Thankful In The Midst Of Ridiculous Things

I haven't done a "word for the day" in a long time. Actually, I've been sluggish in my bogging about anything lately. (Sorry about that. I'll try to do better.) So today, I've got a word for you.

Ridiculous--Defined as deserving or inviting ridicule, unreasonable, absurd, silly.

The work load my husband has had the last four months has been ridiculous. As of today, he has worked 115 days without a day off. Even though we did take a quick trip home for a weekend in May, he still took pone calls, made phone calls, closed claims, and set appointments every day. His work day is not eight hours either. I'm talking twelve to fifteen hours a day for most of those days. Yeah, I think the word ridiculous (unreasonable) fits.

In this ridiculous situation I am thankful. I'm not thankful that my husband has been overworked to the point that his nerves are like the wires in a breaker box that has just been struck by lightning, but I'm thankful that he has a job. And I'm thankful that he is so good at his job that his company considers him one of their best--thus the ridiculous work load.

As I sit here and type, a mourning dove is talkin' trash to a sparrow over some seeds that other birds have pushed out of the feeder to the ground. Now that is ridiculous (silly) because there are more than enough seeds to go around, and the dove is three times the size of the sparrow. How ridiculous we must look to God when we mouth off and say hurtful things to someone over something senseless and trivial.

I'm thankful for the lesson from the ridiculous little birds.

A few days ago, Rick ordered his Father's Day gift. (I know it is way early, but he deserves it.) He bought some accessories for his truck--a bed cover, some gadget to lock the tailgate and a rubber seal. The bed cover was shipped in a box exactly the size of the rolled up bed cover. But the gadget to lock the tail gate and the seal came in a --- well, you just have to see it.


Now that is ridiculous! No packing peanuts or wadded paper, just a huge box. I'm sure there must be a reason the company shipped such small items in such a large box, but I can't imagine what it could be. Somebody forgot about saving trees and living green, ya think?

For this ridiculous thing I am thankful. First, I got a good laugh out of it, and Rick broke the large cardboard container down and used it as a "creeper" to protect his back from rocks as he worked under the truck.

Isn't God good to surround us with the unreasonable, silly, and absurd things of life? Just one more reason to give thanks!

It's a Sign

Today I opened the closet door to add some dirty clothes to the hamper and here is what I saw. It's a sign.
I'm not one that often puts a lot of faith in signs. Gideon put out the fleece to get confirmation from God about his call, and God obliged him with some dew, and again with lack of dew. (Read about it in Judges 6:36-40.) How reassuring that must have been for Gideon.

In my own personal walk with Christ, seldom has God ever given me a "sign" to assure me of His plan for my life. I'll admit that I've asked for skywriting more than once, but I've never seen any. Typically I sense the Spirit asking me to simply have faith and do my best to obey all that is already written in God's Word. If God has granted me a sign as obvious as dew on the fleece, I must have missed it.

I'm not saying that God does not give some people "obvious signs" of conformation after calling them to a task. I believe that He does. But I also believe that if we rely too heavily on a sign from God, we can be mislead. We can sometimes want something so badly that we will seek a sign that we know we will find, whether God is behind it or not.

So, I seldom ask God for signs. I ask Him to put me where he wants me, put people in my life who will help me to accomplish His perfect will for my life, lead me through His Word and my circumstances, and to forgive me when I miss the mark. Then I live each day with a little faith and a lot of grace.

There are some signs though that we all need notice. A child's high fever is a sign that something is wrong and the caring adult in her life should take some action to help restore her to good health. A dark rotating cloud overhead is a sign that you should take shelter quickly. When your gas gauge is on E it is a pretty sure sign that you should stop and fill the tank. And when dirty clothes are spilling from the hamper, it's a sign that I need to find some quarters and do the laundry.

More important than an overfilled hamper, a needle pointing to E, dark clouds, or even a high fever are the signs of our culture, our times, and of humanity. Found in 2 Timothy 3: 1-12, these billboards are everywhere , unable to be missed, if only we will open our eyes and look. "But realize this, that in the last days difficult time will come...Men will be lovers of self, lovers of money...disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy...lovers of pleasure rather than God...always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth..." Again in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 the Bible tells us that a final day is coming. There will be an end to this life and this world--a day of destruction. Please pick up your Bible and read the passages for yourself.

Read on. In verses 4-6 of 1 Thessalonians 5 we are told that we, who are are "sons of light" should not be surprised nor overtaken by that last day because we can see the signs.

Once we see those signs, there are some things we should be doing. (I challenge you to read the rest of the chapter.) After you have finished reading it, you can join me in rejoicing always, praying without ceasing, giving thanks, holding fast to what is good, being patient with all men, abstaining from every form of evil,...and doing the laundry!

Call It What You Want...

I don't like to talk politics. I like to try to look on the bright side of life and politics is not my idea of sunshine and rainbows. But I read some articles today that stirred me, so here I go, ranting again.

