What does your heart say?

I am a very sentimental person.  I love nostalgia and vintage.  I hold on to the precious and believe me, there is a fine line between that and hoarding.  I find it interesting to see what people hold on to, what defines them.

I also love buying those things.  I find it interesting that long ago, people had plates [saucers] with matching cups on them where ladies served coffee and cookies on the same plate.  I have many of those-I love them. 

But to tell you the truth, this is not about what I have in my cabinet, its about what I found in my kitchen cabinet.  I went to get a large plastic cup to pour myself a good helping of iced tea and when I opened my lower cabinet I found a Dickie's Bar B Q cup...and another and another. 

There were about ten yellow Dickie's cups in that cabinet!  The first thing I thought was "Well, there's no lying now! Everyone will know we eat Dickie's Bar B Q and that we eat it often!"

The deal is that my husband introduced me to it a few months ago and I loooove their pulled pork sandwich with pickles.  It is delish and on occasion we share it.  Of course with our meal we have to have ice tea so that means two cups. 

What amazed me about my discovery was that I have always heard "Your checkbook will tell what your true love is."  My cabinet told what made our belly's happy. 

I wondered what God could tell about me when he looked into my heart.  Would he find bitterness, anger, envy, or would he find contentment, commitment and a desire to serve him.  People can not see into our hearts anymore than they can see through a closed cabinet.  However, when that door is opened we can see what is really inside. 

So when you go along life's daily grind remember that whatever you are putting in your heart will eventually define you.  Open that door to your heart and discover what it would say if others could see inside.

Don't judge me for loving pulled pork and I promise....whatever is in your heart, if it is something you need to turn over to God, he will not judge you. 

I still love Dickie's and I'll continue to drink their tea but I pray that God will reveal to me what my heart says to others and I pray that it will honor him.

The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart.  For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. 
Luke 6:45

Let go

Since my father-in-law's passing in November, we have sorted through many, many things.  We have located things from eras past and relished the memories of  yesterday.  We are not quite through all of it but have moved a lot of it out and to other hands.

One of the things I held on to was a sewing container that looks much like a modern day ottoman with storage.  It has a lid that pops off and it was filled with afghans, threads, needles and such items.  I emptied it and set it aside not wanting to send it off or give it up just yet.

This fall, our youngest will be living in an apartment just off campus and I thought he might want it.  Not as a sewing container but as a place to store books and rest his feet.  I held on to it and it was just sitting in an empty living room at my father-in-law's place.

The time came to clear the room so we moved it to our house.  I placed it near our stairs still thinking our son would want it.  When he came home he said he could not use it and would not be taking it.  So...I kept it...for me!  I wouldn't have to let go of it after all. 

Then I heard a friend was in the same situation with college apartments so I "took inventory" and decided that I didn't really need the piece.  I was going to give it to her.  I picked it up and then said "NO" I want to keep it.  Why?  It was never mine, I had no attachment to it, it didn't even belong to my father or mother-in-law.  I just liked it but something kept telling me to "let go!''

When I took it to my friend's house I simply and easily gave it to her.  No attachment, no drama, no anxiety.  It was now hers to do with as she wished.  It was hers to decorate or change any way she wanted.  I had let go.

Many times I am that way with my life.  It is not and never has been but yet I want to hold on to it.  I don't want to give it up.  I don't want to let go because I know if I let go and give it back to God, He might change it, He might use it in a way different from my own plans. 

It is not often easy to let go and let God take control but like that piece, I must remember that my life was never mine.  It is God's and He created me to glorify Him.

So if you're still fighting for control over your life...let go!


Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. 
Matthew 10:39

Justice vs Mercy

How many times?  How many times have you asked "God when are you going to see their sin and punish them?" I am so quick to want God to handle situations with discipline....for someone else, not me.  You see, I can always justify my actions.

I recall a few years ago when New Orleans was struck with Hurricane Katrina.  There was much loss of life and property and at that time, public servants in our city were called to additional shifts and heightened security.  All the while, their mayor was in the limelight making arrogant, accusatory remarks.  According to him, no one was helping, no one was doing enough, no one cared.

The issue was the arrogance and the stirring of situations.  God gave him a voice as an individual in authority and he misused it.   I know it struck my heart every time he told the people that no one wanted to help them or no one was making an effort to rescue them.  In situations like natural disasters, you want to encourage and help people but he consistently brought negative attention to himself and his city. 

I recall thinking "Stop it! Our city has opened its doors to help don't tell the people that no one cares!" I was very discouraged with his attitude and lack of leadership.  The days, months and years passed and a new mayor was elected, the city was restored, and many rebuilt their homes. 

Yet the thought of the damage done by reckless words loomed in my mind.  Until two weeks ago. 

Two weeks ago, I saw where the former mayor was indicted in federal court receiving 10 years for fraud and bribery.  This individual who used his voice to criticize and belittle every leader in this country was himself living a double life, a life of luxury received illegally. 

It is sad to believe that we could think that our sin would not be found out.  It is even sadder to be the innocent victims of these lies. 

You may still be sitting there wondering "when" God will take action against those who have harmed you.  To you I say "God is not slow in keeping his promise!"  While justice prevailed in this case, God is still a merciful God and this is one of his children.  All of us are.  As I examine myself and hope for justice for those who have hurt me, I pray that He extends mercy to me in my own actions.

