Sister, Sister

1 Corinthians 13:3 says, "And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing." 

With all our talk about "neighbors" over the last months, I'm afraid this verse blindsided me this week. God's been stretching me as I've tried to apply the things Pastor has been teaching us, and I THOUGHT I was doing a pretty good job of getting out of my comfort zone. That is, until I realized that I was failing miserable IN my comfort zone...

If you have a sister, you may be able to identify with the random attacks of missing her dearly. I have two sisters, both of whom live H.U.N.D.R.E.D.S. of miles away, so my attacks come rather regularly. One such attack came this week as I was driving home from work. I couldn't stop thinking about my baby sister, who is four weeks away from having her first child! I thought about the times I used to get so irritated with her. She knew better than to get in my personal space...haha! Poor girl!  ;)  But there was not a day that I wouldn't defend her to the core and stick up for the sister I loved with my whole heart! There is NOTHING my sisters could ever do or not do to lose my love. 

1 Corinthians 13:4-11(NASB) is often quoted as our definition of true love:

 ⁴Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,

 ⁵does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,

 ⁶does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;

 ⁷bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

 ⁸Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.

 ⁹For we know in part and we prophesy in part;

 ¹⁰but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.

 ¹¹When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 

When applying these verses to my relationship with my sisters, I feel like I'm doing well, especially now that I'm an adult and have done "away with childish things (vs. 11)." It's easy for me to rejoice with my sisters, and I don't feel envious of them. I'm proud of them, and I'm thankful for what God has given them! I can't even remember the times they wronged me, well, except for that one time... ;)

As I was thinking about my sister on that drive home, it hit me like a ton of bricks that my relationships with my "sisters in Christ" should be exactly the same! I should love my sisters (and brothers too) as I love my own flesh and blood. Sure, there are things that will irritate. But if I'm going to reflect mature love in Christ, then my love for my sisters (okay, AND brothers) should be that of patience and kindness, free of envy, selfless, and humble.

So sisters, as we continue to give to the poor, let us not forget our family. After all, it is by our LOVE for our sisters and brothers that our "neighbors" will know that we are joint heirs with Jesus (John 13:35).

Precious and Plentiful

I find myself once again thinking about time. On Sunday morning, when Robert Meyer sang "Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me," he talked about the "treacherous shoals" of the song. Robert said that danger for ships comes when the water is not deep enough or is not free of obstructions. These obstructions, he said, don't have to be rocks or sandbars. They can even be schools of fish. It reminded me of the Bible study that I attend on Wednesday evenings. We are using Jennifer Rothschild's book about faith, and this past week we discussed obstacles in the path of life. One of those obstacles is priorities---specifically, wrong priorities that crowd out the really important things of life.

This is not to say that it's only bad or "wrong" things that get in the way of our serving God; often good things crowd out the best things. I know that God has given each of us different abilities and callings, but I sure don't want to miss my work for God because I was busy doing something else.

I have a little book that I picked up from the free bin at McKay's. It's about life in a monastery. While the monks have many strange views, they do offer some wisdom. This book suggests that "time, while precious, isn't scarce." We have sufficient time to do whatever it is that God wants us to do. Finding a way to let everything else go is the challenge.

Perhaps the best way to get perspective is to be quiet before God. When I begin my day with prayer and meditation on God's word, I have found that the rest of the day makes more sense. The psalmist heard God saying to him, "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). When the people of Israel were frantic about their safely on the shores of the Red Sea, Moses stood before them and counseled, "Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD" (Exodus 14:13). Being still is the first step to having a productive day.

My prayer to God today is this: Help me live today in such a way that I will come to the end of the day without regrets. Annie Dillard, one of my favorite authors, takes the idea a step further. She observes, "How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives." Time is both precious and plentiful. May we use it wisely.

--Sherry Poff

OVERFLOWING

Yesterday morning, our speaker commented that his "...cup was full..." My cup, too, was filling quickly as we sang "Blessed be Your name..." and "...Here's my heart, oh, take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above." My cup was reaching the brim as Mr. Rhodes shared the ministry in Louisiana, and just when I thought my cup couldn't hold any more, I walked into our lobby where people's conversation was not about where they'd be eating lunch, but rather where they'd be serving the Lord in the weeks to come.

