Mission Statement

"Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!" (Psalm 117:1-2).


Earlier this morning the pastor was talking about each of us having a mission not suggested but commanded by the Lord. We are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, and soul.

We can consider it our mission statement from Jesus.

It seems that all clubs, groups, organizations, and businesses have mission statements--communication to one and all of just what the organization is all about; the most effective mission statements are those that are simple, direct, and to the point. Isn't that just like the perfection of our Lord? Our mission statement can be found in Matthew 22: 37-38: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. this is the first and greatest commandment." Direct, specific, and a true challenge to each and every one of us.

Just how do we carry out this mission? Of course, we love the Lord our God--but we are to love Him with all our heart...all our soul...all our mind. Not some...all.

Quite a mission. This is not a typical mission statement that exists for a very finite amount of time to be revisited and edited. This mission statement is perfection from the beginning. It is eternal. It is our duty.

So how do we live up to this ultimate mission statement? I feel very inadequate to give any suggestions. The longer I thought about this all afternoon, the more I decided that prayer is my only answer. Meditation is needed throughout the day; upon rising in the morning, mindful prayers as the day carries on, and at the end of the evening before going off to sleep. Our mission challenges--no commands--us to love--truly love. In order for us to work toward this greatest command, we need to work diligently...perhaps the most diligently we will ever work on anything in our lives. 

Let's accept the mission as well as the mission statement. What better work in the world is there for us to do?

Peace be with you.

Gifts

“Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness” (Romans 12:6-8).

Gifts. I don’t know about you, but I have a bit of a complicated relationship with the whole idea of gifts. I’m pretty much a low-clutter person, so sometimes a gift, no matter how well-intentioned, can be a bit intimidating. I don’t care for having a great deal of anything material; I’m much more content with opening a drawer or cabinet and being able to see everything rather than combing through numerous items. Just a few helpful, meaningful pieces keep me quite content.

I would like to think that I am a better gift giver than a receiver. However, after listening to a very good sermon last weekend, I’m wondering if I try to keep my gift giving a little too low clutter as well. Romans 12:6-8 very clearly tells us that we all are given the best gifts in the world—given from God to share with the world. Yet, how many times have I convinced myself that I wasn’t “gifted” enough to share my gifts from God with others?

I believe that God has given me a gift of expression through writing. Nevertheless, there are so many times that I convince myself that what I put down on paper is of little worth. There are, after all, tremendous writers out there with much greater talent and training than I possess. But is talent and training really what is concerned with gracious gifts from God? I don’t necessarily think so. I know last year while Kurt was going through the pre- and post-transplant process, it wasn’t my talent or training that drove me every day to write about the experience. It was a practice in something much more important—it was my daily practice of faith in God. These words were my prayers; what entered into my heart during these prayers was God’s love that was so over-whelmingly generous that it literally overflowed onto the page.  What a gift indeed.

So, this is my belief concerning gifts—the everyday ones are fine and, if given with thought rather than obligation, are appreciated. If I give one of these material gifts to someone and, later, it becomes a gift that should be passed on to another as a thoughtful gesture, so be it. These are tokens, after all. The true gifts that God gives us through the sharing of faith, mercy, support, or enlightenment of God’s love—share them and they will never go away from the original one gifted. They continue for as long as they are shared. Amen!

Peace be with you all.

Precious Snippets

January is a cleaning up and clearing out month for me. Like many people, I find myself encouraged to "freshen up" the house with the arrival of the New Year. 

Yesterday evening, as I was clearing out a section of the downstairs study, I took down a bulletin board in anticipation of eventually painting the wall. The board had pretty much taken on a life of its own in becoming a memory book of sorts. Among the many addresses of old friends, items from various occasions, and assorted old pictures, I started unearthing a number of snippets and short items of a Biblical nature. I halted my cleaning for the next several minutes and sat down to read these precious snippets. Once I read each one, becoming more energized by the beautiful messages of God's love through Jesus that were penned on these various pieces of paper, I decided they were "Bible worthy"...those of you who have a Bible that is well-used know what that means. Just as our favorite cookbooks that we've had for decades or have been passed down to us are stuffed with precious bits and pieces of generations-old scraps of paper that carry on them prized recipes that appear at family gatherings and other special occasions, our Bibles are full of similar bits of paper that contain "recipes" for better living.

