Visions & Verses

Happy Birthday America!

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord....  ~Psalm 33:12

'Eleven score and six' years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. *

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.*

Of all the dispositions and habits, which lead to political prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and Citizens. The mere Politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connexions with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked, Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in Courts of Justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect, that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.*

...We here highly resolve that...this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.*

And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.*

They who said it first, said it best.  Happy Birthday to our Republic, one nation under God, indivisible!  May God continue to bless her with liberty for ourselves and our posterity.

 

*Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

*Declaration of Independence

*Washington's Farewell Address

God is the Builder of Everything

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.  ~1 Corinthians 3:11

Ah, summer  --  flip flops, butterflies, ocean breezes, sand castles, grilled food, friends, family, fireworks and a thousand other delights.  Just the break from the usual routine can be magical and refreshing, but oh, the family vacation.  Such was the inspiration for my best friend's son's birthday card.  Three families of best buddies shared a beach house for a week and it was really a wonderful, special time.  The kids were never bored, so there was plenty of time to just sit and ponder and let the world drift by.

And isn't that so critical these days?  Shepherds sat on lonely hills for days with only the bleeting of sheep, but we are bombarded with a world of troubles and cares daily, sometimes hourly!  Karla Dornacher, in her recent post, reminded me this week that God is whispering: 'let stillness find its place in your heart and thoughts. I am the One who holds all your tomorrows in the palm of my hand... I am'

He holds our tomorrows...isn't that comforting?  He is the builder of everything, laid on the foundation of Jesus Christ.  We are His building, His temple, and He is continually building us up, tomorrow by tomorrow.  Why worry?  He holds our tomorrows!  We get so uncomfortable not being busy...cleaning, fixing, wiping, helping, doing.  But like Martha, He asks us to take a break and just sit at His feet and listen to what He is telling us about life and the Kingdom of God.  Be still and know that He is God.  Rest peacefully in the knowledge that He's got it under control.  Take a moment to step into His luxury spa, where everything is taken care of down to the last detail, for your benefit.  Find rest, comfort and renewal.  Allow yourself to feel special and precious.  Drink in the mineral water of life.  Be healed by the fountain of every blessing.  Be transformed into the best 'you' you can be.  Let yourself go, at least for a little while.

Of course, as you step out of 'the spa' the baby is crying, the cat is climbing the curtains (again) and you remember the bills were due yesterday -- but you can carry that feeling of peace in your heart - a calm in the storm of life: the knowledge that it will all work out, and that you are thoroughly loved.  I wish you some quality time in 'God's spa' this summer.  Some time to just 'be' and to meditate and pray, to stop and just rest in His love and promises.  It might not improve your complexion, but I bet people around you will notice the difference anyway!

Thank you, Lord, for loving us when we were unlovable, for forgiving us when we were yet sinners, for gifting us life when the wages we earned were death.  Help us to truly embrace this mystery, and to glimpse ourselves as You see us: precious and valuable, a little lower than the angels, worthy of Your adoption as sons and daughters.  And help us to carry this profound knowledge into our everyday dealings and interactions with others, so that they may see You in us.  Amen.

Keeping Your Focus in a 'Garbage Truck' World

When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly....   ~ 1 Corinthians 4:12-13

I received an interesting email this week, and it got me thinking about my latest illustration in a new way:

How often do you let other people's nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day?  However, the mark of a successful person is how quickly one can get back their focus on what's important. David J. Pollay explains his story in this way….  

Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson. I learned it in the back of a New York City taxi cab. Here's what happened. I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane when, all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car's back end by just inches!

The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around and he started yelling bad words at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean…he was friendly. So, I said, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!'
And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'
'Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it. And if you let them, they'll dump it on you. When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personally. You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. You'll be happy you did.'

I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people: at work, at home, on the streets? It was that day I said, 'I'm not going to do it anymore.'

Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't. Believe that everything happens for a reason. 

