Party Coordinator

We have been in party mode of late.  May and June are our big birthday months around here.  I love putting together parties and if there is a theme, ah, my heart be still.  Well this year my soon to be 8 year old came to me with his personal itinerary for his party.  OKAY...lets see what ya got there big guy.  He wanted to have a swimming party with a boat theme.  He wanted a bible story (totally his idea now) about Noah's Ark that was a trivia game.  He wanted an obstacle course, a craft, and play time.  Well snap!  I can handle that!   One of the best parts was that he wanted to keep it small.  Can I get a Hallelujah please?

His sweet little friend that he talks to on the phone came.  She is the one I have asked you to pray for in the past.  The dear thing has been in and out of the hospital for years.  I just love these kids!

They played the parachute game 'Shark'.

The funniest part was our little Noah's Ark skit.  Hubby dressed up in our eldest son's Jedi Cloak and wrapped a piece of thick rope around his middle and for a beard, well, all we had handy was a mop.  Mind you it was about 100 degrees that day.  I had all the kids sit on a blanket warning them that a flood was coming and they had to get on board before it was too late.  We had a funny rendition of the famous story and all the kids were captivated (me too).  Afterwards we asked some pretty tough questions and there was no trippin up this crowd.

We had yummy grasshopper cake and then he opened presents.  His favortite gift this year was the water fountain that changes color for our pool.  My little guy LOVES anything with lights, plugs, switches, or gears.  He was thrilled.

He can be my party coordinator anytime!

Deuteronomy 12:7 NIV

There, in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoicein everything you have put your hand to, because the LORD your God has blessed you.

Blessings,
E.W.

Captive

What is the opposite of trusting God?  What do you value most in life?  Would birds, grass, or lilies be on your list?  Consider what Matthew records in chapter 6:25-26:


"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink nor about your body, what you will put on.  Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they?  And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?  And why are you anxious about clothing?  Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow:  they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  Therefore do not be anxious, saying, "What shall we eat?  or "What shall we drink"" or 'What shall we wear?'  For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.  But seek first the kingdom of GOd and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  


Did you count how many times Jesus said anxious in this passage?  What are some of the fears, anxieties, and what-ifs you struggle with?  My list has things like; my kids growing up lovin' God for themselves, our debt, fear-of-man, my health, our family making good daily decisions collaboratively and individually, being alone...  


When Jesus says, "Do not be anxious"  it carries the force of a mandatory command, not some feel good thought for the day.  When we are anxious we are focusing on...guess who....OURSELVES!  We are so focused on the worry and full of sin that we are inwardly saying that God does not care for us.  That He will not show up or provide for us, that He is unaware or disinterested in us.  That is all a big fat lie!  Since God cares for the birds, flowers, and grass, and we are his magnum opus than surely, surely He is completely engaged in our lives.  


My friend Wendy is teaching our women's bible study and these are my notes from class.  I have gone back to these pages multiply times this week as I struggles with my own anxieties for this week.  I particularly like this formula she used:

ANXIETY + PRAYER = PEACE

Pray lest you enter into temptation the bible says.  Pray without ceasing the good book reminds us.  He knows us so well.  How far we let our anxiety go truly measures how much faith we have in Christ. He is our truth, he is our father, and best of all he is sovereign over EVERYTHING!  The enemy is clever in the way he puts these worry wompers in our view and suddenly that is all we see and all we think about.  Stop believing that God doesn't care for you!  These lies about worry are really the surface of our pride, our sin, and our insecurities.  What is at the root of my worry over debt:  discontentment that I can't have what I want when I want it!  What is at the root of my fear of man:  to be known and loved but it lingers in a bucket of pride.  I am known and loved by the one who created me.  I believe that I am of more value that the lilies of the field.


So how do we move from anxiety to peace?  By taking every thought captive under the authority of Christ and pray and refocus on truth.  Then we are blessed with freedom and peace.


Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever thing's are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things.  Phil 4:8

Get captured by His grace today!


Blessings,
E.W.

