Thank You

Thank you to my dear ones that responded.  In some ways, that is really what I wanted, a response.  Went to Uptown Church this morning in Charlotte.  Ken spoke in their "minute for missions."  Tom Hawkes the pastor spoke on Romans 8.  "There is no condemnation..."  "No fear anymore..."  Trying to let that sink in.  Love to you all.  Lynn

lost

This month has been a very scarce month for my blogging.  Upsidedown bee says, if you don't write everyday people will forget about you.  I figure I have all but lost most of you.  The next week is going to prove very difficult as well.  We are closing on our house on Monday, and Wednesday we close and move on the new one in Charlotte.  

I have read about 15 books this month, but haven't written down anything yet.  I began a personal devotional book for a friend, but don't know if I want to write them down for all, until I get it finished.  

I do feel lost though.  Don't really know why.  I am scared of people, friends, and even neighbors.  This last year has been very difficult, and I really thought I was doing quite well.  It seems that fear has taken a hold of parts of my heart though.  They say men are very good at compartmentalizing difficulties, but I have "learned" over the years that I am great at this skill.  

Just giving the last remnants of you insight into my psyche...............Lynn

Easter is for Families

I have been "doing" family for a couple of weeks.  What more fun can there be?  This is my sis and her husband and the other is of my Mom, Nephews and nieces.  

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Evaluation

Evaluation helps in all areas of life.  A banker evaluates how the market is affecting his business.  A homemaker evaluates products for costliness, and effectiveness.  A Doctor evaluates how certain medications help their patients with pain, ect...  Evaluation helps us as believers also.  We need to evaluate how we are doing in all aspects of our Christian life.  Are we spending enough time in the Word, prayer, and study?  How about our fellowship time with others?  How "real" are you with others in your accountability circle?  How much do you just play the Christian game?  

Many Christians from the past had ways of evaluating their lives.  Jonathan Edwards had a list of things he would go over, Wesley had a different one, even George Washington had his list of Etiquette.  I think it is a very valuable tool that we as believers can measure whether we are keeping our eyes focused on the goal set before us.  Just so long as we set the goals correctly.  

In the early years of my Christian walk, I centered on a longgggggggg list of do's and don'ts, things to do, things to avoid, lists of endless tasks to get accomplished.  Now, my lists look a lot different.  Yes, they still include "things" I have to get done for the day, because I have a family to attend to.  But.....they have a different tone than they used to.  The tasks have turned more to relationships, the do's have turned more to evaluations of my being instead.  I found when I only focused on the tasks, that is all I accomplished.  Am I doing the household chores, etc... even those things for the glory of God?  Remember, He is very capable of getting all the glory, even if I don't get all the laundry done for today.  I am not sure that when we get to the end of life we will be so very proud of those kinds of things, as we will be by evaluating daily our relationships.  How am I doing with my Saviour?  Am I loving more and more His Word?  How about dependence?  Am I trusting in Him to be who He said He would be in what ever circumstance I am in?  What about the relationship with my husband?  How am I doing today with Ken?  Marriage takes work, and if we think at anytime in the journey of it all that we have "arrived" then we have stopped working at it, and are actually taking backward steps.  What about my kids?  Am I spending time in prayer, real prayer, not just a list of things to get it checked off?  A great deal of this has to do with our attitude towards it.  Am I living today in such a way that I am dying more to self and living more for Jesus?  This always involves humility, and repentance.  Is He my friend, or is He a genie in a bottle that is obligated to give me what I want, need, desire, or can't live without?  

Evaluations daily can be a good thing.  Make sure you are evaluating the right things.  

Evaluating, analyzing, and being introspective till He comes.........................Lynn

The Battle......Faith

When you're in the fiery furnace of a trial what do you do?  There are many options available.  You could:  A-go seek help from a trusted friend, B-seek help from you pastor, C-Worry and fret, D-think that God has abandoned you, because this is not what you signed up for, E-doubt that God was ever with you in the first place.  When placed in the flames that are all consuming, I have done all of the above.  Am I trying to say that all of the above are not legit. or should be avoided at all costs?  

Uhmmm, santification (the process of how we grow) is not an instantaneous process, it is not a sprint, it is a marathon.  From the Westminster Shorter Catechism:  

Q. 35. What is sanctification?

A. Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.

and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

I was teaching a Bible Study Wednesday night to a wonderful group of ladies that I sensed, struggle with this concept.  Just like we all do.  We have been brought up in the land of the free, the brave, the independent, and the perfectionists.  We all have our different struggles with trying to prove ourselves worthy of, take your pick; Mother, Father, sister, brother, husband, church, society at large, ourselves, God.  Depending how we were raised or the idea of who we are now or in the future determines just what we are "perfect" at.  We as Christians are very prone to this, because of our conceptual grid in our minds of how we are to "do" Christianity.  We are not the only ones, it is a human heart longing.  God put it there.  The utopianists of today are doing just the same things, yet they think we can perfect ourselves and society through political or social action.  We as Christians are utopians too.  Think about it.  We are looking for a city as well.  One that is perfect, has streets of gold, etc...  We do realize though that it will never be achieved here on earth because we know that there is a "little" thing called sin, except..........How many of us are looking for human perfection?  Now that we have come to Jesus do we expect ourselves or (esp. our spouses and children) should be perfect as well?  What does this have to do with fiery trials, well, I realize I am following a rabbit trail, but our expectations of being in a trial, of how we handle it, of how others handle it, depend on certain truths.  We are sinful, and will remain so, until Jesus comes or we arrive in Heaven.  The same goes for those we live with and love.  Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith.  He never wastes a "crisis."  He plans just what we need when we need it, and He is much more patient with us than we are ourselves, because He sees us through the grid of what HE accomplished on our behalf on the cross.  We no longer have to pay for our sins.  

But, there is this little verse in Philippians that says, "work out your salvation with fear and trembling." (2:12)  We as believers, esp. myself, see this verse as a check list of do's and don'ts, and determining how well or think I did, ........well you get the picture.  Romans 14:23 gets to the heart of this matter, "everything that does not come from faith is sin."  

The central theme to all of this is Faith.  Our battles are won and lost on this issue.  Faith.  When we compare ourselves with others actions, when we stay down and sullen because we do not measure up, what we should be asking ourselves is not what we did, but how did we believe, or how do we believe now that I am flat on my face?  Did we have faith?  That's where the battle is fought, won and lost.  When you are in a trial, believe, believe that God is who He said He is, and no matter the circumstances, exercise faith.  That is the battle.  Not how we look to anyone, compare to anyone, etc......We get it all mixed up in our minds.  We think that all actions prove or not prove our worth.  Faith is fought for, anguished over, and sought with all our beings.  And just think, we only believe by grace.  Pray that God would give you the grace to trust, no matter what the circumstance.  Also, be prepared for the battle........

Fighting the battle of faith while awaiting the Bridegroom.................Lynn