Then, to top it all off, Sunday evening was filled with testimony after testimony of what God is doing in our community and around the world through the people of Grace Baptist Church. I'm gonna have to get a bigger cup!

My prayer this week is that the ladies of Grace Baptist Church will, as our dear Pastor has been challenging us, be intentional and be prepared for the things we do not intend. May the words of Paul to the Corinthians empower you to obey the Lord this week.

2 Corinthians 9:6-15

6  Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 
7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 
8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 
9 As it is written:
   “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
   their righteousness endures forever.”
10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 
11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 
13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 
14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 
15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

Add to our cups by leaving comments here or on our facebook page about what God is doing in and around you!

With Exceeding Joy

If you follow this blog regularly and read all the comments, then today's entry will not be entirely new to you. I want to follow up on what Rebecca was saying last week because it's been a theme in my life recently, and I'm guessing several of you can relate.

Rebecca's remarks about the quilt and finding beauty in apparent randomness reminded me of the times that Pastor Euler has talked about our lives being like tapestries. From the back--which is what we see most days--it looks all messy and disorganized, with thread hanging off and lines going every which way. If we walk around to the front of a tapestry, however, we see a beautiful design. We realize that it's just two sides of the same thing. Occasionally, God allows us to see the big picture of life, and we realize that his plan for us is really a lovely thing, with order and design.

His order shows up in all kinds of places. Today I was opening the blinds in my dining room when a spot of yellow caught my eye. My crocuses are blooming! Down in the corner of the yard next to some rocks Larry hauled down there in a wheelbarrow years ago three little blossoms shone like a bit of sunshine.

After we ate dinner, Larry and I took a walk, and I stopped to admire the crocuses up close. I saw buds of three more that will be blooming within the week. Brushing away dried grass and old leaves, I spotted the green tips of hyacinths poking through the ground. Some of the daffodil leaves are already three or four inches tall. I love knowing that all the beauty of spring is there--down underground where we can't see it yet. Little by little, it will rise up and show itself in pink, yellow, and purple splendor.

There are days when I worry and fret about what the future holds. Sometimes the sorrow of every day seems too much. Other days, God's goodness and mercy are abundantly evident. In the midst of it all, I know He has a plan. I Peter 4:12 & 13 remind us of a future hope: "Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy."

Like patterns in a quilt, threads in a tapestry, and bits of green and yellow bursting through the cold, brown earth, our lives are evidence of a designer, a planner, who is creating in us and through us a life of beauty and glory. Be glad.

Not So Random

Six years ago, my twin sister had her first baby. Around that time, I decided I would attend the "Quilting Fever" class so that I could make my very first nephew a Cuddle Quilt. It was tedious work, but having chosen only two fabrics, it was not as difficult as I had imagined. I enjoyed thinking of sweet Henry as I stitched it together, and even now get occasional opportunities to snuggle under it with him. However, it has not been until a month ago that I considered a second attempt at such a project. My younger sister is due to have her first child in late March. Aunt Bec Bec cannot think of a better reason to try again! 

Thus the process of choosing fabrics, planning patterns and stitching squares together has begun. 

Making My Quilt:

Step One - Choosing Fabric: I had to take Linda (Smith) with me to choose my fabric. I can mention browns, teals, and greens to her and from the rows of countless rolls of fabric, she can pull together the most random, yet most beautiful combination. I have learned that "green" can mean paisleys, flowers, plaids and polkadots. Linda says, "Think outside the box." This is not an easy task for me, but watching her gives me hope!

Step Two - Cutting the Squares: This part, I get. It's methodical. It makes sense. You measure it. You cut it. Done! I got this step done the first night I had the material at home!

Step Three - Deciding How to Arrange the Squares: In direct opposition to my "inside the box" thinking, Linda thinks in "random." She stood with my five different fabrics and just pulled one at a time in no particular order into several rows. She would look, shake her head, move a few around, and then look at me with satisfaction. What she had done was beautiful, but I wanted to try. Of course, I had to see it all lying out on the floor. So I spread out a sheet and carefully placed all 120 of my squares. I could NOT do random. Even my random was turning into a pattern. It was very difficult for me to just let go of the idea that it must be symmetrical and perfectly squared. I cannot even PLAN to be random! "Think outside the box," Linda would say. I'm not there yet. I'm not sure I can do random and make it beautiful. Fortunately, Linda has books of patterns, and I found one that looks great! Maybe I'll get brave and try a small random pillow with my scraps!

