Love In Action!

This last week I went with our youth group on our annual youth mission trip. Over the years, my pastor husband and myself on been on quite a few trips such as this, with youth and adults. We have always been blessed by these trips and have seen some wonderful projects accomplished, with the help of God and the hard work that comes from loving, determined souls.

This year over a dozen churches came together and stayed at Butler University, in Indianapolis. Every morning we would disperse throughout the city and work on several projects, for The Boys and Girls Clubs, local churches, nursing homes, individual homes of folks who just can't do things the way they used to, and for the Salvation Army.

The group that I was assigned to went to a salvation army location. Their summer program fed the local families in the area lunch,had a devotion time and then open gym time. This gave the children in the neighborhood something constructive to do during the summer and also made sure they had at least one good meal a day.


We went in to help by painting a few walls, clean some carpet and windows. Help cook and serve the lunch and snack. But that was nothing. The most important and fun thing we did was be with the kids in the afternoon and talk about God's love. The theme with this was, no matter what a person did, God would not stop loving them and He would always be there for them when they called out to Him. I could see in some of the young ones eyes how important it was to know that someone would always be there for them. 

The staff at this facility was a wonderful example of God's love in action. They loved these kids with a passion that we don't see enough of. Yes at times some of the youth that came could be a handful, but that did not deter them. They fixed what ever was going on and went right on loving and serving. I know my heart and the hearts of the others that came with me were touched. You could see God shining through these men and women, with an unfailing love that would not stop. They were the epitome of these verses in Corinthians 13..... 

1 Corinthians 13 The Message (MSG)

The Way of Love

13 If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.

2 If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing.

3-7 If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

The Friday we were there was the last day of this summer program.  Tears could be seen in the eyes of some. It was sad for us too, because it was our last day as well. So you can imagine how upsetting it was for the one's who had been there all summer. But there were smiles too because they had been with, and had been taken care of, by some of the most loving people I have ever met. What a wonderful summer these kids had. 




I thank God for the friends we made there and for the chance to see His love in action.

Blessings!

A One Way Street

My Mother-n-law and myself are in Michigan, near Bay City. We brought Riley to camp up here so we are hanging out, this week. Last evening we decided to find a unique restaurant for dinner. In the process of looking we pasted a food place that looked fun so we decided to find a spot to turn around and go back. I came to a corner and started to turn right when all of a sudden all these cars start honking at us. We quickly discovered that we were trying to turn the wrong way into a one way street. I hurriedly corrected that and we went on our way. Those people can forgive us, I hope, because we had an out of state tag on our car. Made for a good laugh, that's for sure.

You can bet we learned where not to turn as we head back into Bay City today. 


This morning as I am looking through some scriptures and I come across this passage....


Psalm 19:11-12

11 There’s more: God’s Word warns us of danger
and directs us to hidden treasure.
Otherwise how will we find our way?
Or know when we play the fool?
Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh!


How appropriate these verses are considering our last night's blunder. 

God, if we listen to Him, is like all those honking cars. He wants to show us the correct direction to go in this life. He wants to keep us safe. He wants to keep us from doing foolish things. I do know that when I listen to Him I feel like a weight is lifted and relief sets in because I know that I am not alone in all this world of one way streets. I find that I when I am going in the right direction for me, anxiousness becomes calm, stress becomes peace and the feeling of lostness is gone.

I hope you find a peaceful, safe direction to travel in today.

Blessings

Just Plant

I was watering the flowers on my front porch this morning and this is what greeted me. Isn't it beautiful? This is a Plumeira flower. My father-n-law gave this plant to me when we were in Florida on Spring Break. At the time he did this, these were just a few sticks. He told me to put them in some soil, water them and they would grow. At the time I was thinking "sure". Because not only did I not think this would work, I also had to fly back home with these sticks. When we did get home, I kind of forgot about them for a couple more days. When I finally did think about planting them, I needed to get potting soil, so there went another day.

Finally I got them in a pot and set the pot on the front porch. I kind of put it in the corner because, hey, it was just sticks and I didn't want anyone to see it and think I was crazy for trying to grow sticks. I did keep watering them though, just in case. Finally I saw just a bit of green at the end of one of the sticks and now look. There are leaves and gorgeous flowers, on these sticks, and they really look beautiful.

Spreading the truth about Christ and the salvation and peace that comes from him are kind of like planting these sticks.

