have, however, experienced this pressure cooker life as a pastor's child. It was the article about the missing woman that inspired me to write about this at all, not anyone I know personally. But why wait until someone is hurting to come alongside them? Be a friend now.

All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. - 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Exactly What WOULD Jesus Do?

This thought occurred to me on my way to work today. Would Jesus put on a clean button-up shirt, warm a pew each Sunday morning, go home to take a nap, come back for evening church, help at AWANA on Wednesday night, maybe participate in the occasional outreach project and call it good?

If He is our example to follow, why on earth do we think all it takes to be a "good Christian" is included in the previous sentence? And, if that's not enough, what is?

How can we be Jesus to the world when we rarely shine His reflection outside of our "church circle?" I know there are exceptions to this perception, and if you are one of those exceptions, God Bless You. I mean that! For the rest of us, as people who have parental and work-related daily obligations, what is the first step to take outside of our comfort zone and into following the will of our Father, to draw all men to Him?

Do I sound like someone feeling convicted? I am. So, what's the next step? Mission trips are on my "to do" list, but being gone for a week or more is going to have to wait until the kids are a bit older. Besides, the mission field begins on our front porch, right? I need to be salt and light in my day-to-day life.

Since I became a mother, I believe my primary responsibility is raising my children in such a way that they fall completely head-over-heels in love with Jesus. Bless God, He has allowed that to happen! I still believe I am to continue to disciple them as they mature in their faith. In our family, that happens as part of the natural course of our day. I know we are saved by faith, not works, and I am not advocating a works-based life. I am advocating bearing some good fruit, though!

If you have begun to reach outside your comfort zone to shine for Jesus, I'd love to hear about it!

Shocking Truth About Christianity

This video is one hour long, but it is one hour that could affect your life or the life of those you love for eternity. How do you know, for sure, that you are saved? This video will answer that question, once and for all. Commit to watching the first five minutes. Make the decision to continue watching after that.



You can also read the transcript of this video here, but hearing the truth shared with the passion of Pastor Washer in this video is very moving.

Parable of the Roller Skates

When I was very young one of my sisters' and my favorite ways to spend an afternoon was roller skating in front of our house: Two houses down and two houses up were our boundaries. We would skate up and down, up and down until we were called into dinner, then skate after doing the dishes until dark. We loved skating frontwards, backwards, spinning, even making daring jump turns like we watched the ice skaters do on television. How we were able to accomplish such feats of skill with our heavy, metal-wheeled skates is a mystery to me now. I think we were pure energy on legs!

One day I ran home from school and grabbed my skates in an attempt to be the first one on the block out playing that afternoon. I had noticed my skates getting tighter in recent days, but today I absolutely could not get them on. I tried curling my toes, scrunching my heels, even taking my socks off. My feet would not fit into the skate. My sisters put on their skates and headed out for their fun afternoon while I ran into the house, crying, begging my mom for new skates. She was busy making dinner and told me we did not have the money to make such a frivolous purchase. Back on the front porch, I cried as I watched all the neighborhood kids and my sisters playing. I begged my older sister to take turns with me using her skates, but she would not share (the meanie!). And that is the scene my father came home to that evening.

He pulled into the driveway, walked up to the porch steps and sat down beside me. He asked me why I wasn't skating with everyone and I poured out my heart to him, spilling bitter tears and anger all over the place. He stood up, continued up the steps and went inside. I was convinced no one cared about me. I was all alone in my pain.

A few moments later, my dad reappeared, walked up to me and held out his hand. I could barely see him through my overwhelming sorrow, but I managed to take a hold of him. He led me to the car and the two of us drove away while all the kids looked curiously at us. He didn't say a word to me the entire drive. We pulled up in front of a store and he, again, took my hand and let me inside. He walked me straight to the toy department and stopped in front of the most beautiful roller skates to ever pass before my eyes! They were white with a red and blue stripe going up the boot of each shoe. And the wheels were the first polyurethane wheels I had ever seen! And they were RED! He sat me down, bent to take off my sneakers and placed pair after pair upon my feet until he found the ones that fit.

