FLABBY FAITH!

I don't want to be flabby in any way---certainly not in my faith. 

I desire to be an overcomer in today's world. More than a conquerer.

How does one leave "flabby faith" (Sowing a Seed Episode 28, Jim Fleming) in the rear view and press on to become a conqueror? 

According to Fleming, we need to continually practice Luke 21:36:

• be alert at all times; 
• keep praying for strength; 
• stand firm before the Son of Man. 

Rise up in His strength to escape what's to come.

Flabby Faith is too weak to win the battle on one's own.

CELEBRATION OF LIFE

Can anyone find a positive during this pandemic?

Coral Ridge Presbyterian church in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida did. 

They chose to honor the death of one of their saints with masks, social distancing and livestream. 

For me, that broadcast allowed me to attend the service of Kaye Carlson, my dear friend Julie's mom. My fiesty, fearless, comforter and best friend was how Julie described her.

A beautiful organ prelude had a few notes changed by one of her former choir members as a way to honor "Miss Kaye" beyond the ordinary funeral fare. 

Her memorial service began with praises and honor to Jesus.....a celebration of Kaye's life with Him as her Lord and Savior. "Great is Thy Faithfulness," sung by all, echoed that relationship.

Scripture reading of Psalm 121:2--reminded us all that our "help comes from the Lord"; John 14:1-6--comforted all with assurance that Jesus, "the way the truth and the Life," is the way to the Father; and Romans 8:37--was a powerful proclamation that nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

How spot on was the pastor when "and so it is" concluded his reading! Amen!

Friends and family thanked God for every remembrance of her in their lives and  descriptors shared of Kaye are way too lengthy to mention here. All rejoiced in knowing her, saw her as the "Queen of Hospitality" whose door was always open to extras. Kaye fed the multitudes and was famous for her potato salad. Daughter, Julie, shared that her mom was such an anchor for all their souls as wife and "life of the party" to their dad, a mom to Steve and her, a surrogate mom, a foster mom, a grandmother, a Gigi, a sister, a choir member, etc. With an affinity for all the writings of "The Bard," Julie had to read the works of Shakespeare to fully converse with her. My favorite part of Julie's sharing was Carlson Family's Friday Fun Night---attendance was required and her mom orchestrating many trips, from campgrounds (not w/ tents) to IA and MN. Her brother Steve found "FIREWORKS" in Tennessee. That really resonated with me because Tennessee is where my path crossed with Julie and I got to meet Kaye.

She is her mother's daughter. Together we tag-teamed in caring for mutual friends, Claudia and Terry Parlow, through both paralysis and cancer. I'm sure we were strengthened with prayers from her parents, Kaye and Jim, along the way. 

Kaye's memorial today was also the day she married Jim 60 years ago! What a memory for a life well-lived with her spouse.

The service ended as it had begun-- honoring Jesus with the standing and singing of the "Hallelujah Chorus" followed by a bagpiper playing "Amazing Grace" as the family exited.

What a celebration of life and of two funerals---Kaye's and Jesus'.

FIT BIT---Making a statement

This is just a "bit" of an entry concerning keeping fit---both physically and spiritually as one ages.

One way of making a statement while exercising is in your choice of gear---a bicycle helmet to cover your gray hair is a good start in the physical arena. It can protect one's other "gray matter" and double the fitness aspect when one's transportation mode to the gym is a bike.

Spiritually, a T-shirt can make a big statement as this fitness gent wore "scripture" and had several folks commenting and asking biblical related questions.

 I am....

• More than a conquerer (Romans 8:37) 
• clothed with strength and dignity (Proverbs 31:25) and... 
• God is for me (Romans 8:31) therefore... 
• I live without fear (Isaiah 41:10) 
• I am a child of God (1John 3:1) 
• He designed me (Psalm 119:73) for...
• I am fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14)

Whatever it takes to do one's "bit" to keep self and others "fit" both physically and spiritually is worth emulating. (Do I hear an A-men!)

BLUE SKIES/GRAY SKIES OF LIFE

Blue skies, nothing but blue skies----isn't that what most of us want---everyday. 

Just listen to your favorite nighttime TV meteorologist bemoaning the rain ahead and celebrating the next chance for sunshine and blues skies.

Ella Fitgerald could certainly "belt out" the beauty of love in one's heart making everything go so right, metaphorically equating it with blue skies.





Blue skies smilin' at me

Nothin' but blue skies do I see
Bluebirds singin' a song
Nothin' but bluebirds all day long
Never saw the sun shinin' so bright
Never saw things goin' so right

Then, Tony Bennet would teach us to "put on"  a happy face. Is "putting on" a metaphor for masking the heart's condition.

