Excuses

Several things pinging around my head I want to write about. Deciding which will be first is the great decision. Here goes. Warning! This may be offensive to some.

Does your church have revival services? I know not all churches do, but especially in the south usually a couple of times a year we have at least 4-5 consecutive services with a guest speaker. It is a time for us to refocus, rededicate ourselves to God and to living for Him. We are not a huge church. We have a seating capacity of 665 people, about 200 more than we average on Sundays. So we have room to grow. Tonight we had our last of 4 services for this series. The messages were great. Spirit filled and definitely what we needed to hear.

When I was a teenager (long, long time ago) revivals were popular. The host church had almost all its members present and area churches attended on the nights they weren't having services. At 64 years old, I have seen revival attendance dwindle to less and less. There are many legitimate reasons people miss a service or two. Sickness, work schedule. some who can't get out at night because of age, etc. However, there are many who can attend, but choose not to. For weeks leading up to this series of meetings, we learned of the great revivals in the United States, England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland in the past centuries. Unfortunately, there has not been a repeat of those services for 200 years.

I looked around the church each night, thankful for those who were there and yet wondering where the others were. Again, many had legitimate reasons they could not attend, but what of all the others? I don't mean to sound judgmental, but I was saddened. I thought of all the excuses people use, many I have also used at one time or another myself. So I am not guilt free in this. "I worked all day and I was really tired." "It was so cold I didn't want to get out." (And it was cold the past 2 nights). Can you imagine telling your employer that it was just too cold to go to work? Or that you were out late at a party and didn't feel like coming to work? Feel pretty certain no one would try that. I have a friend that says why not just say "peanut butter, because one excuse is as good as another". He doesn't really mean to use that; he's just making his point. Pretty good one. How many sit on bleachers, wrapped in blankets to watch a football game? How many go out to dinner with friends after a long hard day at work? Do you see where I am coming from? I am not talking to the unsaved. I am talking to people who profess Christ as their Lord and Savior. Do we have the right to ask why our children don't want to go to church, when we don't make an effort to be there ourselves? Please do not think that I believe every wayward child is the fault of the parent. I know better than that. I also know we should take every opportunity to be the example God expects. I think we have a real priority problem. That means there is a heart problem. Not a physical one, but a spiritual one.

I believe the American church as a whole has this priority problem. Churches in hostile nations seem to thrive in the face of persecution. They would love to have the freedom to meet publicly any time they could. We have the freedom but do not exercise it. So until you are willing to truly return to God, back to where it all began, what is your excuse?

Is God Enough?

I know this is a question many people ask themselves whether they are willing to admit it or not. To put all your trust into someone you can't see is just something the human mind does not want to wrap itself around. I think this is a question that prevents some from accepting Christ as Savior and holds Christians back from fulfilling God's purpose for their lives. One can almost understand this doubt in an unbeliever. For the believer, it is a matter of total surrender.

To address this from the unbeliever's point of view, this would be prefaced by the question, "What does God expect from me?". Sadly this is where so many choose to say no to Christ. Legalism has played such a huge part in Christianity past (and in many cases, Christianity present) that they do not hear anything but "Thou shalt not". It is a huge hurdle for some to get over. Some never do. I am certainly not saying that things won't change, because in accepting Christ you are changed! God gives you something better!

To address this from the believer's point of view, it is too often prefaced by the question, "What do I expect from God?" This is usually followed by a list of demands we think God should grant. So many have been misled by the health and wealth preachers of today, they think God would never allow anything painful into their lives. When they find this is not the case, they question if God is enough. It only takes reading the Scripture to know God never promised there would be no adversity in our lives. So I will speak from my experience with God.

Is God enough when we are in physical pain? Is God enough when life's disappointments overwhelm us? Is God enough when we are in financial ruin? Is God enough when we are spiritually worn from the battles we fight against the darkness? Is God enough when death calls? Is God enough? I have faced each of those questions in my life as a Christian and I can say in every instance, He has been enough. God is enough!

"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." Matthew 22:37 KJV

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." II Corinthians 5:17 KJV

"Fear thou not; for I am with thee; be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." Isaiah 41:10 KJV

How To Reinvent Yourself

On my last visit to my doctor, he was full of praise for my weight loss. I'm still struggling with those last few pounds. But I'll make it.

