Mother's Day gifts

We've all heard the phrase (and have probably used it), "If I could, I would give you the world!". We all know that's not possible but the love behind the statement is real and heartfelt.

If Mother's Day has snuck up on you and you're still wondering what to give to the woman who gave you life, try http://www.uwingu.com/mars/
The company is called Mothers on Mars and for prices ranging from $5.00 to $5,000.00 you can name a crater for the #1 woman in your life. Now how cool is that?

The website says:
Half the revenues from MoM will go to fund grants for space-related educational projects. Uwingu will publish the name of your mom’s crater and send it to the Red Planet on the private manned Mars One mission, scheduled to lift off in 2024. However, the new name won’t be officially recognized by NASA (or, we presume, the Martians).

But, after all, it's the thought that counts, right?

Things...

Mercedes....

I was once at a revival listening to the speaker talk about God's gifts. How He wants what is best for us...but the kicker was, He wants what He knows is best for us...not what we think is best. She said, "Don't expect God to drop a gold Mercedes into your driveway..."

Well, it's not gold, it didn't get dropped into the driveway and it wasn't from God...or was it? Technically, it was a gift from former Steelers Secondary coach Ray Horton to a cook in the cafeteria. The story is here. But isn't that the way God works? Doesn't He use others to give us good things?

The wonderful part of this story is the fact that the coach was a willing participant. God can put the idea into our heads but He can't (won't) make us follow through. If we don't do what's asked, it won't get done (or He'll find someone else). Sure, the coach can afford it (I guess), but it's still a great gift...and just think about the impression he has made on thousands of other people. I know the cook was thrilled, but I bet the coach felt even better.

A thought...

There is a new movement afoot...Redefining Christmas....perhaps it is something you've been hearing in your heart but didn't know how to go about it...maybe it's just an idea at this point...

As in many of the "Flash Mobs" that spring up this time of year (people breaking out into the Hallelujah Chorus in random public places)...check this video...



It's up to you to decide...

If our need...

If our need had been information,
God would have sent us an educator.
If our need had been technology,
God would have sent us a scientist.
If our need had been money,
God would have sent us an economist.
If our need had been pleasure,
God would have sent us an entertainer.
But our greatest need was forgiveness,
so God sent us a Savior.
Anonymous

Trees...

A friend e-mailed me the following story...

I hired a plumber to help me restore an old farmhouse. After he had finished a rough first day (a flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric drill quit) his ancient 1 ton truck refused to start.

While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence.

On arriving at his home, he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree touching the tips of the branches with both hands.

Afterward, he walked me to the car. As we passed the tree my curiosity got the better of me and I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier.

"Oh, that's my trouble tree," he replied. "I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but one things for sure, those troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and children...So I hang them up on the tree every night when I come home and ask God to take care of them. In the morning, I pick them up again."

"Funny thing is," he smiled, "when I come out to pick them up, there aren't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before."

We all need a tree.

Help beat Breast Cancer

...and you can help! Visit the Breast Cancer Awareness site. If you go in once a day and click the button, you'll help fund free mammograms for those who cannot afford them. It's a great way to start each day!

The world of Us...

We humans are such an arrogant creation. We suffer from the illusion that we can "control" the world we live in and that WE are the most creative of beings. Just look at our buildings that can withstand hurricane and earthquake! What have we to fear from the natural world? We live in such controlled environments we are suddenly finding ourselves allergic to the outdoors...pollen, bugs, dust, dairy, nuts to name a few. We wash ourselves and everything in our homes in antiseptic soaps to the point that we cannot tolerate being outside. Oh, and our advances in science and medicine have extended our lifetimes and continue to do so...most are expected to live 70 or 80 years, easy!

I am not trying to put down our advances in architecture, science, medicine or any number of other disciplines. I just hate that we forget the fact that God created the universe and called it "Good". I hate that we keep trying to distance ourselves from Him and this wonderful planet He spoke into being.

Just for a little perspective of our powers vs. God's, the picture shown above is called the Soap Bubble Nebula. Nebula's are formed by a dying star and only last a "short" period of time...a few tens of thousands of years. Now before you get excited about that number, the average life span of a star is several Billion years! Now if He takes the time to form such lovely images that will never be seen by human eyes, how can we ever claim to match Him? As I said, we're just arrogant!

Poem

A Poem by Raquel Jimenez

The Lord looked into her eyes,
filled with complete desperation,
and gently asked her...
"Alisha, who do you believe that I am?"

"Lord", she responded
"I believe you are the Lord,
the One true God, the King."

He paused for a moment
then asked her,
"What do you believe I can do?"

"Lord", she said,
"I believe you can do anything Lord...everything!"

The Lord said to her
"...then let Me Alisha. Give me everything..."

More about talent...

On Tuesday I linked to this beautiful piece by a woman that would never be considered physically beautiful. Others have said it better than I...take a moment to read:

http://www.theherald.co.uk/features/featuresopinon/display.var.2501746.0.The_beauty_that_matters_is_always_on_the_inside.php

Talent

Many received a well deserved comeuppance while watching the attached performance.

We're told over and again not to judge a book by it's cover and yet we do. We are quick to point out that this one or that is too fat or not polished or plain. We are looking with our faulty human eyes. Thankfully there are those who stand up to the criticisms and put their God given talent on display...and take our breath away. Take time to watch such a moment:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

(Did I mention I LOVE this song?)

All you should be...

