When You Pass Through the Waters...

(as presented at Church on the Hooch, June 4, 2017)

Good morning to all. I am so honored and privileged to have the opportunity to speak at Church on the Hooch. As a resident of Troup County, and more specifically, a lake resident, it brings me great joy to combine a number of the things I love… family, friends, worship, our God and the lake.

For many years, the lake has been a place of refuge for us. It has been a place to escape the troubles and headaches of the everyday world. Before we purchased a home on the water, we would spend most of our weekends, and even some weekdays hauling the boat to the lake. Sometimes we would camp overnight, other times, just a day trip. No matter how much or how little time spent, it was time well spent. So many memories have been made on these waters which is why I am so happy to be standing here today on its bank to share some time with you.

Those of you who know me probably know my love of watersports, skiing particularly. If you ski, you know this is not an easy sport for many to pick up, especially as an adult as I did. What you may not know is that I can barely swim. I can imagine that seems odd for one who loves the water so much. Of course, one should always have a life vest on when participating in watersports so I have never worried too much when slipping into the water with rope in hand. Where my abilities are lacking, the vest is there to preserve and protect. Isn’t our God like that?
There are many occasions in our lives where we face difficulty or uncertainty, and if left to our own abilities or skill, we would sink…much like me without my vest on. However, God does not ever intend for us to pass thru these troubled waters without Him. In fact, He promises to be with us.

Isaiah 43:2-3

New International Version (NIV)

2 When you pass through the waters,

    I will be with you;

and when you pass through the rivers,

    they will not sweep over you.

3 For I am the Lord your God,

    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;

Those waters can be any number of situations or circumstances. Some can be of our own doing or others completely out of our control. Some are just milestones in life to be expected though not always welcomed. I am experiencing one of those milestones these days. My three children, who are now adults, will be leaving home this fall for colleges in three separate cities. For the last 21 years, I have been a full time mom. This fall, that changes. While I am well aware I will not stop being their mom, my role will change. I will not be physically present in their daily lives. This has been a tough realization for me. It is definitely a situation of unchartered waters for me. However, God promised in those verses I just read that He would be with me. For that to happen, I have to let Him wrap me in His arms, much like that vest I mentioned earlier. Recently, I got ready to take a ski run, and in my excitement and haste of strapping on the ski, I slipped off the platform into the very chilly water, with rope in hand, but no vest. I panicked as I began sinking. As I was finally able to gasp out that I didn’t have my vest, mind you the cold water was literally breath-taking, James grabbed the rope to pull me back to the boat as I rolled over on my back. Still panicky, I instructed him to pull faster. Had he listened to me and pulled any faster, my head would have been submerged. As he steadily pulled me in, I could hear his voice telling me that I was fine and all is ok. Isn’t it like that with our relationship with God? So often we jump into a situation with excitement and haste, that we don’t fully prepare ourselves, or include God in our plans. We go in without our vest, our lifesaver. When we find ourselves in troubled waters, we must reach out to Him, hold on to the rope, relax, and trust, and allow Him to pull us to safety. He will pull us to safety and all the while, will tell us we are fine and all is ok. We will want Him to pull faster. We want things to happen or to be fixed on our timetable, not His. When we push it, we will undoubtedly sink.

As we sang this morning in our opening song- Oceans:

You call me out upon the waters

The great unknown where feet may fail

And there I find You in the mystery

In oceans deep my faith will stand

And I will call upon Your name

And keep my eyes above the waves

When oceans rise

My soul will rest in Your embrace

For I am Yours and You are mine

Your grace abounds in deepest waters

Your sov’reign hand will be my guide

Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me

You’ve never failed and You won’t start now

In order to be successful in skiing, in addition to the vest, I have to follow a few more steps. For years I attempted to ski, but was unsuccessful. I tried the same thing over and over, getting the same results. I would put my best foot forward (strong foot that is), I would put that ski out in front, feel the rope get tight, yell hit it, and pull on that handle while trying to stand up. In a sense, I was trying to do all of the work. Time after time, I would do this ensuring failure each time. I finally gave up and resolved that I just couldn’t do it. I stuck to two skis which didn’t require as much effort or skill. It wasn’t until years later, I was encouraged to try again, but this time with a different approach. Strap on the ski, but this time, put that strong foot in the back to ground or plant me in a sense. Curl up in a ball with my arms and ski in front of me. When I feel the rope get tight and yell hit it, let the boat pull me. Don’t fight the pull. Don’t pull against it. Go with it.