My recipe books and my Bibles get a reprieve from the annual "cleaning out"; there's nothing but precious snippets in each one.

Peace be with you. 

Called to Serve--Anyone, Anywhere

             "Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God" (I Corinthians 4:1)
 
In church this morning, we were treated to a special speaker. Our friend and neighbor John Gray shared his work with us as a Gideon. For anyone not familiar with the Gideons, all one needs to do is check the nightstand at the next hotel where a Gideon Bible will be found. Over two billion of these Bibles (including millions of New Testaments distributed throughout the world at schools, events, and within the military) are available to anyone, anywhere at no cost.

And the Gideons? Just regular guys with regular families...called to serve and answering that call to be "stewards of the mysteries of God".

We are all called--but do we answer? Who are the daily servants of Christ? How is one a steward of the mysteries of God?

Just look around...these good folks are everywhere.

And you're probably one of them, too.

Every time we do something for our family, our neighbors, or our friends--no matter how small the deed--and do it in stewardship to God, as a servant of Christ, we are putting into practice the call. No matter what the deed, we are following the instruction of our Lord and increasing the Kingdom of God on earth.

Peace be with you.

In the Garden

"I come to the garden alone,

While the dew is still on the roses;

And the voice I hear, falling on my ear,

The Son of God discloses"

--from In the Garden by Austin Miles

 

 

I know of few things in this world that put me more in communion with the Lord than being in my gardens. In the summertime, I like to go out early in the morning just after sunrise. There's always a wonderful quietness at that time of day; the world is just waking up, with the birdsong of a few early-risers like me. As I walk through the grass, my shoes always get as wet as standing in a rain. But, you know, that's a good thing--that same dew gives life to all the flowers, the bushes, the trees, and the plants growing in the vegetable garden. When there's a healthy dew on the roses, the roses grow well.

 

There is a blessed stillness in the early morning hours in the garden. All my thoughts and meditations for the day are as fresh as the air I breathe. "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalm 118:24). It is the perfect time to hear the voice of God in my prayers. Working in the life-giving soil puts me so very close to our Lord. He gives us all good things.

 

"And He walks with me, and He talks with me,

And He tells me I am His own;

And the joy we share as we tarry there,

None other can ever know."

 

There in the garden I share my every thought, concern, and joy with the Lord. I know I am His own and blessed with His perfect love. To be a child of God is the greatest joy we'll ever know.

 

Peace be with you.

 





This is My Command

It's been far too long since I've written on this blog. Spring arrived and with it all the wonderful things that my favorite time of year brings, namely tending to gardens. So now, on this rainy late June evening, sections of the garden are freshly planted with some late summer veggies, while the rest grows on with its towering celery and sunflowers, its many herbs, late lettuce, peppers, and a plethora of tomato vines bearing green promises of scrumptious red tomatoes to come in the next few weeks.

In the midst of all this joyous time outside among the veggies, the flowers, the fruit trees and bushes and brambles, the world took some turns. For those of us who hold our Christian beliefs near and dear, it's a time of pause.

Our world, with the whoosh of a pen, became quite different. And, to give us greater pause, those of us who hold our tightly to our precious Christian beliefs became less liked and tolerated. We are living in a time when we are shamed by our friends, neighbors, acquaintances, and even family for not being tolerant, yet we are not tolerated. We are aware that, with the bang of the gavel of a judge, we immediately became hard-hearted and, according to many, we just don't get it.

We get it. We've been told this would happen. It's okay. We're in good hands.  "You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved" (Matthew 10:22).