Then he finally spoke. "Do you like them?" I was scared to answer. The thought of owning skates like these were beyond anything my little brain could compute. I finally stammered, "Yes," but I could not even look him in the eye. No more words were spoken. He picked up the box of skates with one hand and took my hand with the other. He led me to the checkout line, to the car and finally back to the steps on the porch. He placed that box in my lap and said, "I love you, babe. You enjoy these skates!"

I threw those babies on while all the other kids (my mean sister included) gasped, slack jawed, at their beauty. Oh, they were smooth! They were practically soundless. I felt like I was flying! My sister tried to convince me we should share them. I said no way, Jose, just like any 6-year-old with an ounce of self-respect would!

At dinner, I gushed about how fast my new skates could go and how much better I could spin on them. When I finally was able to catch my breath, I noticed my dad smiling. I jumped up, hugged him and thanked him with a big kiss! He had five daughters, but that night I felt like I was His favorite!

My father's gift to me was more than roller skates, it was even more than love. He showed me that I mattered. That my pain affected him. That he was my father and wanted to reach out to me in my sorrow and lift me out of my hurt and into his arms.

So, what if when my father reached his hand out to me, I had refused it? I could have wallowed in my pain as though I was the roller skating martyr of Los Angeles for quite a long time: Even then, I had a flair for drama. Of course, then I would have missed the gift! How often do we pour out our hearts to our heavenly father, then refuse his hand when he offers it to us? God is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent...and our Dad. He loves us and wants to come alongside us. He longs for us to reach out to him when He reaches out to help us. Often our stubborn nature or our need for drama supersede our need for help and healing, though. What a shame. How many pairs of beautiful new roller skates have we missed out on simply because we wouldn't take his hand?

So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him. - Matthew 7:11, NLT

....just something to think about.

Written in memory of my father, Rev. Bob Alexander, 1937-2000. You're gifts continue to bless me, Dad. Thanks for loving all of us so well.

Jesus Loves Me and Sent Buttercup!

Fishing was a major focus of our vacation in Colorado the first week in June. As you can probably tell by the expression on my face, I'm not a big fan of fish. I am a team player, however, so I lept into the task with excitement and expectation. On the first day I fished, I decided to ask God to do something just for me on this vacation. I asked him to bring the biggest fish I had ever caught to my line. Then I noticed my Brother-in-Law was keeping all the big ones for a fish fry on our last night (the following evening). The girly-girl in me did not want my prayer to cost a fishy its life. Thankfully, I didn't catch anything worth keeping that day.

The following day, our last full day in Colorado, I walked to the pond outside our condo and picked up a fishing rod. As I cast for the first time, I prayed very specifically.

"Lord, I really, really want to catch a big fish. I've never caught one before and I would love to have a memory of an experience like that to take home and treasure. But I don't want my Brother-in-Law to fry it up in a pan. I don't know how you are going to work this out, but Your word tells to ask and it will be given to us. I'm asking. amen"

Within one hour, I caught Buttercup. She was the biggest fish ANYONE caught in the pond that week, she was very pregnant, and she was a Wide-Mouthed Bass. That kind of fish is the only fish that must be released until June 15. I caught her on June 8. We released her right after we took the picture and Buttercup lived to swim another day.

I have been blessed by the memory of the experience for the week we've been home, as busy as I have been getting caught up at work and home. I know He gave me that gift to bless and encourage me as I face the many daily tasks we all face in our non-vacationing lives.

Is God good, or what?! I feel like He stopped everything He was doing, smiled, picked me up, gave me a big hug and a kiss on the forehead, told me He loved me, and then sent me back to do my chores. I love my Daddy!

My Laugh for the Day

Location: Drive-through car wash at the gas station.
Players: My daughter and I, plus two guys who do the completely unexpected.

We gas up the car and pull around to rinse some of the Bakersfield dust off my Ford FiveHundred. Two guys are actually standing in the path of the entrance to the car wash. They move when they see us. I look into the car wash and notice it's running. Something is funny about the truck being washed, though. There is no one in the truck! We quickly realize these guys are actually standing outside the drive through car wash waiting for their car to be ready!

OH. MY. GOSH!!!!!

We scrambled frantically for a camera, but couldn't find one in either of our purses. Curse the bad luck!

As the blowers kicked in and did their thing, one of the guys entered the back opening of the car wash. He followed the big spinny brush that scrubbed the driver's side of the truck as it moved forward into its starting position until he could reach the driver's side door. He climbed into the cab, waited for the green light, and off he went.