Everywhere we go we present ourselves as something. If we are grumpy, gossipy, stand offish or just plain mean. We are just like the sticks out of dirt. Nothing good  can come from this. People will walk away and not want anything to do with us.

But if we present ourselves as peaceful, loving, giving and kind, we plant ourselves in the soil of relationships, because we will be the kind of people others want to be around. As relationships grow we can be the picture of Christ and others will want the same beauty that shines from within us. God can use us to bring the message, of Him, to the folks around us. Blessings abound and beauty grows in hearts and lives.

1 Corinthians 3:6-8

6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own [a]reward according to his own labor.

I know this may sound too simplified or even goofy to some of you, but it works. You never know what will grow from the seeds of friendship and love. God is amazing and can use even our smallest attempts.

If I hadn't have put those sticks in the dirt, even though I had doubts that it was worth my time, there wouldn't be a beautiful plant sitting on my front porch right now. 

Being a gardener is not always convenient or even easy. It takes hard work and even faith in what you plant. The beauty of this flower is, of course, a blessed reward. But the beauty of God changed lives, and friendships made, is even better.


Blessings!

Saved From The Storm!!

Yesterday Riley and I started heading back to Indiana from Kansas. We had the best time with my parents and all of the family we got to see while we were there. Riley even made a new friend with my niece's stepson. They played basketball in the street. I loved seeing him get to do that. Riley made 5 baskets in a row. My dad, I'm sure, needs a rest today because Riley picked on him all week. Our visit was amazing.

But it is always good to be home and as we were driving, Riley kept saying "Mom, let's just go home".  I myself was seriously thinking of driving the 11 hours straight through. I have done this before and probably could have done it again. But about 6 hours in, I really started having second thoughts. At this time the sky was clear and there was no sign of of rain, but something kept nagging at me to find a hotel. I drove through St. Louis but I didn't see a hotel I wanted us to stay at, so I kept going. The next town we came to was Granite City, Illinois and the tug to find a hotel was even stronger there. So we did.

We checked in, got to our room, settled down and the next thing we hear is loud thunder. I look out the window and the sky that had been blue just a few minutes before was dark as night. The front edge of a storm had moved in, out of no where, and looked very scary.

 

As the storm progressed there were 60 mile an hour winds, driving rain, lightening, thunder and hail. There would have been no way we could have out run this storm. We would have been caught out in it if we had not have stopped. I truly believe that the strong urge to find a hotel was God keeping us safe. Isn't he amazing??

I catch myself being surprised when I see a miracle from God so clearly. But this should not be. After all, we are God's creation. He wants to do all he can to keep us safe, through any of life's storms.

We see all through the scriptures where God protects His own. I have seen His protection through my whole life and I see it in the lives of those around me. I am reminded of this verse in Psalm 125.....

Psalm 125:2

Living Bible (TLB)

2 Just as the mountains surround and protect Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds and protects his people.

Last night as I fell asleep I thanked God for the safe, dry warm bed but I also asked Him to forgive me for being so surprised that I was there.



Blessings!!

Stick Like Glue

Riley and I have driven to Kansas to visit my parents while Rodney is on a mission trip in Guatemala. I love going on mission trips and would have loved going on this one with him but this silly Lupus of mine and the sun closest to the equator do not mix. 

Mission trips are very special to me for many reasons, First you can really shine Christ on them as you serve the persons you have gone to be with. Another is, that it is a great bonding time within the church, as members work side by side to complete the tasks set before them. You also get to see parts of our country and world you might not have seen for any other reason. And the last one, for me, is that I truly realized how much I cared for the man that would become the love of my life, on this earth, on a mission trip. He and I have been kind of glued together ever since.

Speaking of being glued together, Riley can't seem to get enough of my Dad. Where ever he is, there Riley is too. It has always been that way with Riley and Dad. There is just something about my Father that Riley can't seem to get enough of. Riley seems to be hovering and if it was me I might get a little annoyed with him. Dad doesn't. He just keeps smiling and letting Riley be Riley.

I was thinking about this this morning and trying to truly understand, because I was kind of feeling bad for Dad. But as I was watching them it occurred to me what is going on. Riley feels the unabashed love my dad has for him. He feels the non judgement from my dad. He feels free with my dad. My Dad does not care if Riley is fitting into the norm of life. He wants him to be the silly sweet Down syndrome kid he is. 


