13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, it profits me nothing.
February is full of activities for both family and school schedules! We will post articles and links as we can.
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In the works currently is an article titled “Masks” for And I hope to have it out sometime this week.
Hope this finds your week off to a great start! Thank you for all your support!
As I reflect over the past year, one of my most special moments was when my son shared a devotion with me on conditioning my spirit. I was so thankful that he shared what God laid on his heart for me. At that time, I didn’t know God would use this devotion throughout that week and as a lesson for life.
I started reading the information introducing the book of Ruth and as I read the Meaning and Message section in my NLT Study Bible, the words, “God usually works in the ordinary events of everyday life. Miracles do happen, but God regularly accomplishes his purposes and blesses his people through routine occurrences. If we learn faithfulness in the every day, we are equipped to be faithful when crisis come” popped off the page.
How does this connect to Mathew 26:1-35,57-27:66 regarding the death of Christ on the cross and to life today? We are no different from those who lived during Jesus time. Jesus performed countless miracles, rose people from the dead, turned water into wine and healed lepers and yet they could not see as Matthew 27:42-43 says, “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! So he is the king of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe him! He trusted God, so let God rescue him now if he wants him! For he said, “I am the Son of God.’ ”
They wanted something big and showy to make them finally believe and counted the other miracles as loss. They needed more proof and sadly we scream and yell the same things. Today, we continue to question God’s very existence when we don’t have to look far to see him. He is in the ordinary things of life. He’s in the things we call mundane in our routines. He is in the very air we breathe, wind on our faces, and in clear view of everything we see, and yet, we take them for granted quickly discarding them for something bigger, more showy, a miracle beyond miracles to truly know and believe He is real.
The world teaches us that seeing is believing. I always giggle a little when I hear, “I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes!” I know that I have said that myself too, but what I find telling, is even though we see, just as in Jesus’ time, we still don’t believe and want something more, something bigger to really believe!
I was not there when Jesus was sacrificed on the cross for my sins. I was not there when He rose from the dead. I was not there when He ascended into heaven, and yet, I believe! This does not mean that I should discount what is written because I did not see with my own eyes! Jesus is the gift, the miracle given! While we were yet sinners He died to redeem us and give us life in the eternal! No one is good enough to get there on their own, no acts of righteousness, nor every good deed, but only by His Son!
Instead of seeing to believe, what if believing is seeing? When we seek Him in our everyday, our ordinary, our mundane, we see him revealing Himself in an extraordinary way. When we believe to see, our vision is changed from big and showy to subtle hints and reminders. He reveals Himself walking with and beside us, accomplishing things we can’t on our own. We lift Him up making Him the center of our lives, the primary focus of all things. Doing this, we see His hand, His workings, and all things clearly. He lets us see Him, believing, preparing us for the big and showy miracle of His return that every eye will see. What He reveals in our ordinary becomes our foundation and truth to the extraordinary having breathtaking eternal results.
Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock
1 Peter 5:2-3
Missy had just started a new school year and was excited that the band class was able to begin a new book! The band had worked hard the year before and she was proud of the accomplishments they had made. Who wouldn’t! A few days later Missy arrived home upset, having to take the old book back to school. “It’s a good thing you didn’t throw this book away!” shouted Missy. When asked what the matter was and why she was so upset, I received this angry response, “We have a new student and we have to play from this book to help bring them up to where we are!”
It was my last day of bending therapy with Bob Bender. We spent three long weeks together, had a love/hate relationship, and learned many life lessons in the process. Parting although joyful and welcomed it also brought an unexplained fear.
My time ending with Bob gave way to freedom. I was able to drive again which was so wonderful. For someone who likes to come and go on their own accord, this freedom was sheer glory! I no longer needed a brace or crutches to walk. Physical therapy was going great, although the road ahead was long and daunting, everything was beaming bright. What was this fear about me?
Refreshed from time with my friends, I came home, reclaimed my couch, and started my bending therapy. My knee stiff from the absence of bending while in Florida, I was not very happy with the degrees lost let alone the intense pressure and pain. Once the rhythm of bending was established and the knee relaxed and pain subsided, I picked up the Bible and began to read in Matthew 15. In verse 11, I read ,
“It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you, you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.”
I was just a little over a week post-op and had plans to go to a women’s retreat in Branson, MO and then a scheduled “mommy’s break” with my mommy friends a few days after arriving back from Branson. In my right mind, I knew I should have postponed both trips sending my friends on without me. At the pleading of my husband, I reluctantly went.
I mentioned before my love/hate relationship with Bob Bender, my knee bending machine. I’ve also confessed to throwing Bob and Larry the crutches around my house in angst of just wanting to go back to where I was before all this mess. I also flung the big bulky knee brace about and just to put it out there, I threw a lot of the things that were there to help me, including the help of my family. I was that two-year old toddler wobbling around my home saying, “I do it by myself!”
I had a love/hate relationship with Bob Bender. I hated to start my bending therapy for the day and I loved when my time with Bob was over. As I got to thinking more about my love/hate relationship with Bob, I remembered other things I had this relationship with too. It was there in exercise, sweets, helping with homework, seasons, as well as growth and yes, even in obedience.
While each have its “perks”, they also have things that I dread or do not like about them. I hate to exercise but love the benefit it gives to my mind and body. I love sweets but hate how they make me feel when I have consumed too much. I don’t like to help in homework because of the grasping I feel when I try to find a way to communicate the process to my child but I love when they grasp the understanding and with renewed strength can move forth on their own. I love the changing seasons, each has their own beauty but they also carry things I don’t like such as ice, extreme heat, mosquitoes, and extreme cold.
Just as with the changes in seasons, my life goes through seasons. Growth can be painful and there are seasons that I just want to rush through because they are hard to bear, explain and endure. Obedience is key to my growth and it is required in these difficult seasons.
Life Unfolded 