What about Memorial Day?

Jeptha Wilson Frunk was my great-uncle, the oldest brother of my grandmother.  He never married, nor had any children.  He served in the US Army during World War II and died in action July 3, 1944, in France.  He is the closest relative that I have lost to combat.  Yet, each time I see my own son’s name, I am reminded of the sacrifice that Jeptha made.  You see, he carries Jeptha’s middle name as a constant memorial.

I am considered a part of Generation X.  We are so comfortable with technology- using it, always having it.  I even drafted my notes for this on my cell phone.  But, technology has removed the personal touch of war.  I am a US Navy veteran that served stateside support during the Gulf War, a conflict marked by the use of technology.  Casualties of this war for us were few.  Of the 575,000 troops and support sent, there were 148 combat deaths.  So, in general, my generation doesn’t have a clue about Memorial Day.  We have redefined this day to meet our own selfish desires.  Sadly, Memorial Day has become the beginning of the summer pleasure seeking season.

I challenge those of you that fall in Generation X and beyond, to not let the true meaning of Memorial Day get lost.  Today, with your children and parents, search your family tree.  Find out who didn’t make it home from conflict.  Post their photo on your wall.  Celebrate their life. Talk of their sacrifice.  Add them to your Facebook or My Space page.  Twitter about them.  Share with any who will listen that the honor with which these service members gave all, is an honor to God.  As we are instructed in Psalm 78:4, do not hide this from the children.  Show this to the generations to come.  Show the wonderful works that the Lord has done.  

(Father God, thank you for this country in which I live.  Thank you for the service members that honor you by giving their life for the liberty we possess.  Please bless their sacrifice.  In the name of Jesus I pray, amen.)

Mowing the Grass

I couldn't stand it any longer and I mowed the front lawn today.  Today was one of the first opportunities to mow without rain changing the plans.  

I only mowed the front.  As I was pushing the mower thinking about only mowing the front, I began to wonder.  Are you a Christian that has mowed the front lawn of sin so that your house looks in order, clean, neat, and tidy but has a jungle for a back lawn filled with pride and rebellion?

Oh, I pray that I have mowed the grass and tended to the garden in the back as well as the one that gets seen from the street.  How sad it would be to have Jesus return and I'm like the whited selpchure.  

(Father God, please mow the weeds of sin from my life, outward sins and inward ones.  You are the one that can mold me and make me to what you'd have.  My desire is to be the wife and mother in this place at this time as you'd have me to be.  Thank you for promising to grant wisdom and knowledge.  In the name of Jesus I pray, amen.)

Issues of Life

What are issues of life?  The King James Version of Proverbs 4:23 says, "Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life."  Other versions translate the issues of life as the source of life or the well spring of life.  The New Living Translation says, "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life."  The verses before and after all speak to listening for God's wisdom, seeking His understanding, avoiding evil, and doing all this continually.

Sounds pretty important to me.  I must watch my heart daily, hourly to make sure I stay with the wisdom that God provides.  I must take captive thoughts that might lead to wickedness.  I must keep God's word deep in the midst of my heart and soul.  Without God's word, I would quickly turn back and forth between ideas.  I would look upon and follow evil easily.

(Father God, thank you for your Word that keeps my eyes looking right on.  Thank you for the time to ponder the path on which I go.  You are my source of stability.  You are my confidence. Let me never lose sight of that.  In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.)

Precious Life

I've been reflecting on how precious life is to God.  He thought so much of each life that He became victorious over death so that we could live eternally.  Wow.

Over the past couple of years, I have been exposed to lives that are not easy living.  Each life is a miracle.  Not just because the over come some incredible odds but because God has a purpose for each life.  Ashley is a transplant child.  Vera is a Trisonomy 18 child.  Gwyneth was born very premature.  Each of these has touched my life in a way that I never expected.  My emotions have been pulled and pushed as I've followed each of these lives through a blog.  There have been days when I cried tears of prayers for these and days when tears of joy came unbidden.

As I reflect on all that God has taught me through these lives, I realize that He holds each life precious.  So precious, that He was willing to give His own life in place for them.  He holds the life of babies, mothers, grandfathers, great grandmas, and great-great grandpas precious.  If we ignore the preciousness of infant life, we soon lose track of the importance and preciousness of teenage life, young adults, "middle" aged, and the elderly.  

I've followed these young lifes but obviously I've missed the other stages.  I'm challenged to find a blog that shows precious life at each stage.  Keep an eye on the blogs I follow, there may be some additions over the next few weeks.

