What happened to Thanksgiving this year?

A note from Janet: Before I blog, a quick suggestion. 

I wrote this year’s Advent book last spring, not knowing what Christmas 2020 was going to look like; but God did. The first entry begins December 1. 

If you want a copy of Our Christmas Stories, you can get it here: https://www.denisonforum.org/product/our-christmas-stories/. 

I think these stories, and God’s story, will be a daily blessing throughout your holiday season. 

Jesus is, and always has been, the joy of Christmas. 

Jim and I decorated our home for Christmas before Thanksgiving! 

I’m typing this blog post in front of my tree with my QVC Christmas candle burning brightly. 

I’m not skipping Thanksgiving this year, but I am going to celebrate it with 2020 style! 

A NEWLY-WILLED HOLIDAY 

Jim and I made an early decision to respect this virus. It has been tough to draw the lines and live with them. But, we have made it this far and want to “finish strong.” 

My first thought was not to worry about decorating our home for the holiday this year. After all, it is going to be just us. Then, we decided to go all in with the decorating and I’m glad. 

It’s been so many years since it was just us I’d forgotten how to celebrate us. 

Jim and I celebrated forty years of marriage last June, with a steak dinner we brought to the house in Styrofoam containers. Can I get a woo-hoo? 

Not so much. 

It seemed like Thanksgiving and Christmas were going to feel a lot like that milestone anniversary. So, we changed our plans. Actually, we changed our perspective. 

We are going to celebrate a newly-willed holiday season. 

This year, we will have turkey with all the fixings, candles, china, and quiet conversation with each other. 

Of course, we will schedule that around the Cowboys game. Quite frankly, we both love football, and it is part of our Thanksgiving celebration. Well, at least it is part of our Thanksgiving Day. I’m not sure if we will be celebrating the score. 

It has been a tough year for our Dallas Cowboys! 

But, I digress . . . 

TRULY THANKFUL 

Jim and I aren’t newlyweds anymore, but we have newly-willed ourselves to enjoy this unique year. Interestingly, it is actually pretty great! 

Forty years later, I still love and enjoy the man I married and look forward to spending the holiday with him. I can honestly say I am truly thankful to celebrate this Thanksgiving holiday safely. We have a lot of reasons to be thankful this year, and we need to make sure others can feel the same way. 

  • I’m thankful for the doctors and nurses who will give up their family holiday in order to care for someone else’s family member.
  • I’m thankful for those in our country who serve so I can celebrate.
  • I’m thankful for the scientists who worked around the clock to develop a vaccine that would end the crisis.
  • I’m thankful to have what I have, even if it isn’t all I would want.

I am truly thankful for so many things this year. There are moments and memories I am going to miss. But, I’m not going to allow those thoughts to remove the gratitude I feel for all the moments I have enjoyed and all I will have in the years to come. 

A POLLYANNA PERSPECTIVE 

I wanted to write this blog post even though I knew it would make some people upset. Who am I to say what a family should or shouldn’t do this holiday season? Well . . . 

  • I’m someone who prays for friends who are in the medical profession. They wish I would tell my readers to have a uniquely safe Thanksgiving.
  • I’m someone who is praying for people who have COVID and it is worse than they thought it would be.
  • I know people who had COVID and it was no big deal. I also know people who were on a ventilator and their lungs will never be the same. Some are simply thankful to be alive this Thanksgiving season.

I’ve taken a Pollyanna perspective to my COVID holiday because it is the perspective that brings me joy. I can’t write about “loving our neighbors” unless I choose to love my neighbors. I can’t teach about commitment unless I keep my commitment. I can’t stress family values unless I value every member of my family. 

I’ve wondered who I am keeping safe by keeping my holiday newly-willed. I’ve wondered if someone might change their plans and be kept safe because of this blog post. I may never meet those people this side of heaven, but I’m glad they are safe on this side of heaven. 

I know some will read this and roll their eyes. Some will smile and consider me overly careful. But, I’ve been called “Pollyanna” before. I actually believe a positive outlook is a source of joy. 

I decided to share my Pollyanna perspective because I pray before I write. My goal in writing a blog post is to try to share what God places on my heart and mind. Please know I did that with today’s post. 

Doing without our loved ones this holiday season might mean that someone else doesn’t have to do without theirs forever. It’s my job and my calling to remind all of us that Jesus wants us to love one another as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:39). 

You may never know who you are keeping safe—but God knows their names and loves them. 

Consider making a personal sacrifice and make that choice with newly-willed joy for this 2020 holiday season. 

If you aren’t sure what to do, pray. God will give his answer to your willing heart. 

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THANKSGIVING? 

Thanksgiving is still a day for giving thanks. Whatever you do, pray and be thankful for God’s leadership. 

God wants you to have his joy and his blessings this Thanksgiving. You might be surprised to discover that it was COVID restrictions the Lord used to provide those very blessings. 

This Pollyanna blog writer wishes you and your family a blessed, safe, and wonderful Thanksgiving—whatever God calls it to be like for you. 

I close with this message from the Apostle Paul: 

“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” —Colossians 3:17 

Happy Thanksgiving! 

P.S. Have you signed up for my bible study, Foundations of Faith, yet?

It’s not too late, we just released another lesson!

Visit https://www.janetdenisonbiblestudy.com/ to sign up for this study, if you’ve already signed up you can login and access the newest video too.

Photo by Alex Perez on Unsplash

If St. Peter wrote to California

I was cruising through Facebook the other day, enjoying the many “I just left my child at college” posts. Then I ran across an ad for a T-shirt that made me grin. 

Etsy is selling a T-shirt with the Texas flag emblazoned on the back with the words “Don’t California my Texas.” 