Are we hard-hearted and hateful because we don't join in hardy agreement with ideas that contradict tenets from our Bible? I don't think so. Please take a moment and read the following passages:

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. This is my command: Love one another" (John 15:9-13, 17).

So, you see, we love all--it is commanded of us by our Savior and we obey. We may not agree with what our brothers and sisters on this blessed Earth choose to believe, but we love all, nonetheless.

We pray all will know this love. Blessings.



 

Shedding a Layer

"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1).


Today was one of those first glorious days of late winter. After church, I actually took my coat off before heading into a restaurant for lunch with my mom. I always feel a particular sense of freedom--shedding that layer that clearly defines a time of the year that is certainly far from my favorite. I feel lighter, in both weight and spirit. Released from the feeling of being "bounded" by a bulky coat, hat, and/or gloves is such a feeling of liberation. I step more lively, and I just feel better in general.

When we think about it, God allows us to "take our coats off" and enjoy the lightness of a new spirit in His love. Most of the time we walk around in those moth-eaten old coats of despair, short-sightedness, and frustration with ourselves as well as with others. We don't like those ratty old "coats" of living lives that are less than Christ-centered, yet we continue to keep the buttons done up, the collar pulled up around our ears. We're not comfortable, yet we are familiar with the feeling of being encumbered by our being tethered by our everyday habits.

As more and more coat shedding days present themselves in the near future, let's keep in mind that just as we can free ourselves from the yoke of the heavy old coat, we can free ourselves permanently from the yoke of our sins through the love and sacrifice of Christ our Savior.

Peace be with you.

God's Love Knows No Season

“As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.” ~Genesis 18:22

 

 

This time of year is a tough one for most of us. It takes a pretty hard-core winter lover to still be tolerating mid-February weather without feeling just a little cabin fever or just plain grumpy and impatient for warmer days--or at least not so frigid days.

 

 

On these days that seem to last forever (wonder why the summer days, although longer in their daylight hours actually seem shorter than these long, cold days?), we can look to the beautiful verse from Genesis: "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease".

 

 

We're in the depths of the deepfreeze at the present, but we know that seedtime warmth will be here--we thank God for his beautiful world, no matter what the season.

 

 

Peace be with you.

Our Ultimate Valentine

"For the eyes of the Lord are intently watching all who live good lives, and he gives attention when they cry to him. Yes the Lord hears the good man when he calls to him for help, and saves him out of all his troubles" (Psalm 34:15,17).

What is the ideal Valentine, we ponder...someone who thinks of us always, has our best interest in mind, loves us unconditionally, is always there for us. To find someone like this is the ultimate hope of most everyone who walks this Earth.

Isn't it odd that we can't always see and always know that we already have someone who has loved us unconditionally since we came into existence?  Our Lord is surely intently watching us--all He asks in return is that we live good lives. It's a sometimes difficult thing to do, but certainly not impossible...our Lord never asks us to do the impossible.  We are safe with him.  He saves us from all of our  troubles.  We all have periods in our lives when the road seems rough, but if we believe--truly believe--we will be sheltered by his ultimate love. Granted, our life's story may not always play out as we have formulated it, but surrounded by His love, it will be the way it should be--because of living in His light.

Happy Valentine's Day to all ...and even though you may not have someone showering you with cards, candy, and flowers at the moment, know full well that you are loved today and every day more than you'll ever realize . We have been chosen to be loved.  

Looking to the Mustard Seed

"He replied, 'Because you have so little faith, I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you'" (Matthew 17:20).

 It's that time of year when I start getting the  itch to begin gardening. Of course, all gardening that I do is within the confines of looking over seed catalogs, beginning the purchase of seed, and planting a few items that need early germination time to put into the early spring garden. Nothing too major league here, but still a great deal of fun.

