MOST FABULOUS EASTER SO FAR TODAY

If you have nieces and nephews, then you might just understand how completely captivated I am with mine! My sisters do a fantastic job of completely distracting me at any given moment of the day by sending pictures, videos, or summaries of overheard conversations. Easter weekend did not disappoint! In the midst of the cuteness, my oldest nephew's wise words for the day, "This is the most fabulous Easter so far today." It's possible that he was talking about the gifts he received from the Easter bunny, and he cleverly left possibilities open for the day to get better, but I believe his words ring truer than he realizes.

I could take you on an internet journey of the origin of Easter and the hundreds of opinions about why and what we celebrate every year, and you'd probably find a story that validates your years of Easter memories, but I won't. I will, however, assume that most people reading this associate the Easter celebration with our celebration of Jesus' resurrection from the dead. 1 Corinthians 15 clearly teaches that without the resurrection all other teaching is in vain. It is the resurrection that we celebrate, because without it, we would not be raised to newness of life. Being dead to sin is one amazing part of the story, but if that were the end, it would be in vain. Jesus died, and I was crucified with Him (Gal. 2:20), but He didn't stay dead, and neither did I (Eph. 2:5-6). Because He lives, I live! Woo! That's some good stuff!

It's as good as the shivers I still get when a congregation of voices bursts into "...UP FROM THE GRAVE HE AROSE..." after the soft, mournful verses about Jesus' crucifixion. I secretly wish we would sing it more than once a year, because believers have reason to celebrate the resurrection every day. The more I understand what Jesus did for me and in me, the more I can relate to my nephew's words. "This is the most fabulous Easter so far today!" And it just keeps getting better!

~Rebecca Phillips

The Eyes of the Lord

            Mikaela Jocelyn Lamb is a climber!  At eighteen months she considers any perch, no matter how high or awkward, to be a challenge.  She stands in the doll stroller or uses it as a ladder to get to the top of the coffee table or wherever.  She uses the doll crib to get up onto the window sill.  My grandbaby is a climber!

            I have teased my son about being one of today’s young parents who take a picture with their cell phones before they remove their children from a potentially dangerous perch.  But he assures me he is right there and he’s watching her.  I thought about that.  John can hardly take his eyes off Mikaela, partly because he loves her and is proud of her, partly to protect her, and partly to discipline her. 

            In a beautiful picture, my Heavenly Father can’t keep His eyes off me or off my children.  He has his eyes on me and my family in love, protection, and discipline.  And I am so grateful. 

            Psalm 34:15 says, “The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open unto their cry.”  He is watching me and listening to me, just as I watch John and John watches Mikaela.   II Chronicles 16:9 says, “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him.”

            God is looking out for my safety.  Though I was not always in a place where I could protect John and John will not always be able to protect Mikaela from harm, God is always there.  Psalm 33:18-19 says, “Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in His mercy, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.”

            Sometimes John sees Mikaela disobeying him or going someplace she is not supposed to go.  Then he is watching to discipline her.  And sometimes God is watching to see when I need discipline.  I Peter 3:12 says, “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers, but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.”  Proverbs 15:3 says, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.”  Just as sometimes a father knows a child is disobeying and chooses not to correct, God allows me to suffer the consequences of my actions. 

            Psalm 103:13, “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.”  God can’t take His eyes off me!

                                                                      

                                                                                      ~~Faith Himes Lamb

A Know-It-All

A-know-it-all...we all know someone like that. Whatever you have done, they've already done it twice...with better shoes on. They have their lives planned and the lives of their children...who no doubt will become NBA athletes and doctors because of the stellar parenting they received. Thankfully and usually I can understand that it's insecurity on the part of the boaster before I say something foolish from my own lips.

It is always wise to glean from someone who's "been there" but I can certainly do without knowing it all. However, are you not glad, as I am, that we have a God who knows it all...knows it all and still loves us, knows it all and doesn't tell us ahead of time, knows it all and holds our hand through every minute of our life's journey?

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Joy Dilts

Being Provocative

“And what did you learn from that?”

“Hmmm.” I paused to think about an event I had just mentioned to a friend. “I learned that I don’t get my value from what kids think of me.  I learned that I still love teaching even when I’ve had a bad experience.”

“Well, there you go!” 

Don’t you love it when friends hold you accountable and make you think? My sister says she has one friend she calls when she want sympathy and another she calls when she wants to hear the truth. We need both, I believe. That’s at least part of what being in a church means, and I’m so glad to be in a church setting where I have people who love me enough to push me to be better, who ask me questions I’d rather not have to think about.

