Lest I Forget . . .

When I lose my way . . .

It's so easy to lose your way.  The darkness and night can be overwhelming sometimes. Distractions overcome.  It could be a stumble down a rocky path or a misstep, perhaps even someone who throws us off our true path--a foe, a friend or even a family member.  But many times, I'm my own worst enemy - forgetting who I am and who I belong to.  Have you ever experienced that?

I've heard this Jason Gray song over and over again on the radio and it just blended into the background noise of my car grinding down the road.  Then, all of a sudden this week, I heard something new - something meant for me.  Maybe meant for you, too?

Simple words -- deep meanings.
Powerful words -- powerful meaning.

In the mirror all I see is who I don't wanna be - Remind me who I am.
In the loneliest places - when I can't remember what grace is . . 
When I can't receive Your love - afraid I'll never be enough - Remind me who I am
When my heart is like a stone, and I'm running far from home - Remind me who I am

If I'm Your beloved, can You help me believe it

I needed a reminder - a way back - an encouragement.
'
In our feebleness, I don't think we want to be thought of as "beloved."  It's almost "too" good. Insecurities grip our hearts and make us think we don't deserve to be found; don't deserve the love. Yes, we don't deserve even grace.  Dare we hope for something so precious, so dear?

If I'm Your beloved, can You help me believe it.
Tell me, once again who I am to You, who I am to You 
Tell me, lest I forget Who I am to You, that I belong to You, to You


Thanks Jason Gray for this wonderful reminder.  Lest I forget . . .

Two are better than one . . .

The following passage from Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 was chosen by my husband and I some 32 years ago to represent how we felt about our life together. My husband designed the cover for our wedding program featuring a cross and the three strands of rope representing our eternal bond with each other and God.

"Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart."

As I made my usual late night trek back from the horse barn, crunching in the snow and slip sliding around, I was reminded of many scenes of two romping through the prairie snow, slipping and sliding, falling, and tumbling, I thought of this passage and the importance of lifting one another up. We all slip and slide around, sometimes falling on our faces. But, what if we fall and there is no one to pick us up, to bandage our wounds, to carry us inside to the warmth of a fire? What if?

"The steps of a man are established by the Lord; And He delights in his way. When he falls, he shall not be hurled headlong; because the Lord is the One who holds his hand." Ps. 37:23, 24

For, it is better that we go through life with a companion—someone to lift us up when we fall, someone to work alongside us in faith, someone to keep us warm, and someone to strengthen us, someone to encourage and love us. Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.

I'm reminded of the following quote from the movie Shall We Dance:

“We need a witness to our lives. There's a billion people on the planet, what does any one life really mean? But in a marriage, you're promising to care about everything. The good things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things, all of it, all of the time, every day. You're saying 'Your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go unwitnessed because I will be your witness.'"

While I don't agree with minimizing the value of one life, this quote does convey the importance of caring for another individual and the importance of keeping a promise to another human being—being faithful and being there through the good times as well as the bad – every day, all the time, even when it hurts.

What if we have no one to lift us up? God designed us to share life together—to be there for another. We need one another's love and care so desperately, especially in this mixed-up and crazy world. Don't let another day go by without being there for someone, without opening yourself up to the possibility of companionship—mutual respect, honor and love. And, be an example of respect and honor to someone whom God has brought into your life.

Be the heart.

"Say What? Who Me?"

"Yes, you!"

Giraffes are an interesting lot. This little guy's tongue is 18" long! He loves acacia leaves and he can eat 75 pounds of them in a day. And as you will see in a bit he really craves large Kansas weeds. He can drink up to 10 gallons of water in a day and has four stomachs much like our neighbor - the cow. He has a large, loving heart at two feet long and 25 pounds and it pumps about 16 gallons of blood every minute! He has the highest blood pressure of any mammal on earth and that wonderful heart beats 170 beats per minute. Amazing facts for the elegant giraffe. He is definitely one amazing creature. And learning all this now reaffirms what I experienced at the Topeka Zoo on Saturday.

