She Lived to be 100!

As our pastor gave an open invitation to a memorial, my curiosity kicked in. I kept waiting for him to say the name, but he just said she had lived a little over one hundred years.

I decided to attend. It was my first opportunity to celebrate a centenarian. Yes, I know . . . a friend reminded me that people live way longer than that nowadays, but I’ve never met any of those either.

Her big, beautiful family, including great-grandchildren, impressed me. It reminded me of Proverbs 17:6: Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged; parents are the pride of their children (NLT). The memorial reflected their love for her.

During the slide show, I realized I knew this lady, though I had never met her. I had often observed her walking slowly toward the church, holding onto the arm of her daughter-in-law. She was obviously a senior, but I would never have guessed her to be one hundred.

I wasn’t the only one who noticed they parked far out. The pastor said, “One day I asked why they didn’t drive up closer and use our portico?” Their reply? “She wants to walk.”

Imagine the changes this lady lived through. From the end of the horse-and-buggy era into the space age, for one thing. And think of the changes from wall-mounted party-line telephones, to desk-top rotary-dial models, to current pocket-sized cell phones.

During World War II she took her place in a factory to help with the war effort. She lived through the Depression and several recessions. Is it any wonder this was the verse on the front of her memorial brochure? The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged (Deuteronomy 31:8).

One comment on her life stuck with me. While sharing the accomplishments of this Christian wife and mother, Pastor said, “There were many changes during her life, but one thing remained constant---her values.”

What a statement! 

I hope people will be able to say that of me. 

What about you?

Principle for a Good Life

I think I was a little spoiled as I was growing up. Mom sewed for me and made things fit beautifully. She even sewed my wedding dress while I was attending college in another state.

A few days before the wedding, mom arrived with the dress, prepared to let it out or take it in. I took it all for granted.

During my growing years, if the dress was too short or the bodice too tight . . . no worries. Mom would let down the hem, or let out the bodice.

Emotionally we do things like that daily. We make allowances for things that bother us and keep us on edge. We let them remain in our minds and they give us no peace.

People look for personal peace in different ways. Some try to "let" it in their lives through alcohol or drugs---short-term solutions. Even TV becomes boring after hours and hours, too much sleep is not refreshing, and neither is constant snacking.

All of these things miss the principle of a good life. Long-lasting peace does not come from things. It comes from a person who understands everything about us and the world we live in.

Let's hear it from Jesus, himself: Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John 14:27 NKJV).

In John 14:1 He said it again: Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 

If you are worried that He won't hear your prayer for peace, consider His words in John 6:37: The one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.

If that's not encouraging, what is?

Our world has always been full of troubles. Jesus' peace comes on an individual basis. Do you want it?

Step one: Do not let your heart be troubled any longer. Step two: Ask Jesus to give you peace, the kind that only He can give.

 

Daniel, The Lion Tamer

A few weeks ago, our pastor preached on “Jesus at the Watering Hole.” When I realized it was about Jesus talking with a woman at the city well in Samaria, I had to smile. The off-beat title got my attention.

That’s why I decided to write about “Daniel, The Lion Tamer.”

As a young man, Daniel was a captive carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon. He and other promising young men were put into a top-notch training school. Graduates were presented to King Nebuchadnezzar for private interviews. He would decide how they could best serve him.

As a graduate in service of the King, Daniel was known to go to his room and pray toward Jerusalem three times a day (Daniel 6:10).

Later on, the Persians overcame Babylon. Daniel rose to the top in service to King Darius, and jealous peers concocted a scheme to pull him down.

Their plan worked. Daniel was tossed into the lion’s den, but God sent an angel to shut the lions' mouths. It’s a great story. Read it for yourself in Daniel, chapter six. The power of prayer cannot be discounted.

Prayer is never out of season, but people seem more drawn to prayer in hard times. Today we hear much about the call to prayer in 2 Chronicles 7:14.

God said He would hear prayers and have mercy if His people would do three things: 1) humble themselves before Him, (2) pray and seek His face and (3) turn from their wicked ways.  

Daniel said a prayer like that for his people. Read it for yourself in the Old Testament Book of Daniel, chapter nine.

The Apostle Paul wrote that the weapons of our (spiritual) warfare are not carnal, but they are mighty (2 Corinthians 10:4).

James, another apostle, declared we show our faith by our works (James 2:17-18). Each of these men would have found in Daniel a fellow believer.

Today’s threats are not lions, but prayer still makes a difference.

Are you a person of faith? How do you show it? 

A Matter of Will

We are born with the ability to choose. It's a matter of will.

Proverbs 20:11 says, "Even a child is known by his deeds, whether what he does is pure and right." This is true of adults, as well as children. 

Of course, deeds are not always pure and right. Despite the negatives, I think our will is an ability worth celebrating. That's why I wrote the following:

Dear Will,

It's a pleasure to write this letter. I appreciate having you in my life.

Thank to you, I can make thoughtful decisions. You make it possible for me to choose what to do, where to go, and what to say.

I appreciate the freedom you give me. You wait patiently as I review information and search things out. You always desire that I make a good choice.