I grinned because I grew up in California and understood the sentiment.

Peter wrote his letters to people who had left Jerusalem and the surrounding areas to relocate in Asia Minor, or modern-day Turkey. The people in Asia Minor were probably saying, “Don’t Christian up our pagan culture.” 

Peter wrote his letters, which we know as 1 and 2 Peter, so that the Christians would know how to live as missionaries. His lessons are important truth for all of us today. 

All Christians, whether we live in California or Texas, are missionaries to our culture.

California to Texas

I love my home state for many reasons. 

But Texans only think they have a beach. Galveston has dirty sand, and salt water, and the waves barely lap onto the shore, often carrying those nasty, stinging jellyfish. 

Announcement: That is not a beach. 

California has the most amazing sunsets over the water. Much of the time, evenings on the beach require a sweatshirt, even in the summer months. The beaches have volleyball nets, bathrooms, and nice restaurants or food trucks. And, the waves will take you out if you aren’t paying attention and allow you to ride them if you are. 

That, in my humble opinion, is a day at the beach. 

California has Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, Sea World, Hollywood, Silicon Valley, the Golden Gate Bridge, Carmel, San Diego, beaches, mountains, redwoods, lakes, deserts, and temperate weather. (Except for this week!) 

So, why did about 660 companies relocate 765 facilities out of California in the past two years, mostly to Texas? 

And what should Christians be thinking about as all those people arrive?

Texas to California 

I was nineteen years old when I moved with my family to Houston, Texas. 

Honestly, it felt like I had moved to a different country. I still remember driving the wrong way on a “feeder” road, trying to get on the freeway. 

I remember being honked at by a Cadillac convertible with longhorns on the hood. The horn played a few bars of “The Yellow Rose of Texas.” 

And I remember leaving for a vacation road trip at 4:30 a.m., and it was still at least eighty-five degrees outside. 

I told my friends back in California that my parents had moved me to hell, literally. 

Interestingly, I never moved back to California. I never wanted to. 

(Except for the times I was visiting Galveston “Beach.”) 

If I did move back . . . 

I’ve been back to California several times, and I always enjoy it. But, I think I would feel differently if I were actually moving there. 

I think I would feel like an outsider in their culture now. 

I was a Christian when I lived there, but what I didn’t realize at the age of nineteen is that I was already a lot different than much of the culture. Now, fast-forward forty-five years. 

I realize things have changed even more. I honestly think that, if I lived in California, I would feel like those early Christians Peter wrote his letters to in Asia Minor. 

Are we cultural missionaries? 

Regardless of where you live, with the current cultural trends, Christians are going to begin to feel more and more like missionaries in the American culture. 

For those who live in Texas, several changes are becoming more apparent. 

  • For the first time in a long time, Texas is actually considered a political swing state. 
  • Our homes are becoming more valuable and more sellable. 
  • Our schools’ curricula are changing. 
  • Traditional churches are declining or are on a plateau.
  • There are a lot more “non-church” activities scheduled on a Sunday morning. 

What would St. Peter want us to know? 

Peter wrote to churches filled with Christian exiles from Jerusalem, but those churches were quickly filling with converts from the region. Those early Christians had moved to a region known for the pagan worship of multiple gods. 

But those “pagans” were also moms, dads, grandparents, friends, co-workers, and neighbors who were curious about the Christian families moving in. That curiosity often led to a shared faith in Christ. That has always been the best, most natural evangelism. 

Peter had good advice for those first-century Christians. He told them to live “holy” lives, set apart from their culture. In other words, they were not to be influenced by the culture but were to live as influencers to the culture. 

Peter wrote, “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:11–12). 

Peter said to those early Christians, and to us today, that we are called to be missionaries to our culture. We are sojourners, just passing through. We are exiles because we aren’t “at home” in the world. Home is heaven. But, while we are here, wherever we live, we are to set a godly example to those around us. 

Peter reminds us that we really aren’t at home in Texas or California. Both cultures have strengths and weaknesses, but there is only one culture we are to strive for. When people look at our lives, they should see good deeds. When they get to know us, they should understand our “goodness” is because of God. 

Jesus is going to come back for us. It will either be when he finally returns at the second coming or when he comes at the end of our earthly lives to take us to heaven. 

When people attend our memorial service, what are the good deeds they will be speaking about? 

The deeds that made them believe and understand that we belonged to God? 

The day of visitation 

We don’t get to know when Jesus will return. 

My “temperate” California is going to find itself in a heatwave next week, with temps over 100 degrees. Californians are going to suffer. They have three major fires in the state, rolling power outages, and an economic crisis to deal with. 

I love my home state of California. I wish I could tell them that the Bible teaches God’s early judgment is almost always indicated by a lack of his protective blessings. Is California experiencing that judgment today? Will Texas be there eventually, if not now? 

As a Bible teacher, I want to remind people we need to be watchful and aware of how God has worked in the past. That is our best indicator of how the Lord will work in the world today. God is unchanging. 

What are the things like weather, natural disasters, trends, viruses, and miraculous events that only God can ordain and allow? What does God want us to notice? Do Christians feel more at home on this planet than we should? 

God wants to bless our lives. Are we aware of an abundance of blessings or find ourselves wanting them? 

Wherever you are a missionary today, live like the “day of visitation” is tomorrow. 

That is what St. Peter would want people in California, people in Texas, and people throughout the world to understand. 

No matter where Christians live today, we aren’t home yet. 

But, we are one day closer to perfection right now! 

I wonder what the beaches in heaven will look like? 

(Not Galveston, that’s for sure!) 

Photo by Kerri Shaver on Unsplash

It’s time to take a break

What does vacation 2020 look like for you? 

