A special place

A special place
A porch swing can = Forever!

Friday, April 20, 2012

Grace...

Several occurrences this week made me ponder that word.  Some pleasant, some not.  But, as Christians, we are called to live lives of grace.  Both extending grace and receiving it.  We really don't have too many options in that department considering what was done for us.

Three different incidences called for a response, be it internal or external, the response was between God, the individual and myself. 

Do you think about Grace in response to situations?  I don't always...The simplest way for me to define it is: not getting the punishment I deserve, or not giving the punishment I really want to give as an act of love.

I think that there are also people who live lives of grace.  People, who by their very presence, call out the grace in you, and also extend that Grace to others.  

When I was younger, I wanted to make sure everything was "Fair".  I wanted people that were wrong to be punished, If someone hurt me or someone I loved, I wanted them to hurt too.  I wanted pain for pain, joy for joy, because, after all, "it was only fair".   It wasn't till I was older that I realized that punishment wasn't always mine to give, and that God didn't have to follow my analysis of a situation as He decided how to " handle" that person.  And now that I am older, I am glad He didn't!

A dear friend, Franklin went home this week.  He didn't return to his home in Ozark, He really went "home" ...he received his "ultimate healing", resting in Jesus arms.   Franklin was in his twenties and was one person who truly lived a life of Grace.  He loved without reserve, he gave of himself without even knowing he was doing it, and wasn't trapped by petty offenses.  He gave grace and received it daily.  Franklin's parents also walked in grace, trusting Jesus for each step, not railing at him for an injustice through his illness.  Many people may have seen his Downs' Syndrome as a liability, but I, and many saw it as a gift to the rest of us....just as Franklin was.  I will miss his kindness, humor, grace and love.

My mother turned 81 yesterday.  Even at 81 she is still lovely....Many times over the nearly 51 years that we have been mother and daughter I was anything but graceful.  Many times I wanted justice, not grace.  Many times I wanted her to hurt because she hurt me.  But somewhere along the line I learned something.  Love and grace overcome much.  She never knew I had those feelings, she probably just thought I was an angry, twitchy, unhappy girl.  One day, after my boys were deeply entrenched in puberty, something changed in me.  I realized that she did the best she could.  I was only killing myself with all this anger and animosity.  She was, after all, my mom, and at that moment, I knew that I loved her with all my heart.  Not for what she had done or hadn't done, but because, I realized just how much I was loved.  How much had been forgiven on my behalf.  I had been a Christian all my life, but in my heart that day, the concept of Grace touched me in a profound way.  When I looked at her from that point on, I didn't see the offenses, I felt love and forgiveness washing over us both. The word for that is Grace , God's grace, not mine.  

Then, I realized that there are times in our lives that we crave grace from others. Not the punishment we probably deserve....when we have to rely on the grace we are given by God, not the grace we eagerly crave from others.  My husband recently gave a sermon on the changes Easter brings to our lives. One of the things he talked about was living as a forgiven and new person.  It's hard to do when you are weighed down and walking in pain over your hurts.  Hurts you have caused or received. 

 My prayer is for Christ's grace to wash over myself and my loved ones daily.  To receive grace when it is given, to give grace when it is not deserved, and to ultimately live a life of grace, as Christ did.  How can we do any less?

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Hope...

That is my mother's middle name.."Hope".  Four little letters that are so full of meaning.  How different our lives are when we live with "hope" and more different still, when we don't.

When I first thought about this word in relation to my Mom, I thought, "well, she sure hasn't lived like she has had a lot of hope, she really hasn't lived up to her name."  But then I thought about her life.  She faced incredible odds as a child, and ended up seeking a better life, a life in Christ..she really did have hope...Did the hope wane as the circumstances of life took their toll on her?  You bet it did......Was "Hope" more than a part of her name?  At one time I would have said "no", but now, as I have gotten older, I say, "yes"...her Hope remained, buried for a while, but it is there now... I see it again, in a glance when no one is looking, or a timid smile, or her childlike anticipation..there's hope...and a future.  Maybe one I can't see, but she can! 

Have I always lived like I have had hope?  Not always.... Have I exhibited the" hope that lives within me" to my family and friends?  Not always.  I don't have "Hope" as my middle name, but I have something else, the hope of a risen Savior living inside me.  It may not always be at the surface.   Other things, circumstances, life, my own sinfulness, selfishness, and self-defeating tendencies try to block that hope.  But today, I was reminded of this precious gift we have:  

"Let us hold tightly without wavering to the HOPE we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise!"
Hebrews 10:23

and :

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  
Jeremiah 29:11


Why, oh why would I ever want to live as though there is no hope?

Have a "hope-filled " day in Jesus!
  

Sunday, April 8, 2012

This morning...

We have been huddled up in this little room since Thursday night....  only venturing out in the cover of darkness or in groups...hiding so that we wouldn't be crucified too!  The sun is shining....."Mary, Martha where are you going?  why are you anointing His body? We heard that there are guards around the tomb. BE CAREFUL! "

"Mary, why are the men so afraid?"   "I don't know Martha..we have to take care of our Lord's body, the Sabbath is past, and we shouldn't be afraid..How many times did He tell us, 'Don't be afraid', 'Fear not', He said He would always be with us."  "Look, Mary, the stone is gone...the tomb is open...The guards are gone..Where is Jesus...go look in the tomb, I'm right behind you."  "Martha, He's gone!!!"  Look! there are angels...Where is my Jesus..?"

