Come on in...the water's fine!

The water seems so scary and wild. The waves pull the sand beneath my toes and I squeal in delight.

When I go to the beach, I sometimes close my eyes and listen to the sound of the crashing waves and birds calling faintly as they fly against the wind. My mind wanders back to the days of sweet Summers passed.

I remember my first tumble in the surf, days combing the shore for treasures of sharks teeth and sand dollars, being buried in the sand, building castles and watching them melt away in the tide, learning to read the sets to find that perfect ride into shore, and walking with our pant lets rolled up in the moon light as a glowing path of luminous foot prints are left behind us. Every Summer was a greater adventure than the last!

Then, time slips by and I find myself not having time to go there. The cares of life and business of responsibilities seem to always win out in the end.

Isn't that how our relationship with Christ can be? When we first get to know Him, we are excited at all the possibilities, the joy, the peace... then, one day, we become too busy to really pray and read the Bible. We convince ourselves that it's okay, that God understands how other things just have to get done. Until, one day we find ourselves only remembering the experiences of our youth rather than living them anew today.

If you find yourself looking back, stop and take a look around you, find some alone time for just you and God. Experience His presence and let Him take you to a Summer you've not yet dreamed of! The Son is always shining and ready for you to come. Be still and know that He is God. He gives His beloved rest. A peace that surpasses all understanding awaits you!

Time is not the great healer...

Okay, so how did my visit to Lejeune and feeling blessed switch to my remembering the "bad 'ol days"? It's a long story. I started to listen to stories from my brother's old friends... stories of a person I never knew. I started to feel pangs of sorrow, grieving for the brother I never had. Oh, my brother is very much alive, but you see, I haven't seen him in 15 years, and haven't spoken to him in about 11 years. He just chose not to be my brother. But it didn't happen 11 years ago. I believe it happened the day I was born.

Sometimes, we chalk up the fighting and picking as just sibling rivalry...something you'll grow out of when you're older...or so I was told. This never happened for me. Instead, there was a boy who grew into a man I've never really met...or only part of him. The part he let me see was the one who liked to torture his little sister to see her scream and cry. I grew up learning there's no use in asking for help or justice...that you stand or fall alone.

Why do parents and teachers punish and ridicule those who call for justice and defense? They're "babies" or "tattle-tails" or "whiners", right? WRONG. I wonder now if my parents had made us really talk to one another, really deal with the issues...I wonder if I'd have known this funny, charismatic, genius his friends spoke of? Don't get me wrong, I don't blame my parents and I only partly blame my brother. I just feel, looking back at the past, that many opportunities to build relationships are lost because it takes more energy that we want to exert.

Now, instead of a loving brother, I have a stranger that I only know through my parents' communications with him. I've never met my niece, and he's never met my son. I constantly fight the taunting words he spoke to me throughout my childhood, and must rebuild my self-esteem through Christ's words. Rejection is not an easy wound to heal.

So, the next time you're too tired to talk to your kids...the next time you tell yourself or your kids that things will change with time, don't fool yourself. Relationships are built, they don't magically appear. Take the effort to do encouraging, team-building things with your kids. You'll be glad you did! And if you can't let go of your past and feel like there's no hope, remember that there IS One that sticks closer than a brother! And HE is the Great Healer!

The Good 'Ol Days...

Okay...so here I am... at my all-class reunion. Yes, we had the awful name the Lejeune "Devilpups!", since our dad's were "Devildog Marines" I guess we had little choice. So "sight-seeing" today, I'm remembering all the fond times with friends, driving through my old neighborhoods, seeing my old schools (none of which are still schools!) and feeling very nostalgic. But then, I go to my first dinner mixer...

It wasn't exactly disappointing...I mean, I knew very few of the folks from my class were coming, and none were close friends. All my close classmates are scattered about the world. So, what was I expecting? ...What I felt was very unexpected. I felt both out of place and blessed to feel so!

I sat there, watching folks from the Class of 1989, 1983, 1980, etc. all drinking, (spouses drinking even more) and laughing about the "good 'ole days when they did....". They were reveling in the talk of their glory years. They looked around the room in search of a familiar face, checking name tags, and hugging folks they probably wouldn't have even spoken to when they were in school together, disparately in search of that amazing reunion.

And then, I had a beautiful epiphany of sorts... Although I loved remembering my school days, I have since then found lifelong friends... more brothers and sisters every year... each bringing a unique flavor to my banquet of life! Each year, I've grown more deeply in love with my Lord, and each year, I am amazed at the blessing of good friendships He's given me along the way.

So, as a guest speaker at church recently said, "I'm not looking back and becoming a pillar of salt!" I can fondly remember my school days without the desire to "go back" and relive them. So, tomorrow as we go around the Base and attend the dinner dance at the Officer's Club, I won't really be looking at the name tags, or trying to relive the days gone by... I'll be looking into the eyes of my sweet husband and remembering how THESE are the good days...and there are even more to come!

So, do yourself a favor, don't look back too long, you may miss what's wonderful right now! Enjoy each day as it comes and live like it's your last! Live in joyful obedience...no regrets! Make today the best day ever...every day!

(Class of '82...had a good time, glad I was there........so long!)

Mission vs. Money

"The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense; they imagine it to be a high wall of safety. Haughtiness goes before destruction; humility precedes honor." PROVERBS 18:11-12

As I may have mentioned before, several folks in my church are reading through the Bible together this year. Well, one of today's scriptures includes the above. It just struck me that perhaps it's not a coincidence that those two verses are side by side. How many times have we dreamed..."if I only could win the lottery"? It seems like when we, or those whom we love, are struggling with money issues, that everything would be better if we were rich.

Isn't it strange how we think that the lack of money is some sort of illness to be overcome! I won't go into the myriad of reasons as to why some are poor and some are rich. I think we're all mature enough to realize that life's struggles are not always a result of some underlying sin in our life. God has many reasons to give us the wealth we have. He makes sure to meet our needs...our REAL needs, and still keep our eyes focused on Him. Perhaps, if we could afford to shop at Tiffany's we'd never cross paths with the K-Mart crowd that needs to know His love? Maybe if we could readily afford to replace that broken washing machine, we'd never be able to minister to the laundry mat folks? Maybe the Lord has blessed you so, that those around you only seek you out for your wealth? Even in abundance we face the struggles of life. If we are really seeking to do His will, we must understand that He will place you where He can use use the most! So REJOICE in the place you find yourself...it's a Divine mission!

Some people see their source of comfort, their strength, their relief, their protection, in having material comforts, a good job, nice savings, etc., etc. Where are we supposed to find these things? In God, of course! So, as the scripture warns, if we see wealth as our salvation, we are doomed for destruction, but if we live in humble resignation to His plan (where His places you today), it will bring honor. Mother Teresa, Billy Graham, Terry Roberts, [insert your name here]...the honor we see in these lives...it is from their faithful service to the Lord...in their poverty or their wealth, in their fame or in their anonymity. The honor is there when we accept His will, are thankful for it, and use life's circumstances as oppotunities to share His love.

Are we to then resign ourselves to a life of poverty? Never change poor spending habits? Never plan for the future? OF COURSE NOT. God calls us to be good stewards of what we have been given. He may give you more, He may not. He knows how much to give you. How much you will faithfully use. And even how much it will take to push you into a false state of self-relience! So, be faithful AND as Paul reminds us...be content. For in contentment we find true wealth!