Gray skies are gonna clear up
Put on a happy face
Brush off the clouds and cheer up
Put on a happy face

As much as I appreciate the voices of both, the lyrics of neither are quite correct. 

Circumstances in life are not necessarily "either-or" conditions. There is more to life than the exclusive division between only the two alternatives, just as grief and joy are not mutually exclusive. Even in the hard places of life, those gray skies, joy can be found because of Him who loved us. We don't have to put on a mask.

But God in His word teaches, that regardless of the circumstances---blue skies or gray skies, He, by His love, has mades us more than conquerors. (Romans 8:37)

Enjoy today's blue skies because tomorrow the rain is coming----but it can be enjoyed as well, because we know Him who sent it.

God’s Love = Undaunted Radiance = aglow with the Spirit

3/8/10 Yesterday’s My Utmost for His Highest entry was all about the love of God---a love freely given and not earned. A love that gives us power and radiance ---power to conquer all of the circumstances life seems to throw our way........

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. (Romans 8:37)

.......and radiance. Even the Edges of His Ways entry this past week dealt with “radiance.”
Paul says this (indwelling love) is why we are, “super-victors, with a joy we would not have but for the very things which look as if they are going to overwhelm us. …..Apply that to our own circumstances……tribulation, distress, persecution, produce in us the super-joy; they are not things to fight. We are more than conquerors through Him in all these things, not in spite of them, but in the midst of them. The saint never knows the joy of the Lord in spite of tribulation, but because of it. 'I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation,' says Paul. Undaunted radiance is not built on anything passing, but on the love of God that nothing can alter.”
Undaunted radiance---a phrase to hang your hat on or sink your teeth into---a fearless, unperturbed acceptance of all that life in a fallen world sends our way while emboldening us with joie de vivre, vitality or spring in our step. I once used a Revlon make-up called Vital Radiance---marketed to women over 50. Maybe the company thought that a more mature woman needed a little sparkle to help her glow. A spiritually mature woman already has a glow. It comes from obedience in serving the Lord. Years ago, Mrs. Wheaton Ennis, (Dink) a mature believer from Highland Heights Presbyterian Church, exhibited that as she lived out Romans 12:11 “not flagging in zeal, aglow with the spirit, serving the Lord.” (RSV)
Because of her, I memorized that verse. Today it’s your turn.

OVERWHELMED

8/24/09 Overwhelmed?? Then you, along with me, need to overwhelmingly conquer.
Have you ever been so inundated with the urgencies of life that it weighs you down? Life’s happenings are a part of the reality of the world we live in---wars and terrorism ---the plight of the jobless and homeless--health, accident or weather related tragedies. Often folks we know are affected, other times it’s the faceless folks of the headlines.

Sometimes it’s our more mundane life happenings, right on our own door step, that are taking their toll. Fatigue, irritability and even anger and depression can set in because we’re just “flat out” overwhelmed. So what’s one to do?
I found myself struggling in this last week. One more time I was reacting instead of responding to ones I love dearly. Mostly I tried to hide from the situation and avoid confronting the problem---you know, my old avoiDANCE.
My friend, Michèle, hides behind her camera---I hide behind my “pen.” We both are seeking solitude and silence instead of facing the difficulty.
I don’t think burying one’s head in the sand and refusing to confront or acknowledge a problem or to even think about an unpleasant situation is the answer. Although escaping reality occasionally is certainly a common choice these days---why else would the soaps keep running and the Twilight series keep selling. (Granted, I would choose the books over the soaps any day, even though they are about vampire love---especially since even many of my friends in the faith say they can’t put them down.) Remembering that escape is only momentary is imperative to one's health. That way it doesn’t become an addiction but is used as a positive time of refreshment, albeit temporary.

What’s been getting me down is that I have the audacity to be overwhelmed about anything. I can sit here and blog in a cool house with big glass of sweet tea and a “poor me" attitude—I’m weighed down by stuff I just don’t want to deal with attitude.”
Just making decisions has been beyond me lately. No matter how much I remind myself of the insignificance of events/situations (in the grand scheme of things) that get me down, I still falter/complain.

But God…………….spoke to my heart through a verse on a bookmark. I do love bookmarks, especially ones with verses. Imagine that!
As always, the verse was so timely and after all, it is Monday.

So……….ponder--contemplate--- consider this---read a different version----deliberate---think----turn over in your mind ---write it down---mull over----reflect---think carefully (with full intent of scripture in mind), memorize and ask yourself, “What are all these things in my life that need to be conquered?”……..you get the idea. That's just "meditation" amplified.

But in all these things overwhelmingly conqueror through Him who loved us. (Romans 8:37)

It’s our Women’s Ministry verse for the year so I’ll be meditating on this for quite a few Mondays.