Our walk with the Lord should follow that model. We must plant ourselves in His Word, be grounded in His way, not our way. Rather than force ourselves or try to make something happen, we must allow Him to pull us through. We have to hold on and let Him. And He will, much like that Nautique pulls me up out of those sometimes very chilly waters. Will we hit bumpy or rough waters? Absolutely, but it will make us appreciate those instances when we can experience the smooth water, or glass as we call it. Will we fall sometimes? Most definitely. Will it hurt? Some worse than others. However, very often, we hold on, get pulled up, and have the best run we have had in a while. We finish the task at hand, and throw our hands up in victory. I actually have a few pics of me in that pose. It is such an amazing feeling when we overcome the hard part and can reap the rewards.

 

That is what God wants for us today. He wants us to put Him on like a vest over our heart, hold on to Him like that handle, and allow Him to lead us thru the waters like that boat.

If you have been struggling with an issue or have a concern weighing you down, causing you to sink in the water, please know you do not have to go at it alone. God is with you always, ready to pull you through it. He may send people your way to help, like James who pulled me out of the water, or my friends the Goodings who gave me a fresh way to tackle skiing, or my friend Carol in Brooks, GA who gave me just the right words of encouragement at the right time when facing the impending Empty Nest, just to name a few.

I don’t always follow these words, but when I do, God shows up and He always fulfills His promise. 

When you pass through the waters,

    I will be with you;

and when you pass through the rivers,

    they will not sweep over you.

For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;

Not Gone, Just Different

For years, we would look forward to our annual Christmas card and newsletter from James' Aunt Lanelle. By profession, she was a technical writer. I often thought she missed her calling by not pursuing a career as a travel writer. We would get a glowing report of her travels and adventures throughout the year. We lived very vicariously through her. She was always full of life and joy.
While I speak about her in past tense, I do not mean to imply Aunt Lanelle is gone. She is not gone. She is just different. A number of years ago, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. In her early stages of this mind-altering condition, you may not have even noticed a difference if you didn't know her. Names failed to come to mind, even the spelling of her own on one occasion in my presence. Yet, her smile and joyful spirit remained.
Until last week, James and I had not seen Aunt Lanelle in a few years since the onset. For years while receiving her detailed letters, we had the great desire to visit her home in the Pacific Northwest. Last week, a business trip for James allowed us the opportunity to finally visit. However, it wasn't to the log home she raved about in Clackamas or the more recently built Washington State home that had a picture window that framed Mt. Hood. It was at her nursing home facility.
As we made plans to visit, we were a little apprehensive. We didn't want to cause her undue stress, but we had a strong desire to see her. Before we saw her, we met with the activities director and asked her advice on the best way to approach our beloved aunt. We all agreed that we would just visit with her and not try to make a familial connection. We would just be James and Jennifer visiting from Georgia. After making that decision, we were led around a corner to see her. We then spent about 5-10 minutes looking around for. She was on the go, walking the premises with a friend, darting here and there. Then, there she was. Her little petite dark haired precious self. We had been told by the director not to expect much expression from her as she didn't show much facial change based on emotion. As we were introduced to her as visitors from Georgia, she commented that it was nice to have new faces around, then she looked up at James' face as his name was called. For a short instance, I believe there was a recognition. She smiled a very big smile at him. As quickly as it came, it faded. We exchanged a few pleasantries then she was off to walk again. A few minutes later, she made her rounds again, and we talked about her teal fingernail polish and how it matched her friend's socks. That made her laugh out loud, but it, too, quickly faded. She was off to walk again.
We left there with a smile on our face and a tear in our eye. I think we will always cherish our times with her, whether it was years ago playing Taboo and making her curse, getting her up on waterskis, or our latest bittersweet encounter. Aunt Lanelle is not gone, but different.

This was the last picture I took of Aunt Lanelle (right) with her beautiful and loving sister (left) a few years ago after the diagnosis.

Why Resist the Change?

As I sit down to write this morning before going about my job-related tasks, a burden has been laid on my heart to share my thoughts and opinion. We all know everyone has a right to his/her own opinion and everyone thinks his/her own opinion is the right one. In reality, that belief is true. My opinion is the right one for me, and yours is for you. At the end of the day, we can agree or we can agree to disagree, but still respect and love one another.

