one purpose accomplished with unique gifts

I was at my doctor's office yesterday waiting for my name to be called. I'm not sick. It was time to see him so I could keep getting my medicines filled at the drugstore and I needed malaria medicine for our mission trip to Africa in November.

While I was sitting there a young woman was talking really loudly to herself. Well, that's what it looked like anyway. Actually she had one of the ear devices that allowed her to talk on the phone to a real person but she just looked like she was carrying on a conversation with no one in particular.

I tried not to eavesdrop into her lively discourse by reading my book but between sentences I heard, "Africa. Clean water. It's all for the children. We have $X00,000 for the project. Yes. It's all about the children. Aren't you excited, Sam? Yes. Africa...mission... search... contact...village...wells...clean water...etc." There was no way I could have avoided hearing her half of the conversation. She was loud!

After she said good bye, I kept thinking I should mention our mission trip to her and that we should talk. But I didn't do it. Instead I considered all the tidbits I'd heard. Was she Christian or just part of a philanthropic organization? Where in Africa was she planning to put wells? She sounded experienced and very professional on her topic but I also thought that she didn't look like much more than a teen and how could she be in charge of such a large project? As I think about it all now I realize that I could have known all this right from her own words if I'd stretched myself just a little bit and initiated conversation with her.

And, to give you a glimpse into my skeptical self, I wondered how much of her enthusiasm and volume was for the benefit of the waiting room audience? I thought about my personality and how I would never have put my whole conversation 'out there' for the world to hear as she did. It's just not something I'd do.

The young woman was called back to see the doc and soon, so was I. That was the end of it. Right? Nope. In the examination room, the doc asked me where we were going on our mission trip this time. He is a Christian and is always interested in the details of our trips with the church. I told him about Equatorial Guinea and how long we were going to be gone. He mentioned the young woman and her life and the well project. She and her husband have two natural children and they have recently adopted a baby from Uganda. Their clean water project is in the same country and that they hope to someday be missionaries there.

My immediate thought was that her open and enthusiastic personality will serve her well in the mission field. The Lord really knows who needs to be where and puts them in the perfect place with their perfect job. Then I thought about the scripture I'd been reading just the day before.

⁶ In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. ⁷ If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. ⁸ If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly...Romans 12:6-8.

Although it's never profitable, it is a normal thing to compare ourselves with others and that's what I did that day in the waiting room. I am not a young wife and mother with three children, one adopted from Africa, and looking to spend my life on the mission field. I am not skilled in directing large projects for wells in Uganda. I am even too shy to use one of the ear phone devices. But, it's OK. The Lord made the young woman in the waiting room and gave her specific talents which she's using for Him in a great way.

And, by God's grace, so am I.

How great is it that we can take the things we love to do and are good at and use them for the Lord's work. How wonderful that I don't have to have someone else's gift or talent--and she doesn't have to have mine!

As the Lord's children, we all have the same purpose--to tell others about Jesus and what He has done for us--but we each also have a God-given unique way to accomplish the Lord's purpose. It means that comparisons to my sisters in the Lord are useless. It means that I can serve the Lord in the way He's designed for me and that more perfectly fits my bent--and so can you! Knowing this removes the self-imposed expectations about keeping up with anyone else. What we do well, we do for Him. There's no pressure from the Lord to be someone we are not. We can serve Him enthusiastically and without reservation.

The Lord thinks of everything for our good!

Lord, you are so wonderful and creative and encouraging to us. You tell us to, "Go. Do what you're good at doing and do it for Me." Thank you, Father for the young woman I saw in the waiting room the other day. Bless her and her family's lives to work for you. Guide them. Guide us. I appreciate you so much, Lord. I love you.

Suz

blessed clean

Have you ever been really dirty? I mean, dusty, muddy, greasy, sandy, get down and working hard, rolling in the mud, stinky, filthy dirty? I don't know if I have ever been all those things at once, but I have been pretty dirty on occasion.

My dear husband doesn't do anything half way so there are times when he's working on a project that's pretty nasty and he comes in, tired from laboring all day, and he's all of the above. Sometimes I just have to laugh and I say, "You're a dirty bird. What'chu been doin? Rolling around in the dirt?" He takes off his cap, rubs his head and says, "I guess so." Then the first thing he does is head for the shower. He wants to be back to himself and clean again. I think it's mostly a guy thing to get so crazy dirty.

