THE GOOD NEW DAYS

We have all heard stories of the “good old days.” It is amazing how time erases all of the “bad old parts” out of the “good old days” and they become a romanticized memory that we long to experience once again. My mom love to talk of her childhood on the “Ole John Drennan” place. She taught us how to play “kick the Can” and “roll the hoop.” We heard tales of Christmas past, when she got a whole candy cane, apple and orange for herself and how Granny Myers made doll clothes and Grandpa Myers made a doll bed as her Christmas present. Because of the “good old days” we always looked for the apple and orange in our stocking on Christmas morning. Unfortunately, we didn’t treasure them as Mom had and they ended up in a beautiful centerpiece on the table. There were times I longed for the simple life, Mom described, running through grassy meadows, instead of a manicured lawn, walking down the lane, rather than navigating cement sidewalks and a chlorinated swimming pool seemed a boring substitute for swinging from a tree and dropping into your very own swimming hole. Of course Mom told her share of walking a mile to school, trekking through the woods to the outhouse and how she hid behind the barn crying as her little lamb, Blackie was sent to market. But these stories were reserved to teach us lessons when we became ungrateful. Besides, I never had a woods to trek through or a little lamb to cry over; Oh the “good old days!”

Now, I’m sure, if my sons were writing this blog, they would accuse me of my own “good old days.” How we had to walk across the room and turn the dial on our black and white TV to change channels, we had no x-box, DVR, and not even a VCR. A microwave was something in a sci-fi story in a book checked out at the library when we should have been researching the encyclopedia for the paper that would be typed on our typewriter, with no “delete” button. Our bicycles had banana seats, big handle bars and we pressed the pedals backward to stop. We spent endless hours in the backyard playing baseball, making dandelion chains and catching fireflies before taking a bath in the one bathroom with no shower. Neighbors watched out for each other, dropped in for a cup of coffee, and knew you by name. Mom’s hollered from the back porch when it was time to come home and if you needed to make a phone call, you literally dialed a number and stood by the wall phone unless you had an extra long cord. Oh, the “Good Old Days!”

If only we could take the “good” of yesterday and incorporate it into the “good” of today. I must confess, I really enjoy multiple bathrooms with showers, fresh ground coffee at the touch of a button and a DVR allowing me to record, pause and rewind my favorite programs. By instituting a few extra safeguards, my grandchildren can still run free, chase butterflies and take a dip in the lake. It’s true they will google instead of use the card catalog but their eyes will still light up when they discover why birds fly and the sky is blue. I can still push the off button on the remote and introduce them to the joy of fudge, popcorn and a night of playing Candy Land, Checkers, Monopoly or completing a jigsaw puzzle. They can still hang up their personalized, designer stocking over the gas-log fireplace in anticipation of wonderful surprises the next morning. I wonder what the stories of the “Good old days” will sound like to my great-grandchildren?

Sometimes we long for the “good old days” in our relationship with God. We yearn for the time when the power of God was so strong in our services that even the babies were silent. I remember when “waves of glory” would roll from one side of the church to the other that would rival a “fan wave” in any sports stadium. The songs were heartfelt and filled with a message that touched the soul. “Brothers and Sisters” greeted each other with a “holy kiss” and you felt loved and part of the family of God. There were wonderful church potlucks and the children were cared for by all the saints. One of my friends posted the following on Facebook this week, “back then church was different than today. I'm hungry for the church we used to have.” I have made similar statements myself. But have we “romanticized” church? God hasn’t changed and as PCD sang “The Power is still where it’s always been.”

I was reminded of this story in Ezra. The Israelites had been allowed to return to their home and rebuild the temple. Ezra 3 relates how finally the builders had laid the foundation of the Temple of the Lord. The priests blew the trumpets and the people rejoiced, singing and praising God, “because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel.” There were some, however, could not rejoice because their heart was heavy with longing for the “Good Old Days.” Ezra 3:12 tells us, “But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice.” They longed for what had been, what could have been, and what they feared their children would never experience. The rest of the verse states, “and many shouted aloud for joy.” Those who rejoiced, remembered from where God had brought them and the miracle that had lead to this day. They were excited about what God was doing at this moment and that their children could once again experience worship in the Temple of the Lord. It might not contain all the former glory but God was doing a new thing in the congregation.