A topic for discussion has come up in our local church this week regarding the time given to the earlier morning worship services. 45 minutes have been historically allotted for these two services before the Sunday School hour that begins (also historically) at 9:45 for more classes. The idea of pushing back the earlier services to begin at 8:45 or possibly 8:30 has ruffled a number of feathers. Over the course of the last 8 months, our church has been experiencing a number of changes in worship format under the leadership of our newest senior pastor. Some congregants have embraced the changes readily while others have had a more reserved attitude. The truth is that our church has been in a slow and steady decline for the past ten years. If we continue the historical practices, we will continue the historical decline. We have to make some changes in order to grow. Isn't that true in every aspect of our lives? Changes are inevitable. We can resist them, but like it or not, something changes.

Back to the topic of changing the worship times to allow for a full hour of worship and Sunday School...what is the reason for objection? Is allowing an extra 15-30 minutes for God on a Sunday morning a bad thing? Are our Sundays so packed that we can only give God one hour and 45 minutes right now? What really happens if the 11:00 service runs past noon? Before you object to the time change, I just ask that you explore why you object. I am not a morning person, and the idea of getting up even 30 minutes earlier makes me groan, but is it really about me? I want spend time with God. I want to be fed thru the scriptures read, the dialogue with peers, the message from our pastor, whether senior or assistant pastor. I should be happy to be given the opportunity to have more time in worship of my Lord, because the Lord knows I don't devote as much time during the week to Him as I should.

As I said earlier, we all have our opinions and believe our own is the right one. I just ask that as you form your opinion, ask why you believe what you believe. Is it to suit yourself or do you truly believe it is for the good of the whole congregation?

Change is hard, but sometimes it is necessary in order to grow. I believe that both of our pastors have been sent to help revive our church, to stop the bleeding, and change the historical decline. They are  not the church however. "I am the church, you are the church, we are the church together."

I say all of this not to ruffle any more feathers or create division or even offend. We are all different, but we need to be together. The music would be so much sweeter...

There Are Far Better Things Ahead Than Any We Leave Behind

“Forget the former things;

do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland.”

Isaiah 43:18-19 New International Version (NIV)

Humans are curious by nature I think. Our minds wander and wonder about many things throughout the day, and even throughout the night at times. Social media connections contribute immensely to the mind-racing at times. Hours can be spent, I dare say wasted, on Facebook searching for old acquaintances/friends, or quietly stalking people’s pages. Checking out the old hometown newspaper can also be a great source of angst at times.

It occurred to me the contradiction in wanting to remove myself from my old life yet often clicking on links that will take me right back. Sometimes, I find a pleasant memory, but all too often, something appears that only renews heartache. Curiosity killed the cat, right?

It is okay to know where one comes from. However, I believe it is more important to know where one is going. It is important we know our history, but we must not dwell there. We cannot change the past, but we can change the future. Each day we must choose to move forward. Philippians 3:13-14 says Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

It matters not who I was, but who I am now and will be tomorrow.

Life is Full of Stages...Which One Are You In?

Life is full of stages. Everyone is at a different stage in life. Some in the beginnings while others are in the end. Some are somewhere in the middle like me. Today, I reflect on several of those stages.

This morning as I was leaving church, I look down at my phone and see a calendar reminder that it is the birthday of my beloved boss, Roy, who passed away last fall. It sort of took my breath for a moment and broke my heart a little more. He reached the end stage of life much sooner and quicker than anyone who knew him would believe.

This afternoon, as the five members of our family head to town in one car (a rare occasion these days), we decide to let our youngest, Jessica, have a driving lesson. She passed her permit test last fall and has driven less than a handful of times mainly due to hardly ever riding with her parents. This is our third and final child to learn to drive. As she enters a new stage of life to learn this new skill, her parents enter a new stage also. Within a short time, with little moments already, we will be empty-nesters. Our children will soon be adults out in the big world.

After this nervous drive to town, James and I attended a visitation for a well-respected, much loved woman. She was 94. Her daughter said, “She sat down in her favorite chair, read the newspaper and went to sleep. That’s a wonderful death, and I know now she’s with dad. That gives me peace.” She had had a long, fulfilling life. While her family and friends say goodbye to her, those same family and friends welcome her 25^th great-grandchild into the world. Here is another reminder to the circle of life, and its stages.

Then, we went to our church’s family Easter egg hunt and family dinner. While I am well beyond the stage of having children who hunt eggs, it is such a joy to share the event with those who have little ones having such fun. I must admit I giggle a bit listening to young parents coax their children to eat more real food rather than cookies, or even eat at all rather than play. Watching them chase the littles to keep them off the food table or trash can reminds me of how quickly those stages pass away. I remarked that I was now closer to grandchildren than babies of my own. Why does it seem like it was just yesterday that I was in that stage?