The cruise industry has been sending catalogs lately—for 2021. 

The airlines are making adjustments—but I’m still not ready to get on a plane. 

So, I’ve decided I need a good staycation. I need to rest, but, most importantly, I need my mind to rest.

3 steps to a rested mind and a rested soul 

Vacations are a good idea. I don’t own a Winnebago so I am going to have a great staycation. 

I can’t rest if I continue to do what I have been doing. A good break requires a few changes. Since I won’t have a change of scenery, I need to change what I am doing with the view I have. 

Step 1: Eliminate the noise . . . I mean news 

It’s time to turn off the news—a.k.a. noise. 

I’m seriously frustrated with the lack of objective reporting these days. I’m not going to change their drama, but I can turn it off. 

When I heard that Walter Cronkite had passed away, I was sad. My next thought was, “So has his style of reporting.” 

The old Dragnet show used to say, “Just the facts, ma’am.” That’s what we need. 

How does a person find “just the facts, ma’am”? 

Click on a headline page from your favorite paper and only read the article if you need to know more. 

Most of the time, the headline is sufficient. There just isn’t a reason to fill our minds with the angst of today’s news, especially if the reporters are working hard to create angst, as opposed to “just the facts, ma’am.” 

We can’t rest our minds if we keep filling them with the world’s opinions. Hit the off button on the news for a while and remember what King Solomon told us: “A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back” (Proverbs 29:11). 

What would King Solomon say about television these days! 

Step 2: Increase the quiet 

What calms your heart and mind? Quiet music? A great book? An early-morning walk? An extended time of prayer? 

Everyone is different. I wish I were hiking in the coolness of the mountains, enjoying the view. 

I can’t do that right now, but I can get up early and enjoy a long walk in my neighborhood. I’ve really enjoyed waving at neighbors. That is one of my COVID blessings. 

There is something powerful about pure quiet. Could it be because that is when God’s voice is loud? 

The prophet Isaiah said, “For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, ‘In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength’ (Isaiah 30:15). But the rest of that verse matters as well. Isaiah went on to tell God’s people, “But you were unwilling.” 

Quiet is something most people don’t choose, but they desperately need it. 

Our spiritual strength is found in the quiet, when we listen to and trust God’s voice in our lives. 

Are we willing? 

Step 3: Step off the treadmill and find your path 

It often feels like our lives are spent running hard on a treadmill. We do what we need to do to have a healthy life, but, at the end of the day, we are still in the same place we started. 

The treadmill of life is necessary. We need to survive. But, life isn’t just about surviving. God wanted more for his kids. We need to take time and rest from our normal activities if we want to rest our souls. 

The prophet Jeremiah was speaking for God when he said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls’” (Jeremiah 6:16). 

It isn’t enough to just know you need to get back to the “Walter Cronkite” days. (We only had three channels back then. Maybe that was a good idea?)

A lot of people only had one car. Most homes had a front porch with chairs. We had four-foot fences so the kids and the dogs could stay safe, but we could still see over them and have a conversation with our neighbors. 

How “tall” is your fence today? 

It isn’t enough to just wish for the “ancient paths” or simply remember them. The Lord said to stand on those roads and “look.” Ask him for those ancient paths because they are the “good way.” 

But, when we know the good way, we have to choose to “walk” there. It’s then we find rest for our souls. 

However, Jeremiah 6:16 ends with words similar to Isaiah’s: “You will find rest for your souls,” but the people said, “We will not walk in it.” 

What would you say? 

It’s time to rest 

I wish knowing God’s word was the same thing as “living” God’s word. The Pharisee within me is often satisfied with knowing instead of doing. 

I know I’m supposed to rest, and I will! There will be less news and more quiet, and I will choose to do those things that cause my soul to rest. It’s time to take a break from the angst and remember that the God who created the world is more than capable of running it! 

Things are better than they seem when we see them through God’s truth. There is a reason Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). 

We know that verse, but will we “do it”? 

I’m going to. 

My blog will be silent for a couple of weeks and, hopefully, my life will as well. I’m ready for some quiet, and I’m ready to rest myself and my soul. I will be back at my computer later. For now, I wish for you a couple of weeks of quiet as well. 

Now, I’m off to “do” almost nothing. 

Blessings.

Photo by Daphne Fecheyr on Unsplash

A before-and-after story

How did your salvation change your life?

This blog post is especially for people who were raised in the church or have gone to church for much of their lives. 

Chances are, your testimony isn’t usually described as powerful—but it should be.  

Paul and Peter 

Paul’s salvation testimony is exciting to teach. 

His story begins with Paul as a young man witnessing the stoning of Stephen while surrounded by the cloaks of those throwing the rocks. 

The story continues with his subsequent persecution of Christians, his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, and a visit from Ananias. 

The scales of blindness fall from Paul’s eyes as he dedicates the rest of his life to preaching the gospel to the Gentiles. 

There isn’t a more dramatic salvation testimony in the Bible! 

Or is there? 

Peter grew up faithfully attending the synagogue and was strong in his faith. 

He was likely a disciple of John the Baptist before he was a disciple of Christ. Peter, with James and John, was chosen to be in the inner circle of Christ. 

Peter was the first leader of the Christian movement after Pentecost. He was “the rock” God used to build his church. 

We know about Peter’s life before the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and Peter’s life after Pentecost. 

Here’s my question: Is your personal testimony more like Paul’s or Peter’s? 

How did Jesus change your life? 

I’ve often said that the lifelong believer has a challenge that a late-in-life believer often doesn’t. Except for your promise of heaven, how did your salvation change your life? 

When you are raised in the church, that question is crucial. It can be the difference between living as a Pharisee and living as a Spirit-led disciple of Christ. 

