I am always honored and touched when I attend church on Memorial Day weekend because it never fails that Armed Forces Veterans are recognized for their contribution to the safekeeping of our Nation's freedoms that each American enjoys. I well up with tears and truly am proud that I had the privilege of serving my country in the United States Air Force from December 1984 to February 1990 with an added reserve commitment until December 1992. I obligated eight years of my life to military duty.
I experienced many events during those years from joyful to tragic, peaceful to violent, and secure to unsure. Some experiences I remember with fondness and still talk about them today. Some experiences to this day I find very difficult to talk about at all. But I am glad I can say I did my part. I gave some of my life to become part of a fraternity of men and women who made personal sacrifices for the good of the country they love.
I gave some of my life....there are some that gave all of their life. They are the ones who literally laid down their lives for our freedoms here in America.....it is to these that make Memorial Day a day for remembering. It is to these we honor their ultimate sacrifice. Because of them and what they gave up, Memorial Day is more than a family cookout and a day off from work. To those who gave all I offer my gratitude and tribute.
On this day I also remember another who gave all. My Lord Jesus when he sacrificed himself on a cross for my spiritual freedom. Ephesians 2:4 starts with, "But God, who is rich in mercy....that word rich can be exchanged with the word exhaustless. So it could be read, "But God, who is exhaustless in mercy....I could not out-sin the far reaches of his mercy no matter how hard I tried. When I run away from him, no matter how far....when I stop, his love is waiting for me there. No matter what I do and no matter how hideous to others my sin may be....God's mercy toward me is exhaustless. What a blessing, what a privilege, what a Saviour!
Jesus gave all, I gave none. The first three verses of Ephesians 2 tell us what we were before God intervened with his mercy in verse four. We weren't pretty and there was nothing in and of ourselves that was redeemable. In other words, nothing in us was good enough to merit and win God's favor. I had nothing to give God in exchange for my salvation. It was all of him. I couldn't work my way to heaven because even my good works were filthy to this holy God
God so loved us he gave his only son that we may have fellowship with him. It was all of him and none of us. So I remember also with gratitude that at the age of fourteen God called me out of my darkness and into his light. Jesus became my Saviour and I became a part of God's family. I received my spiritual freedom. I gained Christ and heaven.
Remember to take time and remember the sacrifices made for your personal freedoms and the freedom of the country in which you live from those who gave all to buy it. And remember your spiritual freedoms that came from the sacrifice of the One who gave all.
Memorial Day blessings to everyone!
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
The Uglies!
They swarmed around him. Everywhere he went, they were there! The lame, the blind, the deaf, the prostitutes, the tax collectors, ....all the refuse of society, they seemed to surround him. And he seemed more comfortable with them than the church goers. He touched them. The church goers criticized him.
He spoke against the church goers. Said they had a religion that was empty. .....as he put it....full of dead men's bones. No heart, no soul. That made them mad! They plotted to kill him! Jesus, this is Jesus! This is the Son of God we're talking about. He accepted everyone as they were,....and loved them....got nailed for it. In fact, at points...the Word says he wept over them. Imagine, weeping over the refuse of society. He did it!
It amazes me how religion and faith get confused sometimes. You'd think they go together. They mix like oil and water most of the time. Especially when we talk about the Uglies! You know the uglies, all those people that don't measure up to our spiritual standards....hey, let's go further than that....even those people that don't "smell"acceptable. We look at them and immediately think of them as "lesser than".........I have, I know. It's the hierarchy of the "haves" and the "have nots".
I have said, "Amen" when the preacher has been at the zenith of his point! Sounded righteous too! Others have done the same. Just sounding righteous. Nothing wrong with saying Amen. Everything wrong with saying Amen when it's for show! I have been guilty of show. You know, sometimes the word spoken just doesn't move me. A reflection on my heart, I know, but it doesn't. I think I'm not listening or caring or something. I need Him to touch me, to take me in to that crowd of the uglies. I am an ugly.