Life is definitely full of stages. Some come faster than others. We can dread them and worry incessantly about them, or we can choose to embrace them. We can praise God through the storms and rejoice in the sun (Son). If we believe that Christ is with us through everything, we can face tomorrow with hope and joy. I dare not say we won’t have nail-biting times (remember we are teaching the third child to drive) or we won’t have to say goodbye to someone special. I do say that life will continue to go on and we will have more stages to experience. Bring it on!!

To Feed or Be Fed? That Is the Question.

To feed or be fed? That is the question.

I haven't thought about that in quite some time, but there was a time in my life that I had to think about it. A number of years ago, actually over 15 years, I was extremely active in my church, doing this and that, sort of all over the place. Committees, bible studies, teaching, and yet I became disgruntled. I needed "to be fed" spiritually. I began to complain about my church and contemplated changing where I worshiped. Pretty soon, nothing at church seemed to satisfy me. There came a time I finally voiced all of my feelings to my husband James...my ever wise and level-headed husband. His response has stayed with me since that moment. He said, "Maybe this is not a time for you to be fed at church, but a time for you to feed. You can get fed in other ways and places."

What?!? Not a time for me to be fed? Isn't that why I go to church? Soon I realized what he meant. When I refocused my energy and efforts at church to serve others in a more intentional way rather than focusing on what I needed, I was blessed beyond comprehension. And guess what? I got "fed".
Christ came to serve and to attend to the needs of others. He didn't focus on himself and what he needed. He fulfilled His purpose by serving others.

When we put our own wants and needs aside, and focus on those of others, we are blessed. We are fulfilled. We are fed spiritually.

This perspective brought to me by my husband has had a tremendous impact on my life. It has prompted me to carefully choose when and where I serve so that I may be doing so according to the will of God, not what I want or need. If I serve to please God, not to somehow make myself feel good or be fed, then it becomes a fruitful endeavor resulting in me being blessed anyhow.

Rick Warren in his book A Purpose-Driven Life opens with the line "it's not about you." It is about Jesus Christ. It is about having a relationship with Our Father. It is about loving your neighbor as yourself. Those words, along with James' profound insight, has shaped my life and my attitude toward church. When we change our focus from ourselves, we are blessed. Blessed beyond understanding.

Matthew 7:21-23New American Standard Bible (NASB)
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many[a]miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you;

Severing Ties - Lenten Devotional 21

Then Peter began to speak up. “We’ve given up everything to follow you,” he said. “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life. But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then. ” (Mark 10:28-31 NLT)

Lent is a time when many people deny themselves a want or necessity with the intention of using the void to focus on their spiritual walk. Once Easter arrives and passes, those same people again partake of that which they had denied themselves. 

In this passage, Jesus is talking about giving up things for His sake that go beyond a forty day fasting period. When we truly decide to follow Him, we often have to give up things, sometimes voluntarily or even involuntarily. 

When we decide to make Christ Lord of our life, we sometimes lose friendships or even family relationships because such associations can be harmful to our spiritual walk. Those people may not understand the change that has taken place. While we are called to love everyone, we are also told to guard our hearts so that we remain strong in our walk. We can no longer participate in activities that could potentially separate us from God. Why would we want to? Once we experience the fullness of Christ, why would we want to indulge in anything that could rob us of that joy? 

However, even if we lose friends or family because we follow Christ, we will be rewarded. Whatever we lose for His sake, we will receive back in abundance. I have had to make a choice to sever ties with others at times because our walks were just not on the same path. While disappointing, there comes a time we must examine the situation and realize that the relationship is not moving toward God but rather away. 

My prayer is that I don't lose friends or family because I follow Christ, but that I bring them along with me. My hope is that I can share my faith and life in such a way that I gain friends and family for God all along the way. In having said that, I am only a messenger, the choice is ultimately up to the hearer. 

Here Am I - Lenten Devotional 20

And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”

“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” 

Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” 

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:3, 5-8 NIV)

As we continue to move through the Lenten season, we examine our spiritual life and how we respond daily to God's calling. Do we acknowledge that we have "unclean" hearts and mouths and therefore unworthy/incapable? Do we make light excuses to avoid the committment? Do we ignore the calling, pretending we didn't hear? Do we jump at the chance to serve?

We respond in different ways most likely depending on what we are being called to do. If it is something we want to do, or may show off our talents, we may jump to serve. However, if it requires us to leave our comfort zone, be vulnerable, and sacrifice something, we tend to be more hesitant. Sometimes we actually feel incapable and unworthy for the task. 