If you were raised in the church, your daily life might not have been dramatically changed the day you became a Christian. You knew about the Lord before you were saved and you knew about him after. The Holy Spirit entered your life and affirmed your values more than he changed them. 

So then, how did the indwelling Spirit, who is Jesus, change your life? 

Scripture’s answer to that question is likely found in Peter’s testimony. 

How did the indwelling of the Holy Spirit change Peter? 

I’m writing Bible studies out of 1 and 2 Peter right now. I spent some time comparing the stories of Peter in the gospels to the wisdom of Peter from his letters.  

I’ve spent most of my life thinking of Peter as the man who walked with Jesus, but those gospel stories represent less than three years of his life. Most of Peter’s testimony takes place after Pentecost.  

If you grew up in church, that is a point to ponder. 

Peter was the foundational leader of the early church. He was the one called and gifted by the Holy Spirit to teach and maintain the accurate theology of the Christian movement. Peter knew Jesus and loved him. He was the disciple Jesus spoke to, saying, “Feed my sheep” (John 21:15–17). 

Jesus called Peter to that ministry and then gave him his Spirit for that ministry. 

Is Peter’s “before-and-after” story similar to your testimony? 

Peter: Before and after 

Peter was the disciple who climbed out of a boat in the middle of a storm to walk to Jesus. When Peter sank, he understood it was Jesus who had provided the miraculous power. He was a man who understood the power of God.

When the Holy Spirit entered Peter’s life at Pentecost, he was a familiar presence of power. Peter recognized that holy Presence, and Peter left the upper room and walked with Jesus—again. 

Peter didn’t just know about Jesus; he walked with him and served him with his life. That is exactly what happened in each of our lives when we became Christians. Your daily choices might not have changed dramatically when you were saved. But your lifelong choices probably did. 

When did you step out of the boat? When did you sink? 

When did you know you were walking with Jesus? Are you aware that he is guiding your thoughts right now?  

Our before-and-after testimony is this: Before we became Christians, we knew about Jesus. After we were saved, we were able to live with his constant, holy Presence in our lives.  

The power of a lifelong believer 

Paul also grew up with faith, but it was Peter whom the Lord called and used first. It wasn’t knowledge about Jesus that mattered most; it was knowing Jesus.  

That is the difference between a Pharisee and a Spirit-led believer. That is our daily, moment-to-moment choice. We can live with what we know about Jesus or we can live with Jesus. 

Never underestimate the great power that comes from the lifelong knowledge of God and his word. 

If you grew up in the church learning God’s word, you were equipped with the ability to be a foundational leader of the faith. Paul taught Timothy, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17).  

Paul chose Timothy, a lifelong believer, to continue his earthly ministry. Timothy knew Scripture and was competent and equipped for good works. But Paul wouldn’t have chosen Timothy if Timothy weren’t also a man who walked in the power of God’s Holy Spirit.  

Our before-and-after testimony 

If all that is happening in our world is causing you to “sink” just a bit these days, consider Peter’s story. Never underestimate the power of a person who walks with Jesus. Peter left the upper room and started sharing the gospel with everyone who would listen. 

But Peter didn’t preach until he had been gifted with the empowering presence of Jesus. In fact, Jesus told him not to speak until he was.  

If you are sinking these days, is it because you know what you know? 

It’s easy to be a Pharisee these days! But, the only way for miracles of change to happen is to know it is Jesus that has the power, the knowledge, and the plan for the needed change. 

Jesus can help scientists create a vaccine. Jesus can help heal racial divides. Jesus can calm fears just like he calmed storms. Jesus can use all that you know to help you become the person you need to be.  

It is common for God to choose those who have a strong foundation to be leaders. Your testimony might not be dramatic, but it is likely the story that will guide most people to place their faith in Christ. 

A lifelong testimony is difficult to question, and a life that exhibits the presence of Christ is difficult to ignore.  

Live your testimony 

Jesus told Peter, and Scripture teaches us, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come” (John 16:13). 

What is the Holy Spirit of Christ guiding you to know, speak, and do today? 

Spend some time listening for that answer right now. 

That will be your testimony for today.

Photo by Nadya Spetnitskaya on Unsplash

Paul’s Recipe for Daily Bread

What are you doing for Mother’s Day this year? 

We sure can’t crowd the restaurants this Sunday, so I have a bread recipe that might come in handy. Unfortunately, a new batch has to be prepared each day, but it is worth the effort. You only have to “taste and see” to know it is good.  

Not everyone bakes, however. So, you might want to make enough to share. 

There are a lot of hungry people out there 

Brandon Hicks’ mom is probably not going to feel like celebrating Mother’s Day this Sunday. 

Her son is sitting in an Austin jail, charged with a felony. He shoved a park ranger in the lake after the ranger issued him a warning to “distance” himself from his friends.  

The news is showing a lot of these stories lately. 

I remember the news clip of the woman grabbing toilet paper from another woman’s shopping cart. (Granted, the woman had filled two carts with toilet paper, leaving none for anyone else.) My guess is that neither of the shoppers was pleased to see the cell phone video of their argument on the news that evening. 

Then there was the video of the woman with her mask hanging off one ear, screaming in someone else’s face because they weren’t “distancing.” I’m sure her friends and family didn’t miss the irony when they saw that viral video. 

Some people are out of patience and causing problems. But most people are still continuing to make good choices. When the park ranger was shoved in the water, there were a lot of people who came to his aid. Brandon Hicks was quickly identified and arrested, and the ranger’s rescuers returned to their lives and their happy day at the lake. 

Everyone could use a little bread these days 

I can’t imagine I would ever shove a park ranger in the lake. I can’t imagine that I would choose to do a lot of the things I see people doing. 