Most of the adults that Riley deals with, including Rodney and myself, are all trying to help him grow up enough to maybe get to be out on his own in this world. So we are always directing him in that direction. "Don't do that", "let's do things this way", "Come on Riley, don't be so silly", are just a few things he hears from most of us. I'm not saying this is wrong. It has to be done to help Riley survive in the adult world. But as I try to keep Riley from what I see as picking on my Father, Dad just keeps looking at me and saying "It's OK".


We silly humans have the same understanding from our God. We do not have to change into something we are not to come to Him. Look what Jesus said when the disciples were trying to discourage the children from getting to him....

Matthew 19:14

Common English Bible (CEB)

14 “Allow the children to come to me,” Jesus said. “Don’t forbid them, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to people like these children.”

My Dad gets this verse. In fact he has a little child in him himself, that he is not ashamed to show. I guess I need to let up, be kid like myself, and let Riley relax. It is his vacation too!

When Riley is with my Father, he doesn't have to change anything. He can just be himself. How wonderful for him!!! That is how it is when we come to God. We can be our child like selves too! 

I love this reminder from my Dad!!! I guess I am still learning from my wise father. All of us can. 

Blessings!

A weight lifted.

Rodney and I have been in downtown Indianapolis for our annual Methodist conference. We always seem to have a good time at this because we get to see so many people that throughout the year we do not get to see since all of us are so busy in our own ministries.

The first night of the conference Rodney and I found that it ended up just being the two of us going out to dinner. We decided to make it a date night and walked over to a nice fish restaurant. Normally this is not in the budget but once in a while you just need to splurge on one another. There was no wait so we got right in and were taken to a little cozy corner table. 

We had found out that an old friend from Rodney's childhood was a prep chef in the kitchen. We hoped we might get to see him so the two of them could catch up. You see Rodney's friend, in the past, had gotten into a little trouble and had spent some time in prison. I think my sweet husband had some guilt because he had not been in touch with his friend since that time.

As we got seated and settled at our table that gentleman came out from the back and gave Rodney such a big hug. You could see relief come over his face as Rodney just squeezed right back. He sat right down at the table smiling so big. Peace was present at our table. As the two of them reminisced there was only friendship and a need to catch up. There was no chastising or judging. Rodney and his friend just showed the love that had started for each other all those years ago.

Christ told us to love our neighbors. He also reminds us that none of us are without sin. Some just seem to get caught in their sin. Like the lady here in John 8....
  

John 8:1-11

The Message (MSG)

To Throw the Stone

8 1-2 Jesus went across to Mount Olives, but he was soon back in the Temple again. Swarms of people came to him. He sat down and taught them.

3-6 The religion scholars and Pharisees led in a woman who had been caught in an act of adultery. They stood her in plain sight of everyone and said, “Teacher, this woman was caught red-handed in the act of adultery. Moses, in the Law, gives orders to stone such persons. What do you say?” They were trying to trap him into saying something incriminating so they could bring charges against him.
6-8 Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, “The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone.” Bending down again, he wrote some more in the dirt.
9-10 Hearing that, they walked away, one after another, beginning with the oldest. The woman was left alone. Jesus stood up and spoke to her. “Woman, where are they? Does no one condemn you?”
11 “No one, Master.”
“Neither do I,” said Jesus. “Go on your way. From now on, don’t sin.”

Notice how Jesus did not judge her, or shun her. He loved her and forgave her. Our lives, and hearts, and world would all be so much more at peace if we followed Christ in this. 

People do hurt us. Friends sometimes do things that are hard to get past. Jesus did tell us to be wise as serpents and there are things that people do that we need to be leery of but staying angry is not good for any of us. Forgiveness is. 

The manager of the kitchen heard about his prep chef's friend coming in to eat and visit and as we asked for the bill the waitress informed us that our meal was on the head chef. God's goodness pops up everywhere.

Rodney left that restaurant feeling so much better and a wonderful free meal didn't hurt either. Date night was great!!

Sure love my guy!


Blessings!

Grandma's Touch

This morning I sat out on the front porch, wrapped in a blanket because of the early chill. As I sat there I got to thinking about Rodney's grandmother. We now have her patio furniture, from their back porch, on our front porch. The frames were yellow, which is not us, so I painted them a hammered pewter. This has seemed to help make the flowered cushions seem more modern. No way, right now, that we can afford to replace all the cushions. But maybe I don't really want to. We would lose some of Grandma if we did, because as much as Grandpa loved his tools, Grandma loved flowers.