All of this process has reminded me that we have a Master Quilter who is stitching together what may appear to be random circumstances and events in our lives. He has placed people into our lives who possess a variety of gifts, personalities and experiences. We may not understand why He is placing polkadots next to paisleys and in the moment, it may not be pleasing to the eye. However, what we believe to be beautiful and orderly cannot even compare to what He has in mind for His finished product (1 Cor. 2:9). What a peace that washes over me as I trust my Master Quilter to stitch together the fabric of my life in a way that to Him is not so random (Is. 55:8).

Numbering My Days

J.R.R. Tolkien's classic adventure tale, The Hobbit, contains a scene in which Bilbo Baggins, the main character, gets lost in a dark cave and finally becomes involved in a riddle contest with a mysterious, scary creature called Gollum. According to a deal the two have made, if Bilbo is unable to guess Gollum's riddle, Gollum gets to eat him. The hero has already guessed several of Gollum's riddles, but is faced with one he cannot puzzle out:

          This thing all things devours;
          Birds, beasts, trees, flowers;
          Gnaws iron, bites steel;
          Grinds hard stones to meal;
          Slays king, ruins town,
          And beats high mountain down.

 When Bilbo cannot give the solution, he hears Gollum coming for him in the darkness. Tolkien continues:

          [Bilbo] began to get frightened, and that is bad for thinking.  Gollum began to get out
          of his boat. He flapped into the water and paddled to the bank; Bilbo could see his eyes
          coming towards him.  His tongue seemed to stick in his mouth; he wanted to shout out:
          "Give me more time! Give me time!" But all that came out with a sudden squeal was:
          "Time! Time!"

          Bilbo was saved by pure luck.  For that of course was the answer.
    
I cannot tell you how often I feel like poor little Bilbo, desperate for time before some monster--work, over-commitment, even fun-- gobbles up all my energy and resources. I feel like shouting, "Give me more time! Give me time!" These days whenever anyone asks my prayer concerns, I request prayer for wisdom in using my time well. As I get older, I consider more carefully how I want to spend precious hours and minutes of my remaining time in this life.

I know we who trust in Christ are promised eternity, but that idea is quite beyond my comprehension. Days and hours, however, I do understand, and I want to use them in such a way as I will not regret. I am reminded of Psalm 90:12. "So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."

Before time devours my opportunities and beats down my strength, I want to do the work God has given me. The calendar is a construct of man, but here near the start of new year is a good time to take stock and make some plans.

---Sherry Poff

Blessed Through The Eyes of My Granddaughters

I am blessed to have the awesome opportunity of taking care of my three granddaughters, ages one, two and three, while my daughter is at work. As much as my daughter thinks I am blessing her, I am receiving many more blessings. As a young mother I unknowingly missed a lot of opportunities. As a grandmother I am making sure I do not miss even one!

Read what the Lord has in His word for us in Deuteronomy 11:18-19 concerning the opportunities we have: “So commit yourselves completely to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands as a reminder, and wear them on your forehead. Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away on a journey, when you are lying down and when you are getting up again.”

I have been blessed as we drive in the car pointing out the sky and trees. We talk about the different seasons. Recently we were on our way home and saw a beautiful double rainbow. I took the opportunity to tell them the story of Noah. My new found excitement became their excitement as we gazed at God’s wonderful promise.

I have been blessed as I taught them that when we hear sirens we are to immediately pray for those who need care and those who will care for them. My three year old granddaughter would tell Jim Hostetter that she was praying for him when she saw him Sunday nights in the hallway at church.

I have been blessed as I patiently allow my granddaughters to help me cook, clean and do laundry. Their bright smiles and big round eyes are so precious when they carry out the task at hand. The young mother who thought everything had to be perfect has become the grandmother who realizes the significance of things less perfect.

I have been blessed to have the opportunity to teach my granddaughters that Jesus will always be there to help them. He is always listening to their prayers. I could not hold back the tears upon hearing for the first time from my three year old granddaughter that she had prayed to Jesus when she was scared of the thunder and lightning and He helped her feel better.

God has taught me many things on this journey, but the one thing that has changed my life recently, is knowing Him on a new level by being blessed through the eyes of my granddaughters.

Tina Laubscher