The blind leading the blind

I think it a sad commentary on marriage in this country, in this world, when the statement "after "x" amount of years, and you're still happy...or in love...etc. It seems rather horrible, dishonoring, when we have to give a standing ovation or free desert or a complimentary meal for being married for so long. Shouldn't marriage be expected to last and not expected to fail? Yet this is the world in which we marry. If wine and cheese are supposed to be better with age, shouldn't something of a sacred nature grow more beautiful and deep and happy with age as well? Just like our relationship with the Lord should grow deeper and more profound as it ages, so should our human relationships. Our friendships do, the relationships with our children do, but we seem astounded when a marriage lasts and is happy to boot.
Russ and I always joke in a very serious manner, that we are going to be married and in love for the next 98 years. I think that is one of the reasons that we have made it through all the ups and downs we have had. Quitting is not an option and divorce is a sin, and Christ is the center. Our focus , though at times gets inward and lost in the daily irritations and details, yet somehow we turn our eyes from our feet and our selfishness, and outward toward God, each other and the road ahead. That perhaps is the secret to a long, happy marriage...not, a marriage that gets by because it must for the children's sake or any other excuse beside sticking to one's covenant of love and faithfulness, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, till death do us part, as long as we both shall live. In these very vows there lies the promise of hardship along with happiness, the two walk hand in hand, as a married couple must as well.
G.K. Chesterton stated, "Love is not blind; that is the last thing that it is. Love is bound; and the more it is bound the less it is blind." As love grow old together, and the eyes do grow dim with age, marriage is bound because of what it has seen of the other, and what the other has seen of oneself. It has no where else to go but deeper in and further in love.

What are you waiting for?

What are you waiting for Lord? Is it me that is waiting or are You? I am holding up the process or are You? What are you waiting for? I waited patiently for the Lord, He inclined and heard my cry...Have you heard Lord? Have I been patient enough? Those who wait one the Lord will renew their strength, they will mount up on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary.... God I am waiting...I haven't any place to go and I am weary...Please hear my cry and answer me.
I am still waiting on the Rock in the middle of the raging river, waiting Lord, waiting for You to make the waters subside. Some days it seems that their is a change in the water, a slowing, a calming and a bit of sun peaking through the stormy sky, but then nothing happens, nothing changes and all things remain as before....standing between two points, with no place to make a move, or a decision. God we are standing on Your promises, and we are weary, and we are begging you to hear our prayers, our cries, our passionate pleas, and yes my begging that you would alter the course of this raging river and give us dry, solid and conclusive ground to stand on.
What are you waiting for? Is is me or is it You? Please Lord, could you say, times up? Could you call our name as we wait and tell us it is our turn? I am listening, but perhaps not hearing....I am straining my eyes to see a direction, but can't make anything out. Please strain Your eyes to see my tears of earnest prayer, and Your ears to hear my prayers....Oh God, what are you waiting for?

summer's coming

Dragging myself through the motion of teaching, yet hounding my children to be diligent till the end, makes me realize that either I am a hypocrite, or have forgotten that they are but children and tire as easily as I. How does one keep on keeping on, when the end is in sight, yet the end will not be reached even when all is officially said and done? How do I keep pressing on, knowing that once this page is turned, there is no sure thing on the next sheet of unwritten paper.
Does anyone really ever have a sure thing? Can we really ever know what tomorrow will bring? Does looking forward to summer make sense if summer may never come, or summer may be a scorching draught with no end in sight, or shade to cool one's life?
What is hope, if it isn't waiting for what is to come tomorrow, that may improve upon today. What is pressing on, if one doesn't have hope in something?
Summer is coming and perhaps with it, a change in the season of my life. Yet if not, how do I press on for Fall or Winter...or Spring of next year? How does anyone press on? Summer is coming, and with it the hope of change....

heavy hearts

heavy hearts draw me to God
nothing helps to ease the load
only prayers aimed heavenward
keep my mind and heart and soul
from spinning down a deep abyss
from losing hope and sleeplessness
heaviness drives me to my knees
searching for the One who sees
all the pains earth has to give
all the evils in this life we live
turning to face the only One
who has passed the test
has heard well done
heavy hearts need a God that knows
the pain of which this life bestows
on young and old rich and poor
each of us must bare a load
thus heavy hearts come from
heavy chains and bags and yokes
that bear His Name
His yoke is easy His burden is light
this heavy heart needs His respite
and asks the God who gave it all
to carry my load and hear my call
heavy hearts need lifting

