Reach - 5 minute Friday

Reach ~
I just started reading a great book a friend of mine wrote. "Silver Threads - Weaving Godly Wisdom into the Lives of Younger Women" by Kate Megill. This book is about mentoring women.
Reach out to the younger women.
In this book Kate asks where all the older women are. She makes a point that many are too busy.
I can't reach out if I'm focused inward.
Reach
Stretching out toward something... someone
This is what comes to mind
Also that scene from "Hook".
The scene where Peter Panning was too gripped by fear to reach out and save his children.
All he had to do was reach out and touch them.
I don't want to stop reaching.
I don't want to be too busy to reach out to others.
I don't want to be too afraid to reach out.
But..
To reach takes effort.
To reach takes risk.
To reach takes stretching.
If I reach out I am more vulnerable.
No...
To reach means helping others.
To reach means growth.
To reach means exercising my heart and its ability to love.
To reach is what Jesus did.
Lord, open my eyes today.
Help me stretch out the love You have given me and reach out to others.

Change ~ 5 Minute Friday

Change-
Is hard
If it happens to you
you must adjust quickly or it can really set you back
If you need to make a change
...depending on your motivation
It can sometimes take forever
I don't do change well.
But if change happens to me
I can eventually get my head around it
Get my attitude in check and keep going
Not fighting it and trying to flow works best.
But there are things in my life that I have wanted to change
for years
decades
I always come up with a plan
then I get lazy, forget, or just lose motivation
why is is so hard for me to change?
Even those things I know I need to change
Those many things that I have countless ideas
formulas, books, plans...
I don't lack the knowledge
They aren't impossible
Many have made these changes
I just don't practice
I want to change

Tell -- 5 Minute Friday

The word is "Tell"
The first thing I thought of when I saw this word was tell people who God is.
Who He really is.
There is so much fear out there today,
A thick fear that I can feel in the air.
I can sense that believers... Christ followers... are letting fear overwhelm them.
God has not given us a spirit of fear.. but of sound mind.
So let me tell you who my God is:
My God is Master of the universe.
My God is completely wise.
My God is completely sovereign.
My God is good.
There is nothing that escapes Him.
His ways are not our ways.
He is a God of justice.
And His love is unending...
He says, "do not fear".

Fill - Five Minute Friday

So... I'm going to start something new. Something a little challenging for me. Five Minute Friday. It is supposed to be an unedited rough draft on a given topic. (If you’re interested in learning more check out, Kate Motaung’s site.)

Fill - that is the word.

I smile as I think, do I really need to "fill" my time with anything else.
Just this morning I was a bit overwhelmed as my calendar is quickly filling up with appointments, activities and work.
School hasn't even started yet.
What will my calendar look like when I get announcements from the classes of my three boys.
Baseball also starts soon and this season we will have three different teams again.
For some reason, I want this challenge.
Maybe because it is something for just me.
A way to express my thoughts.
I am not a writer.
I think of this word and imagine little holes in people.
Holes that are made by sorrow, frustration, discouragement, loneliness, or anger.
What joy if I could be used to fill even just a little hole by bringing encouragement to someone.
Just by listening
Or a smile

Celebrating St Nicholas and many others

As far as not celebrating Santa, it feels like my little family is in the minority.  We have never given our kids gifts from Santa and it really hasn't bothered them, except that they get fewer gifts than many of their friends.  A few years ago I started adding St. Nicholas to our Advent because "Santa" is everywhere.  Rather than pretending he doesn't dominate Christmas, we celebrate who he was on one of the Advent days.  Usually December 6, on St. Nicholas Day.  The kids put out their shoes by the door the night before and they find a chocolate Santa or some treat in the morning.

This year we are doing something a little different.  Instead of just talking about St.  Nicholas we will be talking about other men of God past and present. The following are interesting facts of just a few.

St.  Nicholas

His parents died when he was a young man, leaving him well off and he determined to devote his inheritance to works of charity. An opportunity soon arose. This came to the ears of Nicholas, who thereupon took a bag of gold and, under cover of darkness threw it in at the open window of the man's house. Later St. Nicholas was indicated to be the new bishop. This was at the time of the persecutions at the beginning of the fourth century. Nicholas was seized by the magistrates, tortured, then chained and thrown into prison with many other Christians. (http://www.catholic.org/saints)

St. Patrick

St. Patrick was born around 385 in Scotland. When he was 14 he was captured and taken to Ireland as a slave.  During his captivity, he turned to God in prayer.  Patrick's captivity lasted until he was twenty, when he escaped after having a dream from God. He reunited with his family. He had another dream in which the people of Ireland were calling out to him. Later, Patrick was ordained a bishop, and was sent to take the Gospel to Ireland.  Patrick preached and converted all of Ireland for 40 years. He worked many miracles and wrote of his love for God.  After years of living in poverty, and enduring much suffering he died March 17, 461. (http://www.catholic.org/saints)