Let us not become so stuck in the “good old days” that we miss the glory of God in the “good new days.” The key is making the service “all about Him.” If we are worshiping God in Spirit and Truth, it doesn’t matter if we are sitting on hard benches or padded seats. If we are lifting our voice in praise to God, it doesn’t matter if we are singing out of a worn hymnal or reading the words off a screen with background video. If the preacher is preaching from the Word of God it doesn’t matter if he is thumping hand-written notes or eloquently speaking from neat word-processed pages. I will gladly trade the whrrr of fans for the quiet cool of central air and the out-of-tune upright and one guitar for the harmonious blending of today’s instruments. I loved the preaching of the “old-time” country preacher I grew up with, but I also enjoy the deep insightful teaching of men who have dug deep into the Word and received fresh revelation from God to deliver to the congregation. You see, church is still about my relationship with God. Will I praise Him in the sanctuary, for his mighty acts, according to His excellent goodness, because His mercy endures forever, and because He is worthy to be praised? We are living in the “Good New Days.” Jesus Christ is still the same, yesterday, today and forever. Let us leave a legacy of praise and power in the Holy Ghost so strong, that our children will look back with longing at our day and say, “Surely the Presence of the Lord was in that place.”

JUST 10 MORE MINUTES

I love to browse the bargain shelves at the Family Book Store. I usually come home with 2 or 3 books. Some end up in the garage sale, half read, others become dog eared, highlighted and quoted because they speak to an area of my life that has been neglected. Last week I picked up such a book. The book was fiction, which is not usually my reading choice, but it was by an author, I enjoy, who also writes nonfiction and it was only $5. The book proved to be an amazing find and I couldn’t put it down. I wanted to fall on my knees, call up my loved ones and start rereading it all at the same time. Now that your curiosity is at an all time high, the book is “Rescued” by John Bevere. It is worth reading even if you have to pay more than $5, it will make you stop and think and possibly even change your thinking.

The main character is a minister of a mega church and his son. I won’t go into all the details because you really need to read the book for yourself, so I will just say the following: It is so easy to justify our actions based on our service to God. We have a great responsibility to those in our sphere of influence. God sees past the service deep into the secret recesses of our heart and mind. Anything you refuse to give to God, you will eventually have to face; either in this life or eternity. Most important you still have time to change anything that’s not in line with God’s plan.

If by God’s grace I knew this was my last day on earth, I would spend a good portion of it examining everything in my heart and make sure it had all been confessed, repented of and was under the blood of Jesus Christ. Then if God, told me, “You have just 10 more minutes to speak to your loved ones. Say anything you want but whatever you say, they will remember the rest of their lives.” Here is what I would say:

God loves you. His love is unconditional but salvation is conditioned upon your obedience to God’s Word.

Your life will be better if you follow God, because you will always have a friend walking with you.

Love the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. Follow these two commandments all your life and you will have no trouble being in the Will of God.

Daily prayer and Bible reading won’t save you, but it will make the journey a whole lot easier.

Be swift to ask for forgiveness and even more swift to offer forgiveness.
You can’t change yesterday and you don’t know what surprises tomorrow will hold, so don’t waste a moment of today.

Let God measure your successes and correct your failures.

If you let your possessions define you, you will have missed out on God’s greatest blessing--relationships.

Your Godly heritage is a precious treasure. You will determine how much of it is passed to the next generation.

Heaven and Hell are equally real and your life on earth determines which one you choose for eternity. Remember, Heaven is not automatic.

Your life is a precious gift from God and you are a precious gift to me. I will always be thankful for the time on earth we shared. Make sure you choose Heaven because I want to spend eternity with you too.

I still have a minute left, I would like to pray a special blessing over you and as I step into eternity, hold my hand.
What would you say if you had only 10 more minutes? Think about it; write it down, or better yet, LIVE IT EVERYDAY!!!!