HYSTERICAL!!!!!!!!!

Just had to share that one!

Pull Them Britches UP!!

Saggy Pants Banned

"DELCAMBRE, La. (AP) - Sag your britches somewhere else, this Cajun-country town has decided.
Mayor Carol Broussard said he would sign an ordinance the town council approved this week setting penalties of up to six months in jail and a $500 fine for being caught in pants that show undergarments or certain parts of the body. "

You, GO, Delcambre!! I know this will probably translate into more of making a statement than actually causing change, but ya gotta start somewhere. If I'm not married to you or changing your diaper, I don't want to have to look at your "business". Besides, those saggy drawers make you look like you have a full diaper. Not very mature...no sir. If you want to be treated with respect, present youself as someone who respects themselves and others. Thanks for letting me rant. This is a serious pet peeve of mine.

For Crybabies Only

Hey, I'm a mom. Can I use this room or do I need a baby to be admitted?

There are days a mom could really use a room like this!

Psalm of Determination

Oh, Lord, I know I am to rely upon you alone.
Might I have even one loyal companion?
Why is this path so solitary?
They turn from me when I have committed no offense.

The enemy plots destruction;
Cutting away, one by one.
Why do we not draw together?
Though I reach out, they walk away.

The offense is real,
Hurting whole as well as part.
To think differently is to accept a lie.
Why do some choose to believe it?

I seek You, my God,
In You alone do I put my trust.
I surrender only to You,
Forsaking all other strongholds.

Though those around me give up,
Nursing wounds and finding comfort elsewhere,
Still, I will hope.

Though assurance is as rare and fleeting as
A cool breeze on a muggy summer day,
Still, I will trust.

Though the pain of abandonment
Threatens to darken my spirit,
Still, I will love.

Though the hurt is palpable,
And deeper than expected,
Still, I will forgive.

Though others may flee,
Seeking gentler waters,
Still, I will stand.

Until You - and You alone - say otherwise

I am here.

Selah

But What if it's BORING?

Is it OK to stop going to church because it is boring?

My son and I had a conversation about boredom with regard to his schoolwork today and I think what I told him then also applies to the church.

There are times when the things we must do, or not do, as a member of a body are not necessarily our favorite things. They are tedious. They are uninteresting. They may even be unchallenging. But some of these tasks that might at first blush seem boring are really foundational to the faith we are building or in relationships we are trying to grow.

For example. Memorizing Bible verses. Honestly, this can be an exciting task when approached correctly, but even I grow weary of scripture memorization from time to time. It doesn't make it unimportant, though. I can't tell you how many times I've been in a crisis and a scripture I have memorized comes to mind that speaks to the exact situaion I am facing. Sometimes sitting in a Sunday School class is boring. I know. If you have grown up in church, most of the standard Bible stories and applications of scripture have been shared with us what seems like a million times. It would be great to have a "Beth Moore" as a Sunday school teacher, but such people are sadly few and far between. Besides, it is our responsibility to grow in the Word, not a Sunday school teacher's. So sometimes our classes leave a bit to be desired, if we are all being honest here. But when we see that hour as a time to reach out and form relationships with those people attending the class, it becomes very important.

I guess what I am saying is so often we go to church expecting to recieve something and are disappointed when we occasionally don't. Maybe it's because coming together as a church body is not always for our personal edification. Sometimes God wants us there to edify others.

All I know is some of the most meaningful moments in my church life have not been the result of a stirring sermon or a Sunday school teacher who knocked my socks off. They have been the times I sat with someone who was feeling very alone and needed a friend. Or when I was able to find a quiet spot after Sunday school to pray with someone who shared a personal need. Or even when I swept and mopped the floor after a potluck, laughing with my fellow workers while we completed our task.

If church seems boring it might be because we are not approaching that time with an attitude of service and ministry. Sometimes we really need others to support us, but we need to be more conscientious of those times others need our support. Whether church is boring that day or not.

And don't even get me started on the actual meaning of "boring." To me it means, "I don't feel like trying." But that's another blog for another day. Unless we want to tackle that in the comments, which is fine by me!

If church seems boring, make a point to seek someone out this Sunday to bless. You'll be surprised how NOT boring church becomes!