St. Valentine
Valentinus was a Roman priest martyred during the reign of Claudius the Goth [Claudius II]. Since he was caught marrying Christian couples and aiding any Christians who were being persecuted under Emperor Claudius in Rome [when helping them was considered a crime], Valentinus was arrested and imprisoned. Claudius took a liking to this prisoner -- until Valentinus made a strategic error: he tried to Sconvert the Emperor -- whereupon this priest was condemned to death. He was beaten with clubs and stoned; when that didn't do it, he was beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate [circa 269]. (http://www.catholic.org/saints)

St. Francis of Assise

Francis enjoyed a very rich easy life. Francis became the leader of a crowd of young people who spent their nights in wild parties. Francis wanted to be a noble, a knight. Battle was the best place to win the glory and prestige he longed for. He got his first chance when Assisi declared war on their long time enemy. Most of the troops from Assisi were butchered in the fight. Only those wealthy enough to expect to be ransomed were taken prisoner. After a year in the dungeon, he was ransomed. Strangely, the experience didn't seem to change him. He gave himself to partying with as much joy and abandon as he had before the battle. Finally a call for knights for the Fourth Crusade gave him a chance for his dream of glory. But Francis never got farther than one day's ride from Assisi. There he had a dream in which God told him he had it all wrong and told him to return home. Francis started to spend more time in prayer. He went off to a cave and wept for his sins. His search for conversion led him to the ancient church at San Damiano. While he was praying there, he heard Christ on the crucifix speak to him, "Francis, repair my church."   Wearing nothing but castoff rags, he went off into the freezing woods -- singing. And when robbers beat him later and took his clothes, he climbed out of the ditch and went off singing again. From then on Francis had nothing... and everything. He was going to do what no one thought possible any more -- live by the Gospel. Francis did not try to abolish poverty, he tried to make it holy. Francis' final years were filled with suffering as well as humiliation. Years of poverty and wandering had made Francis ill. Francis never recovered from this illness. He died on October 4, 1226 at the age of 45. (http://www.catholic.org/saints)

Stephen –“Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.  Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue..who began to argue with Stephen.. So they stirred up  the people and the elders and the teachers of the law.  They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin.  They produced false witnesses who testified, "This fellow never stops speaking against the holy place and against the law."  All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel (Stephen preached Jesus to them) When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him.  But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."  At this they covered their ears and yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."  Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." (Acts 6).  

John the Baptist -  John was beheaded at the request of Salome, daughter of Herodias, who asked for his head at the instigation of her mother.  John inspired many of his followers to follow Christ when he designated Him "the Lamb of God," among them Andrew and John, who came to know Christ Christ through John's preaching. (Matt 14)

Peter - Peter is said to have been crucified under Emperor Nero. It is traditionally held that he was crucified upside down at his own request, since he saw himself unworthy to be crucified in the same way as Jesus Christ.  (http://www.catholic.org/saints)

Paul - was beheaded.

Heb 11 Heros of faith

“And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection.  Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.  These were all commended for their faith. 

Philip James Elliot (1956) was an evangelical Christian who was one of five missionaries killed while participating in Operation Auca, an attempt to evangelize the Waodani people of Ecuador. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Elliot)

Current from Voice of the Martrs http://www.persecution.com/:

Farshid Fathi was arrested on Dec. 26, 2010 in a wave of arrests of believers in Tehran and other areas. Of the 22 believers arrested by security forces in Tehran, 10 were released after intense questioning and after they signed agreements to refrain from Christian activities. Eleven others were also later released. By the end of April, 2010, only Farshid remained in prison, though his family had paid an enormous bail sum. He spent nearly a year in solitary confinement.  According to Elam Ministries, Farshid is a shining beacon for Christ in Evin. Farshid is married to Leila, and has two children, Rosana and Bardia. Pray that they will be comforted during this time. Pray for steadfast endurance, deep Godly peace and for protection for Farshid in prison. Pray he will remain a shining light in prison and pray for his release. He has been held 712 days.

Alireza Seyyedian is a 37-year-old former Muslim who has been a Christian since 2006. Last year, security forces confiscated his computer during a raid on his apartment. Authorities then discovered video of Alireza’s baptism in Turkey on the computer. In December 2011 he was sentenced to six years in prison, for crimes against national security and propaganda against the regime. He was arrested and transported back to Tehran where he was imprisoned in Evin prison. According to one report, the conditions of this section of the prison are unsanitary, and each cell is overcrowded with around 30 political prisoners. Alireza has been held 268 days.

