Rewind...

I've been putting off converting twenty-some years of VHS tapes to DVD for too long!  So today I took the plunge--beginning with Christmas 1988.  
Watching our two boys at the age of eight and two and a half on Christmas morning brought an onslaught of emotions. I was aghast at how young Tom and I looked! 

As I made my way into 1989 and viewed one of Josh's basketball games, my motherly pride swelled as I watched him dribble with deft skill and make a basket for the "Green Hornets!"  My parents sat cheering on the sideline - both just about the same age I am now!

The emotional roller coaster ride I experienced was not what I'd expected.  My plan was to plow through at least a dozen by noon, and finish another twelve before dinner.  I was a train wreck by mid-day! 


The lyrics to the John Lennon song, "Beautiful Boy," came to mind as I continued to glimpse various moments in time: (How did they pass so quickly?) 

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."  

I yearned to place myself inside that video, push "re-do,"and re-live the minutes. Life is made up of moments that turn into hours and become days, and too many times as a mom, I missed it. 

If we aren't living in the present, in the here and now, we will miss it - those ordinary days that truly are extraordinary.

Our children are with us for such a short time.  What I would give to have one more day, one more hour with my boys. The cleaning and laundry and dishes will always be there, but our children will not. Seize the day!  Live in the moment before the moment's gone. Recognize the immeasurable worth of what's right in front of you!

Linger a bit longer as you tuck your kiddos into bed tonight and gaze back on those elfin faces as they sleep...tomorrow they'll be graduating high school and you'll be watching DVD's, longing to rewind!










 
     

If He does not...

For many years I've wanted to delve deep into the prophetic book of Daniel, as I yearn for Daniels' resolute faith & courage, and unwavering trust in God.  I've become more conscious of the Babylonian mentality in our world today...greediness, over indulgence, our obsession with aging, beauty, position, and wealth.  Through its reading, God has given me an awareness of my own Babylonian mindset which creeps in subtly in daily life!

This last week, I've been impacted by the stanch loyalty of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to God in intense times of trial. Most of us have experienced  times of testing in our life, and our Godly loyalty - our ability to stand firm in faith, deeply tested our character and convictions.   

When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego  were thrown into the fiery furnace, they had already predetermined their loyalty to Jesus.Their resolve was firm; their integrity apparent no matter what the circumstance.  Everything they were on the inside was obvious from the outside.  

"If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king (Nebuchadnezzar).  But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."

They knew there would be one of three outcomes:  

God would deliver them from the fire, and their faith would be built.

God would deliver them through the fire, and their faith would be refined (proved genuine-1Peter 1:7)

Or...

God would deliver them by the fire into His arms, and their faith would be perfected!

They knew that any of the above three was a win/win situation! 

...the God we serve is able to save us from it (the fiery furnace), and he will rescue us from your hand, O king.  But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.

I know that as we draw closer to the end times, my faith will be tested like never before, and it is my deepest desire that like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the last mention of my name would bring God fame!  Please Lord, may it be so!

 

Morning has broken

Mornings are my favorite time of the day!  Sitting out on our back patio this past summer has given me a keener knowledge of the wildlife all around me.  Surrounded with morning's quiet and nature's sounds, I've observed young crows learning the ins and outs of swooping down on their prey, woodpeckers with brilliant black feathers and clean white stripes hard at work pecking out beetles on the pine bark, a lone red tail fox darting into the woods with the first morning light, a doe with spotted fawns grazing in the tall grass, and squirrels and rabbits tromping through the grasses gathering food...always busy!

But this morning I was awed by the great pine trees that border the acreage behind our home -  here long before I was born (really old!). Grand and  majestic, there are several close by that have come together in pairs, as if they yearned for company! Each one forming an almost perfect half for the other, and yet together making one full, perfectly shaped whole. So much like two people coming together as one in marriage; each complimenting the other, making life full and complete!  Life is always reflected in the nature surrounding us, and this morning, God provided me with another beautiful example of harmony in his creation - in my own backyard!

Set apart

Lately, and more than a few times in these last months,  I have felt disconnected and detached, even among friends.  I've always been a leader; which has proved frustrating to me at various times throughout my life, and I've had only a handful of "like-minded" friends cross my life path. 