She loved them so much she even worked at a florist. I am not sure how many weddings from the family she worked on, but I know she made the bouquet for mine and Rodney's wedding. Her front yard was beautiful with wonderful flower beds and her porch was decorated with pots filled with gorgeous combinations of flowers.

She even had a flowered couch in her living room. Beautiful flowers were just her thing. Grandma was just like her flowers. A beautiful woman, inside and out. Sweet natured, gentle with the touch, seemed filled with wisdom and everyone loved her. I think I was really drawn to Rodney's grandmother because she was so much like mine. Grandma Inez was beautiful inside and out too. She loved to grow things, she was as gentle as she was beautiful and I can't think of anyone who didn't just love her to pieces. 

My grandmother loved my twin sister and myself more than I can even say. She was even willing to raise us from age two till seven. She almost had a nervous break down when my Dad remarried and we moved out. I have to say that all I remember from my grandmother is softness, gentleness, love and teaching. She was always trying to get us to learn to be self sufficient.  

Whenever I am doing all the girly grooming things and a bit of pain becomes involved, such as a tangle in my hair, I can just hear her say, "Beauty is painful Sweetheart, but worth it". Makes me smile every time. My Dad was a wise, wise man and I learned so many things from him (that's for another blog), but Grandma just had a way of nurturing two little girls that made everything she taught us stay with us forever. One of my favorite things that has stuck is remembering how she could make everything better with her wonderful back rubs. I know my men like that I have learned this.

Both of these women loved their God. It showed in every area of their lives. Rodney says he remembers getting little notes from his grandma concerning scriptures she had been reading that she thought would be beneficial to him. My grandma was a prayer warrior from way back. She was the one who taught me that prayer can change anything.

These two were truly women who lived up to these verses.....

   
Ecclesiastes 8:1

Who is wise? And who knows the meaning of anything? A person’s wisdom brightens the expression; it changes the hardness of someone’s face.

James 3:13

If you are wise, live a life of steady goodness so that only good deeds will pour forth. And if you don’t brag about them, then you will be truly wise!

As I grow more and more into maturity I truly hope that I can be, if only by half, as humble and wise as they were!

Maybe we all should be wishing for the same thing.

Blessings!!!!!

Grandpa's Tools

A few months ago we lost Rodney's Grandfather. We know he is so happy to be with Grandma in heaven. He has wanted to be there since she died. Grandpa had not let anything in their house be touched or moved since he lost Grandma. So now that they are both gone the house has been an adventure. Memories galore have abounded as Rodney, Rodney's dad and his aunts and uncle and all the cousins have cleaned up the place getting it ready to sell.

As this process has gone on everyone has gotten to choose a few of Grandma and Grandpa's things to get to keep for themselves. It is a wonderful way to get to bring the memories of Grandma and Grandpa into our own homes.



I am a strange female. I tend to like tools. The more tools the better. I like them more than Rodney does. So I was very excited to get Grandpa's saw and drill. We got the saw just in time to build our garden bed boxes. It was great to feel close to him as we worked. I think he would be proud of what we put together with his tools.

Ancestors give us the tools that make us who we are. They are the foundation of our religious beliefs, they are the foundation of our facial and body features, they are the foundation of our actions, thoughts and deeds. I see so much of Grandpa in Rodney's dad and in turn I see so much of Dad in Rodney.

One of the tools passed on was how Grandpa kept his finances in order even in tough times. The same can be said for Dad. Rodney's Dad became so enamored with numbers that he became an accountant. Rodney and I have had a few tough financial stretches but my man always brings us out on top.  

Grandpa was so generous. If he knew of someone who needed help he would give even if he had to go without. Rodney's Dad is one of the most giving men I know. His whole family has seen that in action, more than once. My husband, Rodney, is generous as well. You never know what wonderful thing Rodney is going to do for you. He thinks of others more than himself, always!!

One of the the tools that is close to my heart about these men is their love and respect of their wives. I know that we wives are not perfect. I am sure even Grandma wasn't all perfect. But the Frieden boys always act like their wives are. We wives are treated like the most important people on the earth. I think more marriages would benefit from this special tool. 

