Monthly Archives: November 2014

Wanting to Know?

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Yesterday would have been Nate’s and my 45th anniversary, had he lived. It wasn’t a sad day, because I spent time thinking of all the blessings of having been married to him. It was a long list!

???????????????????????????????Young love....Looking back at pictures of the two of us (here while we were dating), I smiled at the blush of new love. Since I met him two years before we decided to get engaged, I figured by that time I knew him pretty well.  But when he died, after 40 years of marriage, I was still learning new things about him.

During those 4 decades I did learn that husbands and wives can never know everything about each other. Even after Nate found out he had cancer and would live only a short time, I discovered new things about him and his responses to life…. and death.

Something similar might be said about our relationship with Jesus. After we’ve first met him, whether as children or adults, we quickly begin thinking we know him pretty well. That is until we learn one more thing… and one more… and one more. Eventually, after decades of being Christians, we conclude there’s always more to discover.

Once in a while we find out something we’d rather not know, for example the high standard God wants us to live by or the humble attitude he wants us to have. We respond by trying to tweak what he said. We tell ourselves, “He didn’t really mean it that way. Surely it’d be ok if we did it just a little differently.”

Husbands and wives do the same thing with each other. After a few years of marriage when a wife learns something she doesn’t like about her husband, she tries to modify him or squeeze him into her definition of who she thinks he should be. He tries to do the same with her. (Nate and I were both guilty of this.)

The question to ask ourselves is, if I get to know who this person really is, will I still be able to love him?

That’s a good question to ask about Jesus, too. As we learn more and more, including things we don’t necessarily want to know, are we still willing to love him and cooperate with him?

A “yes” answer is the best answer, both in marriage and with the Lord, and it’s possible that even in eternity I’m going to learn new things about Nate. As for God, I have a hunch none of us will ever learn it all.

“What about you?” Jesus asked. “Who do you say I am?” (Luke 9:20)

Praising and Praying with Mary

  1. I’m praising God for a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend with all the kids and grands, and 75 degrees!
  2. Please pray for strength and energy for a busy week ahead.

Satisfying our Hunger

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“The Lord satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.” (Psalm 107:9)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, BOTH INSIDE AND OUT!

Thanksgiving

An Early Thanksgiving

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A week ago I blogged about our 3 pumpkins, all of which were coveted by a neighborhood squirrel but remained untouched. We couldn’t figure it out till we realized he couldn’t trust the clear glass table to hold him. Though he ran along the railings and could easily have jumped, he never did.

Still trying

Until it snowed.

The thinnest covering of snow suddenly made the table appear solid, and even as the storm continued, the squirrel made his railing-to-table leap and dug in.

The banquet of lifeTiny bits of white pumpkin seeds flew as he nibbled, filling his cheeks with the moist “meats” he’d been craving for weeks.

Once the first pumpkin had been emptied, he moved on to the second…. and yesterday, the third.

 

As I worked at cleaning house for Thanksgiving, I passed the windows many times, always glancing toward the picnic table.

Hard workerHe was there, then gone, then there, then gone, as he made multiple runs to his nest to “wallpaper” it with winter’s food stocks.

Scripture speaks to the benefits of diligence, using ants as an upstanding example of industrious behavior. God wants us to notice the unending parade of tireless workers who labor throughout the summer and well into the fall, stockpiling food. Proverbs then adds, “The ant has no commander, no overseer or ruler,” yet the entire colony works together to accomplish its common goal. (6:7-8) Impressive indeed.

Three's the charm.The writer of Proverbs also says that if we consider the ants (in other words, study them and adopt their habits), we will “be wise.” (6:6) So we’re to conclude, then, that planning ahead and conscientiously acting on those plans is godly wisdom.

Diligence is a character trait highly prized in the Bible. References are made to being diligent in our study of the Word, in our work, in helping the needy, in pursuing godliness, in our leadership roles, in being examples to others, and most importantly, in obeying whatever God tells us to do.

If this seems like an awful lot of hard work, Proverbs also says that when we follow through diligently, the Lord will see to it we’re rewarded.

Banquet participantAs for our backyard squirrel, I had planned to set the pumpkins in the yard for his Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow, but by way of his diligence, he got to start his feasting ahead of time.

“The desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.” (Proverbs 13:4)

 

 

Praising and Praying with Mary

  1. Praise for a safe trip to Arkansas, despite lots of traffic and snow!
  2. Please pray that in these next 5 days I’ll be able to maximize opportunities to talk about eternity and God, especially with the younger generation.
  3. Pray I’ll have the energy and strength to participate in all the group activities, especially with our 10 grandchildren. The oldest (twins) turned 13 today!