But, I can imagine and, in fact, remember times I have run out of patience with someone and made a dumb choice. You probably can remember some of those times in your life as well.  

The virus is probably going to slow down, but it isn’t going to be gone until a vaccine is approved and supplied to the masses. A friend’s wife teaches school, and she was told to prepare to teach in the fall but to keep all her “homeschool” computer apps current. The district is assuming they will need to close the schools and resume the learn-at-home structure for a period of time this fall. 

People are looking for peace in the news, but it isn’t there. Luckily, we have a recipe in Scripture. 

If you want peace, ask Paul for his recipe 

The apostle Paul wrote great instructions for people seeking peace. He said, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12). 

Paul’s words are a recipe for peace, which could be called our “daily bread.” 

Paul’s recipe for daily bread 

1. Mix one part joyful hope. 

Christians can find the patience to wait for things to improve because we know that we always have the hope of eternal life with Jesus. We have the assurance of this hope through his Holy Spirit, and we have the godly priorities that our hope of heaven provides. 

We can find joyful hope in our faith, even if we can’t find it in the news. 

2. Stir in one part patience. 

There are very few of us who have endured tribulation like Paul endured, yet he could write, “Be patient in tribulation.”  

People today are running out of patience because we want certain things that aren’t on the shelf. We want to see family, but not just on our phones and computer screens. We want to take a trip, but to where? We want to go to the grocery store, for Pete’s sake, without feeling like the plague could be resting on the bananas we pick up.  

Paul might raise his eyebrows at our “tribulation,” but he would tell us what he told those early Christians: Just be patient. Things will get better one day, and God has promised us things will be better every day, one day. 

3. Continually add prayer.

Paul’s final ingredient is prayer. Not just a prayer to begin and end our day, but days that are filled with prayer. How do we live in constant prayer?  

We can learn to “hang out with” Jesus. 

Realize that the Son of God wants to hang out with you! 

We can talk to him all day; ask him stuff all day; ask him for stuff all day. Ask Jesus to tell you things, guide your path, encourage your thoughts, and help you fight off Satan’s suggestions. Hanging out with Jesus is like having a friend, counselor, and companion—who is always present and always perfect. 

Prayer allows us to spend time with Jesus, at any time we choose. What an amazing gift! 

Daily bread, like manna, is only good for a day 

The Israelites escaped Egypt and crossed the desert, but God took care of them along the way. Each morning they gathered manna, but just enough for the day. If they gathered more than they needed, the leftovers just spoiled and became worthless. 

That lesson has become a lesson to every one of God’s children since that time. Daily bread, manna, is all we need for today, but it won’t be good for tomorrow.  

In Paul’s recipe, the ingredients for this bread of peace are hope, patience, and constant prayer. Paul would ask us to allow God to provide the ingredients and the measurements, mix them up, and then serve them at the right times during our day.  

Jesus taught us to pray

Take a minute and remember each word of the Lord’s prayer (Matthew 6:9–13). The first thing Jesus told us to ask for was “our daily bread.”   

We need it, and so do a lot of other people. I hope someone will give Brandon Hicks a slice. He needs it and may not know how to find it. 

Is there a Brandon Hicks in your life? 

People are getting tired and need spiritual strength for these days. The Apostle Paul would tell us to start baking and enjoy the results. 

And . . . 

To all the moms out there: May you have a blessed and happy Mother’s Day. And keep baking for them until they start making daily bread for themselves. 

Reminder: Send your Christmas memories/stories to [email protected]. I’m looking forward to reading them! 

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

When Your Cup Runneth Under

Do you sometimes feel like you view this world from the wrong side of the glass? 

I watched the news and almost every story related to the death of Kobe Bryant. I found myself wondering about the others who were on the helicopter. Everyone’s life matters. Which of them had a relationship with Jesus that will bring their families comfort for these hard days? 

I’m sitting in front of my computer and my only thought is, “Why is the world so consumed by the death of a famous basketball player?” 

There have been countless versions of the story, endless details, and multiple interviews. I’ve not seen one interview that expressed concern for the eternal lives of the people on that helicopter. I’ve not heard a family member express a word about their faith.  

I finally realized my great sadness in this terrible tragedy is that I think the world is grieving the loss of someone they cared very much about, but many of them are grieving without hope. Jesus, the most famous person who ever walked this planet, can help them. 

Who is saying that to these families? 

I realized I was watching all of these reports with my own grief, from the other side of the glass. I was grieving for people who might have made sports an idol. I was grieving for spouses and other family members who were left behind. I was grieving for children who would never know their siblings. And some who would never really know their moms or their dads.

I grew up in California and I have seen fog so thick you couldn’t see the tree just outside the window. I grieved what I believe was a really bad choice that caused this terrible tragedy. But, this isn’t a time for blame; it’s a time to comfort. 

Frankly, my cup “runneth under” this morning. I need to refill it for the many conversations and questions ahead. 

Do you feel the same way? 

What do you do when your cup runneth under?  

Everyone needs Jesus, but so many want something else—something less. 

Christians have a job to do during these days of grief. We will hear a lot of people discuss this tragedy. We need the power to share God’s truth and we need the Holy Spirit to lead. We need God’s wisdom and strength. But what should we do when our cup runneth under, as it often does? 

God’s word has the answer. 

1. See things with God’s perspective. 

Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” 

Turn the television off, shut the lid on your computer, and look to the sunrise, sunsets, and all that is God’s creation. Realize that we who are Christians aren’t the ones viewing the world from the wrong side of the glass. We’ve already crossed over, and we see things from the other side. 