He gave his life for me. When the world sees me as ugly....he doesn't. When I can't go to anyone else...He takes me as I am. Ugly as I am...and loves me anyway. Wow! How can that be?! In Him, I don't have to measure up to other's standards. I just need to look to His. His standards are so much more inviting. If I fall, He is there to pick me up. He never rejects me, never lets me go. When I totally blow it, He doesn't walk away....just says He hasn't forgotten His plan for my life.
I am an Ugly...and He loves me anyway. I haven't known a love like that. I don't deserve a love like that. But it's mine and I'm glad. How could the beautiful embrace the ugly. It's a God Thing....and only that. His embrace around my ugly makes me beautiful...and that pushes me to go embrace others who think they're ugly.
Only God, a loving God, can make the ugly beautiful. He does!
He spoke against the church goers. Said they had a religion that was empty. .....as he put it....full of dead men's bones. No heart, no soul. That made them mad! They plotted to kill him! Jesus, this is Jesus! This is the Son of God we're talking about. He accepted everyone as they were,....and loved them....got nailed for it. In fact, at points...the Word says he wept over them. Imagine, weeping over the refuse of society. He did it!
It amazes me how religion and faith get confused sometimes. You'd think they go together. They mix like oil and water most of the time. Especially when we talk about the Uglies! You know the uglies, all those people that don't measure up to our spiritual standards....hey, let's go further than that....even those people that don't "smell"acceptable. We look at them and immediately think of them as "lesser than".........I have, I know. It's the hierarchy of the "haves" and the "have nots".
I have said, "Amen" when the preacher has been at the zenith of his point! Sounded righteous too! Others have done the same. Just sounding righteous. Nothing wrong with saying Amen. Everything wrong with saying Amen when it's for show! I have been guilty of show. You know, sometimes the word spoken just doesn't move me. A reflection on my heart, I know, but it doesn't. I think I'm not listening or caring or something. I need Him to touch me, to take me in to that crowd of the uglies. I am an ugly.
He gave his life for me. When the world sees me as ugly....he doesn't. When I can't go to anyone else...He takes me as I am. Ugly as I am...and loves me anyway. Wow! How can that be?! In Him, I don't have to measure up to other's standards. I just need to look to His. His standards are so much more inviting. If I fall, He is there to pick me up. He never rejects me, never lets me go. When I totally blow it, He doesn't walk away....just says He hasn't forgotten His plan for my life.
I am an Ugly...and He loves me anyway. I haven't known a love like that. I don't deserve a love like that. But it's mine and I'm glad. How could the beautiful embrace the ugly. It's a God Thing....and only that. His embrace around my ugly makes me beautiful...and that pushes me to go embrace others who think they're ugly.
Only God, a loving God, can make the ugly beautiful. He does!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
3:45am
I wish I could say that when I woke up God had such an epiphany for me it would change the lives of millions. The truth is I woke up with scratchy eyes that are bloodshot simply because I woke up so early and couldn't go back to sleep. So...I'm up. There are many in my circle who would say,"Stupid, go back to sleep!".....I can't.
As I was showering I was thinking about a few things. In the shower I am either thinking about a few things or singing....this early in the morning I dared not sing lest neighbors think a drunk cat was outside their door! My "meows" are so slurred this early in the morning! So I left my brain on and my voice on pause.
I was thinking about size. The bigness and the smallness of things.....did I spell those two things right? Oh well....it's my blog....guess I can spell anything any way I want. Wow, that was a selfless statement! I was thinking about the size of God compared to the size of me. Man! I am so little!! Yet, so arrogant, I think I am so big!
And that's the thing....the parts of me that should be small are big. The things that cause me to stumble and fall are so HUGE! And the qualities that allow me to go outside myself to be a blessing to others are so small! Why does it seem to be all about me, me, me?! Why do I feel put upon to be involved in another life, to give of myself so another may be helped? What is it in me that causes me to feel that others are an interruption to me? Do you see the me, me, me here?
Sometimes I think I am more comfortable with stumbling and falling, getting back up, asking for forgiveness so I can stumble and fall again. I am sure I am unique.....NOT! We all have that tendency I think. We are comfortable with being one of God's "pet" projects....want to know why....we get all his attention....we are even selfish in that! And no one has worse problems than our own! Start telling me your life and I will tell you something in my own that is worse. You can't out miserable my misery!