 As I was putting some tiny seeds into their germination pods earlier this week, I started thinking about the parable of the mustard seed. That drew me to go upstairs to the kitchen and examine the mustard seeds in my spice cabinet.  How tiny they are! And yet...if we only have faith in our Lord of that size, we will be able to achieve great things in His name.

 It just doesn't seem that it should be that difficult, but wow is it.  Every morning I wake up, I know that today will be a day that my faith will be at least as big as that tiny little seed; alas, by the end of the day, I've not achieved that very  reasonable goal our Lord asks of us.  So, I pray at night that the next day will be more successful.

 I guess just having the faith that someday I'll have the faith the size of a mustard seed is a good start. God is good to us that way...He gives us hope anew each day to get just a little closer to heaven.

 Peace be with you.

The Gift of Stewardhip

Stewardship. Sounds like a fancy word for work, doesn't it? Even the dictionary would agree. Among the various definitions, the words responsibility, duty, "put in charge", and even moral responsibility are listed to describe this word.

So how on earth can stewardship ever be described as a gift? How is work, responsibility, or duty a gift?

Well, for one thing, having responsibility makes us humble. Being "put in charge" can be a bit daunting. Our performance is in the spotlight; it is certainly not an opportunity to boast, but rather to keep our proverbial noses to that proverbial grindstone. And, believe it or not, that is truly a gift we are given.

How so?

In the book of Matthew, Jesus tells his disciples that "therefore anyone who humbles himself as [this] little child is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven" (18:4). In our daily lives we are not often given chances to act with pure humbleness and humility. Our egos many times get into the way. We play out the "I'm in charge" aspect of Stewardship, but we are missing the point. Anyone can say he or she is in charge of a situation, a group of people, or an event. But a true steward purposely takes the back seat and becomes the humble servant, assuming grave responsibility for the task or the group with whom he or she has been entrusted . It truly teaches us the lesson Christ gives us of being as humble as a child.

It's a new month, and a new week--what better time for us to practice afresh the true meaning of stewardship? We'll discover anew this precious gift.

Peace be with you.

Slipping and Sliding

Psalm 15:1-5--"Lord, who may go and find refuge and shelter in your tabernacle up on your holy hill? Anyone who leads a blameless life and is truly sincere. Anyone who refuses to slander others, does not listen to gossip, never harms his neighbor, speaks out against sin, criticizes those committing it, commends the faithful followers of the Lord, keeps a promise even it if ruins him, does not crush his debtors with high interest rates, and refuses to testify against the innocent despite the bribes offered against him--such a man shall stand firm forever."

As I write this, we're experiencing one of those blessed respites from the deep-freeze of January. Sunshine, temperatures in the 50s--no slipping and sliding out there for awhile, and I know you're as happy with that as I am.

The Bible verses listed above give  a different view of slipping and sliding. These words are expectations of all of us to live a truly Godly life.  I don't know about you, but I've been doing some major slipping and sliding. As I read these words this morning, I felt pretty lowly. I know I've fallen short time and again--you, too, perhaps? Worse yet, how would we treat a person who was able to keep close to these words? It sounds, well, heavenly to be around this type of person, but the world in which we currently live has slipped and slid so much morally and ethically these days to the point where a person faithfully practicing these charges might seem  more the politically-incorrect pariah than a good person.

If we live a truly Christ-filled life, we have been warned by Christ himself that we will not be the life of party...or likely  even invited to the party. It's not a popular view to speak out against secularly-accepted but Biblically disapproved ways of living.  And just as we've all experienced some slipping and sliding on cold, icy January days, we know just how difficult it can be to walk steadily and securely without taking a tumble. It's the same with our words and actions. We need to "brace" ourselves with our faith and looking to others with similar resolve  to share support.

Peace be with you. 

Faith--What Else Do We Have? What More Do We Need?