Colossians 3:19

Living Bible (TLB)

19 And you husbands must be loving and kind to your wives and not bitter against them nor harsh

The last but the most important tool passed on was the way Grandpa loved our God in a deep and personal way. He always carried himself around others as God would have wanted him to, and in turn Dad and Rodney are Godly men as well. Rodney has gone so far as to become a minister. His grandparents were so happy about that. 

There was no doubt about Grandpa. He was as genuine and true as he seemed. He was a man that followed this verse...

Luke 10:27

The Message (MSG)

27 He said, “That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself.”

I thank God for Rodney's Grandfather and hope upon hope that you have a grandpa who is as true and special and who passes his tools of wisdom down the family line too!

Blessings!

Good Maintenance Is The Key

I have a Buick SUV that I have driven for over ten years. It fits me just right and even more important, the heated seats still work. It has been a good car over the years. A couple of things have gone wrong but nothing major. 

Anyway, it turned over 100,000 miles a little while ago so we figured we needed to get in for a check up to see if anything needed repaired. This decision to take it to the shop was made with a little fear in our stomachs because after having to do some repair on Rodney's car awhile back, our budget really didn't need another hit. But safety is more important than anything so I took it in today.

As I dropped it off they loaned me a loaner truck thinking that they would need to keep my SUV a couple of days. Because my old thing surely needed brakes or shocks or something kind of major.

On a side note, I am really too small to drive a king cab, full sized pick up. You should have seen me trying to just get in the thing. Very funny looking! Sorry I digressed.

I was so surprised when they called an told me that they were done, early this afternoon. It had just needed a tune up, spark plugs and the general fluids that cars need. When I got there the service manager pulled me aside and told me that he had never really seen a vehicle, the age of ours, and with the mileage ours has, be in such good shape. He said maintenance is everything and apparently we had been very diligent over the years with that. The bill he handed me was pretty manageable. Shew!


As I have sat here tonight thinking about the day and how good God has been in all areas of this day. I am reminded that maintenance is everything. In our cars, in our homes, in the way we raise our children, in our marriages and, most importantly, in our relationship with our Heavenly Father.

If we don't keep track of things in our homes we would be cold in the winter, hot in the summer, we would have leaks and even a roof that could fall in. If we don't talk with and love on our children and just leave them to raise themselves you can imagine how they will turn out. If we don't communicate and be respectful, loving and genuine with our spouses our marriages will be more hell than heaven on earth. 

But most important is how we work on our relationship with God. Our eternity depends on this. 

I can tell you that a soul deep peace can and will be had if we keep our relationship with God where it needs to be. If we understand that Jesus is the road to that relationship. Accepting His sacrifice as our way to heaven and seeking daily to show Christ's love to those around us. 


Matthew 22 says...
37-40  “‘Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.’ This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ These two commands are pegs; everything in God’s Law and the Prophets hangs from them.”


Acts 13 let's know....
39 through Jesus everyone who believes is put in right relationship with God.


Romans 5:11 reminds us....
11  we even take pride in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, the one through whom we now have a restored relationship with God.


Life is never perfect. It does take work. There are things that do go wrong, sometimes. But as we grow closer and closer to God, because of our relationship with Christ, all the trials that living throws at us and all the repairs that will need to follow do not have to take away our peace or sometimes even be as bad as we thought they would be, because God will never leave us to go through them alone. 

Blessings!

Sharing

I was born an identical twin. My sister and I looked exactly alike as we were growing into adulthood. I don't remember ever being without Terry when we were at home. The school wouldn't let us be in each others class but everywhere else we were together. Most of the time we loved it this way. Most of the time we didn't mind sharing each others space and anything we had. We would tell each other everything as well. We were open books to one another. 

As we grew into adulthood and started moving in different directions, that changed. Don't get me wrong, we still were close but as we started dating and then moving on into marriages and different homes there were lots that we did not share. We had private things from one another. It became even worse when Rodney and I moved to Indiana, leaving Terry behind in Kansas.

We did not like that this was happening but nothing could be done about it. We were busy making homes and families of our own. Then Terry died. After the funeral her daughters and I went through some of her things. They wanted me to take some items that I felt were special. While I was trying to decide what I could take that would go back on the plane with us I discovered so many wonderful things about her that I had not known before. She was a poem writer and had drawn some wonderful sketches. She had not shared these things with me because, her girls told me, she didn't think she was good at either. This made me even sadder. I wish that I had shared myself with her more so that she could have felt comfortable enough to share more of herself with me. That is a regret that I will carry till she and I can be back together in heaven.