As for me, when I need a bath it's less likely I've been working on a motor, doing yard work, or digging a hole. When I want...need...a shower it's because I have been cleaning house, doing laundry, cooking, taking care of the pups, running errands, etc. and I want to be fresh. I want to wash my hair, be clean and smell good again and a shower does the trick for me in just a few minutes. It's a matter of degrees but the result is the same. Cleanliness may not really be next to godliness, but it's sure nicer than being stinky!

My mother took a shower every other day until about two weeks before she died because she couldn't stand how she felt without one. It took all morning to accomplish this feat but it was necessary for her to feel comfortable and I wanted, more than anything in the world, for her to be as comfortable as possible in her last days.

I'd get out her clean gown and towel and lay them on the bathroom counter, place the shower chair in just the right position for the water not to hit her directly in the face, place a clean washcloth and soap easily within her reach in the shower, turn on the heater in the bathroom, and start the water running a minute or two before she walked in so it'd be nice and warm for her.

"Your things are all set up for your bath, Mom. Let me help you up."

She'd sit on the side of the bed gathering her bearings and her strength to make the 6 steps into her bathroom for the event. I'd turn the water off and once she was seated in the shower, I'd turn the warm water back on. She'd lean forward a little and let the water run over her head, face and body.

"Oh my. That feels so good, Suzy. You just don't know how good this feels to me. You go away and just let me sit here in this water for a while. I'll call you when I need help."

I'd take a few steps into the bedroom and stand by the bathroom door, listening for her call. When she didn't call me right away, then I'd take the opportunity to put fresh sheets on her bed and straighten up her room. In a few minutes, she'd ask me to come help her with her bath and I'd oblige, washing her hair, her back and whatever else she wanted me to wash. When we were done, she was pretty exhausted so I'd quickly dry and dress her so she could brush her teeth at the sink. We'd make her smell good with a little deodorant and Pure Grace cologne. I'd comb her hair and roll it for her and soon she was refreshed and pretty once again and tucked into her clean bed ready for a nap. My mother hadn't been out working in the dirt and hot sun like Byron had but I'll bet she felt as good as he did after she'd had her bath.

My younger cousin, a nurse, went to her friend's house this morning. Her friend is a young woman whose cancer was discovered late and she's very sick. Instead of heading to church, my sweet cousin blessed her friend with a bath. This simple act of kindness, of love, of Christ-likeness, touches my heart more than I can possibly describe. When K leaves her friend this morning, her friend will rest soundly in K's gift of refreshing cleanliness. I love K so much for doing this for her friend.

Showers and baths are wonderful things. Soaps, shampoos, deodorants and perfumes are great things to use and most of us love how we feel when we've washed the work of our day off of our bodies. As much as we want our bodies clean after we've become dirty, hot, sweaty and stinky, the Lord wants us to desire to be clean on the inside too. He wants our hearts and our lives clean. He wants the inside of us clean whether or not we ever get near a drop of water again.

It's a beautiful thing and right in line with what the Lord wants for us, to ask the the Lord to, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." Psalm 51:10

Then, the Lord tells us that He, himself, will make us how he wants us. He tells us, "Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool," Isaiah 1:18.

Father, Thank you for those who give of themselves to make others comfortable with something as simple as a bath. It may not seem like a big thing to some, but it's infinitely lovely for the one receiving it. Thank you for the giving heart of a friend. Thank you for being the one who cleans our heart from its scarlet sinfulness to a heart that's white as wool. You are good and your love endures forever. I love you so much.

Suz

messes and mentors

Did you ever see an old movie where a wizened old guy takes a young guy under his wing and says,

"You stick with me, kid. I'll show you what to do. I'll take care of you. It'll be great!"

For a while the kid stays close to Experienced guy and stuff works out well. But that great arrangement doesn't last long. Success leads Young guy to become full of himself and he decides he knows an even better way to do things. Before you know it. Boom! He's in one more pickle.

Experienced guy steps back and never crowds Young guy. Young guy flounders around for a while getting into trouble after trouble, too proud to come back to the one person that's ever helped him. The situation becomes a humongous mess.