Matthew 8: 5-13--"When Jesus arrived in Capernaum, a Roman army captain came and pled with him to come to his home and heal his servant boy who was in bed paralyzed and wracked with pain. 'Yes,' Jesus said, 'I will come and heal him.' Then the officer said, 'Sir, I am not worthy to have you in my home; {and it isn't necessary to come}. If you will only stand here and say, 'Be healed,' my servant will get well! I know, because I am under the authority of the superior officers and I have authority over my soldiers, and I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my slave boy 'Do this or that,' and he does it. And I know you have authority to tell his sickness to go--and it will go!' Jesus stood there amazed! Turning to the crowd he said, 'I haven't seen faith like this in all the land of Israel! And I tell you this, that many Gentiles {like this Roman officer}, shall come from all over the world and sit down in the Kingdom of Heaven with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And many an Israelite--those for whom the Kingdom was prepared--shall be cast into outer darkness, into the place of weeping and torment.' Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, 'Go on home. What you have believed has happened!' And the boy was healed that same hour!"

The above account is one of my favorite reports of Christ's journey while on Earth amongst the people of Israel. Here we have a Roman soldier, a very unlikely candidate to tolerate this trouble-causer Jesus, much less to actually come to him for help in his time of great need. Greater yet, this was a show of true and undeniable FAITH that Christ would heal the servant boy when the child wasn't even in Christ's midst, but rather back at the Roman soldier's home. This was a beautiful example of true faith from a soldier who thought and acted as a true soldier; one who understood the practicality of authority. He also clearly understood something that Christ's contemporaries failed to see--Christ was the ultimate authority.

How much smoother our lives would be if we lived with the belief system of this Roman soldier. If only we faithfully followed the sacred prayer, "Thy will be done." Truly, what else do we have in this life that is so trustworthy? More importantly, what more do we truly need?

This week, let's give ourselves a break and know that we don't need to be in charge. We need only to trust. And pray. And believe.

Peace be with you.

New Year, New Insights

Happy New Year! This is that fun period of time when we're in the "infancy" stage of a new year. We pretty much are given a blank slate; the possibilities we are told on TV commercials, ads online and in paper media, are endless.

 

Crazily, within about a week of this heady excitement we're back into many of our old habits--good and not so good.

 This year I propose a challenge to all --including myself.

 Read your Bible. That's it. Just read.

 Several years ago, I discovered a good perpetual calendar-type Bible with an Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs section set for each day. The Bible is pretty dog-eared and, for the most part, I've switched to a Kindle version so I can read on the road or on the treadmill. Needless to say, over the years that I read through these sacred texts, I have learned a great deal...but oh, how much more I have to learn. And I'll continue to re-read and re-read for as many years as I'm given.

 Every  day I read, I learn something new that I've never noticed before--no other book will ever give me this  challenge. For example, even though I've read the story of Genesis so very many times, just the other  day I learned that the animals that were herded onto the ark were more in number than I always though. There were actually seven pairs of some animals--those for food and sacrifices. Makes sense. But then I also read that with several of the birds there were seven pairs as well. All the times I've read this...all the Sunday School lessons I sat through...all the discussions of Noah...seven pairs!

 Interesting. I'm sure the Biblical scholars have wrung their hands over this over the years...I'm going to just believe that God had this under control.

 Another segment in Genesis that had me doing a double take was when  I read  that God stated that the newly-created man and woman were like "us"…"us". Was God speaking to an angel? A cherub? It doesn't really matter to me who it was...I just find it fascinating--and it makes me happy to know that God had someone far more matured than these new and mistake-ridden human children to discuss their foibles with and doing some thinking out loud.

 So, if you're looking for some good, riveting reading in 2015, pick up a Bible. If you've not read one for awhile, give it another try. Ah, the blessings you will receive!

For Dave and Mary Sue

As I scrolled down through Facebook posts this morning, I noticed the sad news on the local newspaper site telling of a fatal auto accident. I automatically sent a prayer. As I read on after clicking the link, that prayer turned to an audible gasp as I read that good friends of mine had lost their 18 year-old son in this accident. The sadness I initially felt turned to horror. The story took on a personal tone. The intense sting of my own memories of the near loss of a child came flooding back to me; and my own feelings, as devastating as they were, were for the near loss of a child--not a loss.