The other side of the glass is simply the ability to see things with God’s perspective. Jesus was in the world but never of the world. Those who are “in Christ” will often feel that same way.

2. Value the eternal rewards. 

Second Corinthians 4:18 says, “As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” 

Christians can’t view people’s fame the same way others do. We have higher standards for the things we value. If a reward doesn’t last forever, it isn’t really worth our effort. 

3. Install new batteries as needed. 

Ephesians 6:10 says, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.” 

It’s okay to feel like your cup runneth under. God actually designed our bodies and souls to run on the  strength of his might. He wanted us to need him. 

So, we have been manufactured by God to need new batteries, and God is our only reliable source. We have all installed those cheap batteries. They might work for a while, but, in the end, they weren’t worth the price.

When your cup runneth under

How bright is the light of your witness today? 

The answer to that question will help you know what to do next. 

If your cup runneth under, it’s best to recognize your need and do what is necessary to gain strength from God. He wants to speak and share his love through us, so we need to be usable. Our strength and wisdom will be insufficient for these days. God’s is limitless and perfect. We need to be careful to speak through his Spirit, or not speak at all. 

Christians will always see things in the world from the other side of the glass. We are supposed to. But our light shines through that glass to those on the other side. How will you carefully submit your witness to God? 

It is okay to feel used up sometimes. Running low on strength probably means you are doing your job! 

It is also okay to take a break and do what is necessary to recharge your light. God made you to need time off and time away—with him. Remember what you were created for and seek God for the “strength of his might.”  

He created you to need him. That need will lead to your eternal rewards. You are able to “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). We have a culture that needs to witness that light today. 

The Lord will use you this week to speak.

The world has been reminded that nothing on earth is forever. Be careful to speak his words of comfort and help. Eternity can be their hope too. 

This tragedy will be redeemed by God, through those that serve his good purpose.  

I pray there will be more people who view life from the other side of the glass in the days that come.

You Might Be a Christian If . . . .

Jeff Foxworthy’s fame increased when he wrote jokes that began with “You might be a redneck if . . . .” 

By the way, my favorite was, “You might be a redneck if you ever made change from the offering plate.” 

I actually saw that happen one time!

So, on this hot Texas blogging day, this is where my thoughts took me. Who knows? Maybe these will make me famous—or not.

You Might Be a Christian If:

  • You understood, and can quote, Tim Tebow’s famous eye-black inscription. 
  • You ate at Chick-fil-A at least one time last week.
  • Your home looks like a Hobby Lobby ad.
  • You accidentally said “amen” after reciting the Pledge of Allegiance one time.
  • You stubbed your toe and said “Rats,” even if something else came to mind first.
  • You were content to sit in traffic last Sunday morning.
  • You switch the channel or mute the TV for most commercials.
  • You sometimes use the word fellowship in a sentence.
  • Your dog is named after someone in the Bible.
  • You often switch from the news to the Hallmark Channel.
  • You can sing Chris Tomlin’s version of “Amazing Grace.” 
  • You saw the movie that song is from.
  • You have studied Experiencing God at least once.
  • You know that Hezekiah is not a book of the Bible.
  • You thought Tim Tebow was the best quarterback.
  • You have at least one casserole carrier or bowl you use for “potlucks.”
  • You wistfully pictured a potluck after reading that last comment.
  • You know how to find the Book of Psalms in one easy step. (Just divide your Bible in half.)
  • You know what a 501(c)(3) is.
  • You were excited to learn that Chick-fil-A is adding macaroni and cheese to its menu.
  • You wondered how many of those mac and cheeses you’ll need to fill that potluck casserole.
  • You actually pray when you see the prayer list.
  • You feel increasingly out of touch with popular values.
  • You are made to feel unkind but know you aren’t.
  • You vote your conscience rather than your opinions.
  • You don’t just read Scripture, you experience the words.

I could probably write dozens more, but you get the picture. 

You were created for good works.

Our preachers (and this blogger) often quote Paul saying, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). 

I hope reading those comments made you smile, but I also hope they help you realize that you are living as “God’s workmanship” in our culture. 

All of the “little things” add up to this one thing: We were created in Christ Jesus to do good works in our world. We probably accomplish a lot of those good works just because we are the person Jesus has created us to become.

You know you are a Christian.

So, head out into the heat of this day with a smile on your face. 

Enjoy finding something special at Hobby Lobby to brighten your home or buy the new mac and cheese at Chick-fil-A. (Let me know how many you think it will take for my 8×12 Pyrex dish!) 

Filter some of the values in those Hallmark movies, but enjoy the fact they are mostly decent. 

Pray for the news, then turn the channel, knowing that God is still on his throne and nothing will ever change that fact. Because “if you know you are a Christian,” you know what the future holds in store for those who love the Lord. 

Be glad today that the Lord saved your soul, authors your sense of humor, and wants to bless and enrich your life with his joy. “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24). 

If you want to read the whole psalm, I bet you know how to find it quickly! (Just divide your Bible in half.) 

Have a great week. 


The Happiest States in America

I read a USA Today article and was surprised to find that I don’t live in one of the happiest states in America. You probably don’t either. In fact, I was really surprised by the results I read in the article. 

Suffice it to say that the Bible Belt was excluded.

Which states made the top twenty? 