No Partiality

In studying the book of Joshua, I came across in chapter 7 this great leader complaining, shocking I know, but read on.  Joshua has courageously lead the people and experienced God's providence and His miracles.  During one battle, there was baffling defeat.  Why did they not win this one?  They were doing great and now, they just got whipped.  So what is Joshua's response?  "Oh, that we had been content, and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan!" (Verse 7)  Do you know what the Lord said?  His reply, "GET UP!  Why do you lie on your face?  Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, because thus says the Lord God of Israel:  There is an accursed thing in your midst, you cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed thing from among you."

Why do we think that going back is the solution?  Why is that our first inclination?  We want a sure thing not an unknown.  Sure things are a known quantity, we know what to expect, no surprises, the comfort zone; basically we are back in control.  Now when we are in 'control' (which is laughable really) we are further from our walk with God.  This 'control' puts me in the driver's seat, making the decisions that are what I want, when I want it!  The other side of the Jordan is stagnant.  The other side of the river is full of weeds and old broken toys.  The other side is a distorted  memory of the truth.
In contrast, this new side of the Jordan holds some uncomfortable, unknown, heart-racing territory that has not been tread upon.  Here's the biggest part of the bummer, I can't take with me some of the bad idols, habits and enablers I have picked up along the way.  Nope, they can't come.  Just me and my faith.  Yes, that unseen thang called faith.  We do not walk by sight, but by faith.  Is your collar gettin tight?  That is okay!  This new side of the Jordan, guess who is steering?  Not me, I can't really, my palms are too sweaty to hold on the wheel!  I have to focus on calming myself and focusing, not on the terrain, but on my shepherd leading the way.  As he is leading, he will remind me to put down one of my old accursed mantra's that somehow, accidentally, jumped on the bandwagon again.  He will gently take my chin and turn it from looking backwards to looking ahead, "Keep your eyes on me, he says."
By renewing our efforts to follow God's will the Jordan, little by little, becomes a place of freedom and peace.  We begin to forget about the other side because we have faced the giant and realize he wasn't that big after all.
Our sure thing is Jesus.  Looking back is a trap, a place to be stuck.  There is no partiality with God.  You can't be on both sides of the river, you have to choose.  You want the old stuff or do you want to press on and experience life as Christ intended?  God says, "Follow me!"  He is adventurous and mysterious.  Thankfully, He is the good shepherd that walks up front, paving the way, and encouraging us to keep up and to be courageous!

Blessings,
E.W.

A Shirt & Tie

In our bible study class, we have an elderly gentleman by the name of Mr. Pennington that is leading us through the book of Joshua.  When I found out that he was teaching I just knew I wanted to be under the tutelage of this man.  I soooooo miss my grandparents and I crave being around the elderly folk.  Every Sunday he wears a shirt and tie, complete with undershirt and a hanky.  It melts my heart!

My dad wears a shirt, tie and jacket to church every Sunday.  Not only that but he coordinates his shirt and tie (think Regis Philbin) to what my snazzy mom is wearing.  If she has on lime green, so does he, if she is wearing smokey purple, yep, so is he.  I just absolutely love this breed of men.  It is such a statement of strength and dignity.  NO blue jeans for these guys!
The stories they tell, the fond memories they share, the life experiences they have endured are all priceless.  I just found out this week that my dad boxed in college.  FOR REAL??  My dad is a gentle giant, I just can't imagine him boxing.

Psalms 112:1 

Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands.

There is just something special about a sharp dressed man!

Blessings,
E.W.

Sing Your Heart Out!

Last night my favorite girl and I went shopping.  We both LOVE to sing.  Actually, we love lots of the same things:  Jesus, music, dancing, art, reading, laughing, gathering with family and friends, writing, movies, and being creative.  Anyway, on our outing last night we had the windows rolled down and Nicole C. Mullen blasting at record-breaking decibel levels and singing our hearts to the Lord together!
The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him.  Psalm 28:7
What a blessing and a joy!
E.W.