Uninhibited Volunteering
My girls have recently become involved with 4-H, which means, I have recently become involved with 4-H! LOL.
It’s ok, I enjoy the company of other people, and gravitate toward others, rather than always being alone.
The girls volunteered for offices within the club, and I am now the proud parent of a Reporter and Health & Safety Officer for our local 4-H club. I’m really proud of them, though they almost bit off more than they (or I!) could chew.
So far, the girls have (combined) volunteered for: offices in the club, livestock showing, photography, forestry, community service of course, being on the Christmas Committee, and a few other things. Now, I don’t mind all that, as long as they remain devoted to whatever endeavors they choose. For instance, forestry will be very challenging for my oldest, only 10, but has the potential to develop into something wonderful. I’m excited about the possibilities they have available.
Tonight,my 10-year-old volunteered to be the leader of the Christmas Committee, which will be in charge of delegating for the club party in November. She is the 2nd youngest, next to my younger daughter only, yet will be heading up this committee. This is a great leadership learning opportunity for her, and will give her another chance to serve others.
So, it all got me to wondering. (And we all know what happens when I start wondering!)
How often do we volunteer OUR time as adults? Do we jump in and offer to provide a service for someone less fortunate, or for a friend who simply can’t do it?
I’m not hounding, and I’m not advocating that you become someone who cannot say, “No.” But, as I look at my own life, I wonder how much I put my own selfishness in the place of serving someone. God commanded that we work 6 days and rest for only 1. Yet, I feel cheated if I have to “work” on the weekends.
I’m a person who doesn’t like to feel that everything is scheduled….our homeschool is very much a “go-with-the-flow,” and reflects our lifestyle in a good way. But, God has been showing me that some structure is not bad. It doesn’t mean I have to schedule everything, but simply have a basic guide. And, I’m learning something else….
When I have that basic guide, I can schedule in some volunteer service.
If I can know that my own personal work will be accomplished by a certain time, then I know I can offer my time to another. And, if my own work is done, it is selfish of me not to offer my time.
My goal over the coming months is to schedule some volunteer work as a family, and perhaps even individually. John has been wanting to serve dinners on Thanksgiving for years. Perhaps this is the year. I’ve always said, “But, we don’t know where to go?” Well, isn’t that taking the easy way out?
I want my children to know that there are others who are much less fortunate than we are. That even though we are not rich, and may never be, that serving others through volunteering is a way to serve the Lord God Almighty, and to show the love of Jesus Christ His Son to those who may not yet know Him.
Here’s hoping you’ll volunteer, too.
Happy serving!
Toni
Decluttering….Far More than Organizing
I am a pack rat.
I admit it – I keep all kinds of things. Drawings, papers, articles. The problem is, I don’t organize it well enough it find it, and soon forget I even kept it until I start weeding things out. So, at that point, you would think I would say, “Toni, you haven’t used this in X months/years, get rid of it,” right? Wrong.
Nope, I refile it with better intentions of using it, reading it, writing about it, etc. And, again, 6 months later…I run across it again. Some would say I need a better system. Some would be right.
Anyway, today is the day that I begin decluterring – again. So, I’m trying to toss things I don’t need. I’m getting better. I think I may even be able to overcome my addiction at some point in my life! But, it made me think of something else:
Jesus said that when we become His followers, we are no longer that which we were before, but are new creations. So, why then, do we tend to hang on to the “stuff” of our past for so long? Maybe for some its the pain of a divorce, or the shame of an immoral relationship…for others it could be the hurt of abuse, or the indignity of past addictions. The truth is, no matter how early in our lives we came to Christ, we all have a past as a sinner. And, the instant we trusted in the power of the blood of the Lamb to forgive us for those sins, we became something new, something wonderful, something Divinely inhabited by the Holy Spirit.
So, why do we allow Satan to steal our joy by holding on so closely to those things we need to toss from our lives? I believe part of it lies in lack of forgiveness. Jesus said we are to forgive others, and He said that if we do not forgive, He cannot forgive us. Who are we to say, “I can’t forgive myself for _____________,” when the One who created us, says, “I freely forgive you”? Dare we put ourselves above God and say our judgment is stronger than His? God forbid!