A good friend once shared with me that growing older and hopefully wiser has it's up side, and in these past months God has put me smack in the middle of several situations in which my perspective is definitely contrary to popular opinion!  I've been troubled by an attitude prevalent among believers that justifies worldly values and  compromises spiritual ones.

We're bound to face temptation in this life, simply by virtue of being human, yet so many of us suffer from temptations we should never have to endure, simply because we've refused to let God lift us to a higher level.
Temptation easily confuses us for a while- we don't know whether something is right or wrong.  We can't escape temptation- it's essential to the well-rounded life of a person, yet it constantly shifts our point-of-view and makes us lose what God has put into us through His Spirit.

As believers we have the idea that we should shield ourselves from some of the things God brings around us.  May this never be, as it is God who engineers our circumstances!  Whatever the circumstances, we must face them while continually abiding with Him in His temptations --temptations to the life of the Son of God in us.  Jesus' honor is at stake in our bodily lives.  

Yet what I've witnessed in recent years is a mind set that diminishes the circumstances God brings to us by deeming them harmless and nontoxic, when in reality they are an attack on His life in us! Temptation should never to be taken lightly, or dismissed as nondestructive.

Being in the world and not of the world  is what sets us apart.  God doesn't save us from temptation, but  He sustains us in the midst of it and grows us leaps and bounds in the process. Raising the standard as believers  sets us apart, in a world that would rather have us conform to the norm.

To such as these...

I witnessed the compassionate love of Jesus in one of my four/five-year-old  music classes today. One boy in the class, Christian, has been absent for several weeks. His dad is the new hitting coach for a Major League Baseball team, and so the family accompanied him to spring training.  For a four-year-old, coming back after many weeks of absence is hard--classrooms and classmates seem like strangers. 

As everyone chimed in, singing and moving to the music, Christian's eyes swelled with tears.  "I miss my mom," he sobbed.  

The petite figure standing next to him cuddled her tiny arms around his.  "It's alright, Christian.  It's hard coming back when you've been gone.  I cried when we had to leave my grandma's house to go home from vacation.  I know you miss your mom, but we're glad you're here,'cause we missed you. Do you want to sit down awhile?" Nodding yes through his sniffles, she guided him to a near-by chair, continuing to embrace him, as all gathered 'round to console.

And in that time-stopping moment, God's words came to mind, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."   

Leaving familiar surroundings for the unfamiliar is never easy for the big or the small.  There are times when we all need a little help from a friend.  And today, Jesus stepped in; personified in the diminutive form of a young girl.

I remember seeing a picture of Jesus smiling in one of our school offices.  Children were gathered around him, a few sitting on his lap. His face radiated joy as they clambered for his attention.  

I'm certain he was smiling like that today, watching "such as these" bring the kingdom of God to room 142.

Seventh Floor Angel

In second grade, my teacher was Mrs Sanford, and she cast me as the mother in our class play,  The Night Before Christmas.  My mom and I went shopping for the perfect night gown for my role, and I don't believe I've ever owned a more elegant one! It was creamy white with eyelet lace, and had alternate rows of pale pink satin ribbon woven throughout the bodice. Mock-pearl buttons dotted the front, stopping just above my waist, and I felt like Cinderella the moment I put it on! It was a dream gown for any eight year old girl, and I couldn't wait to show it off on opening night.

However, two weeks before my big debut, I was diagnosed with nephritis, and unbeknown to me, it was life threatening. The drive to St. Luke's Hospital that snow-white Colorado eve remains so vivid in my mind. My dad met us half-way after receiving mom's phone call, and carried me from the car into the entry way, setting me gently down in the prepared wheel chair. I'd lost a large amount of blood, and within moments I had a needle the size of my forearm inserted into a vein, with more fluids being pumped into my wee frame than I've ever had since.

Looking back, I don't remember any pain, and my courageous mom and dad hid theirs well. One or both remained by my side the entire stay, and they never once showed the slightest hint of distress in my presence, ever cheerful and optimistic.

I received the most amazing coloring roll from our next door neighbors, complete with a giant box of crayons, and classmates sent cards, letters, and pictures of the Christmas play which of course came and went with my best friend playing my role.