First, I have to say this whole flu scare is like nothing I've ever seen before. I've never seen so many people in so many places acting so foolishly at one time. Don't misunderstand me. I have sympathy for those people who have lost their loved ones to the virus. But I think the press and the powers that talk to the press have created--well--I hate to say it--they've created a state of panic and fear.

I was in a state of panic and fear once. I'm talking REAL panic and REAL fear when my husband's life was threatened. You could say that my husband and I were both terrorized. In fact, the charges filed against the person who caused this panic and fear included the charge of terroristic threat. Hmm. Now let me think. Someone who causes another person to panic and live in fear could be considered to be a "terrorists," right? So I guess that makes the press and all the powers that have been talking to the press, "terr..."

Oh wait! One of the articles I read today reveals our President's new terms regarding terrorism. We are no longer to use the term terrorist or terrorism. The destruction of the World Trade Center was not an act of terrorism, it was a "man-caused disaster." The article also points out that we are not engaged in a war on terrorism, but an "overseas contingency operation."

And in other articles, the "swine flu" is not the swine flu but is the "New H1N1 flu."

Call it what you want, a virus is a virus, creating fear and panic to convince someone that their life is in danger is terrorism, and war is war. Politically correct terminology changes nothing except our willingness to accept lies in the place of truth.

My opinion? Don't kiss any pigs, be leery of those who stir up world-wide panic and fear even if they do wear the Stars and Stripes on their lapel, and remember that our men and women stationed overseas probably still feel like they are fighting a war.

God, help us.

Today Was A Day of Worship

I sat in the camper, alone and afoot.
The Holy Spirit beckoned, "Come and worship."
"But where shall I go?"
"To a place I have prepared."The place of worship, carpeted lush and green--and paved around.
A canopy of brilliant blue and nebulous white.

The chandelier shown like the noonday sun.

And there for me, a pew of stone.

Surrounded by fellow worshipers.
...the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, saying,
"Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord;
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"
And some of the Pharisees in the multitude said to Him,
"Teacher, rebuke Your disciples."
And He answered and said,
I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!"
Luke 19:37-40

For you will go out with joy, and be led forth with peace;
The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you,
And the trees of the field will clap their hands.
Isaiah 55:12

To my left sat "The Amen Crowd."
(Notice the halo.)

But I fear some were only there for the pot-luck dinner on the ground.

The praise and worship team lead my heart and voice in worship--
And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me;
And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.
Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice,
And be gracious to me and answer me.
Psalm 27:6-7

There stood a pulpit.
The deliverer of God's Word,
the Holy Spirit,
didn't show up well in the photo,
but He was there.

Before the service ended, it got a little charismatic and the creative types all started dancing-- like dandelions in the wind.

I will extol Thee, O Lord, for Thou hast lifted me up....
Amen

I Don't Like To Rant And Rave, But Give Me A Break!

I'm sorry, but this whole "Go Green" thing has finally pushed me over the edge! I'm all for being good stewards of this earth which the good Lord created. There's no room for abuse when you're taking care of something that doesn't belong to you. Though God did put man here and told him to take charge over the place.

But a good thing can be overdone, and, like that big red dot on those insurance ads, we're there!

I was wasting time reading the Yahoo headlines and came across a story about picking our green battles. It talked about the paper vs. plastic (bag) dilemma and how it really doesn't matter that much. (I've been saying that for years.)

And it mentioned the choice between cloth and disposable diapers. Apparently either choice is equally bad for the environment, so short of disallowing bodily excretion from your baby, there's not much you can do to save the planet from poop. (That was my opinion twenty-five years ago before big bucks were spent on government studies that concluded "it" happens and we can't do anything about it.)

Next the article mentioned the choice of drinking your coffee from a throw-away cup or a ceramic mug. I'm glad that the official call on that one is that it is no big deal either way, because honestly, I've never given it much thought. And I don't care to.

All these little arguments aren't worth our time and effort according to the article's author. But there are things, says this promoter of green living, that we should do to make more of a difference.

(Grab a cat by the tail, rub its fur the wrong way all the way to its head, and you'll get an idea what this bit of stupidity did to me!)

"Eat less meat."

It seems..."Raising livestock is one of the most significant contributors to a long list of environmental problems from climate change to deforestation to water pollution."

OH PA-LEEZE! (I'm slapin' my forehead.) God created the earth, He created the cow, a cow is biodegradable, her poop is organic matter, (unless she eats a plastic Wal-Mart bag, a disposable diaper, or a styrofoam cup) yet bovine is one of the biggest threats to our planet? (Are you picturing the furred up cat here?)

I come from a family of cattle raisers. Rifle totin', hat wearin', horse ridin', steer ropin', slow talkin' full of common sense, Texas cattle raisers. Yeah, my fur is standin' on end!

But what really popped my cork was the stupidity, the idiotic idea, (sorry) the method in which the climate conscientious human should go about cutting down on his or her meat intake. "Start by trimming down your portion size to about three ounces (the size of a deck of playing cards)."