Our world is like that. We don't feel adequate or we feel that someone else is not.  We feel like we have nothing that we are good enough at to share. Or we have drawn into our personal lives so much that we don't want to share. We are not the kind of friends that make others want to show their true selves to. We are not the kind of friend or neighbor that shows Christ, and His love, to others. 

The scriptures are pretty frank about this issue.....

Galatians 6:2-3

The Message (MSG)

Nothing but the Cross

6 1-3 Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.

Hebrews 13:16

The Message (MSG)

16 Make sure you don’t take things for granted and go slack in working for the common good; share what you have with others. God takes particular pleasure in acts of worship—a different kind of “sacrifice”—that take place in kitchen and workplace and on the streets.

Christ brought all that he was to this earth. He lived, and died, for others. He gave himself daily. He was the example that we all need to be. He shared God the Father with everyone and others couldn't wait to share who they were with Him. People were drawn to Him because He went out of His way to make them comfortable enough to be themselves. He was the only perfect man on this earth, yet He was the least judgmental of any man on this earth. 

I know that we all have regrets about someone or something. But if Jesus doesn't judge us why are we so hard on ourselves? So hard we think we have nothing to give. Hey we are forgiven children of God.  He sees us as perfect. He sees us as people He wants to spend time with. We need to show the same love to others around us so that they can feel the same worth we should be feeling. 

Also let's not get ourselves so involved in our own little part of the world that we miss out or become so self absorbed that we don't see the wonderful gifts from the people that God has placed all around us.

No regrets!!!

Blessings!

Hanukkah

I have the privilege of  facilitating a Tuesday morning and a Thursday evening ladies Bible study group with the name of WOW. I have learned so much from these  "Women Of Worth". Their dedication to and the love of studying the scriptures is very inspiring and makes me have to stay on my toes and learn more and more to keep up with these warriors of the Word of God.

Tonight we finished up our latest study. It was on the Feasts of the Bible. I have to say that this has been one of my favorite studies. I loved the history behind all of the feasts. I loved being reminded of how God brought His people out of captivity and kept them safe through the many dangers in the desert. I loved being reminded that even if we stray from the path God has set before us He can and will bring us back with love, traditions, and even the calendar.

The last feast we discussed tonight was the "Feast of Dedication" which is more commonly known as Hanukkah. Now this feast was not one that was set with the other feasts in the laws that were handed down. This feast came about as the temple needed to be purified after the Maccabees defeated  Antiochus IV and took it back. It was in about 165 BC. Pigs had been sacrificed on the alter and a statue 
of Zeus had been placed in the Holy of Holy's. Jewish worship could not begin again in the temple until cleansing took place.

The Maccabees discovered that almost all of the ritual olive oil had been profaned. They found only a single container that was still sealed by the High Priest, with enough oil to keep the menorah in the Temple lit for a single day. They were so anxious to begin worship again that they did not want to wait until they could make more consecrated olive oil. This process took eight days, so they used the one day's worth of oil having faith that God would keep the flames going until the purified oil could be finished. He did just that and the Feast of Hanukkah was born.

We can find this feast mentioned in the new Testament in John......

John 10:22

The Message (MSG)

22-24 They were celebrating Hanukkah just then in Jerusalem. It was winter. Jesus was strolling in the Temple across Solomon’s Porch. The Jews, circling him, said, “How long are you going to keep us guessing? If you’re the Messiah, tell us straight out.”

John 10:22

King James Version (KJV)

22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.

Since this feast was in the winter it is celebrated close to Christmas. As we were discussing the closeness of these two traditions a questions was given tonight. What if the Jews had not defeated the Greeks? What if the Jews had eventually been assimilated into the Greek lifestyle? Would Jesus still have come from this nation? Would we even have Christmas? Something to think about.

But the wonderful thing is we do have Christmas.  The Jews do have Hanukkah. We all have a God that is so dedicated to His people that He would give up living in Holiness, for a time, and let Himself be given for us, so that we can have the chance to be purified ourselves.

So the next time you see a Menorah, even as a Christian, maybe you should say a little prayer, thanking God for His never ending love, dedication and especially Jesus!!!!

Blessings!