As siblings weren't allowed in any of the hospital rooms, my mom received the doctor's okay to visit with my sisters  in a small waiting area on the third floor.  The morning of their visit, my mom helped me don my new night gown, and weaved pink satin ribbon through my braids.  I felt like a princess as she wheeled me to the seventh floor elevator and pushed the button for the third floor.  Just as the doors began to close, a man suddenly emerged, and stood next to me wearing a smile that was dazzling! Every detail of his person has remained clear to me through these many years.  He was quite tall, with sapphire eyes that glistened amid his luminous white hair and beard. His shirt was the whitest I‘d ever seen, and he wore velvet green knickers with gold embroidery surrounding each pocket. His shoes were brilliant crimson, and as I gazed upon his face, I was certain he was Saint Nicholas in person! I glanced over my shoulder at my mother, as she stood behind me waiting for the elevators doors to part. She nodded, giving me a quick wink and a smile. She sees him too, I thought. And then in an instant, he was kneeling next to me; whispering my name, and assuring me I was going to be "just fine." His face radiated warmth, and in that moment, I knew without a doubt I was well. And as the elevator doors slid open, I became aware of something round and hard deep in the palm of my hand. Unfolding my fingers, I spied a shiny new silver dollar!  Somewhat confused, I stuffed it into my gown pocket as my sisters ran toward me with hugs and kisses.

In the days following my release from the hospital, I transferred the silver dollar into a single white sock and placed it in my jewelry box. I hadn't shared my encounter with anyone, as I yearned to hold on to the specialness of that moment. But as weeks passed, I grew anxious to talk with my mom about the man we'd seen in the elevator, who got in on the seventh floor and off on the third. I was shocked to discover that mother had absolutely no recollection of such a person! I reminded her that she nodded and winked when he got on, and that he knew my name. She was quite surprised when I presented her with the polished silver dollar, but did not doubt my story, and fixing her eyes squarely on my face softly affirmed, " I believe that God sent you a special angel, sweetheart. And I believe that He has made you well!" My eyes swelled with tears, as my mom drew me close, and in that ephemeral moment, I knew with complete certainty that my Saint Nick was most certainly that!

I was up quite late tonight as I couldn't sleep. We had a blizzard and white-out conditions here in Colorado, and I was waiting to hear from our youngest son, confirming that he was home safe and sound. As I sat gazing at the snow outside my bedroom window, praying for God to give His angels charge over our son-for His protection, my thoughts trailed back to that Colorado winter so many years ago when God sent me my seventh floor angel, and by His grace, to this day, my health has been extraordinarily "just fine!"

He shall give His angels charge over you, to guard you in all your ways.  Psalm 91:11

Take hold of this day...

This Wednesday one of the second grade teachers at the school where I teach met an untimely death after suffering a seizure. I received word of her passing Wednesday evening. I remember exchanging smiles in the lunch room just the day before, and although I did not know her well,  I know she was beloved by her students, and the void she has left is irreplaceable.  Here, and then gone.  In a moment, taken from earth into heavenly territory, by his grace.

I love the words of Sheri Rose Shepherd from Love Letters from Your King:
"You need not worry when your life will end, My precious child.  All you need to know is that your first breath began with Me, and your last breath will lead you to My presence.  Don't ever let fear of death or eternity frighten you.  Your todays and tomorrows are secure with Me-I have held them in My hand since the beginning of time.  When you finish your brief time on earth and I call you into heaven, your 'forever life' in heaven will begin."

Valerie Hildebrandt was a Christ-like example daily to her second-graders, and their lives have been forever changed by her presence.  What was learned under her tutelage will remain in hearts for a life time.

Our time here is brief; we've been given just enough to bring forth God's life-changing news of salvation-
we're here to collect people! We are called to bring others to him.

If we live each day as if it were our last, leaving eternal imprints on the lives of those we know and love, though they be brief, their impact will linger long after we have gone. Recognize that God has strategically placed each of us here for such a time as this. Seize each day!  Make a difference in the lives of those God brings into yours...one day at a time for the rest of the days you've been given.

...that I may finish the race with joy and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-
Matthew 20:  24