Thursday, June 27, 2019

Spree

My cousin Wayne and I have had a joke about Spree candy for fifty years. The 1st time we ate Spree we were sitting on his back porch, splitting a roll while his younger brother napped. Wayne popped a red one in his mouth and said this tastes like a rose smells. Red Spree still has a special place in my heart.

For my birthday, Wayne donated to my online fundraiser benefiting the Lone Survivor Foundation. So, I was surprised to learn a package from him was on the way, it arrived last night. 5 LBS of Spree, yes you read that correctly, 5 pounds of Spree. My husband and I broke into it before dinner. (We probably need to schedule dental appointments and check into Spree-hab.) 

Wayne and I differ wildly in our political views but we love one another. We always respect one another and do not speak rudely or harshly to one another which does not seem to be the norm in today's culture. 

No one is perfect, we all fall short, but it hurts my heart to see Christians rudely and cruelly expressing their opinions for or against the President, for or against a topic appearing in the headlines. We are to be known by our love not our self-righteous angry defense of being pro-life or pro-choice, pro-death penalty or anti-death penalty, pro/anti (fill in the blank)________________.  At times the idea of being a hermit living off the grid has merit.

The Bible has much to say about the condition of our hearts and our words. Below are a few verses in the ESV:

Ps 34:13-14

Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

Eph 4:29 

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

1 Pet 4:8

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins

Matt 7:2-4

For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye?

So instead of being huffy and pointing out what is wrong or spending time rebutting posts on Facebook, why don't we pray for the Lord's will to be done? We must choose to remain focused on Him and not others and their faults. If social media brings out behaviour which is anything but Christ-like, take a break! Step away from your device and get some fresh air. Turn off the CNN/FOX/MSNBC and go outside and love your neighbor. 








Wednesday, June 19, 2019

40 Years

Last Friday and Saturday were spent with classmates many of whom are my friends today, we graduated high school 40 years ago. Let me repeat that 40 YEARS ago. A whole lot of life has happened since I left my graduation ceremony at the ripe old age of 17, counting the weeks until I turned 18 and would be able to legally drink alcohol. I certainly knew everything! 

Did we party like it was 1979? No, but we enjoyed catching up and laughing over a casual dinner at our Alma Mater. The next day we mustered enough energy to tour Space Center Houston and enjoyed their Lunch with an Astronaut. Clay Anderson spoke, took questions from diners, the children's questions were tough! He then took pictures with individuals and posed for a group shot with our class. Fun weekend. 

If memory serves me well, I knew everything for 3 or 4 years after graduation. Now in the twilight of my 50's, I realize how little I know which is freeing to say the least. I don't have to have all the answers, I know the One Who does. Remember if you need wisdom, all you have to do is ask.

James 1:4-6 English Standard Version (ESV)

And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.


Friday, June 7, 2019

June 6, 1944

75 years ago yesterday, thousands of men from Allied countries landed on the beaches of France.  I think of all the WWII veterans in my family as well as my friend's families I knew in the course of my life. Only 1 of these men is still alive, he is in his late 90's. They never talked about WWII, maybe a comment here or there, but were mostly silent about it. I remember being fascinated by pictures of these men with their buddies in Europe or the Pacific. One of my great-uncles made 2 comments about the war, one was he would not eat black-eyed peas or rice because he had his fill in the service and the other was landing crafts were terrible.

Fast forward to 2019, I think of the points that society complains about today. Is that because of Social Media, a shift in culture, or a combination of the 2? Diatribes on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. My way or the highway. Calling people vile names. Astoundingly, it is the norm. 

I am not suggesting we swallow our feelings or never offer our opinions. I am suggesting the Lord does not want us to murmur and complain. He does not want us casting stones. And as a society, we seem to justify both. We have a "right" to say whatever we want but yet we don't want to be responsible for our words. Many people go with the I don't have a filter defense. 

We need to weigh our words before they exit our mouth. Hard to do I know, I am an extrovert and tend to say what is on my mind. That is why I understand Peter so well. From what we read in the Bible, he spoke at times without thinking. 

So I try and fail at times to live out the following Scriptures:

The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”

 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.

For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 

Instead of complaining or casting stones on Twitter and Facebook, we should take the person or issue that concerns us to the Lord in prayer. 

Pray for our leaders, pray the poor, pray for the refugees. Pray, pray, pray and pray some more.