I believe part of it lies also in familiarity, though. Even though those things are something we would gladly do without, comfort sometimes makes it hard to let go. Think about it – an old, tattered, soft, worn-out t-shirt is so comfortable. You wouldn’t wear it in public, and its threadbare, but you keep it simply because its comfortable. We are so afraid of getting rid of the familiar sometimes that we miss out on the Divine! With the t-shirt – God wants to replace it with a robe of pure white! A white that we can’t comprehend! But, we’re content to hang on to the tattered, worn-out t-shirt with the stains all over it.
I am pleading with each one of you – get on your knees – get on your face before the Lord of the universe and ask Him to reveal anything Satan is using to rob you of your joy in salvation. And ask Him to remove it, completely.
Most importantly: let Him remove it.
Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
More than you can imagine!
For anyone who knows me, you know that the biggest struggle for me comes from covetousness. Satan knows EXACTLY where to hit me – right between the eyes every time. Bigger house, newer car, nicer clothes, motorhome, a boat, etc – these are all things I’d love to have. Yet, I know that being a believer in Jesus Christ does not guarantee me any earthly treasure. However, sometimes knowing and letting go are two very different things.
At church tonight, one of our elders spoke about Heaven. He spoke mainly about the New Heaven, the one to come after the Great White Throne Judgment. Fellow believers, let me tell you, this is EXACTLY what I needed to hear.
Do you realize the sheer size of the holy city of Jerusalem when it comes down to earth at that time? Even if it were built just like human cities, the size alone would astound even the most skeptical of critics. Fifteen hundred miles wide, long, and high! This city is a 1500 mile cube! Not only the size, but consider this: the paving material is, as our elder put it, “the most prized possession in the world today – gold.” But, this isn’t the kind of gold on your wedding band. In comparison, that’s cheap. This gold is so perfectly pure that it is like glass.
Then, there’s the “pearly” gates. First, imagine how enormous gates for a city such as this would be. David said that 1500 miles would cover the USA from the Canadian border into Mexico, and from the Mississippi River into the Pacific Ocean. Now, imagine that height as well. So, again….how big do those gates have to be? And each one is created from a single pearl. I don’t know about you, but I had heard the pearly gate thing before, and have read it. But, when I really think about the SIZE of it, the wonder comes back again. One pearl equals one gate. Unfathomable.
The foundations of 12 different precious jewels. I think maybe the idea here is that God uses what we perceive to have immense value as building materials. But, when you think about it, it makes sense. God sees more value in us than He does those jewels.
So, how does this tie into the covetousness thing? Glad you asked.
On one hand, it doesn’t. It is simply a wonderful reminder of what awaits us in Heaven when we get to see our blessed Saviour.
However, on the other hand, I needed to hear it tonight, because this week has been one of those weeks I have really struggled. On this hand, this reminder taught me something…something simple, yet very profound hit me as I listened. Maybe, just maybe, I’m like Fanny Crosby. She once said that if she had the chance, she would have been born blind all over again. Why? Because the first face she would ever see would be that of her Saviour, Jesus. Now, I have my eyesight, hearing, full use of my arms and legs, but maybe there is still a correlation: not having everything I long for here on earth means that when I get to Heaven, it will be that much better.
Yeah, right now we live in a mobile home…hey, we’re adults, let’s call it what it is…we live in a trailer. But that does not define me. I buy clothes at Walmart, garage sales, and resale shops. But that does not define me. I drive a used minivan – and I still owe on it. But that does not define me. I do not have a perfect figure, and I am a diabetic. But, that does not define me.
What defines me is who I am in Christ. He has forgiven my sins! Even mine! And, everyday I wonder why. As humans, we are so caught up in what we do to deserve something, that we find it hard to understand how the Creator of the world can forgive us so freely – without us doing anything to “deserve” it. What defines me is knowing that I have a place secured in Heaven…that my Saviour went there to prepare a place for me, and is returning again to bring me home. How or when, only Heaven knows.