There's only one way to end the nightmare of Young guy's own wayward decisions. He turns to his mentor, Experienced guy, who rescues his penitent friend and puts him back on the right road to happiness and success.

Yeah, I saw that one.

I've also seen it played out in real life with friends and acquaintances and it's not a pretty picture when financial situations become messes. We say we depend on the Lord and follow His leading during the good times because it takes small faith to trust the Lord when work is plentiful, our savings account is growing and we're feeling smart and secure in our future. The Lord reigns in boom time. We're really trusting God now!

That's when arrogance can infiltrate our thinking and we are riding on our high horses.

"I'm doing well. Things are really going great guns for us. I think I can handle this stuff."

And, while we may not say it out loud, an attitude of, "Thanks, Lord, but I'll be moving on without you now," pervades our thinking and our actions.

When the down turn comes (and it will come), when work slows down to nearly nothing, when money saved dwindles because there's little coming in and there are bills to pay, when retirement funds lose profits and shrink, we get nervous and scared about what's going to happen to us.

Many of us do that. We put our trust into job security, savings accounts, investments, friends, insurance, or our healthy bodies and physical strength and determine that we will take care of ourselves. We will pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps. We will maneuver that deal. We will make that contact. We will be shrewd investors. We will wheel and deal 'til the cows come home and in the end we will come out on top. Economy or no economy. We will work hard enough and we will do what it takes to succeed. Yep. That's what we're gonna do alright.

In and of itself, working hard is good. Healthy bodies are good. Wisdom in financial and business matters is good. The glitch is when our entire faith lies in ourselves and what we can accomplish. Try as we might, there are many issues that only the Lord himself can fix. There are times when we aren't smart enough, business savvy enough, or ambitious enough to change it. That's when we discover that the only one who can change it is the Lord.

Just as the younger man in our movie scene returned to his mentor, we must return to the Lord. But how? How do we return to the Lord? He tells us that we return to him by being honest, by doing things His way. He tells us to stop robbing him of tithes and offerings and then makes us promises when we do as He instructs:

Malachi 3 :7-12 ...Return to me, and I will return to you," says the Lord Almighty.

"But you ask, 'How are we to return?' ⁸ "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.

"But you ask, 'How do we rob you?'
"In tithes and offerings. ⁹ You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. ¹⁰ Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. ¹¹ I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the Lord Almighty.¹² "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the Lord Almighty.

It's not about pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps or being brave or being strong. It's about becoming dependent on the Lord. It's about trusting and serving the one who cares and is truly able to do something about our situation. It's about well-placed faith in the Lord. It's about being strong in the Lord--not in ourselves, our bank account, our jobs or in the next get rich quick investment idea floating around.

It's about utter and total dependence on God. It's about honoring him in the way HE wants us to honor Him. The Lord says that obedience is better than sacrifice. It's simple, really. He makes it simple for us because He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows us and wants to hold us close to himself. He says to us,

"Stay with me, child and I'll bring you through this. I will never leave you. I will never forsake you. I will be your strength. I will carry you. Rest in me. Trust in me."

Father, Thank you for certainty in an uncertain time. Sometimes this economic stuff scares me--but I know who you are. Help me to never ride on my high horse in arrogance, Lord. You are attentive to your children. You have taken good care of my family and me in all times, both easy and hard and I appreciate it so much. I love you, Lord and I trust you.

Suz

needs and wants

My chicken coop is about finished and it's looking really good. Almost too good for chickens. Byron has worked exceptionally hard on this project for me and I really appreciate all the hours he's spent on it. For as much as he's done, the selection of a plan, gathering of materials and hour upon hour of sheer labor, one might think I had to sweet talk, wheedle, cajole or even beg him to start this project. I didn't. It took a phone call to him one day while he was on his job.

"Hi honey. How are you doing?"

"I'm good. Just working is all."

"Yeah. I know sweety. Be sure you drink enough water. OK?"

"I will."

"Hey. I have an idea and I want you to build something for me."

"What?"

"I really want some chickens and I want to let them run around the yard during the day but I need a chicken coop to keep them safe at night."

"You do?"

"Yep. I do."

"OK. I'll build you a coop."

"OK. Thank you. I love you!"

"I love you, too. See you this evening."

"OK. See you later."