We discussed how I am spending my days. I must say, I am not happy with how I am spending my days. I am content most of the time to be home with my dog & cats. Not that it's a bad thing, but not what I wanted my retirement to be. Of course, the price of gasoline & a limited income prevents me from traveling as much as I did at first. That's a little let down. I have thought and prayed about what it is God has planned for me to be doing. I have some painting I have to do inside my house & I am going to start on that. I can't bring myself to volunteer at the nursing home or hospital. I guess watching my husband's quick health decline before he went home to be with the Lord, put those in the No category. I have considered volunteering at the school affiliated with the church I attend. That still may be an option. My doctor told me I have to "reinvent myself". He did say that I am no longer the efficient data gatherer in the medical office where I worked for so long. He did not say it, but I know he was also thinking "You are no longer Al's wife.". So I guess my quest begins. I want to take courses in Hebrew and Greek, but have not found any college who offers either of these without enrolling in an entire curriculum. I'm not giving up on those. Have also considered a course in Public Speaking. Do you think I'm a little confused? Well, you would be right. It's not easy to find your place after 43 1/2 years of marriage to the same man, and 24 years at the same job. I don't want to go back to work unless it becomes a necessity. For some, they never want to give up working, but for me I was just tired after 33 + years in the work force. So I have to trust God to send me in the right direction or place a burden on my heart for His purpose.

If there is anyone else out there who's had to reinvent themselves and have been successful, please share your strategy.

Losing Excess Baggage

Decided it was about time to do a little blogging. So here I am. Now what???

Let me see. What accomplishments have I made lately? Well, none without the help of my Lord! I would say my weight loss is one of my biggest hurdles. Still have a little way to go, but so far so good although it has been slow going. I will post a before picture here. This was taken in April, 2011 at 163 pounds.

During my husband's illness I lost 5 pounds. After his death, I knew I needed some accountability so I returned to Weight Watchers in September, 2012 at a weight of 158.8 pounds. It had worked for me in the  past  and knew  it  would work again if I stayed with it. It has been an up & down battle at times. My next picture was taken on October 21, 2012 at about 151 pounds.

Vegetable, vegetables, vegetables! Eat those power foods!! The next picture was taken around mid-late March, 2013 at a weight of approximately 139 lbs.

I have learned some new recipes. I have also learned to make a great fresh fruit mix that gets better each day in the fridge. I have never been a big fruit eater, but I absolutely love it. I am also trying to use my elliptical glider at least 3-4 times a week, hopefully working up to daily. The glider is low impact on the knees when used walking. Using it in the ski position does take more effort and toll on these old hips. But I know this will be worth it. As I only have a little bit left to reach the goal my doctor set for me, I will neither take nor post another picture until I have met my goal. Hopefully that will be soon.



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Better Left Unsaid

Have you ever tried to right a wrong only to compound it? I feel pretty certain we all have. I seem to have a real knack for it.

As Christians we still goof. We are human - bet that comes as a surprise to a lot of people. We have always tried to explain to the world that Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven. We say things that hurt others, sometimes not meaning to or even realizing it until the damage has been done. Then we try to fix it! When will we (I) learn that we (I) can't fix anything? We (I) have to let God fix us (me)!

Some people are gifted in verbal communication. Unfortunately I am not one of those. The written word has always been my way of expressing my feelings. The only problem with that is it may not be read in the same tone you wrote it. A perfect example of this happened to a young coworker many many years ago (1969 to be exact). She wrote a very sarcastic letter to her supervisor and fully expected to be fired for it. However, it was read as complimentary and she was even commended for it. My young friend told me she was so embarrassed.

So before you say it, weigh it. Before you send it, read it - from every possible interpretation. Most often you will find it is better left unsaid. If it absolutely has to be said, use only 2 words - forgive me.

Rejections

I find it baffling why we let the smallest rejections ruin our whole day. Count me guilty!

If you have any political opinions, you will encounter people who not only disagree with you but want to argue their point. As a Christian you will always encounter people who disagree with your beliefs and sometimes belittle you because of them. This has happened to me in the past and more recently on both points. Most times I can let these things go. Today has been more difficult. I've been asking myself why is today different? I have no answer. I don't know why. It's not like the offenders were friends, just acquaintances. I think it was such an obvious shun that I was really surprised. Shame on them! I have to admit that it hurt and it did affect my day. Shame on me!

So what do I do? Avoid them? Go back and give them a piece of my mind? Go back and carry on as if nothing happened? At first I decided on the avoid approach, but that would be at the expense of something much more important to me than their approval. Giving them a piece of my mind is not an option (maybe my fleshly preference but definitely not an option). So that leaves only the carry on as if nothing happened.

I have thought a lot about all the rejections Christ faced when He was here on this earth. He had human emotions and it must have hurt Him deeply when time and time again people showed their hatred. How it must grieve Him when even now people reject the gift  He died to give them - salvation. Risen and waiting at the right hand of the Father, He loves and forgives. I have no right to be down about the rudeness of a few so-called intellectuals.

So I will see how next week goes.