Hebrews 10 reminds us not to “forsake the assembling of [ourselves] together” so that we can encourage (It really says “provoke.”)  one another to “love and good works.”  

Let’s be thankful this week for those who sympathize with us and also for those who provoke us.

--Sherry Poff

MY FATHER DOES NOT GIVE THE SILENT TREATMENT

My earthly father never gave me the silent treatment when I did something wrong. In fact, if I slammed my door and tried to hide in my room, he pursued me. He did not allow communication to be absent from the situation, though there were times I didn't want to talk. My father did not allow things to go unaddressed.

If my human father can be so loving and persistent to restore me to right behavior when I'm so rude, I can't help but think that my Heavenly Father must behave similarly, and I have found it to be true in my life. The Father does not accuse me (that's what the enemy does), rather He pursues me in my sins. He brings people into my life that speak His truth. He brings to memory passages of Scripture that remind me that it is sin. He whispers ever so lovingly into my ears that He loves me and reminds me that His children don't do these things. I can try to hide from Him or ignore His voice, but he persists. When I stop my sin, it does not bring a reunion with God my Father, for He's been with me the whole time. It brings rejoicing!

Praise be to God who washed away my sin on the cross and chooses to remember it no more (Heb. 8:12)! Praise be to God who will never leave me or forsake me (Heb. 13:5)! Praise be to God who doesn't give me the silent treatment when I sin!

~Rebecca Phillips

The Soundtrack of my Life

The Soundtrack of my Life

          Do you like to listen to movie soundtracks?  There are some I love, like The Sound of Music.  My Favorite Things is a favorite thing.  There are others where I love one particular song from the whole soundtrack.

          Someone challenged me to figure out what songs would make up the soundtrack of my life.  I have thought for a long time about this.  I think most of the songs in my soundtrack would be songs that have carried me through rough waters.

          There is Great Is Thy Faithfulness.   “Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide, Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, blessings all mine and ten thousand beside.”

          Then there were the days when my father was dying of Alzheimer’s and life seemed to get heavier and heavier.  Then a friend sent me the words to one of the lesser known stanzas of It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.  “And ye, beneath life’s crushing load, whose forms are bending low, who toil along the climbing way with painful steps and slow—Look now!  For glad and golden hours come swiftly on the wing.  O rest beside the weary road and hear the angels sing!”  There have been in the past and are now many days where I am bent low and toiling with painful steps and I must stop to hear the angels sing.

          When I was fearful and overwhelmed with uncertainty, the words of the Swedish hymn, Security, brought comfort.  “More secure is no one ever than the loved ones of the Savior, not yon star on high abiding or the bird in home nest hiding.  What He takes or what He gives us shows the Father’s love so precious.  We may trust His purpose wholly—Tis His children’s welfare solely.”

          In Day by Day I am reminded that “The protection of His child and treasure is a charge that on himself he laid.”  And I remember that I am His child and His treasure.

          If I were to choose a theme song for this soundtrack of my life, it would be Down from His Glory.  “Oh, how I love Him.  How I adore Him.  My breath, my sunshine, my all in all.  The great Redeemer became my Savior and all God’s fullness dwelleth in Him.”  This is my story, my song, my soundtrack.  I love the dear Lord Jesus.  I want that to be the theme of my soundtrack that others will hear.

                                                              ~~Faith Himes Lamb

MY VALENTINE IS LOVE

I love love. In fact, I'm still on a high from Valentine's Day. I know some despise the day. Some complain that it's about selling cards and candy. But I love any occasion to think about, dream about and celebrate love. There are parts of the day I'd like to block from my memory, like the times I would painstakingly decide which boy would get which little card. I didn't want to send the wrong message to any of them! There was also the Valentine's Day in college when I finally had a real Valentine...and he got me a totally wrong gift. I won't go into detail, but I still remember the feeling that this guy did not truly understand or love me. And, of course, like so many others, there are the times I fell captive to the lie that I was alone on Valentine's Day.

So why is it different this year? I'm NOT going to say that I have a boyfriend or that I got engaged. Believe me, you'll know when that happens! I do have a Valentine, though. His name is Love. 1 John 4:8 says that God is love. He IS love. It's who He is, and I love it! God's love sustains me, overwhelms me, pursues me, and woos me. My box of chocolates this year was the friends that He blessed me with. My rose, my family. My teddy bear, my loving Savior who wraps me in His eternal, whole, perfect, exciting love.

I still love love, but I love LOVE now more than ever! I still hope for all the love that a Valentine's Day would bring, and the Reese's peanut butter cups that come with it, but I won't trade Love for love. He's mine. And I'm His. My Valentine is Love.

~Rebecca Phillips