There is a saying about those God calls he also equips. The Lord will never send you to a task without giving you the necessary skills to complete it. So many times in our humanness we just don't recognize that. We lean on our own perceptions and understanding of the situation. 

If only we could be more like Isaiah in these verses to acknowledge our sinfulness, accept forgiveness, and the call out "Here am I, Lord! Send me!"

One Day vs. A Thousand- Lenten Devotional 19

One day in your Temple is better than a thousand days anywhere else. Serving as a guard at the gate of my God’s house is better than living in the homes of the wicked. The Lord God is our protector and glorious king. He blesses us with kindness and honor. The Lord freely gives every good thing to those who do what is right. Lord All-Powerful, great blessings belong to those who trust in you! (Psalms 84:10-12 ERV)

We can all look back on our lives and think of a time or place and say "I wouldn't have traded that for anything..." I feel like that is the sentiment in these verses. The psalmist has experienced God in such a way that he wouldn't trade it for anything. If he could only have God for one day, he would take the opportunity. 

Do we feel that way? Do we find such joy in God that having Him one day is better than not at all? Do we only get one day with Him?

Fortunately (blessedly), we can experience God every day of our lives. We can open that door and let Christ in. Rather than just one day, we can dwell in the house of The Lord forever. But that's the hard part, isn't it? We tend to focus more on making our own joy, finding our own happiness, and making our own destiny. 

We can all agree that we are imperfect beings. Our ideas are flawed at times and we are blind to those flaws. We set our plans in motion, never realizing how chocked full of imperfections they are. 

If we can set our focus on living in the house of The Lord now, and not just when we die, then we can begin to experience the fullness of His love. Don't let your relationship with God be just about "what if you died tonight, do you know where you are going?"  Let your walk today be about "what if you lived today, will God be with you?"

Who is He? - Lenten Devotional 18

Years ago I heard this song. It has always been special to me in describing who Jesus is. I was reminded of it this morning in Sunday School when we were to complete the statement "Jesus is ..."

He Is

In Genesis, He's the breath of life
In Exodus, the Passover Lamb
In Leviticus, He's our High Priest
Numbers, The fire by night
Deuteronomy, He's Moses' voice

In Joshua, He is salvation's choice
Judges, law giver
In Ruth, the kinsmen-redeemer
First and second Samuel, our trusted prophet
In Kings and Chronicles, He's sovereign

Ezra, true and faithful scribe
Nehemiah, He's the rebuilder of broken walls and lives
In Esther, He's Mordecai's courage
In Job, the timeless redeemer
In Psalms, He is our morning song

In Proverbs, wisdom's cry
Ecclesiastes, the time and season
In the Song of Solomon, He is the lover's dream

He is, He is, HE IS!

In Isaiah, He's Prince of Peace
Jeremiah, the weeping prophet 
In Lamentations, the cry for Israel
Ezekiel, He's the call from sin 
In Daniel, the stranger in the fire

In Hosea, He is forever faithful
In Joel, He's the Spirits power 
In Amos, the arms that carry us 
In Obadiah, He's the Lord our Savior
In Jonah, He's the great missionary

In Micah, the promise of peace 
In Nahum, He is our strength and our shield
In Habakkuk and Zephaniah, He's pleading for revival
In Haggai, He restores a lost heritage 
In Zechariah, our fountain

In Malachi, He is the son of righteousness rising with healing in His wings

He is, He is, HE IS!

In Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, He is God, Man, Messiah 
In the book of Acts, He is fire from heaven 
In Romans, He's the grace of God 
In Corinthians, the power of love 
In Galatians, He is freedom from the curse of sin

Ephesians, our glorious treasure
Philippians, the servants heart 
In Colossians, He's the Godhead Trinity
Thessalonians, our coming King 
In Timothy, Titus, Philemon He's our mediator and our faithful Pastor

In Hebrews, the everlasting covenant
In James, the one who heals the sick. 
In First and Second Peter, he is our Shepherd
In John and in Jude, He is the lover coming for His bride
In the Revelation, He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords

He is, He is, HE IS!

The prince of peace
The Son of man 
The Lamb of God 
The great I AM

He's the alpha and omega
Our God and our Savior 
He is Jesus Christ the Lord
and when time is no more 
He is, HE IS!

Words by Jeoffrey Benward & Jeff Silvey

Knock Knock! Who's There? - Lenten Devotional 17

Listen! I stand at the door and knock; if any hear my voice and open the door, I will come into their house and eat with them, and they will eat with me. (Revelation 3:20 GNT)

We have all had those unwanted guests who seem to force themselves on us and crowd our space. It gets close to dinner time and we wonder if we have to feed them or have enough to invite them to stay. 