The Lord is a God who avenges.  O God who avenges, shine forth. Rise up Judge of the earth; pay back to the proud what they deserve.  How long Lord, will the wicked, how long will the wicked be jubilant? They pour out arrogant words; all the evil doers are full of boasting.  Psalm 94:1-4

I invite you to read the entire chapter of Psalm 94

Beep, Beep, Beep

Yesterday as I was driving I was listening to a sermon.  It was a great sermon that had me on the edge of my driver's seat.  I was listening intently as it appeared it was speaking directly to me.  Then as I crossed a green light I heard it...three solid beeps.  Beep, beep, beep it interrupted my sermon but more than that, it caused a concern in my spirit.

You see, these three beeps are normally followed by "This is a test of the emergency broadcast system"  those words are not the ones that brought concern.  The words to come were the impacting ones "In the event of a real emergency..."  You see, before we could get to those words, the beeps incited a feeling of concern that was real.  I thought of Iraq, Afghanistan, and our borders in one split second.

With things like they are in other countries, and with our kids being called to those countries to defend, I feared a threatening announcement.  It was something that was instilled in me.  For those of you that remember the 1960's game show Dream House, I recall  watching that show and the beeps coming across.  Our television screen displayed a bulls eye looking diagram and we heard the same message.  It meant nothing to me except that it was interrupting my show!

Today, we would do good to heed to those three beeps and the interruption it creates.  Interruption does not mean stop working.  In fact in the interruption of those beeps got me going! We might need to work harder.  Get deeper into the Word of God, go to our knees in prayer, share God's Word with others, develop our own worship routines and be diligent in the course.

We live in a time of three beeps...the emergency is praying for our country, praying for lost souls, serving our God and remembering what we believe and what we stand for.

Yes, the three beeps interrupted my sermon but I was immediately returned to it and I did not miss the message. The purpose of those three beeps at that moment was to bring me to the reality of much needed prayer for our country.

What area of your life could benefit from beep, beep, beep?


Jesus said to them: "Watch out that no one deceives you.  Many will come in my name claiming 'I am he' and will deceive many.  When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed.  Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.  Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines.  These are the beginning of birth pains.  You must be on your guard.  Mark 13: 5-9

That's my father

Today as I left the gym I was stopped at a red light.  I was exhausted as if I had run a marathon and I hung my head just for a second at the light.  When I looked up, it was still red but I noticed a truck on the lane next to mine just up ahead.

It was pulled over but still in a moving lane of traffic and the tell tale orange triangle stands that indicate trouble, were displayed.  It was a dump truck with the "hood" open.   Of course, knowing my father drives a dump truck and knowing he has been working off of North Park, my interest was heightened. 

I looked and looked for a driver but could not see him.  By now my vision was blocked by a black car that had stopped behind him waiting to go around.  Finally when they moved, I saw the driver.  "That's my father" I said to myself.  He stepped up into the truck then got out, went around, looked under the truck then made it back to the driver's side.  I thought "That's my father and I have to get to him to see what the problem is and how I can help."

Years ago when I was a little girl, I would hear my dad life the bed of the truck and I would run under the truck to hold a light for him or get a tool for him so I felt a tug at my heart knowing he might need me again.  

Then, I second guessed myself and said "That looks like dad but doesn't really walk like dad."  This driver was small framed like my dad, short like my dad, gray headed like my dad but from my distance, I just could not tell.

I kept my eye on him and followed his every move.  I knew that if I could just get beyond the light to where he was, I would be certain that it was him when I saw the logo on his driver's door. I even laughed at him wearing his blue pullover and blue pants.  How funny that I would recognize him by his clothes.

Finally after what seemed like hours, the light turned green and I moved in to "rescue" my dad.  There was only one problem....it wasn't him. 

As I drove past this man not only was it not my dad, I discovered a major thing...the bed of this man's truck was gray, my father's is bright red!

It made me think about how involved I had become in the idea that this was my father that I missed the one true clue.  I was blinded through emotion.

Sometimes, we get wrapped up in the things that the enemy puts in front of us.  They look so familiar, so right, so real, that we miss the obvious.  We want so badly to get "right in the mix" that we fail to see God's reality. 

My reality was that the bed of the truck is the biggest part of that vehicle yet my heart told me that my father was in danger and I just failed to see the truth. 

Don't miss the obvious-God's plan....that's my Father!

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.  Proverbs 4:23

But when he, the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.  John 16:13

In the light

Yesterday my husband told me a story about something he experienced.  He normally goes to work while it is still dark and as he walked past the gate, he discovered something frightening on the hood of our truck.

The flicker of the "thing" caused him to stop for a moment and evaluate.  He said it was about the size of his hand and it appeared that it was focused on him as when moved, it moved as well. The truck was parked in the dark and the light of the porch was not enough to illuminate it.  He proceeded cautiously until he was out of the dark and could see it clearly in the light.

When the light shone on the threat, he discovered it was a sycamore leafy. Yes...a leaf! The movement came from a light breeze.  You know that sigh, that breath of relief you take when a threat is unfounded? He took that breath.

The point is that we are much the same.  In darkness, we can not experience God and everything can be a threat. Oh we may think that we are "living a godly life" but often what we are doing is compromising and when we compromise, things can get scary.

In the dark, minor threats can become monumental, we can see things that are not really there and in the dark, we will definitely miss God's will.   We may "pass through" the dark but God never intended us to linger and stay there.

So if you find yourself in the dark and things look threatening, run to the light! There is no darkness in Jesus Christ!

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you; God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not
live out the truth.  But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus, his Son purifies us from all sin.  1 John 1:5-7