There's an old story about a young boy who thought that he was very ugly. This same boy fell in love with a girl that he thought was beautiful. Afraid that she'd have nothing to do with him, he had an artist design a special, very handsome mask. Wearing the mask, the boy introduced himself to the beautiful girl. They dated, fell in love and finally he asked her to marry him. Before she could say yes, he told her that he wanted to show her something...so that she would know the real person behind the mask. With that, he took off the mask and she said "Yes? What is it that you wanted to show me?" You see, his face had become handsome. He had become the very thing he pretended to be.

If you act brave, you will become brave. If you act kind, you will become kind. If you act courageous, you will become courageous. No one is perfect all at once. But you can become all that God wants you to be.

Help my Unbelief....

I know there are others who struggle as I do with unbelief. If it were cut and dried, black and white it would be one thing, but so often the issues in my life are colored with shades of gray. During the struggle I reason and ponder, I try to find a solution instead of turning to the One who offers solutions to all our problems.

Perhaps it is arrogance on my part, if I handle it, I will work to get the answer I want. If I turn it to God, He will give the answer I need. It is at this point I recognize the road block...it's the sin of unbelief. Never spoken but often practiced.

I must often call to mind the words of the hymn by Issac Watts..."O help my unbelief"...
How sad our state by nature is!
Our sin, how deep it stains!
And Satan binds our captive minds
Fast in his slavish chains
But there's a voice of sov'reign grace,
Sounds from the sacred word:
"O, ye despairing sinners come,
And trust upon the Lord."

My soul obeys th' almighty call,
And runs to this relief
I would believe thy promise, Lord;
O help my unbelief!
To the dear fountain of thy blood,
Incarnate God, I fly;
Here let me wash my spotted soul,
From crimes of deepest dye.

Stretch out Thine arm, victorious King,
My reigning sins subdue;
Drive the old dragon from his seat,
With all his hellish crew.
A guilty, weak, and helpless worm,
On thy kind arms I fall;
Be thou my strength and righteousness,
My Jesus, and my all.

The Call...

Has God called you? Using this term in today's world can be confusing to those who aren't Christian. The initial image of course is of answering the telephone and hearing a deep voice on the other end. As silly as it may sound, it's what I've been told. Once it's explained, "call" becomes perfectly clear and perhaps a little scary to some. God has something specific for us to do.

There are so many terrible events in the world every day that we may start to wonder whether our little contribution can ever make any difference. When you realize there are people starving just a few miles away or that countless homeless people roam the streets for lack of a warm bed it may seem our activities are futile. Dwell on this too long and you may become depressed or despondent.

We are not called to save the whole world, solve all the problems or help all the people. Each of us does have our own unique call...in our communities, our churches, our own homes. It is important that we keep asking God to keep our feet on the right path and give us the strength to play our part. We must trust in His faithfulness. With time we discover that following through with small tasks is the most important gift we can give the world.

Gratefulness

I found a website called Gratefulness (www.gratefulness.org) that is filled with images, thoughts, pictures, poems, activities, etc. all directed toward teaching us how to be more grateful.

It dawned on me while I was enjoying the site how sad it is that we have to be taught or reminded to be grateful. How must it make God our Father feel to know that we take so many (perhaps all) of His gifts for granted. Why not, we deserve them don't we?

I'm sure we have all studied the Word enough to know that we don't deserve any of the blessings we receive from His hand. He gives them freely and lovingly to us, every hour of every day. All He asks is that we thank the Giver and spread the love and joy. Is that too much to ask? No, never!

I am going to make it a quest to be thankful every day, to stop long enough to realize what a joy it is to be here, now. Why don't you join me?

Growing beyond Self-Rejection

One of the greatest dangers in the spiritual life is self-rejection. When we say, "If people really knew me, they wouldn't love me," we choose the road toward darkness. Often we are made to believe that self-deprecation is a virtue, called humility. But humility is in reality the opposite of self-deprecation. It is the grateful recognition that we are precious in God's eyes and that all we are is pure gift. To grow beyond self-rejection we must have the courage to listen to the voice calling us God's beloved sons and daughters, and the determination always to live our lives according to this truth. Henri Nouwen

Believe

Sometimes it's really hard to be happy. From time to time bad things do happen to us and to those we love. Often we don't understand why and in those times the only thing we can lean on are the promises of God. Many would say that this sounds cliche but that's a word that should never be associated with truth.

Somehow, some way, God will come through. Our sorrow and our mourning will be turned to gladness...How? However God chooses...it is His hand that turns bad things into good, water into wine, tragedy into triumph. The promise is there. Accept it, receive it, believe it and Rejoice!!!

Thanksgiving

I know this it's a little early but...watch and be thankful...

http://www.cpmsglife.org/tg/2006tdm1.html

Esther

We studied Esther last night...she was a Jewish child, raised in Persia by her uncle/cousin and became the woman King Xerxes chose as his queen.

Esther was a person of faith, goodness, obedience, devotion and courage. Even though a Queen, she was not demanding. She merely asked...softly, quietly with dignity and respect. God used her to save a nation from destruction and devastation. She became His instrument "for such a time as this".

She could have said "No" and so can you. Do you have any idea what you will miss in your service to the Lord if you aren't willing to stand up? You are your only limitation in God's kingdom...

Praise!

We all need to learn to make our praise spontaneous, like children. Praise God for the sunrise, the new day, those who prepare your food, those who teach and those who serve. Make your praise simple. Sing, shout for joy, jump up and down, clap! Show God your happiness at being called His child.