That was all that was said and now, my coop is nearly finished--after more labor than I ever thought it would take. That's all it took. A desire. A request. A yes. Lots o'work. Finished project. Voila! Yard chickens and fresh eggs to come soon!

Byron is doing this thing for me for one main reason. He loves me. After thirty- nine years he still wants to make his girl happy by giving me something I really want. Even if it is a chicken coop that is going to take considerable labor. That's what love does. It acts to supply the needs and desires for the benefit of the beloved.

The Lord shows His love for us, too. For example, in the last couple of weeks there have been many prayers for a friend's new baby who was born with a heart problem. Family called family called friend called friend to ask for prayer for this newborn, for this definite need. There was a huge need, a strong desire, for a healthy baby for the parents and family, and, out of love many, many people prayed sincerely asking for the Lord to intervene in this child's life. And, the Lord, in His infinite goodness and love, is answering these heartfelt prayers. The baby is doing better and we will continue to ask the Lord to heal him.

The Lord does stuff like this for us all the time for the same reason. Pure love. When we ask sincerely for a need, He answers. When we pray for a want, He often supplies it for us. That's not to say the Lord is like our Christmas tradition of Santa. Heaven forbid! But it is definitely like the role our earthly dads fulfill during our lifetime. My dad often gave me something I wanted, just because I wanted it, and the Lord wants to give us gifts, too. My dad would have never in a million years given me something he felt would harm me--just as my Heavenly Father would never give me harmful things.

⁹Would any of you give your hungry child a stone, if the child asked for some bread?¹⁰Would you give your child a snake if the child asked for a fish? ¹¹As bad as you are, you still know how to give good gifts to your children. But your heavenly Father is even more ready to give good things to people who ask. (Luke 11.9-11)

What need do you have? What desire do you yearn for? Come to the Lord with a humble heart seeking Him and asking Him for what you need. Ask Him and trust His wisdom for your life. Seek Him. The Lord is trustworthy and good. He will be found. He will not turn you away.

Father, thank you for your pure love for your children. Thank you for wisely choosing good gifts for us. Thank you for friends and family that hold us up in prayer when the need is great and thank you for your touch in our friend's baby's life. I am grateful for your presence in my life. I love you so very much.

Suz

building relationship while building a chicken coop

Byron and I worked together today building a chicken coop for the chicks I want. I plan to let the chickens mosey over the yard eating bugs, etc. and I want their eggs. I don't want to butcher any of them. I just want to collect their eggs. And, if I'm really clear about who did what let's say that Byron built the coop and I helped.

My jobs were:

1. holding boards

2. handing him tools he asks for

3. nailing a few nails with a hammer (I really liked doing this part)

4. sighting boards to see if they are straight before he nails them

5. fetching food and drink when needed

6. helping clean up

I know I didn't really do a lot of the actual work we did today on the coop but it was fun for both of us. Yeah, even for Byron. We have a good time doing stuff together--even when I'm not that much help. I know he likes me out there with him because he tells me so but I know it also because of the way he acts while I'm there.

We laugh and talk. Sometimes we yell a little bit because he understands building stuff and I don't but it's OK because we're not mad, just loud. We discuss things other than the coop and chickens. We talk about what's going on in our circle of friends and family. We talk about stuff that bothers us. We laugh about the 60s music we have playing in the garage while we work and how Janis Joplin might have been talented but she sure did have a screaming singing style and how after 30 minutes it really starts to get on my nerves and I'd really like to listen to something else. You know, stuff like that.

It's not about the project itself, even though I will be excited when it's done and I have my little biddies to nurture and raise, and it's not about how skilled I am or how much work I actually do on it. It's about shared time together and a shared goal. It's about alone time with your best friend. It's about love and laughter and relationship. It's about fellowship, one with the other. It's about making memories and the future together.

My day today with Byron is a shadow, a type, of our relationship with Jesus. Fun, friendship, shared experiences, shared purpose, making memories, love, and the future with our elder brother, Jesus. The closer we draw to Jesus, the more we keep Him in the moment to moment of our lives, the sweeter our communication is with Him.

Although He certainly cares about our hurts and struggles, following Christ isn't only about serious stuff. It is absolutely about spending time with Him, practicing His presence at all times of the day and realizing that He is with you...now. Right now. Yes, even at 12:17 am when I can't sleep, AND at 5:30 am when I have to get up. I am aware that He promised never to leave us so that means he's here now. He likes spending time with us. What a dear friend! What a great thing it is to have Him with me even at this moment.