I began praying without ceasing for them.

I pray that they will immediately feel the peace that passes all understanding that comes from our loving God, our ever-lasting source of infinite comfort.

I pray that they physically and emotionally feel the thousands of prayers that are being prayed for them as they face this indescribable grief.

And I know

...that Christ is at their sides, embracing them with comfort none of us can begin to match.

...that God has them firmly in the palm of His wondrous hand, giving them the strength to face each day, each hour, each minute.

A child of God has been welcomed Home; those of us left here find it nearly impossible to feel anything but sadness...but thanks be to God that we know that Home awaits where all is safe...

all is well...

all is at peace...

We love you, Dave and Mary Sue...feel our prayers and lean on us. 

God's love be with you.

Peace be with you.

Every Detail

"Every detail works to your advantage and to God's glory: more and more grace, more and more people, more and more praise! So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace."--2 Corinthians 4:15-16

This past week has been a week of details to say the least. Monday morning, August 4, Kurt's life (as well as ours) changed forever...and the details made it happen. Talented people blessed with innumerable skills from God worked miracle after miracle over the past few days. In less than 24 hours, Kurt went from walking into a pre-op prep room to being placed in a regular post-transplant room. In less than 2 1/2 hours, his liver was removed and a donor's liver replaced it and his life began again.

These details certainly worked to his advantage and to God's glory--there was certainly more and more people and definitely more and more praise!

There were times during Kurt's first hospital stay, as these verses state, that "looked like things were falling apart on us". We were completely unprepared for the seriousness and the speed at which the illness came upon him. We were told that extreme measures would need to be taken to save him. Our world was falling apart on us. Little did we know that God was indeed making a new life for him. He allowed a miracle--he was saved and regained his health stronger than it had been in a long time; it was just in time to receive the call for the liver transplant. 

I can guarantee you that "not a day goes by without his unfolding grace". We are blessed beyond belief; Kurt has been blessed with a second chance at life. He knows that his life reads as a testament to God's grace.

And, with God on our side, we'll never, ever give up. Thanks be to God.

Peace be with you.

Where Are We Without Hope?

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future"--Jeremiah 29:11


Earlier today I read a daily devotion that talked about hope. It took me back to when we first arrived in Indianapolis at University Hospital and I had a doctor ask me if I wanted them to do everything possible for Kurt. He tried to ask the question very delicately, and I could tell that he already knew the answer. My answer was, "Of course." Later he came back and spoke to me for awhile during the middle of the night while getting more signatures from me for blood transfusions. He talked about what all was being done. The word "hope" came up. I told him that hope and faith was all I had at that moment. He gently agreed that these were two important things to have indeed.

Now, as I watch Kurt prepare for the next phase of his life, I think about hope quite a lot. I find myself "hoping" that the call will come soon; I "hope" that he will stay well as he awaits the transplant. I know that, according to Jeremiah, that "hope and a future" is attainable for us all, no matter what the issue we confront. What I have also learned is that sometimes our narrow idea of "hope" is not nearly as expansive as God's. Jesus' "hope" for us in his death and resurrection emcompasses all of mankind. My daily affirmations of "hope" usually have pretty short measurement on the scale. Nevertheless, I know that God, through his beautiful Son, has given me and everyone else the opportunity to feel the refreshing feeling that hope can bring when we embrace it. 

I "hope" for all of you a blessed day...peace be with you.

Just the Right Words, Just When I Need Them

Philippians 4:6-7--"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Since Kurt's discharge from the hospital, I know he is in the best place on earth he could be. How many people can move into a welcoming, loving home with a built-in critical care nurse? We are indeed blessed.

Still, especially the first night or two, I would lie awake at night listening to Kurt cough, or stir in his sleep, or wonder if the oxygen was working correctly and oxygen saturation was strong enough. I felt very helpless, even surrounded by help.