"Mary, where are you going?"

"Martha, there is a man over here..the gardener, maybe..".excuse me Sir...do you know where they have taken my Jesus?"  "Woman, why are you looking for a living person in the cemetery? He isn't here, He has risen."    "Mary.."  "Sir?  I don't know how you know my name or who I am, but if you could tell me where he is..."
"Mary....."   "JESUS...IT"S YOU!...."  "Yes..GO and tell the others that I have risen..that I am alive and will be with them soon!"

"Hurry..Martha, come out..I see you hiding in that bush!  Hurry, we have great news to share!  Our Jesus is Risen!  He is alive!!! We have to tell our friends!  I told you not to be afraid! We have seen Him and He is alive!  Just like He said!!!!!"


Hurry, Brothers, open the door!  We have good news to tell...JESUS IS ALIVE..and we will never be the same!"


HE IS RISEN INDEED!!!!!!!

Saturday, April 7, 2012

The darkest day....

Jesus is gone...they took Him away on that very dark night.  We hid, we cried and we watched from a distance.  Jesus was put on trial.."Judas, where are you going?"  Barrabas?  Why do they want him?  Jesus isn't supposed to be on trial.

Oh Jesus, you are tied and bound, a crown of thorns on your head...No, not the cross.  "Broken"....I get it..but this is for me?  No, make the pounding of the nails stop..."your blood shed for me"....for me?

The sky is so dark.  There is John with the women...Isn't he afraid?  We are all back here in hiding. Will we be next?   The earth is rumbling.. the temple is shaking...one of the priests came running by and said the temple curtain was torn....God, save us, save us....Jesus is dead.  What do we do now.....we are afraid.
Look, they are taking Him down. Joseph and Nicodemus are here....hurry, lets see where they are taking His body.

He's really dead, Dead and buried..we followed Him, we left our homes and jobs and families, and saw Him do miraculous things. ...we saw Him heal, cast out demons, calm the seas, but He didn't save Himself and take His kingdom...we are lost....a very dark day indeed....

Thursday, April 5, 2012

A strange meal, a walk in the Garden, why is it so dark tonight?

Today is "that day".  The day when the world as it was known at that time began to stand on its end.  The events of the next few days would change everything.    Jesus made all of  the preparations,  Had a place reserved, a meal prepared and was ready for His closest friends.  How He must have felt, knowing that today was probably just a "good day" for them.....   They were riding high on the waves of the previous Sunday, knowing without a doubt that He was their King, and they were His closest friends and only  He knew what was to come.  They were probably joyous, expecting a good night, a good meal and some time to relax.  How did He do it?  Wash their feet, recline at the table with them, listen to their small talk and all the while His heart must have been breaking.   He knew that one of them was about to set the whole thing in motion.  He was about to betray his Lord.

 During the meal: "More lamb, Judas?, ".. Another was about to deny Him: "Peter, more bitter herbs?" The others were about to hide instead of follow their King to the death.  "Andrew, more wine?", "James, what would you like?", "John, did you see my mom today?"," Thomas, if Matthew said it, he must have meant it!..quit doubting everyone."..."Judas, you're awfully 'fidgety', go on and do what you have to do, and do it quickly"!

 He hushed their talking and took a piece of bread, broke it in two and said, "this is My body, broken for you".....Can you imagine the silence that must have fallen on that room?  What did He mean?  by 'broken'?  But He was the King! Right?  Then He took a cup.."this is My blood shed for you...." "Do this in remembrance..." Wait, did He say "remembrance"?  Where is He going?  He does seem down tonight.  What is going on? Where did Judas go?  

 Wait, where are you going, Jesus?...The Garden, but it's late... and so dark tonight, really dark tonight and.... .we're tired. What are we waiting for?  Okay, we'll wait with you.  " I didn't mean to fall asleep, Jesus.  Where are you?" What is happening.... footsteps..."Peter, NO!....they'll take you too, don't cut that man's ear off!" Jesus..did you just heal your captor's ear?.   Jesus, where are they taking you?  Don't leave us...................we need you.....................we are scared....
..Save yourself...
Save us....

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Palm Sunday...

I have always loved this particular Sunday in the life of the church.  It is such a celebration.. of joy, of life, of the holiness of Christ, and the exuberance of children! All seems as it should be...for a time.  In just a few short days, the joy of Palm Sunday is just a distant memory.  What a lesson in forgiveness I learn from Palm Sunday. Jesus knew exactly how He was going to be treated, exactly what those same fans would be doing less than a week later, but He chose to let them cheer Him and jeer Him in equal measure.   How would I have been?  would I have cheered, or jeered or both?  He could have refused the parade being prepared in the presence of His executioners; But He didn't.  He could have refused the betrayal, the trial and the execution; but he didn't .  He chose to forgive the most horrible behaviors mankind can exhibit.  If He can forgive so much, who am I to hold on to the petty?  If he can love and forgive in the face of the ultimate betrayal, who am I to withhold affection, grace, charity or love?  Who am I to think that I am not in need of forgiveness by others or by Christ?
  
humbling day, indeed.  He chose to ride, He chose to wave, He chose to forgive. and He chose to die.  My life will never be enough to repay that  sacrifice, my forgiveness is not mine to withhold, neither is my love.

Thank you for choosing to ride.....The next time won't be on a lowly donkey..it will be as the King of Kings and the Lord of  Lords coming to take us home!

Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the Highest...