Either way, the song Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus says it perfectly, and I’ll leave you with these words, because tonight, the Lord used them to speak to me:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of this world will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace
Strangers in a Strange Land
Anyway, my sister lives in a big city in southeast Texas – on the coast. Our family lives about 20 miles out of our small town. Let me add a little more detail – just to be sure this post makes sense!
The town I live in…to be more exact, live outside of, has only one Super WalMart. We have one Bealls, a Brookshire Brothers grocery store, a feed store, Tractor Supply, Lowes, and two vets. There are of course several smaller businesses there as well, but we are still a relatively small town of about 8247 people. This is also in deep east Texas, where the people are hard-workers (for the most part), laid back, and lead simple, quiet lives.
The town my sister lives in has, on one corner, a WalMart, Walgreens, Target, Home Depot, nail salons, etc. And that’s just the ones I can remember. My town has no mall….to get to one we have to drive 1 ½ hours south or 1 hour north. For my sister to get to a mall, she has to drive about 15 minutes, and that’s due to traffic.
So, here’s where the meat of this post comes in:
I needed some jeans while I was there (and got to buy TWO sizes smaller than the last pair I bought!!!), and wanted something other than WalMart jeans this time, so she and I went to the mall. (OK, to be honest, we went to the mall to pick up my favorite brother-in-law’s cookie cake because it was his birthday, too.) Anyway, we were starving so we grabbed a bite to eat in the food court before we made our rounds. As I looked around, I actually told my sister, “Toto, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore!”
Now, I grew up in the city (albeit not one as big as where she lives), and have lived in or very near large cities most of my life. But for the past 2 ½ years, we have lived here in the country. And, I must admit, I was not prepared for how much it has changed me.
The mall itself seemed like something out of Star Trek. Even the malls we do have nearby are no comparison. After people-watching during our Arby’s meal, we made our way to the store I would buy my new (smaller!) jeans in. I picked ‘em out, tried ‘em on, and went to pay…the cashier took my payment, and this is the part that I had to laugh at: she wrapped my blue jeans in tissue paper and put them in a brown shopping bag and tied it with a bow! My sister jokingly said, “You don’t get service like that at home, do you?!” Nope. We get WalMart bags!
I did a little more shopping, and we headed back to the house. I really was amazed at how much different the city seemed to me now that I had lived in the country for a while. I was, in fact, uncomfortable there. I felt terribly out of place – like people could look at me and tell that I didn’t belong.
But you know what? I didn’t mind a bit. Because that’s what Christians do, anyway. We experience that out-of-place feeling daily in our lives, regardless of where we are. We can be at the convenience store around the corner or the post office.
Wherever we are, we are out of place. We are strangers in a strange land, because our home is not here. Our home is in Heaven and the moment we feel too comfortable here, we have lost the focus on what is important. Sin abounds in this earthly residence, but in Heaven our citizenship is secure and wonderful.
Jesus promised us that this world would hate us, because it hated Him. But we are not to fear – for HE HAS OVERCOME THE WORLD!
So, today I want to remind you that if you feel completely out of place in the world, don’t fear. Rejoice! This is NOT your place! You are designed for far greater things than this old world! God made you to enjoy the Heavenly home He created just for you!
The Name Game
From Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, 1594:
JULIET:
‘Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What’s Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call’d,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
And for that name which is no part of thee
Take all myself.Although I’m taking this a bit out of context, Shakespeare’s intended meaning is the same: Juliet meant that it doesn’t matter what name we give to something, it remains the same. Think about it: does a rose smell any different if I call it garlic? Nope. Still smells delicious – just with a different name.
As it is with a lie. Still reeks, just with a different label.
A lie is a lie regardless of the packaging. It’s sort of like being given the most hideous gift ever, something truly revolting, in a beautiful package trimmed with bows, ribbons, exquisite wrapping and a lovely gift card with real gold lettering. The package itself does not make the gift any less revolting. In fact, it makes it worse because you expect something fabulous, and instead, get…..horrific.
In our society, we have given way to “New Age” beliefs, numerology, scientology, kabbala (sp?), hinduism, buddhism, islam, athiesm, homosexuality, abortion on demand, success-oriented churches, astrology, etc. And in doing these things, we heap lie upon lie.
