TUESDAY TRUTHS

Funerals offer truths that one can really take to heart---especially funerals of the faithful. (Psalm 116:15)*

Joe Black---Uncle Joe's funeral was such an event. His granddaughter, Rachel, added proof as she recalled her grandfather's continuous love and encouragement for her from when he first bounced her on his knee until his last hug from his deathbed. Family knows the real truth about ones life not just what the world sees. In this instance, the two matched. (Romans 10::9-10) A letter from son Joey shared more examples of this life well-lived and son Jeff strumming his guitar and singing, "How Great Thou Art, brought many to tears.
From boxing and body-building  to railroad man, this meek man with quiet power, power under control, gave respect to others and therefore received respect from all whose paths he crossed. He enjoyed fun times with others---especially his SAW meetings near his Oakland home. Seniors Against Work.

Joe Black was Mommar's only surviving sibling, the one who watched after sibling Charles when she (Mary) and her sisters, Liz and Maxine, had all passed away, and even before that. How fitting it was that Joe put the urn of  brother Charles' ashes inside his own coffin for his final resting place as well. A brother who was faithful to the very end. Joe knew though his "earthly tent was being destroyed that he had a building from God, an eternal house in heaven." (2 Corinthians 5:1)

Do I hear an "Amen"?

*While attending this family funeral another friend in the faith passed away. A godly man. A faithful husband. A devoted father. A respected lawyer. 
His passing is precious to the Lord but it certainly leaves a big hole in hearts of our entire church and others who knew him as he fulfilled his vows to the LORD in the presence of all His people. (Psalm 116:14)

How appropriate was the verse on the front of his memorial service bulletin---because everyone who knew Lance could see that he "had been with Jesus." (Acts 4:13) Even the quote on the back gave insight into this lifelong Memphian's faith as He trusted God's plan for his life regardless of the struggles. Like Eldon Roark, former Memphis Press-Scimitar "Strolling"columnist from 1933-1979, Lance believed Scripture to be the final authority for all faith and practice.

Be of good cheer. God is in the plan. (Mattie Dear) A frequent contributor to "Strolling".

Each believer can be of good cheer knowing that both his/her earthly life and eternal life are in the hands of a loving sovereign God.

Do I hear another "Amen"!

APATHEISM

8/23/13 Even Pastor Cole can often throw out a 50¢ word. Probably some are his own creation. Recently he introduced us to apatheism. It's the belief/theology of one who knows God or knows a lot about God but God doesn't matter to him. It's evident in the way he/she lives his life. Not quite agnostic---just an apathetic approach to God. Believers without teeth for their belief.

I don't know about others, but I don't want my life to be seen as a life of one who practices apatheism. I want to know Him and I want others to know that I know Him when they see my lifestyle.

Apathy + theism. Not for me. I prefer to live a life worthy of the label---Christian. 

ORDINARY THINGS---to think about

6/21/10 Washing Dishes. Sharpening pencils---but that’s probably only ordinary for me. Folding clothes. Changing diapers. Cooking supper. Ironing. All ordinary things---though for me, ironing is somewhat extraordinary since I don’t do it often, except for my pillowcases. A few days ago I did some “getting ready for trip” ironing. It’s one of Mother’s rules. Ironed things, pack better but need a few days to hang before packing---never pack (or wear) clothes still warm from the iron. Still hearing her voice as if she were beside me, I did just that.

Standing there at the ironing board, I noticed I had some straight pins stuck in the end---just like Mother used to do. I had them there because I had just unwrapped a new shirt for Larry and they were part of the packaging. For Mother, she used them to pin her skirts to hangars---maybe they didn’t have skirt hangers in the 50s, or maybe that would have been considered a luxury by her. Mother's ironing and care of clothes was extraordinary and not because of infrequency but because she did it well. Daddy probably had creased underwear---for sure, they were ironed.

Yesterday, Pastor Cole, reminded all of us to pay attention to God in the ordinariness of life. To pay attention and be responsive to Him in the “routine.” Significance is not the standard---attentiveness to His directives is.

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
I Corinthians 10:31

Jeremiah 29:13 says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” To me, that verse implies that when I seek Him with the right “heart” attitude, I will find Him even in the ordinary. My significance will come from Him, not from "great tasks" that I have initiated and just stamped His name on.

To that I say, “Hooray for the ordinary!”

Dancing term…………….“Light on your feet”

5/3/10 How does one keep “light on her feet” when dancing with a partner? Balance is important---so keep your focus. Posture too---helps you move as a unit of one with your partner. Listening is key. Are you listening to the same music? Being aware of the gentle nudge from your partner. Response is also very important so that you don’t have to be “jerked” into compliance. Don’t even try to anticipate your partner’s lead----just go with His flow. Whatever you do, don’t lead!
My God Calling “journal jottings” made during my surgery month last fall as I pondered Psalm 34:1-5 (KJV):

• First step in my dance with the Lord is Praise---Boasting in Him and magnifying Him is so much easier in the “closed position”—facing him, looking into His face, which opens the line of communication so that you are prepared to follow before fear even sets in. Burdens are lifted as I look to Him---

The result is lightness of heart, which I think translates to our feet so that we then have a “dance” (our Christian walk) to show the world. That's our final step---showing the world the beauty of a dance/life with Him.

1I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
3O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.
4I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
5They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. (Psalm 34:1-5)

Graceful and beautiful dancing (being light on your feet) can be achieved through a gentle but definite lead, coupled with a sensitive and responsive follow. Allow the world to see your “dance” and thus glorify Him.

Weeping Wednesday 2010

2/3/10 Last Wednesday I confessed somewhat jokingly to my leadership group that during the past week I had spent a lot of those days in “contentment time-out.” Appropriately, they laughed. Yet it’s sad in a way. Actually by the time I got to the meeting I had moved from time-out to remediation. Thanks to that day’s earlier praise walk, I was on the threshold of Contentment 101. That’s still square 1---and that’s sad! Confession is good for the soul but often it’s enough to make you cry-----thus my weeping Wednesdays.

For the next few months I’ll be studying Philippians with my Heart to Heart group at church. Joy is woven throughout Paul’s entire epistle and he was certainly in dire circumstances. I had been “under my circumstances” (fatigue) which is nowhere for me to be. I know better--- I just couldn’t seem to get my head up. So I am going to hang out in Philippians and ask the Lord to re-teach me the contentment dance.

I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. (Philippians 4:12) NIV

I know contentment is learned; I know that I am blessed beyond measure; I know that I was content throughout my cancer struggle so I know a few of the basic steps. I just have to get my eyes back on my dance partner because I’ve really been stepping on His toes a lot lately---not totally in sync. Maybe I’m trying to do the leading---and that’s a crying shame!