And that reminded me of my hubby and his daily interactions with people who are not fond of authority and badges.  He learned that 'law of the garbage truck' long ago.  He keeps his focus on what's important - getting home to his family, upholding the law, being a man of character.  He does not bring home his garbage and dump it all on us.  He does share some of his experiences, which remind us to be grateful for what we have, and to pray for those 'with a full load'.  And sometimes, in the midst of people carrying a lot of 'garbage' and in situations brought on by years of 'garbage piling up', all he can do is pray.  Ultimately, the government, the police and even the well-meaning church can't fix these problems.  All the garbage is, at it's root, sin and the only cure is the 'Great Garbageman' Jesus, who can bundle up all the foolishness and filth, haul it away, and leave you clean and new.  And our witness and our prayers are a great first start toward real 'neighborhood clean up.'

Lord, all praises to You for making prayer an effective tool against so many of our problems!  And thank You for our Intercessor, Jesus who cleanses us and frees us to live a life of joy in You.  Help us always to keep our focus on You.

Father's Day Update

But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.  ~Matthew 7:26

I wanted to give you all an update on my little 'father' dilemma.  It turned out to be a wonderful few days, where my kids took a break from bickering with one another, and had fun instead.  My son also invited some other friends on Friday for a sleepover, and we left around mid-day for the beach.  One of the wonderful things about Maryland is that you are never far from water.  This particular beach is really on a river, but it's close to where it opens on to the bay, so it has a nice beachy feel.  It was a little too shallow and calm for the boys, but to a Mom that means that no one drowns or gets dragged under! ;0) 

As usual with our beach excursions, after a good soaking, it turns into a major beach excavation project.  There were numerous sand canyons and a hole big enough for Briana to sit in and be wet to the waist.  And, left neglected for a half hour or so, the tide came in and washed it away to nothing.  The awesome power of even the mildest waves!

A little shell collecting, some keep-away from the girl (ew), some horseplay on the inner tubes, and it was time to head home for ice cream and pizza (yes, in that order...kid paradise).  It all went remarkably smoothly, with few complaints and little sunburn.  (What is it with kids and sunscreen?  You'd think we were trying to force them to eat broccoli!)  In the evening it was time for a bonfire and some completely legal fireworks.  (No wonder these kids are always at my house...)

In the end, I was happy to share my hubby for a few days.  And on Sunday we returned him home, where he was going out to dinner with his Godfather.  So my hubby is far from the only man in his life.  I'm still not sure where my jealousy came from, but I am slowly learning to be a sibling in the family of God, after being an only child for so long!

Bind us together, Lord, bind us together with cords that cannot be broken.  Bind us together with love!  Amen.

Land of the Free, Home of the Brave

I'm taking a risk with this post.  I was told at a young age never to talk about religion or politics, but danged if they aren't just my two most favorite topics.  They don't mix, I suppose, but then again, they must mix if we are to have any kind of justice here on earth.  Of course, we are only human, so our government and attempts at justice will be flawed and imperfect.  'Judge not...' and yet we must have judges as long as we have sin and crime.  So, seeing as how God created government (Romans 13:1), and how America was founded on the belief that we have certain, inalienable rights endowed upon us by our Creator, and how we're being inundated with 'election news' daily, and how Independence Day is right around the corner, I thought I'd urge you to consider your freedom.  I'm not endorsing any particular ideology or action, other than to suggest that true change may take more than the current system is offering.  Pardon my fervor, I was in the moment:

 

I received an email today about Veterans, suggesting that it is they who have kept America free.  Now, I revere and respect the contributions of veterans very much.  However, I would like you to consider that it is NOT the veteran that has made us free, but individuals committed to the ideals of freedom.  In the case of the Veteran, so much so that they were willing to risk, and even give up, their lives.  But do not for a moment hesitate to understand that it is EVERY American’s duty to protect our rights and to ensure that our freedoms are still intact.  Consider that very carefully as you watch presidential debates, listen to Congressmen discuss what to do about the economy and the war, as you step out to cast your vote.  ‘We, the people’ have the power, and we merely loan it to our representatives.  When they begin to take our freedoms away, or disregard the Constitution that creates the very government they are a part of, we must act decisively, and not merely give up or give in to a ‘2 party system’ or the power of the rich ‘fat cats’ all over the world who inject our politicians and parties with money and power.  We have a duty to keep America free – you and me...and the Veterans.

'I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments. I will speak to kings about your laws, and I will not be ashamed.'  ~Psalm 119:45-46