With Christ, He stands and waits for us to invite Him in. He never pushes but lets us know He is there. 

Once we open our hearts and let Him in, Christ will stay with us and nourish our souls. We can have that relationship with Him forever. 

As I go through the season of Lent, I have been reading a variety of scripture selections and then sharing my feelings afterwards. I don't profess to be a writer or a biblical scholar, just a girl seeking that relationship with The Savior. 

Many years ago I answered the door and let Jesus in. There have been times in my life when I have not been a gracious host to Him. My heart would be hardened and cold, my mind closed, my soul darkened. Yet, He stayed with me and brought me into the light. He strengthens me daily, but only when I am open to it. The verse indicates it is a two way street. "I with them...them with me". We have to share in order to receive. 

Think about this as you go through Lent. It is a time to reflect on your relationship with God and if you are ignoring the knock on the door and why. 

Camp Viola: God is in the Details - Lenten Devotional 16

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14 NIV)

Yesterday was such a full day for me. Full of anticipation. Full of hope. Full of energy. 

It was finally the day for our first ever golf scramble fundraiser to benefit Camp Viola. Planning began late last fall and when the new year came, we hit the ground running. The tournament came together and was pulled off with very minimal if any snags. 

I have heard the saying "the devil's in the details." That was not the case with this endeavor. God had His hand on it from start to finish. He was in the details. Board members worked together beautifully. The Highland Country Club staff was marvelous. We had 100% of our teams showing up to play. The first day of Spring came with perfect weather. 

The best part of everything though was the fact that all monies raised would go to help support Camp Viola's operating budget as we head into the summer camp schedule. 

For those of you who don't know much about Camp Viola and its Christian mission to share the gospel of Christ with local children through the camping experience, please visit our website. You can find out about the history of the Camp, ways to volunteer and donate, and even rent the camp for private events. 

This camp has a long history of ministering to the children of Troup County and surrounding areas. Help us to continue this tradition and the vision of Miss Viola Burks.

http://www.campviola.org/

Same With God - Lenten Devotional 15

Always be glad because of the Lord! I will say it again: Be glad. Always be gentle with others. The Lord will soon be here. Don't worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel. (Philippians 4:4-7 CEVDCUS06)

One of the hardest things in life is to be patient and wait. We want it and we want it now. To take it a step further, we want it our way. 

Often I compare our relationship to God to that of a parent and child. We struggle to guide and train our children, set rules they don't understand, discipline when they don't follow, yet love them all the more. Isn't that what it is like with God? Children are impatient with their needs and wants, but we eventually meet their needs and probably most of their wants. It just takes time. Same with God. 

We want our children to follow our example and to trust in what we tell them. The big difference is that God is a holy and perfect example where we are flawed. Still we try, don't we? And we should. We don't give up on our children. Same with God. 

Our children sometimes run too fast and are clumsy, fall and hurt themselves. Do we expect them to stay on the ground to cry and wallow in despair? No! We go to them, helping them up, wiping the dust, kissing the pain away. Same with God! He is there to pick us up when we fall to love the pain away. Then He tells us to go a little slower next time and watch our step. 

So if you are a parent, think of your relationship with your child and the enormous amount of patience you have with that child...same with God as He thinks of you! If you are not a parent, I imagine you can still relate to the comparison. We are all children of God and He is watching over us, ready to help us shake off the dust and love the hurt away. 

What Would You Do For A Klondike Bar? - Lenten Devotional 14

For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? (Mark 8:36 NKJV)

What would you do for a Klondike bar? Would you tattoo your company's logo on your arm for a raise? Would you bite off the head of a live mouse for $2M?

These are all questions I have been asked in my life at one point or another. When you stop and think about each of these, you are asking just how far would you go or how much would you do for money or some other material gain. As we contemplate offers such as these, we weigh the risk against the gain. 

Some risks include embarrassment and humiliation, ridicule and scorn, lifelong body altering, or risk of disease as in the case of the mouse. Most of the time we look at the immediate risks and not long term consequences of our actions. How long will it sting? We don't look at the consequences down the road. How will getting the job at corporate McDonalds be affected if we have a Burger King logo tattooed on our arm? (Now that was a hypothetical example, but there was a company in recent years that was paying its employees to get logos tattooed as an advertisement.) 

