The Minister's Visit

This weekend would have been my mother's birthday, so I choose this funny story to share for this week's piece.  It is from the book, Whenever Possible, Have a Nice Day. When it came to moms, my sisters and I completely lucked out. Like most moms, she was loving and a good cook, but was also extremely entertaining. She was quite "unique" to say the least.

 

My mother was a fine Christian woman. She cleaned her house, took care of her children, and made sure everyone was properly fed. She also entertained the minister of the church in a way he probably remembered for quite a while.

One Sunday, the minister and his wife came to our house for dinner after church. Momma carefully planned a meal that she could leave cooking in the oven while she was at church. She made her wonderful meatloaf, beans, and baked potatoes.

It was the potatoes that made such a lasting impression, and taught me a lesson I’ll never forget. She opened the oven and BAM! What a noise! The potatoes literally exploded! There were potato parts all over the inside of the oven.  This is when I learned a valuable lesson: ALWAYS prick your potatoes with a fork before baking in order to allow them to release the pent up steam.

They were a little messy, but we could still eat them, which we did, whenever we could quit laughing enough to take a bite of them!  Luckily, my mom had a great sense of humor and could laugh at herself, a skill that came in handy the next time a minister came to call.

A few years later, the church had a new minister and he was trying to visit each family. He came by our house on a fine summer day. My mom invited him out to the patio for some lemonade and cookies.

Soon,  one of our cats came by. She meowed insistently, but my mom ignored her. Not to be put off, the cat jumped up on the table to show off the treasure she had to offer! She plopped the mouse, still wiggling, down on the plate of cookies!  

Somehow, I do not recall what the minister did or said. Nor do I remember what happened to the mouse. But the story became a family favorite for many years.

I daresay, the rest of the minister’s family visits were probably a bit less memorable.  It’s a wonder she ever invited anyone to our house ever again! 

Click here for more information about this book:

 Whenever Possible, Have a Nice Day

Shelter in Times of Trouble

Today's writing is the Day 6 reading from "Living What We Believe: A Study Guide for Lent." It's not just a message for Lent, but anytime. When I was looking for what to share today, I came across this and it helped me. I hope it speaks to you as well. Peace.

“Troubles, troubles, everybody’s got   troubles.” I do not remember where those words came from, but seems it was from an old song. Whatever the source, it’s true.  Financial stresses, job demands, relationship issues, health problems, career insecurities, worries about loved ones – the list could continue, but there’s probably at least one thing you can relate to, maybe more, already there.

Sometimes, life is overwhelming. The big things cause stress, but it’s the little things, the constant stream of problems, that seems to wear us down. It is easy to feel discouraged.  Then, the physical problems become internal ones and they eat away at us, robbing us of peace.

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”   Psalm 46:1

The Message translation says, “God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him.” So what? Is God going to send a big check to pay your taxes? Help your child with schoolwork? Heal your sick dog?

 

God is going to be there as your safe place. He is already there, ready to be noticed. With God to lean on, we remember that we are not alone. No matter what happens, God gives us the inner strength we need to get through the troubles.

How? First, pay attention and notice that “Hey! God IS there!” Later in this same psalm, we come to a small sentence with a world of insight. It is one of the cornerstones of my walk in faith. 

“Be still, and know that I am God.”  Psalm 46:10

Be still; Quit doing for a minute. The strength is already there but you may be too busy to notice it. Give yourself time to de-stress, even if for minutes at a time. Seek out calmness. It's impossible for your spirit to relax with the TV on, with people talking to you, and with a to-do list in your hand.

Be still; Take a deep breath and as you slowly let it out, be quiet and calm. If it is still noisy, try soft music in the background, as long as it does not distract you. Notice the good things, the gifts found around you. Watch the clouds, or appreciate the things of nature. If you don't normally notice them, then you'll have to pay more attention. Can’t go outside? Here’s a trick I use: I have pictures of nature and look at them occasionally. It really helps!

Look at the verse again. “Be still and know that I am God.”  Now that you are able to be still, reflect on the rest of the sentence. KNOW that God is infinite and almighty, always here and always in charge.

Remember what God can do that we cannot do. He calms the storms of stress and anxiety that are inside of us. The calm you will receive is not because you no longer have troubles, but because you remember that there is nothing more powerful than God’s strength.

God is your refuge, your safe place. God was there for you in your weakest, saddest times and He is here for you now.  As your world crumbles, be still and know that God’s past provides calm for our future.