Here is the list of the happiest states, according to the survey. The list starts with twenty and ends with number one, the happiest state: 

  • 20. Florida – Of course! Most of the residents are retired and playing golf every day.
  • 19. Nevada – They obviously didn’t survey the people who just lost their paycheck at a casino.
  • 18. Nebraska – They must have done their survey in June, not February. 
  • 17. Massachusetts – They only surveyed baseball fans.
  • 16. Connecticut – It’s a really small state.
  • 15. Arizona – They probably surveyed the snowbirds in February.
  • 14. California – Beaches, Hollywood, and Disneyland. My home state. I’m good with this one.
  • 13. Washington – It is a beautiful state—if you can catch it on an unrainy day.
  • 12. Minnesota – Another beautiful state. I liked this choice.
  • 11. New Hampshire – See my comment on Connecticut.
  • 10. North Dakota – No comment.
  • 9. South Dakota – See above.
  • 8. Delaware – A really, really small state.
  • 7. Vermont – This state was surveyed in early October and they asked people eating pancakes.
  • 6. Colorado – They surveyed skiers.
  • 5. Utah – I have a lot of comments, none of which I will type.
  • 4. Montana – Seriously? It’s FREEZING there half the year!
  • 3. Alaska – They only surveyed the people from the cruise ships. 
  • 2. Wyoming – Last winter, the chill factor was 69 degrees below zero. How happy is THAT?
  • 1. Hawaii – I can’t argue with this one. I’d be happy to live there too!

Did the list surprise you? 

The list made me kind of skeptical (obviously!) How did these people define and attempt to measure happiness? 

So, I researched 24/7 Tempo, the group that did the survey. This organization used the 2019 Gallup Well-Being Index, which is supposed to capture what people feel about their daily lives. 

People were measured in five categories: social relationships, financial security, relationship to community, physical health, and career prospects. 

Notice that no one asked them how they felt about their relationship with God or their hope for an eternal life. 

Which states are the most religious? 

I felt very sad that the states with the highest percentages of Christians did not make the top twenty list. 

Which states are considered the most religious? 

According to a 2017 US News article, the list is as follows: 

  • 10. North Carolina
  • 9 and 8: Oklahoma and Georgia tied.
  • 7. West Virginia
  • 6. South Carolina
  • 5. Arkansas
  • 4. Louisiana
  • 3. Tennessee
  • 2 and 1: Mississippi and Alabama tied.

Why aren’t the most religious states the happiest? 

Did the survey miss the truth or reveal a truth? 

I think the answer to both of those questions is yes.

One of the strong themes of Scripture is that the world doesn’t think like God thinks. 

Isaiah wrote, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD” (Isaiah 55:8). The apostle John taught Christians to feel differently about the world. He wrote, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). 

If happiness is measured by the world’s standards, Christians won’t be considered the happiest. Nevertheless, doesn’t it seem strange that the religious states weren’t the happiest? 

The Bible doesn’t say much about happiness 

Happiness is based on the same word as happenings. The Bible typically focuses on joy, a sense of well-being that transcends circumstance. It makes sense that a survey questioning people’s earthly circumstances would miss the deeper, eternal perspectives. 

People are happy when the money is good, the jobs are certain, the friendships are plentiful, and the doctor pronounces them healthy. 

But none of those circumstances will matter eternally. 

What if they looked for the joyful states? 

King Solomon said, “I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live” (Ecclesiastes 3:12). Jesus told his apostles, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11). But, Jesus said that to his apostles right before he went to the garden of Gethsemane to wait for the soldiers. 

Joy is the foundational sense of well-being that transcends circumstances. Joy can’t be understood by a world that only pursues happiness. Christians have a higher calling and a higher blessing. We have the joy that Jesus promised. 

But, is it possible to have both? 

Joy and happiness

The reason for this blog post is simple: Christians should strive for both joy and happiness. 

I’m so grateful to own and teach an eternal perspective on life. If we have to choose, we should choose joy. But, I’m sad that the rest of the world doesn’t see Christianity as a source of “happiness” as well. 

Should we reexamine our witness to the world? Do people who know you consider you a “happy” person? Should they? 

Acts 13:52 says, “And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” Joy is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. 

There is a LOT that Christians can’t be happy about with the world. But that doesn’t mean we can’t reflect the joy of our salvation to the people around us. 

Happiness is a choice; joy is a gift. Why don’t we strive for both? 

The world is watching.

Tired joy

The kids pulled out of the driveway, headed for home after a great Memorial Day weekend. Our oldest son, Ryan, and his family were with us at the lake for the holiday. There was hiking, swimming, water-gun fights, chasing butterflies, gathering wildflowers, playing at the playground, and even a few fireworks to end the day.

We ate BBQ, hotdogs, pancakes, and watermelon and made ice-cream sundaes. The kids drove the golf cart, or at least thought they were driving it, all weekend. And, I killed a snake—but that’s a whole different blog post.

Now, our little house is decorated with sticky handprints that I’m happy to look at for a couple of days. The dishwasher, washing machine, and dryer are hard at work while I type this blog post to you all.

My favorite kind of joy

I took some time to read my youngest son’s First15 devotion before I began to type. His words gave me the thoughts I wanted to share with you all today.

In Monday’s devotional, he wrote: “You and I were not created solely for this world. Our home is with our heavenly Father in heaven. Unceasing joy comes from living with the perspective of God rather than the world. Rejoicing comes from trusting that our God is perfectly loving, perfectly real, and perfectly powerful.”   

Note to my readers: If you don’t read Craig’s First15 devotionals, you should. He is my son. He does work for our ministry. I am unabashedly proud of both my boys and impossibly biased, so don’t take my word for it; you will find plenty of others who share my opinion. It is GOOD reading and an excellent way to start your day!  

I read Craig’s devotion about the unceasing, unshakeable joy that God’s presence provides and I knew what I wanted to write about: tired joy. Tired joy is how I define the weary contentment I feel after finishing a wonderful and busy time doing something I love. It is my favorite kind of tired.  

My favorite kind of joy is the tired joy I feel when I spend time with busy, happy, hungry kids and grandkids and then enjoy the quiet calm of time alone after they are gone. Tired joy is a great joy.