We must not just consider the short term consequences of our decisions. While they are important, we must also look down the road. If we are looked upon as someone who will do anything for material gain or notoriety, people may begin to consider us a risk ourselves. They may be see us as self-seeking and temporary and not want to take the time to invest time and energy in a relationship on a professional or even personal level. 

While $2M could definitely make life a little easier (who am I kidding? A lot easier!), I am not sure if I would actually come away from the experience proud of what I had accomplished in biting the head off of a live mouse. I don't think I could admire someone who did that. 

Now, as I say all of this, I am not really just referring to money. As we go through life, do we throw others under the bus to get noticed or avoid blame? Do we step on others' heads and hands while climbing the ladder? What do we do to get ahead?

Honestly, would your boss be more impressed with your willingness to get a logo tattoo over your dedication and hard work in the company itself? I sincerely believe the latter to be the answer. 

"Father Abraham Had Many Sons..." - Lenten Devotional 13

Abraham was almost a hundred years old, so he was past the age for having children. Also, Sarah could not have children. Abraham was well aware of this, but his faith in God never became weak. He never doubted that God would do what he promised. He never stopped believing. In fact, he grew stronger in his faith and just praised God. Abraham felt sure that God was able to do what he promised. So that’s why “he was accepted as one who is right with God.” These words (“he was accepted”) were written not only for Abraham. They were also written for us. God will also accept us because we believe. We believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from death. Jesus was handed over to die for our sins, and he was raised from death to make us right with God. (Romans 4:19-25 ERV)

Father Abraham had many sons, many sons had Father Abraham. I am one of them, and so are you, so let's all praise The Lord!

Be honest, how many of you can read about Abraham and not think of that song? And how many of you sang those opening lines in your head as you began this blog? Do kids even still sing this song?

Anyway...I do think of this song and the promise that was given so long ago to Abram (before becoming Abraham). God looked upon him with favor and promised him descendents numbering more than the stars in the skies. Abraham became the father of the chosen people, the Israealites. 

Over time, God's plan included more than just the Jewish nation. Gentiles were extended the invitation for a relationship with His Son. That invitation is still in place for all today. Don't leave that RSVP lost and unnoticed. Make a point of accepting what has been offered. Really, what have you got to lose? More importantly, what could you gain? 

Father Abraham had many sons, many sons had Father Abraham. I am one of them, and so are you, so let's all praise The Lord!

An Amazing Pride! - Lenten Devotional 12

I attended the Thunder In The Valley airshow yesterday in Columbus, Georgia. Having never been to such an event before I wasn't sure what to expect.

While some of the aerobatics became monotonous, others were thrilling! However, one spectacular event stood out to me. A small band from Fort Benning was on hand and began to play the National Anthem as a paratrooper jumped from a plane. Watch the video!

The pride this group felt emanated throughout the crowd. I was glad that I caught this rough video, and have watched it over and over. As the jumper gets closer, the flag becomes more visible. As he makes his mark, others are there to catch the flag. Words cannot describe my appreciation. Not only do these soldiers train and fight to protect us and our freedoms, they train to perform such acts of patriotic pride. We should all take a moment on this ordinary Sunday, 12th day of Lent, and say a prayer of thanks, and a prayer of protection for these men and women who serve each of us daily without ever knowing our names. 

Shallow, Thorny, Productive - Lenten Devotional 11

Life is so hard to understand at times. We try to figure things out and sort out hidden meanings. What can be harder to figure out is what God tries to tell us. We have so many influences in our everyday walk that can take us in any direction. We have to decide if we are going to be shallow, thorny, or productive. 

“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed. As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it. Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died. Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” Later, when Jesus was alone with the twelve disciples and with the others who were gathered around, they asked him what the parables meant. "The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others. The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” (Mark 4:3-8, 10, 14-20 NLT)

I know we can all look back in our time and see moments where we were shallow, thorny, or productive. We may even be one of those right now. 

We go to church and hear God's message and it sounds good at the time, but when we leave, we feel that it probably doesn't apply to us, you know, the preacher was speaking to someone else today. It hits that shallow soil and doesn't penetrate us. 

Or how about when God calls to us and we hear him, but we get distracted or bogged down in our own desires or circumstances that we can't focus on what He is saying to us? I too often let the thorns of life rob me of His joy. 

But then there are those times when we actually open our ears and our hearts to experience His Grace fully. We allow it to prune the weeds and thorns away to reach our souls, enrich our lives, and receive the joy of salvation. We can have a relationship with Christ. 

The best part of all of this is that God continues to throw the seed out. Just because we were rocky or thorny on one occasion doesn't mean we don't get another chance. Use Lent as a time to prepare the fertile soil to receive His message. 