Satan, the author of lies and confusion, loves it. He doesn’t really care what we call his lies as long as we believe them. But the fact remains, it is still a lie. It doesn’t matter what name we give the religion or agenda, if it is contrary to the Word of God, it is a lie. Regardless of the name.
Everything happens for a reason….but whose reason is it?
I know someone who is very fond of saying, “Everything happens for a reason,” meaning that everything that happens is supposed to happen. It’s actually a fatalistic view of the world, of course – depending on who says it.
You see, when a Christian says, “Everything happens for a reason,” what he or she means is that the Lord can use anything for the good of His Kingdom. However, the actual statement, is somewhat faulty. Let’s examine.
God is in complete control – period. However, BECAUSE He allows us free will, things happen everyday that are outside the will of God. For instance: adultery, murder, homosexuality, unwed mothers, theft, idolatry, gossip, etc., are ALL outside the will of God. God CAN use those experiences for good, but that is because He can REDEEM a situation – NOT because He condones it.
The things that happened in my past – wait, let me rephrase – the things that I did in my past are there because I chose to do them – NOT because God wanted me to do them, or to have those experiences. Quite the contrary – had I lived within His will for my whole life, I would have been spared much of the pain of the guilt of sin. But, I chose my own way for a season. Some would say, “Everything happens for a reason.” But, whose reason is it?
The truth is, the things that happened in my past happened for my reasons. They were what I wanted. They were not what God had planned for my life. He knew it would happen. He allowed it to happen. And in his infinite grace and wisdom, He chose to REDEEM my life IN SPITE OF WHAT I DID.
That’s the key – in spite of me. God redeemed my life, saved my soul, and gave me hope not because of me, but in spite of me.
God calls us to obedience, and through obedience, He can bless us. But when we are disobedient, He sometimes allows us to feel the sting of the consequences of our actions so that we can learn a lesson for next time.
Regardless, we serve a God who is in the Miracle Making Business. In fact, He has a monopoly on the market. So, when the world condemns a situation, God can redeem it for His purposes. This is evidenced by Romans 8:28 which says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” In my KJV Bible, the word His is italicized. Emphasized. Special. It is THE word to take note of in this verse – HIS purpose.
So, yes, in a sense, I guess everything happens for a reason. But, we need to be very careful in placing the blame of reason where it rightly belongs. Did it happen because God supernaturally caused it to happen (and He can!)? Or, did it happen because we were living outside the will of God and ignored His laws and precepts?
When you say, “I’ll pray for you”
Your cousin’s mother-in-law is going for surgery in a week. Your cousin asks you to pray. You say you will.
Your best friend says she is worried about her finances and asks you to pray for God to show her what to do. You promise to pray daily until He answers her.
Your brother asks you to pray for his marriage. You agree to pray daily, without fail, until his marriage is back on track and winning again.
But, life happens. You pray, but the prayers are for things you need just to make it through the day. You ask God to help you find your lost car keys, make it to the doctor’s office on time, and to make that last $50 stretch until payday. You remember your promises to pray for your friends and family, so you say a rushed prayer while you drive to the grocery store. You know you should do more, but the time just slips away.
Does this sound like you? I’m not judging, because I have been there all too often, myself. The question is, who are we short-changing when we fail to pray like we promised?
In my humble opinion, we are doing ourselves a disservice. Don’t get me wrong, the person we are praying for definitely receives a benefit, too, but we miss even more. We miss the opportunity to go before the God of the universe and plead for a fellow believer. And sometimes, we have the opportunity to plead for the salvation of another human. We get to wrestle with demons for that person’s eternal destiny!
But, all too often, we don’t. We miss the boat. We throw up a quick prayer and hope God counts it as a real one. Yes, quick prayers are good sometimes – sometimes they are all we can manage in certain situations! But, when there is something big – salvation, health, marriage, etc – at stake, we owe God and the recipient more than a few seconds.
I challenge you to spend a minimum of 3 minutes of prayer for EACH person or situation you have agreed to pray for – daily. For 5 people, that only adds 15 minutes to your prayer time. You can do it! (You may need to get up an extra 15 minutes earlier, but, you can do it!)