It’s the tired we feel after:

  • A busy holiday weekend with family and friends you love.
  • A mission trip or time of service with people the Lord has called you to love.
  • Completing a project or job that has taken a lot of hours to accomplish.

I’m sure you can think of other examples of tired joy—we all have them.

When Jesus was weary

Matthew 14 describes Jesus sitting in a quiet place on the mountain when his disciples came looking for him. Jesus had just performed many miracles, including the feeding of the five thousand, even though he was grieving the death of his cousin, John the Baptist.

Jesus was weary in body and soul and needed to retreat and pray. The crowds were increasing and so were their expectations. John 6:15 says, “Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.” When the disciples found him, Jesus sent them ahead and, later, in the middle of the night, walked on water to join them.

I think Jesus understood tired joy.

He was fulfilling the call that he had chosen for his life. He was succeeding, and people were beginning to understand he was their Messiah. But, Jesus was fully human as well as fully God. He chose to understand all the feelings that you and I feel. Jesus chose to feel tired joy. It is a choice for us as well.

Where unceasing joy begins

I hope you had a special Memorial Day weekend. I hope your week is filled with moments you will enjoy. But, for all of us, it is good to plan for the tired joy that comes as a result of spending time enjoying and serving people we love and people we are called to love.

Craig also wrote, “Unceasing joy comes from living with the perspective of God rather than the world.” I love that thought, and I love the one who wrote it. I smile at the many hours of my life that he and his brother provided me with tired joy at the end of a day. I share God’s perspective: we adore our kids.

Tired joy is one of my favorite joys in this life. We have so many ways to serve God and others. Rest is simply for the time in between.  I wish you a busy, productive, and blessed week. I wish you tired joy.

Marie Kondo’s Advice

Who is Marie Kondo?

I kept noticing a beautiful Japanese woman popping up on various news programs and talk shows. Her name is Marie Kondo and, apparently, I’m late to her fan base. Marie Kondo has written a best seller titled The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and has a hit show on Netflix.

That book title grabbed my attention. I’m known among family and friends for being a stickler for cleanliness. So, I investigated her website to learn more about this woman. Marie Kondo, as it turns out, is making a fortune encouraging people to clean up and simplify their surroundings by choosing to keep only the things that give joy.

The concept was intriguing. Even as I type, I’m looking around and realizing that, if I were to take her words to heart, I would get rid of several things, just in this one room. I’m sixty. I’ve been married for thirty-eight years and we have accumulated a lot of “stuff.”

Six rules for a tidy life

Marie Kondo has six basic rules to tidying:

  • Commit yourself to tidying.
  • Imagine your ideal lifestyle.
  • Finish discarding first.
  • Tidy by category, not by location.
  • Follow the right order.
  • Ask yourself if it sparks joy.

Marie teaches, “If you properly simplify and organize your home once, you’ll never have to do it again.” (And yes, I checked. She does have children.)

A lot of what she teaches makes good sense. I started making a home in the 1980s. Back in those days, we couldn’t put enough “stuff” on our shelves. Every stack of books required a small brass pot with a plant on top. And every wall was to be a collage of something rather than one giant canvas of one giant flower. And, we were taught to find our joy in God and in people, not things.

God’s rules for a tidy life

I teach Bible and therefore believe that the highest joy is a product of knowing God and walking in a right relationship with our Creator. But the Bible also teaches about the importance of simplicity and not being consumed by the “stuff” of life.

Paul taught Timothy to keep things simple in his life, writing, “Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content” (1 Timothy 6:6–8). I think people in our culture would be happier today if we took these verses to heart in our lives.

Interestingly, Marie Kondo teaches that the first place a person should simplify is their clothes closet. The second step is their books. I’ll be honest, I’m really “tidy” except for my clothes and my books. Maybe Marie is onto something here! I don’t think I will become a Marie Kondo disciple anytime soon, but I do think she inspires some healthy thinking.

If you are like me, you probably have too much “stuff” cluttering your life and home as well. Maybe spring cleaning this year should be a little larger in scale.

A clean life and a clean soul

A few weeks ago, I sent around an idea on my Facebook page. A friend had shared the idea with me and I thought it was a great one.

Christians have a tradition of “giving up” something for Lent. The season of Lent begins in one week. The Facebook post suggests that we all take boxes and bags, and, for the forty days of Lent, give up at least one thing we don’t use anymore, that someone else could. At the end of those forty days, we can donate those things to a ministry or resale center.

As I look around my home, I could probably do this every day for a year! One thing, each day, that we can give to someone else. How will that choice simplify our lives and bless others?

To that I would add this idea: The “stuff” Christians give shouldn’t always be material. What would happen if we added a second commitment?

What words can you give away each day as well? Easter is a time when people are more aware of Jesus and his sacrificial gift of salvation. Whom can you share the joyful hope of Easter with this year?

Marie Kondo instructs people to only keep those things that give them joy. I think there is some value in her thinking. But, there is a higher value in God’s thinking, and I want to close with his words.

Isaiah 55:1–3 reveals the compassion of God for his people. God told Isaiah to tell us:

Come, everyone who thirsts,
come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me;
hear, that your soul may live.

I’m going to choose something nice each day of the Lenten season that I can give away to someone who needs it more. I also want to commit to inclining my ear to God’s voice for those forty days. I want my closet and home to look a little better by Easter, but, even more, I would like my soul to be better as well.

Will you join me in choosing some of Marie Kondo’s advice and all of God’s?

We can bless other people with what we give up and give away. Our homes, our lives, and our souls will look a lot better for Easter this year if we make that commitment for the season of Lent.