I'm captain of my own ship, in many ways, because of you. Storms of life may cause me grief and troubled times, but I don't have to bob along on unsettled waves. I can decide which life-saving actions to pursue.

Experience has shown me that you can be quite flexible.

If I need strength and boldness, you rise to the occasion and people call me "strong-willed." If I shrink back, letting circumstances and others' choices control me, I get labeled "weak-willed." Either way, you stick with me.

Others may threaten to affect my life in uncomfortable ways, trying to pressure me to do their will. You respect me by waiting in the background. Then when I've made my decision, you help me follow through.

Thank you for being a companion, not a dictator. When wrong choices cause discomfort, you remain loyal, hoping I will see the error of my ways.

I thank God for you, Will.

Not only have you helped make me who I am today, but you will continue to impact my life right to the end. 

The Balance of Three

   

If you believe in prayer, you've probably heard a lot about it lately. I've been familiar with the National Day of Prayer for years, but this year held something new.

Jonathan Cahn, the author of The Harbinger, written after 9-11, has a current book called The Harbinger, Two. Along with the book, he organized a National Day of Prayer called The Return. 

Today was the day: September 26, 2020. Not everyone could get to Washington, DC, of course, so people were encouraged to sponsor community-wide events in their own areas.

A few weeks ago, a friend invited me to our local event. I wrote it on the calendar and determined to go.

I heard there would be several speakers and I wondered how there could be much prayer? I was pleasantly surprised. Meaningful prayers were offered by each speaker as they closed out their personal story, or shared their involvement with some social concern.

We had been encouraged from the start that this was not a spectator event. We were asked to join in a personal prayer of agreement with each speaker.

Some people stood, some sat, and some knelt on the grass. There was no pressure to pray in a certain position, or even to pray out loud.

This event was based on 2 Chronicles 7:14. It's a direct call to people who call themselves Christians. I see it in three parts:

1. Humble yourself before God
2. Pray and seek His face
3. Turn from your wicked ways

My concern is that we will do the first two, but skip the third. That's where it gets quite personal.

After 9-11, there was great interest in spiritual things. Churches were full overnight, but looking at society's issues and actions today, there was obviously a lack of deep, lasting spiritual commitment.

Thank God for every person with a heart to pray; however, two things are needed: (1) Don't limit this prayer to one-day events, and (2) observe the balance of three.   

                                  

Good Medicine

The right medicine can do you a lot of good, and some really good medicine is free. There's a catch, though . . . you have to look for it. 

Proverbs 17:22 (NIV) says, "A cheerful heart is good medicine." You could take that a couple of ways:  (1) Instead of floating through your day with negative thoughts, make it a point to think positive, or (2) be on the lookout for humorous events and conversations around you.

A cheerful heart is a very individualized medicine. I learned to look for it daily while undergoing chemo, surgery, and radiation for breast cancer in 2007. I found this medicine so enjoyable that I kept on taking it.

People are always happy to get free medicine samples from their doctor. Here are some samples of my own:

    (1) I shared this one with a friend just the other day. I was once taking sermon notes when I heard the pastor say, "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord---even if it's bad breath!" He was quoting the very last verse in the book of Psalms, but every time I remember his tagline I have to smile.

    (2) In a thrift store one day I was musing over some colorful floral-motif plates. Without thinking I said aloud, "I wonder if my husband would eat off these?" A lady nearby said, "It probably depends on what you put on 'em!"

    (3) A friend shared this one: She overheard her grandson call a playmate "Stupid!" She called him in and said, "You can't call somebody stupid. It's not nice." He said, "I'm sorry, Memaw," and went back outside to play. He surprised her by rushing back in a little while later asking, "But what if they really are?"

You don't always need a full-strength, laugh-out-loud belly buster. Good medicine works in smaller doses, too. Just follow these instructions: To be taken multiple times daily, with or without food.

Your Future is Now

Life is full of changes. We have just come through a hot summer. Now, almost overnight, it's time for the heater, not the air conditioning.

There are other obvious changes thanks to COVID. I was telling a friend about a couple of restaurants that had removed all their tables and chairs. Business seemed robust with their take-out options.

I said, "I wonder if they'll ever bring back their seating? I would think their life is simpler without it."

She said, "I think the face of our nation is forever changed." And it's not just us; COVID-19 has changed the world.

I enjoy the devotional thoughts of Sarah Young. Here are a few comments from her book, *Jesus Calling. The caps are mine for emphasis:  So many people dream of the day WHEN they will finally be happy, WHEN they are out of debt, WHEN their children are out of trouble, WHEN they will have more leisure time, and so on."

Dreams and plans are a positive part of our human experience, but there's a major problem. We are not in control of our lives or those of the people around us.  

Life HAPPENS and plans CHANGE. No truthful person would ever say life is easy, but we need to live life in the NOW. It's a choice we can make.

The Apostle Paul explained his approach in Philippians 4:11: . . . I have LEARNED how to be content (satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted) in whatever state I am (AMP).

People willing to learn are flexible.

Go ahead . . . dream and plan. But realize your future is now, and learn to enjoy life today!

*Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence, Sarah Young, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, 2004, p. 266.