For more information, or to see more of the book, 
go to this link: Living What We Believe 

The Shepherd

 This is an account of an extraordinary event that happened with my dad and I shortly before he died. His earthly birthday is coming up in a few days.

Early Wednesday morning, around 3:00 a.m., I experienced the most spiritual, most awe-inspiring event I have ever had in my entire life.  My dad was resting peacefully, not necessarily asleep, but just lying there as I sat next to him.

As I sat there beside him, just the two of us, I found myself quoting all sorts of Bible verses and words to favorite hymns to myself. I said many prayers  throughout the night. It occurred to me that night that it is probably a good thing that Christians memorize so many verses of scriptures so we have them available when we need them. Years of Sunday School prepared me for the moment when I would sit by my dad's bedside and recite them to myself.

At one point, I looked at him, wondering what he was thinking about and if he was worried about dying.  It was such a major step and I could not relate to it, though I was curious about his thoughts if he had some. Daddy was still and quiet, but mostly seemed awake. He had not spoken for hours but the quiet was peaceful, as if being there together was enough. Even though it was in a way I did not fully understand, I knew that somehow, he was preparing for death. Knowing it was what he needed to do, I was very grateful that God was with him, guiding him along the way. 

Then, I remember praying to God, thanking Him for this presence, requesting His continued help for both of us as we faced this time. Throughout his journey with cancer, I had prayed that God be merciful. One of my prayers was thanking Him that this had been done, that my father had not suffered as much as many others had done. As I continued to wonder what was going through my dad's mind, if anything, I found myself praying the 23rd Psalm. 

The Lord is my Shepherd... This was THOUGHT to myself, not said out loud

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me

This really was not one of my favorite verses, so don't know why it even came into my head, but the words were just placed there, a comfort from God as I needed it. 

I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. 

The words made sense in a way that they never had before. It was extremely comforting that God is our Shepherd, that He would be with us at the toughest times of our life. The words were not new, but the insight was.Then, as I reached the end of the scripture in my thoughts, as plain as anything, Daddy turned to me, smiled, and then said very clearly and quietly, “Shepherd.”

I was stunned, absolutely, positively, stunned. Throughout my recitation of the scripture, my prayer, I didn't say it out loud - he somehow heard or sensed my prayer and  responded to it through some level of spiritual awareness. It was at once an awe-inspiring and humbling moment.

My thoughts had been silent yet somehow my father had heard me. When I told the chaplain later, he told me that near the end, he thought that patients may be a part of both worlds, especially when concerning spiritual matters. He'd actually seen people hear prayers said in other rooms and comment on them. 

God was certainly with us in the room that night as I prayed. I was blessed beyond words by the connection my dad and I shared.  It was amazing that he had heard my prayer, whether heard, sensed, or however it was done. It was also remarkable that Daddy had spoken so clearly, with such awareness, after hours of seeming to be absorbed in another world we did not know.

An excerpt from the chapter called "Going Home,"  from the book,  "The Valley of the Shadow."  

Click here for more information about the book. 

 The Valley of the Shadow

Sacrifice

The supreme example of self-surrender is Jesus. On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus surrendered himself to God’s plan. Jesus didn’t pray, “God, if you’re able to take away this pain, please do so.” He began by affirming that God can do anything! 

He prayed,“God, if it is in your best interest to remove his suffering, please do so. But if it fulfills your purpose, that’s what I want, too.”

The sacrifice wasn’t even for His own sake. It was for OUR salvation, a genuine sacrifice.

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.                                         John 3:17

If we were to have this level of genuine surrender, when we had problems, instead of praying for a solution, we would pray, “Father, if this problem, pain, sickness, or circumstance is needed to fulfill your purpose and glory in my life or in another’s life, please don’t take it away!”

Well, God probably doesn’t hear that too often.  However, when the situation exists anyway, many pray that it bring God glory in the way that it is lived. Surrendering ourselves is hard work. In Jesus’ case, he agonized so much over God’s plan that he sweat drops of blood. It truly was a sacrifice on His part, and at that moment, 

He hadn’t even faced the cross. Honestly, I can’t even imagine being willing to do this.  Many give up something for Lent, and unless it is truly a sacrifice and brings you closer to God, it is meaningless. What did God give up for Lent?  He gave up his Son. Jesus gave up His life.

from the book, Living What We Believe