It was a close encounter of the long-necked, curious kind. This little guy (if you can call him "little) entertained Brinna & I for quite some time. Watching his languid movements and his inquisitive, friendly ways was a real treat.

Watch & learn . . . persevere. Show a lot of heart. All the best things are within reach if we just have a little faith. Those expressive eyes - trusting - confident - steady. So full of faith and heart. Just another example of God's magnificent hand in every part of His creation.

If you want to read more about giraffes - I recommend the book Tall Blondes by Lynn Sherr - still in print and available on Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/Tall-Blondes-Book-About-Giraffes/dp/0836227697. They are truly amazing animals.

The Heartbeat of a Savior

"There was reclining on Jesus' breast one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved." (John 13:23, NASB)

Life right now has been overly challenging for our family. Many stresses and obstacles have obstructed our paths and even threatened our vision, our focus as well.

As I reflected today on these challenges, God brought to my mind the image of the apostle John reclining on Jesus' breast during the Last Supper. Several years ago, I read some teachings on this short little verse that opened my eyes to a great many truths. And, thankfully those truths refreshed me and gave me courage once more.

First of all - a few words about John. He refers to himself as "Beloved" or "the one whom Jesus loved." Strong words indeed to indicate a very close, intimate relationship - none of the other apostles are referred to with such tenderness. He wasn't afraid to admit his closeness with His Lord, His Savior.

We are told that he was probably the youngest of Jesus' disciples and he lived the longest of all - dying on Patmos after God granted him the visionary book of Revelation. Just imagine--

* a young boy who witnessed first-hand the life, miracles, and death of the Son of God

* a young man whom Jesus gave over the care for his earthly mother Mary,

* an older man who wrote, under the power of the Holy Spirit, the most readable, yet profound gospel in the New Testament

* and, finally, an elderly man whose lasting legacy is the most complex of all Biblical texts--Revelation.

What shaped this apostle's life into the powerful man of God we know today? What made the difference in his life? Mark 3:13 reads, "And He went up to the mountain and summoned those whom He Himself wanted, and they came to Him." The twelve were chosen, each one for a reason and because Jesus Himself wanted them. However, I still find it fascinating that we don't have a book of Andrew or Philip or Bartholomew or Thomas; not Thaddaeus or Simon either. And, certainly not Judas - though his purpose was just as deliberate as the rest. While He chose them all, only a select few developed as leaders within the early Church.

I would like to think that John thrived and His ministry and legacy grew out of his intimate relationship with Jesus. He leaned backed upon Jesus' breast and listened to His heartbeat. That simple image always stops me in my tracks--Is that where I am right now? Listening to, leaning upon, learning from a God who actually wants me as a friend.

While Jesus is not with us in bodily form today, His Spirit lives in the hearts of every believer. And, the words of His mouth and the meditations of His heart lie within the pages of the Spirit-breathed Scriptures He left to us. As such, I can still hear His heartbeat--it's a privilege He has bestowed, an honor He gives me to be His child and rest in His heart.

Most importantly, to deny those precious gifts He lavished upon us (the gift of friendship & love, the gift of His word, indeed His very heart) is to deny Him.

Are you taking time to listen to His heartbeat today?

SPECIAL NOTE: The two images I've included are scans of two Catholic holy cards from my collection. As you can imagine, this particular theme is of particular interest to me and I have several cards depicting the scene from the Last Supper. The first card is written in French--(loose translation is "Lord, you are sweet nourishment for the soul and the one from whom we receive dignity and will have a part of the heritage of His eternal glory."). The second card reads: "It is there, alone with Jesus Christ that the soul tastes the full sweetness of the Holy Eucharist (P. de Ravignon)." While the word "Eucharist" is the term for Communion or The Lord's Supper in the Catholic tradition, I only just learned that the word "Eucharist" is a Greek word meaning "thanksgiving."