The Man On The Middle Cross!

Last night we watched The Greatest Story Ever Told. While we were watching Rodney made a comment that resonated with me. He said, "This doesn't follow the scriptures word for word but it does seem to catch Jesus the way He really must have been better than some of these kinds of movies."

Then this morning I hear a preacher talking about the thief on the cross and what might have happened as he approached heaven's gates. He said He might not have understood who Christ was until the very end, but he did know this...."The Man on the middle cross said I could come here".

We in our denominations have rules, regulations, certain procedures that we require for church membership and so many other small things that can keep people from becoming part of our group, if they don't conform. As a result they often don't. We can't understand why everyone won't just fit into the pattern we have set for them. I understand this because I grew up in a denomination that was exactly like this. If you didn't follow the path they laid out you could not even take communion at our church.

I wonder what Christ thinks of this? All He required from the thief was that he understood that He, Christ, had done nothing wrong and was suffering and hanging there for us. He didn't demand baptism, he didn't ask for a tithe, he didn't ask him to speak a certain way. I am sure that the thief wasn't even dressed on the cross so Christ certainly wasn't concerned with what he was wearing.

These scriptures tell us the only thing that is required of us....

John 3:14-18

The Message (MSG)

15, it is necessary for the Son of Man to be lifted up—and everyone who looks up to him, trusting and expectant, will gain a real life, eternal life.

16-18 “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. 

As we all work to make our churches more and more desirable for our neighbors we need to live the message of Jesus. Compassion, tenderness, acceptance and above all love. We also must make sure others understand Christ's sacrifice as well. We need to let any and all come, however they come. Just as Rodney says every Sunday..."God loves you just the way you are". Everyone who crosses our doorways should never feel anything but that message.

When this comes hard for us, at times, we ourselves need to remember that God loves us just the way we are too. We make mistakes, like anyone. But we only need to love and believe in the message of Christ as well.

Let's not forget, Christ, the man on the middle cross, lived His life showing, with His very being, this most powerful message.

May the gift of Easter change your life, your church and your neighborhood!!

Blessings!

Thursday into Friday

It is so nice to be getting back to the real world after going through another knee replacement surgery. You would have thought that I would have been writing blogs like crazy while I was down but for some reason I had a little writers block. But now I am starting to feel like myself again and can't wait to feel inspired again.

Last night we had a wonderful Maundy Thursday service. This is the celebration of the night Jesus and his disciples had their last supper together. As we exited the sanctuary we left in silence, thinking of the sacrifice Jesus was about to give for us those 2000 years ago. This morning as I am sitting here thinking of His sacrifice I can't even imagine the pain and agony our Jesus went through that night and on into Friday. We call this day Good Friday, and for us this day means so much for our eternity, but for Jesus, I'm sure it felt like an eternity all in one day.

Matthew 26:67

New International Version (NIV)

67 Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him 68 and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?”

Matthew 27:26-37

26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then thy knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said.30 They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. 31 After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

The Crucifixion of Jesus

32 As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. 33 They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”).34 There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35 When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 36 And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37 Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.

The scriptures give us a picture of what Christ suffered. Flogging seems pretty tame, when compared to the crucifixion, which was horrible in itself. But in reality Jesus suffered so much even before the climb up to Calvary.

"The whip :            
             The flagrum was a whip with a short handle and generally two or three long thick thongs, each weighted at some distance from their extremity with lead balls or mutton bones. In action, the thongs cut the skin, while the balls or bones created deep contusions. The result was significant hemorrhaging and considerable weakening of the vital resistance of the victim. In compensation, if one may call it that, this weakening shortened their agony on the cross

Number of lashes :            
             Hebrew law was strict on this, limiting it to 40. The Pharisees, in order to make sure that they never broke the law, gave only 39 lashes. The Romans had no limit, except for the fact that the victims should be left with just enough strength to carry their crosses to the place of execution. As the man who condemned Jesus to be flogged was Pilate, the Roman Proconsul, the number of lashes could be unlimited. The Gospels report that Jesus could not carry his cross without calling to an onlooker for help. This suggests a very severe beating".


I know this is hard to read and even harder to think about. Jesus suffered so much! But His love for us was and is bigger than we can even imagine. He gave Himself over for all of this so that we could have a glorious future. 

Yes this day is sad to think about but just wait......

Joy is coming!!!!


Blessings!