(Father God, I thank you for the reminder of how precious life is no matter the stage.  I pray that you will lead me to the blogs that honor you in all.  I thank you for finding my life precious and for making a way that I can know you eternally.  In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.)

Rain, Rain, Go Away

It's raining, AGAIN!  After a recent diagnosis of anemia, rain just isn't my favorite thing.  The doctor has prescribed time in the sun as part of the healing process.  Cloudy, rainy weather only aggravates my depression which is a symptom of the anemia.  It's a vicious spiral.  Without the sun, I get depressed.  When I get depressed, I want to hide in my cave with a gallon if ice cream.  A sure fire way of avoiding the sun which only makes me depressed.

So, when the rain started just a bit ago, I cleared away the remnants of my lunch and spoke with frustration.

"It's raining, again.  Ugh, I need the sun."  Immediately, I reflected that this statement is so true.  The rain does a good thing, it waters and cleans.  Just as storms in our life can be used to water and clean our soul.  But we need the Son.  Yes, NEED.  The Son is the only way.  

Without the Son in my life, I would be holed up in the cave of sin indulging in those things that are right in my own eyes.  I wouldn't be able to see the healing power that comes from the Son.

Ah, the rain is still coming down but now my sight is focused on the eternal Son.

(Father God, thank you for the earthly rain that brings reviving nourishment.  Thank you for the trials and storms that bring change to our spirits.  Thank you for the reminder that I need the sun and the Son.  Thank  you for the salvation that You offer so freely.  Thank you for the grace and mercy that I don't deserve.  Thank you.  Thank you.  In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.)

Trust

Have you ever considered just how trusting we really are?  I've heard people say and have even said myself, "I just can't trust him/her/them."  Yet, we drive to work, school or play each day trusting that the other people on the road know the rules, are following the rules, have good vehicles, and are paying attention to what's going on around them.  We trust that the person in the other car will keep that car in their lane.  We trust that the other person will not run into the back of our car.

Oh, I know that trust is sometimes broken.  But in reality, we trust in big ways.  Most of us trust that our co-workers won't bring a gun to the office and go on a rampage.  Most of us trust that our homes will still be pretty much in the same shape when we get home as when we left it. Most of us trust that a foreign country won't invade us.  Most of us trust that today will be.  

So, I am amazed with the amount of trust floating around out there that people don't trust God.  Even myself, I think I know so much more than I really do.  I think I've got this life thing all figured out.  I trust myself.  And, wow, that is the wrong thing to trust.  God is faithful.  He is just.  He is honest.  He is.  And, He is always those things.  Now, me, I'm not always those things.  I don't always play fair.  I've told lies.  I'm not always faithful in doing what I've committed to do.  I'm not always trustworthy.  God is.  If I can trust all those people driving around, surely I can trust God.

(Father God, help me to trust You in all things.  You alone are completely faithful and trustworthy.  Thank you for the examples of trust that are evident when I look.  In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.)

Fallen in Love

I've fallen in love.  No, I was not planning on falling in love.  After being a single parent for 7 years, adding another person to the mix was just too complicated.  The logistics of blending a family has not and does not appeal to me.  The practical things that have to be addressed require way too much work on my part.  Yet, God is using this.

When in love, it's easy to want to spend time with the object of your affection.  I constantly think of and about this new person in my life.  I can't wait to see him at the end of a work day.  I look forward to the day we can wake up together.  I enjoy what ever the thing is that we do together.  I dislike and am impatient when we are apart.  

But then today, I got to wondering.  Do I seek Jesus as the object of my affection?  Is my relationship with God on the same level as (or higher than) the relationship with this other person? What can I learn about my relationship with God because of this relationship with him?   If this relationship is the answer to my prayer for a relationship that honors God, then I better be learning something from it.  

So, I'm learning that I don't worry about the logistics of my relationship with God.  I'm going to let it fill my senses the way a new romantic relationship does.  I am allowing God to create in me the desire to spend time with Him.  I'm allowing Him to distract me from the day to day activities for thoughts of joy and peace.  When I do, a loving smile settles on my face.  God is faithful.  He loves you  and I with a love beyond what any human does or can.  He has our best interest in mind even when He chastises us.  Isn't that amazing and desirable?

(Father God, thank you for the perfect relationship that You - and You alone - provide.  Thank you also for the human relationships that show me about Your love in a way that I can grasp and understand.  In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.)