We are building relationship with the Lord even if all we can do is to "hold a couple of tools" or just realize that He is with us. It's not about what I can do for Him. It's about drawing closer to Him, learning to listen and recognizing what He's showing me or telling me to do or what lessons there are to learn. It's about enjoying His presence as I do with my best friend because Jesus is my very best friend. How I love to relax in the moment with Jesus. Wrap me in your arms, Jesus.

Oh Lord, I am tired tonight but what a good day I've had with my husband and with you! It's been fully fun! Thank you so much for Byron who loves me in spite of my faults. Thank you for loving me even more so! I am blessed. Help me to always be aware of your presence with me. I love you.

Suz

falling down

I was in my forties when I fell for the first time as an adult. I tripped over one of those yellow concrete things you pull up to in a parking spot. I'm not sure how I didn't see it. I know those things are there in every parking lot, but I wasn't paying enough attention to where my feet were and somehow my toe got hung up on the edge of it and I started stumbling. And I stumbled. And stumbled...and, yet again. I finally got so tired of tripping along in the parking lot I just gave up and fell down. Right on my lunch. Yep. Squished it. Skinned my knee a little, too. I felt stupid but what was I supposed to do? Keep stumbling until I was so far away from the college that I'd need a taxi to get to class?

After that day you can bet I watched where my feet were and what was on the ground in front of me so I had a pretty good run of staying upright until the year I fell five times! Yep. Count them. FIVE times that year I hit the concrete, or the bricks, the asphalt, or the dirt. It got to be so routine that I teased Byron and told him I sure was getting tired of him picking me up off the ground!

One amazing thing about all those falls is that no matter how many times I put my hands down to catch myself, I never broke a wrist or any other bone and I never got skinned up much. The worst injury I got was when my skin got hung up on some rusty wire when I was heading out to feed our goats. I got a puncture wound so I had to take a tetanus shot. I was surprised to discover how strong our skin really is. For these favors, Lord, I am very grateful.

The other evening while I was at the kitchen sink peeling something to have with our dinner, I looked out the window. Byron and Phil were going out to the garage for something and it was raining. As Byron walked into the building I saw his feet fly out from under him and he hit the concrete pretty hard. I watched to see if I needed to call 911 but I saw Phil rush over to him and help him get up. He got up very slowly but seemed to be OK because he and Phil stayed out there working for a few minutes before he came into the house. He was sore but not injured. For this, dear Jesus, I am also very grateful.

In thinking about all these upsets, I came up with these tidbits about falling:

Falls are usually unexpected.

Falls are unpleasant.

We fall because we aren't watching where we are going or what we are doing.

Falls can just shake us up a little or can hurt us badly.

When we do fall it's nice to have someone to pick us up.

I've literally fallen hard several times in the last few years and those falls hurt my body and my pride, but in thinking about the whole ordeal of losing footing, crashing to the ground, and getting back up again, I see that I have sometimes fallen down in other ways, too.

When I am careless about others, when I don't watch where I am going or what I am doing, when I am not diligent to care for them, then I let friends or family down who need me and count on my help.

There are times when I fall down in my devotion to Jesus, when I neglect to 'pray without ceasing.' I fall down when I don't share Jesus with someone who needs Him. I fall down when I fail to trust Jesus with all my worries and concerns. I fall down when I put ANYTHING before Jesus in my life.

Ecclesiastes 4:10 If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!

I've fallen down a lot in my life and yet, our Jesus still picks me up in tender love--He picks US up in tender love, dusts us off, and says, "Go, and sin no more. I'll help you."

And, He does! What a wonderful Saviour! What an awesome God we serve! What a friend we have in Jesus! He never fails to pick us up, to clean us off, to love us unconditionally. We may fall but Jesus never fails!

Thank you so very much for picking me up when I fall, Lord. Sometimes I forget. Sometimes I lose focus. Sometimes I just don't pay attention to the important things. Help me to remember. Help me to pay attention to the things that matter most to you. I love you so much, Jesus. You truly are the friend that sticks closer than a brother. I love you. I love you. I love you.

Suz