Now what kind of a difference is that going to make? If I eat a three-ounce steak, or an eight-ounce steak, or a four-pound roast, I still slaughter a one-thousand pound animal to get it. It's not like I go out in the pasture and whittle three ounces off a cow at a time until she's gone. How much sense does it make to go to a steakhouse, order up their 6 oz. sirloin, eat half for the sake of going green, then throw the rest away? I guess if I gave the other half of the steak to the guy in the booth behind me and he didn't order a steak at all...but still the one whole cow was needed to produce that "deck-size" piece of meat.

Honesty, I wish some people would stop and think before they open their mouths or put their pen to the paper.

As for the cow being responsible for deforestation--I don't buy it. As I see it, trees need carbon dioxide and some good fertilizer to grow strong and healthy. A cow provides both. The cowman and the tree hugger may not be able to live peaceably among one another, but I think the cows and the trees do a pretty good job of it. I've never yet seen a cow chop down a tree. And unless you're in the habit of drinking out of an earth tank where A cow has crawled in to cool down, I'd not worry too much about her polluting your water. She's got better things to do, like munching grass, chewing cud, and giving milk. Which, by the way, is safe for human consumption.

Now that I've got that off my chest, I think I'll go fire up the grill and leave a big ol' footprint on the planet!

EAT MORE BEEF!

What Makes a Hero?

Some days I find it hard to come up with something to write that I think you might want to read. I've had a lot of those days lately. That is why I'm so thankful for an anonymous reader who left a comment about heroes.

My reader commented:
I was watching "AN OFFICER and A GENTLEMAN" I want to know what makes a hero. Is it the person who achieves their goals when they really should not have...Or is a hero who quietly take care of all things small and mundane. Or is a hero someone who handles huge tragedies. Just my wondering thoughts. What is a true hero. Maybe you can help.

I have to tell you that I may be at a bit of a disadvantage on this one because I've never seen the movie. So I can't tell you anything based on the film. But thank goodness all this person asked for is my opinion, and you know I'm quite capable of giving you that!

First, I run to my PDA and look up the word--hero.
A person noted or admired for nobility, courage, outstanding achievements, etc.

The definition seems pretty simple and straightforward, but my mind starts to unfold it like an origami swan.

Do I admire anyone because of their nobility?
I'm sorry, but last names, family crests, and blue blood doesn't impress me. I've lived long enough and seen enough to know that heroes and scoundrels can come from the same household.

So I lean toward the courageous, outstanding achievers.
Courageous... Is that the foot soldier who's courage leads him to fight the enemy? The fireman who courageously enters a burning home to save a life? The police officer willing to risk his life to catch the bad guy? Yes, all these people are heroes. And could a hero also be the young unwed expectant mother who is courageous enough to choose to give her baby life rather than aborting it? What about the child who takes on killer cancer with a smile? And the woman who cares for her invalid husband every minute of every day, what about her? Do you think it takes courage to care for aging parents and honor their wishes not to be put in a rest home? Every day, somewhere in this country, a man walks away from his wife and responsibilities. A woman is left to raise and provide for children alone. She's got to have guts to get out of bed the next day. In this country everyday there are also men making the choice to face their fears or suffer unpleasant circumstances to care and provide for their families. Sometimes "keeping on keeping on" takes courage.

One day while my husband and I were engaged in Los Angeles traffic, (Rick behind the wheel and I in the passenger seat) I looked at him and told him, "You are my hero." (They call it the City of Angels maybe because you need more than one guarding you if you are going to live through a drive on the freeway!) I know I don't have the courage it takes to do what my husband does to provide for our family. So, he is a hero in my book. He's MY hero.

The saints of old listed in the book of Hebrews, we refer to as "heroes of the faith." Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Rahab are just some that, by faith, followed and obeyed God, exemplifying courage and making outstanding achievements in their lifetime. They didn't toot their own horn and they didn't have medals pinned to their chests. But the Bible says that they gained approval from God because of their faith. So maybe an unshakable faith in God is what makes a hero. At least a hero in the Christian faith.

I'm still unfolding.

Joni Eareckson Tada is a hero. Joni, and others like her, have faced overwhelming circumstances with courage, unshakable faith, and have made outstanding achievements. Thousands of heroes just like her do not enjoy the same notoriety, but they are no less a hero. At least that's my opinion.

Like beauty, existing in the eye of the beholder, maybe heroics is a matter of opinion. When someone does something that seems to me to require much courage, and their outstanding accomplishments change me or my life for the better, I classify them as a hero.

So, after pondering the question, "What makes a hero?" I've decided it must be someone of great faith and courage who makes accomplishments that I perceive to be outstanding or life changing.

To someone else, you may be a hero! We all have the potential, do we not?

Just Photos

You write the captions. What comes to your mind when you look at these pictures?
Enjoy!