Ann loaned me a daily devotion book that I would read to Kurt many mornings while he was in the hospital; the morning after one of my more awake than asleep nights, I picked up the book and read the devotion for that day. The first line was , "Do not worry about tomorrow!" I was instantly calmed. As I read through the devotion, the words I have read time and again in the Bible came to me in comforting waves.

I know I'm not in charge of this part of Kurt's journey--I'm here to be Mom. God has blessed us beyond words  in allowing us brilliant doctors, nurses, facilities, and now a warm and loving temporary home. Tom is able to make trips up to see us; Kurt and I can communicate with family members freely on the phone. He is in an environment that encourages improving health.

So...whenever those little pangs of anxiousness come knocking (and they still do), I go to these beautiful verses at the top of this blog and I rest...and thank God.

Peace be with you.

With God, All Things are Possible

Matthew 19:26--"Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'" (NIV)

Kurt and I were on our way home from one of our road trips to Indy this past week and were chit chatting about one thing then another. I told him about a post I saw on Facebook that had a drawing of a young man sitting on one end of a park bench and Jesus sitting on the other end. The young man was asking Jesus why he allowed there to be violence, disease, starvation, and all other horrid things on Earth. Jesus' reply was, "I was just about to ask you the same thing." We both said, "Ah."

Lots of truth in that simple reply. 

Think of all the times the brilliant minds on this Earth are not at work to find better ways to catch diseases earlier, but rather working diligently on new ways to destroy life. Great minds that could be working together for peaceful co-existence rather work against one another to be in power. People starve each day while bags of relief food sit on docks, rotting. Clearly, when we turn away from one another we have turned away from God.

But there are still many times...

when God's children do work together for the better. My sister-in-law is currently in Africa working side-by-side with others helping those who are faced with poor health care. Kurt, despite his current situation, is happily employed by a company that cares about him and lets him go to his various appointments. And Kurt, who could easily just sit and pity his situation, is volunteering some time as he can to his beloved WonderLab and making sure a young autistic boy he befriended is talked to most everyday via text and taken out for some yogurt and some Game World time when Kurt is in town. With God, these things are possible.

My mind and my senses have been heightened these past couple of weeks. Places we've never seen in hospitals are now a part of our everyday world. And, in all these places, I see that with God, all things are possible. It's humbling and it makes me, I hope, more kind and patient with others. I ask myself and I ask all of you to remember that with man alone, we must use the word impossible; with God, however, we need never use the word. Because, with God, all things are possible.

And Then God Gave Me Easter

Mark 16:4-6--"But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. 'Don't be alarmed,' he said. 'You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. '"

This weekend has been kind of a rough one. A long-time friend was tragically killed in a fire in his home; his wife was injured and lost her home and the love of her life in a matter of minutes. Further, I'm concerned that through a number of medical missteps and negligence that someone very dear to me is more physically ill than necessary.

Yesterday, the weather was beautiful beyond belief, yet my heart was too heavy to truly acknowledge its beauty. I spent the afternoon Saturday out among the gardens, a favorite springtime activity that normally makes me smile just thinking about it. Nevertheless, my mind tended to stray away from the blooms and blossoms of the new season to the fading and wilting  shadows of frustration and sadness. I went to bed last night tired inside and out.

And then God gave me Easter. I woke up to another beautiful sky, just as I did yesterday morning...but this morning was different. Truly different.

I said the Lord's Prayer with gusto--Thy Will Be Done--and I could feel the strength  in those words that had been lacking the day before. My spirit lifted along with my soul. It truly is going to be alright. God is in charge; Christ is with me always. And He is with you as well. Hallelujah.

"And the arms that hold the universe are holding you tonight

So you can rest inside; it's gonna be alright.

And the voice that calms the raging sea is calling you His child

So be still and know He's in control,

He will never let you go."--Arms that Hold the Universe by 33 Miles