Thought So!

Having a Louse-y Christmas?

What better way to see Christmas sights than by walking briskly through the neighborhood on a Saturday afternoon.  Lights hugged eaves… wreaths clung to doors… trees glittered and glowed in the windows… a mom de-liced her daughter’s hair…

Wait--what was that again? 

I gaped unobtrusively at the vignette just to be sure:  standing near the window for best light, slicing through hair with a chopstick, head bent close to the roots…yes, I had seen and done the same thing myself.

So there, in the middle of that all-dressed-up-for-Christmas street was a minute reminder of sin's results, tugging my thoughts back to why the Lord came to this earth in the first place.

"And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins."   Matthew 1:21

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Field Stories  - misisonary stories for Sunday School, VBS, Christian School...

Peace In Earth?

"Peace on Earth"--Each bulb helped spell out the letters of the sign as it clung to the wrought-iron fence.  Though I had seen it scads of times, it was more vivid in the darkness as I drove by, and I thought about it for a moment.  A peaceful-- though unlikely-- spot for the sign, since the fence enclosed a cemetery (the main entrance to the town), making the words wryly redundant. 

Thankfully, we don’t need to wait till we're dead to have peace. We may, though, often feel close to our expiration date by the time the frenetic, man-made part of this season is over and we can relax.

What an amazing gift!  The peace that comes from accepting Christ as our Savior, proclaimed in that uncommercialized moment by angels to shepherds, allows us to say with Job,

“For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:  Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another;”   Job19:25-27a

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”  Luke 2:14

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Field Stories  - misisonary stories for Sunday School, VBS, Christian School...

Hard Lessons

"But God has taught us by afflictions, what we would not learn by mercies-- that our hearts are His exclusive property, and whatever rival intrudes, He will tear it away."

Ann Judson (wife of Adoniram, after death of baby Roger) from My Heart in His Hands, by Sharon James

"But though He cause grief, yet will He have compassion according to the multitude of His mercies.  For He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men."   Lamentations 3:32,33

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Field Stories  - misisonary stories for Sunday School, VBS, Christian School...

But What About Me?

No matter what kind of stress or trial we are going through, the Lord always brings  someone along... whom we can encourage.  (Have you seen them
yet?  They should be here any minute.)

Galatians 6:2  “Bear ye one another’s burdens (heavy, crushing loads), and so fulfill the law of Christ (principle of love).”

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Field Stories  - misisonary stories for Sunday School, VBS, Christian School...

I Can See You...

Do you have trouble remembering where you've been?  Are you a mom who needs a clearer idea of what your kids are up to?  Here's something you can't live without: a pair of glasses for the eyes in the back of your head--they're called "Retro-specs".

Right; one more thing to misplace, wash, and replace...don't think they'll ever catch on.

But, what about our spiritual "eyes"?  Have you ever been so focused on something in front-- tragedy...blessing...distraction-- and haven't noticed Satan in your blind spot (just waiting for you to take your eyes off the rear-view mirror)?  What amazing care the Lord took of His people at the Red Sea.  He's still doing that for His children today!

Ex 14:19  "And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:"

Psalms 139:5  "Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me."

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But I Don't Want to Be a Clay Jar!

We are made of a most common, everyday, unremarkable, breakable substance-- clay. And yet, what an amazing thought that Christ chose us to carry His Gospel, the Gospel of the glory of Christ--this "light of the knowledge of the glory of God", and that we can show the world that this power is from God Himself.

What kind of vessel would you have chosen to carry this light, God's glory?  Something much more substantial, and definitely more elegant, perhaps? 

What an invaluable treasure we have to carry!  We may not always be happy with our "clay jar", but who would want to miss out on being chosen as a light-bearer?  God knew just Who He needed to do the job.

2Cor. 4:6,7  "For God, Who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us."

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Have You Studied For The Test?

When the Lord allows testing in our lives, He always makes it "open book"; but it's up to us to open it.

"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."   James 1:2-4

"For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass.  The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:  But the Word of the Lord endureth for ever.  And this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached unto you."  1 Peter 1:24,25

"For ever, O Lord, Thy Word is settled in heaven."  Psalm 119:89

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Never an Empty Nest...

During our ENSA (empty-nest syndrome adjustment...wow-- that sounds important!) I had a non-unique but encouraging thought.

While viewing an informative video about Emperor penguins,  I learned that the fathers will stand over their chicks--on the ice--for up to 4 months while the moms nip out for a bite to eat (several bites, actually).  They will stand there, their only shelter in being surrounded by the other dads.  Amazingly, the chick is protected yet not suffocated as he nestles between dad's "feet" and is totally covered by his towering bulk.  And then dad stands there, and stands...and stands...until mom returns with food.  Now it's papa's turn to go for a meal...but wait-- not until he teaches chickie the family "call".  For when dad returns, the only way the family can reunite is by listening for that unique call.  Only then-- after the chick has been handed over to mom-- does dad take off. (It sounds terribly chaotic when thousand of penguins are all calling at once, but the chick will hear his father's voice, and he, his chick's). 

So, whether you have a nest of chicks...one chick...no chicks...no nest, His creation still reminds us of how we will be in our Heavenly Father's "nest".  He will never leave any of His children without His perfect protection.

"Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me:  for my soul trusteth in Thee:  yea, in the shadow of Thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast."   Psalm 57:1

Push the "Pause" Button

I appreciate all of you who read these blogs and pass them on to others, since my goal in writing is to be a blessing and encouragement to as many people as possible.

I am, however, pausing in my weekly writing to begin work on a book.  I may occasionally send out a blog, so please don't delete me!

Stay tuned,

Marilyn

Lighthouse

The May picture on my lighthouse calendar was most intriguing. It was, however, not your basic lighthouse-gorgeous sunset view-calm water-glamor shot .  Rather, it shows a wet, gray, scratched base, 48ft. of the house itself, a circular walk, tiny railing, and miniature door (looking like an amatuer shot which totally missed the subject's body and face).

But the photographer had another thought.  He shows us an immense wave wrapping itself almost completely around the base of the lighthouse. You just know that-- if you look away for a moment--it will crash down and obliterate the walkway, railing, and door.  So, you keep staring at the picture.

Here's the best part.  Looking closely at the center of the picture, you see a man (3/4 inch tall) standing in the doorway, hands in his pockets, leaning against the jam, looking up.  Surely he knows a wave is coming.  He must feel the tenacity of the water and hear its strength as it slams into the lighthouse. How can he look so calm in such a precarious spot?  He must know that, if he runs, he will only be running in a circle, and only into the teeth of the wave, slipping on the concrete as he flees.  Yet, he stands securely by the door.  At just the right moment, he will step inside and go up.  It is the only way he can go.

"I will love Thee, O Lord, my strength.  The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in Whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower."

Psalm 18:1,2

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