MIRRORS, REFLECTIONS AND ILLUSIONS

As a child, my youngest son Philip had a fascination with mirrors. If there was a mirror in the room, he could not resist watching himself talk as he told you about his day or ask a question. To get his attention his dad would stand in front of the mirror. Phil, never missing a syllable would contort his body so he could see around, under or over his dad. My grandchildren have inherited this same trait. I’m sure my mother would testify that the gene came from me; I prefer to believe that it magically appeared in my children and then was passed down to my grandchildren. Children will pause to gaze at any reflection of themselves. I watched as Caleb used the glass in the back door to examine his tongue and his belly, to see what scary and funny things he could do with his face and to watch the patterns saliva created as it ran down the formerly clean window. I wanted to capture this moment to show at his graduation party, so to get his attention I asked him to show me the sucker clutched in his little hand. Refusing to look at the camera, he held the sucker up proudly and smiled as I captured the back of his head and the reflection in the glass.

As we mature, our fascination with mirrors doesn’t really go away. Alright, confess! How many of you still make funny faces in your bathroom mirror? How many of you men strike a pose and flex for the mirror admiring the imaginary bulging biceps and six-pack abs? It really doesn’t change, most of the time we see an illusion; what we would like to be rather than what we have become.

This morning, I saw an interview with Ruby. At one time Ruby weighed over 700 pounds and has lost over 300. She said all the weight just sort of “crept” up on her. My first thought was, did you ever look in a mirror? I understand 20 or 30 pounds “creeping” up on you but 400 to 500? Then it hit me this is how everything that would destroy our life begins. Looking in the “mirror of life” after we have allowed just a little lie or envy to invade, we decide, “it doesn’t look so bad.” After all, I can still button the “blouse.” After a few days, the new reflection becomes familiar and when we add some hatefulness or doubt, we again decide I see the changes but no one else notices and we hide behind a “roomier blouse.” The scenario is repeated, we become comfortable with our new look and easily allow jealousy, lust or unforgiveness to pile on. The illusion takes over and we no longer notice or care as we quickly “comb our hair,” closing our mind to our true reflection.

Recently, I have been teaching a bible study to a group. I passed out a mirror to each person in the group and ask each one to look at their reflection and tell me one good thing about themselves. Some made remarks regarding their eyes, hair, wrinkles, or smile, while others mentioned qualities that were not reflected in the mirror but were reflected in their character. One gentleman laid down his mirror and with tears in his eyes began to tell of his experience with mirrors. His life had become something he would have never dreamed possible. His shame was so great that he was unable to even look at the reflection of sin’s destructive forces. Today, he looks in the mirror, past the lasting scars of sin, into eyes that reflect the joy of the Lord, and at a mouth that speaks blessing rather than cursing.

If you have allowed some “weights or sins” to creep into your life, stop, take a good look in the mirror. Instead of embracing an illusion and glancing past the unflattering parts, choose the characteristic that causes you the biggest problem and give it to Jesus. Then move on to the next and the next. Soon you will be able to look in the mirror and see yourself as He does, through eyes of forgiveness. You will no longer see what you have become but the transformed person you are becoming through the blood of Jesus Christ.

I WANT TO BE A BALCONY PERSON

A year or two ago, my friend, Suzanne and my sister, Anita recommended that I read a book by Joyce Landorf Heatherley, entitled Balcony People. I finally bought the book and have read it through twice. It is a small book, only about 60 pages but it contains a very powerful message. It deals with two types of people in our life, Evaluators and Affirmers. My personality and nature makes me a natural Evaluator. I tend to immediately pinpoint the problem, and then offer solutions to fix the problem that make absolute sense to me. It doesn’t matter if the solution seems totally foreign to the person I am evaluating. I am convinced that if they will follow my sage advice their lives will improve and they will become a better person.

As I mature and realize life is not all about me, I have started observing and evaluating behavior in a totally different manner. I have observed that one of the most important needs in a person’s life is affirmation. We all need and desire to be affirmed. Affirmation means what I do and say has value or meaning. It means you acknowledge that my opinion is valid and worth consideration. Too many times I have listened half-heartedly to an opinion, my mind distracted with the need to insert my own thoughts, which of course I feel are much more intelligent and well–thought out than what I am hearing. Naturally, I expect the recipient of my wisdom to fall at my feet in awe that one person could utter such profundity. Instead the person leaves feeling that once again their opinion was dismissed and probably wasn’t valid anyway.