I have lived long enough to be a disappointment to everyone I love the most. Sometimes I feel I wear that like a medal on my chest. Why? Because I want attention....sick as it may sound....that's what I want. If I can't get it by being good, I'll get it by being bad. But attention is what I want. Man! I need a support group!!.....and more!
In thinking about God's bigness....he looks beyond my selfishness, my need for attention and looks at the wonder of me....he made me...and he makes no mistakes. I am no mistake even though there are times I feel that way. He works his will to perform it in my life...he never gives up and never lets go of me. He is patient with me and with you. His compassion's and mercy are renewed toward us every day. Something to take advantage of? No! Something to be grateful for! That is the bigness of God....seeing in me something I don't see in myself. Seeing in me something worth redeeming, worth giving his only son for. And he did all that!
God is huge! I want him to live big in me....in spite of my failings....I want him to live big in me. I am small....maybe that epiphany is not so bad when put in the proper perspective.
Those of you who have this bigness and smallness thing down...please contact me and show me how to do it right. In the meantime, I will stumble and fall and get back up again and hope with each incident, I will allow God to live bigger in and through me than I did before.
From The Message:
"But you, O God, are both tender and kind, not easily angered, immense in love, and you never, never quit." -Psalm 86:15
Blessings!
P.S. It's 3:45am for crying out loud.....allow me a few random thoughts this early in the morning!
As I was showering I was thinking about a few things. In the shower I am either thinking about a few things or singing....this early in the morning I dared not sing lest neighbors think a drunk cat was outside their door! My "meows" are so slurred this early in the morning! So I left my brain on and my voice on pause.
I was thinking about size. The bigness and the smallness of things.....did I spell those two things right? Oh well....it's my blog....guess I can spell anything any way I want. Wow, that was a selfless statement! I was thinking about the size of God compared to the size of me. Man! I am so little!! Yet, so arrogant, I think I am so big!
And that's the thing....the parts of me that should be small are big. The things that cause me to stumble and fall are so HUGE! And the qualities that allow me to go outside myself to be a blessing to others are so small! Why does it seem to be all about me, me, me?! Why do I feel put upon to be involved in another life, to give of myself so another may be helped? What is it in me that causes me to feel that others are an interruption to me? Do you see the me, me, me here?
Sometimes I think I am more comfortable with stumbling and falling, getting back up, asking for forgiveness so I can stumble and fall again. I am sure I am unique.....NOT! We all have that tendency I think. We are comfortable with being one of God's "pet" projects....want to know why....we get all his attention....we are even selfish in that! And no one has worse problems than our own! Start telling me your life and I will tell you something in my own that is worse. You can't out miserable my misery!
I have lived long enough to be a disappointment to everyone I love the most. Sometimes I feel I wear that like a medal on my chest. Why? Because I want attention....sick as it may sound....that's what I want. If I can't get it by being good, I'll get it by being bad. But attention is what I want. Man! I need a support group!!.....and more!
In thinking about God's bigness....he looks beyond my selfishness, my need for attention and looks at the wonder of me....he made me...and he makes no mistakes. I am no mistake even though there are times I feel that way. He works his will to perform it in my life...he never gives up and never lets go of me. He is patient with me and with you. His compassion's and mercy are renewed toward us every day. Something to take advantage of? No! Something to be grateful for! That is the bigness of God....seeing in me something I don't see in myself. Seeing in me something worth redeeming, worth giving his only son for. And he did all that!
God is huge! I want him to live big in me....in spite of my failings....I want him to live big in me. I am small....maybe that epiphany is not so bad when put in the proper perspective.
Those of you who have this bigness and smallness thing down...please contact me and show me how to do it right. In the meantime, I will stumble and fall and get back up again and hope with each incident, I will allow God to live bigger in and through me than I did before.
From The Message:
"But you, O God, are both tender and kind, not easily angered, immense in love, and you never, never quit." -Psalm 86:15
Blessings!
P.S. It's 3:45am for crying out loud.....allow me a few random thoughts this early in the morning!
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