life everlasting

"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Siimon, that your faith may not fail. And when ou have turned back, strengthen your brothers." Luke 22:31-32.My friend's funeral was yesterday. I only met him only once, but I know his wife and therefore I knew him because of her. Richard was diagnosed with a rare cancer and given weeks to live. He was sent home from the hospital to die. Yet, God saw things differently. God saw the plan of much longer than weeks. God saw what Richard would do for Him in the seventeen months he had to walk on this earth and God said, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."I believe that Satan wanted to sift Richard and Diana like wheat. I believe that God said, "Have you considered my servants Richard and Diana? They are blameless and upright, they fear God and shun evil." (paraphrase Job 2) I think that Satan said, "It is because you have blessed them. Strike his flesh and he will curse you. So will Diana. Take her best friend from her and she will curse you!" "Skin for Skin!" screams Satan, and Richard walked with a rare form of cancer, and an even rarer FAITH that all the world, including Satan was allowed to witness.Diana never gave up her faith that God would heal Richard. She said, "I believed that Richard was going to have a complete healing. I believed without wavering that the God who performed miracles in the Bible, still performed miracles today. Richard defied all medical knowledge and baffled the doctors on a weekly basis. They couldn't explain it, but we could. It was God. We are not able to understand the perfect plan that God has for each of us, but we do know that He is a loving God who only does what is best for His children. Richard was so happy to be right smack dab in the middle of God''s will for him. He soon began to realize that he was to sacrifice his miracle of healing here on earth so that others would receive theirs, just like Christ did for us." (quote from the memorial servise program.)John 12:24-25 says, "I tell you the truth, unless a kernal of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." There was so much fruit present, new seeds, at Richard's service yesterday, standing room only really. The testimony that he gave was evident in the harvest that sat in the pews. Perhaps the greatest testimony however was the children that he leaves here on earth to carry on the work that God has already started. His daughter sang a song from the musical Wicked that said, "BECAUSE I KNEW YOU...I HAVE BEEN CHANGED FOR GOOD." This is Richard's legacy to his children and to his wife and to those of us priveleged to know him in some manner. BECAUSE I KNEW YOU...I HAVE BEEN CHANGED FOR GOOD! Can and will anyone say that about you? Will your life and therefore your death produce a harvest of fruit? I hope that mine will. I hope that any sifting that I will go through will result in fruit in the lives of others and praise from God. What about you?

Heroes

Heroes
A routine trip to the library put my children and me in the presence of “Heroes”. As we left the children’s book room, we were invited to participate in a “Welcome Home” reception for a group of Marines just returning from Iraq. It was an opportunity too special to pass up and an important lesson to be shared with my children. These are the “Heroes” of America and America’s children need to be given the opportunity to rub shoulders with the men and women who give their all for this Great Nation of America, the “Heroes’ who keep this nation free for the next generation’s children.

These Marines, in full dress uniform, represent what is bold and beautiful about this country. As they stood at attention honoring one of their fellow soldiers; the discipline, the structure, the brotherhood that was displayed, in many ways represents this country as a whole. We too should stand at attention in unity when one of our nation’s “Heroes” walks by, for they are the very essence of the liberty we take for granted. They deserve more than a small and not well attended reception in a quiet room of a library. And yet we have forgotten them in our busy lives, the lives of peace, freedom and the pursuit of happiness that we enjoy at the expense of our Military and their families.

Most American’s seem to reach deep into the goodness compartment of their hearts after any tragedy occurs in the world. It defines us as a great nation, a giving nation, a people who care, and yet we are a nation that grows cold as quickly as it ignites behind a particular cause or event. We no longer are a people who stick to a goal until it is finished. We start well, but most never even finish the race. We are a nation that is defined by microwave passion, quick results and impatient longings. And I would assert that most American’s today could not have made it as a Pilgrim, a Patriot, or a Pioneer. We dream big, start strong and when the going gets inconvenient we quit, point fingers and find another banner to march under for a while.

America’s children, my children, must learn that America was built on the backs of men and women who gave there last breathe to the cause of freedom. They need to understand that life is not a fast forward to the best parts, but a dedicated grind, a discipline and a sacrifice to keep what is truly free, beautiful and brings joy. Our children must rub shoulders with the “Heroes” who live up to this standard, the men and women who are the present day Pilgrim, Patriot and Pioneer of this Great United States of America.

Give us this day our daily bread

Give us this day our daily bread. These are words that Jesus used with the disciples when He shared with them how to pray. Our Father who art in heaven hallowed by Thy Name. If I truly believe that there is a Holy God in heaven, a Father whose very Name is Holy, then what will my life, my thoughts, my actions reflect? Am I desiring to see His kingdom come? Do I want His will done on earth as it is in heaven? By my very life, I don't live like I desire this. Heaven is holy perfection. Heaven is the throne room of the God of Creation. Heaven is bringing glory to God the Father and Jesus Christ always. Heaven is worship. Do I desire His perfect will, as it is portrayed in heaven to be portrayed in my life?
Give us this day our daily bread. The request for daily sustainance comes only after the allegience and surrender and worship of the Sustainer is given. Only then do I come ready to ask the Father to meet my needs. Does Daily Bread only refer to the physical? I submit that it does not. I believe that I should be asking God to give me what I need daily, the bread of His Word the Bible, to sustain and strengthen me for that day. To meet the spiritual hunger, the needs that I will have, so I will continue in an attitude of doing the Father's will. As with physical life, where we tend to eat at least three meals a day, we should begin to work on adding more meals to our spiritual life as well. Snacking on God's word through out the day would result in continued strength for journey of life with its hills and valleys. When I climbed Half Dome in Yosemite, having continual hydration as well as beneficial food to continue giving nourishment and strength to complete the climb was crucial. The food taken had to provide not only bursts of energy, but sustained energy as well. If I lived my life spiritually in this manner, I would eat a hearty breakfast, full of protein...the meat of the word. I would drink continually through out the day, relying on the power of the Holy Spirit through prayer. I would snack on the word through Scripture memory, grabbing spare moments to read short passage or verse. I would make sure that I had the milk of the Word as well. The words of Psalms or Proverbs could give me the short bursts of needed energy that eating a peice of fruit might provide. I need to be more concerned about my spiritual diet. I need to choose carefully what I eat, that it is not wasted nourishment or leathal nourishment. There needs to be planning in my day, so that I will eat the daily bread that God has given me. As with every meal, I need to thank the Father who provided for my physical and spiritual hunger.