How different the situation would be if I took the time to really listen what the person was saying. I could still evaluate the content according to my set of core values and then express my views on the matter. However this time, I would be acknowledging their insight, seeing the similarities, affirming their thoughtful opinion and preparing them to hear a different view and hopefully open their mind to consider new possibilities.

A Balcony Person is an Affirmer. This person sees the positives that outweigh the negatives in every situation. The Balcony Person emphasizes the positives and cheers you on toward them. The Basement Person, on the other hand concentrates on where you went wrong and how it can be fixed. In other words, the Balcony Person lifts you up while the Basement Person pulls you down. Although it will take a lot of effort on my part, I am striving to become a Balcony Person.
I have been fortunate to have some Balcony People in my life. The number one person in my Balcony is my husband Steve. For 33 years he has been in the front row cheering me on. Steve has always believed in me and encouraged me to grow and pursue my dreams. Because of his support I was able to go to college and earn my degree. When I felt like I didn’t have what it took to apply for certain jobs, I heard him whispering “If anyone can do it, you can. Go for it.” Last night, he sat quietly supporting me as I taught a Bible Study Series to a church group. You see, Balcony People, do not feel threatened by your success. I want to be a Balcony Person.

God has strategically placed other Balcony People along the path that have urged me on, cheered my victories and offered a helping hand as I sat mortified in the midst of my failures. Some of these Balcony People have been put there for a short time or on a temporary, as needed basis. Others have walked beside me every step along the path of life. I want to be a Balcony Person in someone’s life. I can think of nothing I would want someone to say at my funeral than, “She loved me, saw my positives, cheered me on and was one of my Balcony People.”

A HOP, A SKIP AND A WALK AROUND THE BLOCK

If you want to experience life on another level, take a walk with a 2-year old. Yesterday, while Mommy and Nathan went to visit the doctor, Caleb and Grandma went for a walk. Walking with a child won’t get your heart rate up to a fat-burning level or leave you with aching muscles, but it will challenge you to slow down and enjoy the simpler things of creation.

Our walk began at a fast pace, with Caleb running and Grandma hurrying to keep up. You can never settle into a rhythm with a child, however, because you never know when something will catch their eye and present a new discovery opportunity. After walking about 300 feet, Caleb bent over to pick up 4 newly fallen baby pine cones. He handed them to me to carry because he needed his hands free for the next adventure and he knew Grandma would keep his treasure in safe keeping until needed for his future plans. Turning the corner and continuing down the sidewalk, we met 2 stone lions minding their own business until we came along. We paused for a moment to growl and make faces at them before leaving them to their task of guarding a garage. Caleb called my attention to all the wonderful sounds filling the air and we identified the chirps of small birds, a barking dog, the roar of an airplane taking off on an exciting journey and the raucous caw of a large blackbird as it flew from its perch in a nearby tree.

Rounding the next corner, a fallen twig became a sword, a walking stick and a gun on a shoulder as we marched off to war. Caleb held the twig tightly in his little hand as we neared a most exciting task reserved for twigs and pine cones. He loves to let them fall through the holes in the gutter, down into the darkness until he hears the splash as they hit the water. With that assignment completed, we hopped like bunnies onto the manhole cover just to hear the echo. A crack in the pavement down the middle of the road became a tight rope to help perfect our balance. With his little hand in mine we turned the last corner and headed home just in time for a snack and some juice.

Sometime our lives become so focused we forget to let our imaginations run wild and our dreams soar. God has so many wonderful things to show us and share with us if we would pause for just a moment to look and listen. Instead we settle into the rhythm of life as it passes swiftly by carrying all our dreams with it until we finally wake up and realize what might have been. It may sound childish and you may feel silly, but spiritually speaking, take a slow walk around the block, really listen to the soft whispers that have been drowned out by the roar of what you thought was important. Hop like a bunny, skip like a lamb, march like a soldier or make faces at a stone lion. Consider all the possibilities in God and dare to dream once again.