Who Is My Family? Lenten Devotional 10

We have all heard those sayings "you can't pick your family" and "blood is thicker than water". I disagree. You can choose your family. 

Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.” “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:31-35 NIV)

I love my family, my biological relatives, and my married family and wouldn't trade them for anything. They have played a big part in who I am. But, I have family outside of those people that I share DNA or names with. God has seen fit to also bless me, and continues to bless me, with some amazing friends who help me along my faith walk. 

Whether we share a past, or similar interests, or just click in so many different ways, I feel we are members of the family of God and that transcends the earthly relationships. Just as Christ said in the verses above, our family members can extend past the genetic boundaries that usually define family. 

As you read this I am confident you are thinking of that "brother from another mother" or "sister from another mister" that you place as high in the family category as you would those biological relatives. 

When we moved to LaGrange in 1996, we were a young couple with a 6 month old with no biological family nearby. Members of the church quickly stepped in and became family members. Over the years, relationships have formed, changed, grown, and I can see the influence on my life and that of my husband and children. The community has embraced us and family has grown to include others even outside of our church. Though I still have a ways to go in running that race set before me, I know I do not run it alone, but with family. 

When we use the term, "blood is thicker than water", we should be careful to remember Whose blood made us family. The blood of Jesus covered our sins, restored us to a relationship with God, and allowed our family to grow.

Because I Said So. Lenten Devotional 9

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. (Romans 8:28 NLT)

There is a lot of stuff packed in this verse! There is hope, comfort, assurance, and promise.

As things go on in our lives, some good, some not so good, some downright bad, we still have the promise that God is in the mix. My understanding is not that God causes everything, but God causes everything to work for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. If we love God and dedicate all we do for His glory, it will be to our benefit in the long run.

We will have times of uncertainty in our lives, even stress and fear. However, if we can take this message to heart, we can know God is able and will work everything out to take care of us.

Another disclaimer though is the part about "according to His purpose."  Of course, we think we know how all should turn out and what's best for us, and we really want a God to fix things according to our ways and purpose.

Many of you probably have children. Think about when your child wants something or asks to do something that you don't feel is the best thing. You try to explain why it is not right but your child just doesn't get it. That's how it is with God. He can see the reasons and possible consequences we cannot. 

As His children, we must be obedient to His plan and purpose even during those times we don't know or understand. Just like as children we must obey our parents when we don't know the reasons or understand.

Often it just comes back to the age old "because I said so." Sometimes that's the only answer parents can give. I believe that's the only answer God can give sometimes, too. "Because I said so." 

We Need More - Lenten Devotional 8

...He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord. (Deuteronomy 8:3 NKJV)

In my last post, I talked about God missing in our lives, or well, us not paying attention to him as long as things are going well. Sometimes we get caught up in the every day routine and fail to see there is more. There should be more. 

Last summer, we decided to get a family dog. After researching different breeds of dogs and searching on the local shelter's Facebook page, we narrowed it down to three dogs on the available list. On a Friday, I went by and previewed the dogs. The next day, the girls and I went back. My first choice had been adopted since the day before. My second choice just didn't click with us after a short visitation. Then came the third and final choice. Ridley the cocker spaniel. Ridley was in a pen with a very large Husky and looked pretty sad. We decided to take him out into the yard for a short visit. As he ran around the shelter's yard, one of my girls said that he looked more like a Henry than a Ridley (which is the name of a street downtown), and called him Henry. He turned and came right back to us with such a look of joy on his face. We knew he was the one. 

Many of my friends and family know the story if how we came to find Henry and a few know what I found out shortly after getting him. Once we got him, I couldn't stop talking about it and posting pictures. To make a long story short, a friend was sharing with another of her friends of Henry's adoption. That friend was affiliated with the shelter and knew our dog. He had been there for over a month and day by day seemed to get more depressed. The staff and volunteers do well to take care of the animals, meeting their physical needs, but it is not possible to provide the full attention to each like they deserve and crave. They need more.

I share this story to say that we as humans cannot just get by with our physical and even material "needs" being met. We need more. We need to feel the love of others. We need to feel the love of Christ.

Seeking a relationship with Jesus is the way to experience such love. Fortunately, we don't have to sit behind a fence waiting for the love to come to us like Ridley did. We can reach out and enjoy it right now. Through an act of love, Ridley transformed into a happy and much loved Henry. We too can be transformed by the love of God.

To follow Henry's adventures more, visit his blog at http://henrythecockerspaniel.blogspot.com/