Eva Abdallah, 17, welcomed Christ into her life three years ago, though she grew up Muslim. After her conversion, her parents disowned her. Her father is a district Islamic leader. She lived with a Christian pastor until she was arrested. A group of radicals in her hometown of Bagamoyo on Tanzania’s coast sought to convince her to give up her new Christian faith. When she refused, they falsely accused her of urinating on a Quran, Islam’s holy book. Eva was arrested and put in prison. At her trial on July 23, the judge, who was allegedly bribed by the Islamic militants who accused her, sentenced Eva to two years imprisonment. A Voice Of the Martrs contact visited Eva in October. He wrote that he was greeted by two Christian female guards who are caring for Eva. They both promised to help keep her safe. She has been held 338 days.

For the Lord loves justice, And does not forsake His saints; They are preserved forever, But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off. (Psalm 37:28)

Precious in the sight of the Lord Is the death of His saints. (Psalm 116:15)

But blessed are those who trust in the Lord  and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.  They are like trees planted along a riverbank,  with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8

FEAR

My youngest child, Lover Boy, has no fear… or so I thought. He seems to be very brave and throws caution to the wind. Of course he is the only one in our family who has experienced broken bones. Even though he scares me half to death with his stunts and tricks, I admire his courage. So, I was very surprised and frustrated when he was paralysed by fear.

It happened not to long ago, he was 5 and we were fishing at a reservoir. I love this place because of the huge boulders along the shore. Lover boy was climbing on rocks doing very cool ninja moves. “Mommy take my picture!” I got out my camera and breathed a prayer to God. “Jesus, keep him safe, send extra angels to keep him from falling.” He didn’t fall.

A little later he was at the top of a ridge that he and his brothers had been up and down several times. It was not as high as the boulders. His brother’s were with him and I called them down for whatever reason. The two older boys slid down the embankment. I was surprised to hear Lover Boy call out for help. “I can’t get down!” Surely he was joking. So I yelled back to him, “you’ve done this a lot already, just sit down and slide like your brothers did”. Then, a blood curdling scream escaped his mouth. I rush closer to where he was, still safe at the top. “What is a matter?” I yell in a very frustrated voice, because he was fine, and that scream was enough to turn my blood cold. “There are ants” he screamed, “everywhere, they are all around me!” I yell out, “are they biting you?” Not much concern in my voice. “No”, he cries, “not yet”. I tried to climb up to him but I couldn’t reach him. He was paralyzed with fear. He looked at me, with “momma save me” in his eyes. My poor courageous little boy, couldn’t move. He started crying hysterically. I was yelling instructions feeling helpless to get to him. He wasn’t listening. I couldn’t see the ants, but I knew it wouldn’t be long before he got bit.

He wouldn’t listen and I couldn’t get to him. Then, in anger, (I know, I need to work on being more compassionate) I yelled at him “I can’t help you unless you let me. Walk this way to where I can reach you.” As you know, the thing about being paralyzed is you really can’t move. So somehow I climbed further and jumped grabbing his ankle and yanked him down. It would have probably been safer to let him get bit.

We both got to the bottom and I reprimanded him. “Why wouldn’t you trust me?” I ask him, still not very compassionate. “I was trying to help you. But you wouldn’t let me help you.” I then realized I was talking harshly. I gave him a hug and let him cry. Then I pray, “Thank You Lord, for protecting him from the ants and not letting him get bit”. Then… I cried too.

It was then, in my heart of hearts, I heard my heavenly Father whisper, “yes.. why won’t YOU trust Me. He is only 5 dear one. You know Me. You know that I am Almighty God, Sovereign and Creator of all things. You know that My arm is not too short, and nothing is impossible for Me. So, my daughter, what is your excuse? Why won’t you trust Me with everything?”

And so, here I am almost two years later, still needing to learn to trust my God who says,

"Fear not, for I am with you".

New Bedtime Prayer for My Kiddos

Lord, You say in Your word that You know the plans You have for me, plans to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me hope and a future.

I will call upon You Lord and pray to You , and You say You will listen to me. I will seek You Lord and find You when I seek You with all my heart.

Lord, You say You love me with an everlasting love. You have drawn me with loving kindness. You will refresh me when I am weary and satisfy me when I’m faint. You will put Your law in my mind an write it on my heart. You are my God and I am Yours.

Sovereign Lord, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for You. O great and powerful God, whose name is The Lord Almighty, great are Your purposes and mighty are Your deeds.

Your eyes are open to all the ways of men and You reward everyone according to his conduct, and as his deeds deserve. You are the Lord, the God of all mankind, is anything too hard for You?

You are my God. You say You will give me singleness of heart and action, so that I will always fear You, for my own good and the good of my children after me. You will never stop doing good to me and You will inspire me to fear You so that I will never turn away from You.

You rejoice in doing me good. I give thanks to You Lord Almighty for You Lord, are good and Your love endures forever.

Jeremiah 29:11-13;31:3,25,33;32:17-19,27,38-41;33:11