TIME FOR LENT

It is that time of year when many will be deciding what to “give up” for Lent. Some will be choosing to go the healthy route and sacrifice certain junk foods or drinks that could be a challenge when tempted at a weak moment. Others may choose something that is in the line of time, such as time on the computer, or in front of the t.v. Either way, the sacrifice is supposed to be a symbol of the sacrifice of Jesus’ withdrawal into the wilderness. During those 40 days he gave up nourishment, communication with other human beings, the comforts of shelter from the elements and wild animals. We know that he encountered the evil one and was tempted to forego all he was promised by His Father for the worldly gains displayed before Him. He exited the wilderness victorious over temptation. He almost makes it look easy. In scripture we are told so little about the entire details of his survival. He must have shared this story with some of the disciples. How else would we know the little we know? We often struggle with the small sacrifices that we try to make during this season, and somewhere in there, each year, the point of the season may be lost in that struggle. We lose the point of what is to gain with sacrifice. Jesus gained more than victory over Satan. That was the “biggie”, but there was a more subtle victory that each of us need to focus on during this season. Jesus meditated. We should meditate. Jesus prayed. We should pray more. Although the Bible does not mention it, I am certain that He must have also studied His scriptures, especially the prophecies. We should study more. He walked and walked and walked. We should walk more. In all this, He gained a closer relationship with His Father. He planned His future, His mission, set goals. We should do that also. He was quiet, restful, and unbusy. Is it possible for us to be quiet and restful, even UNBUSY in coming weeks? At the end of the wilderness days He did not say, “Whew, glad that is over, now I can go back to what I was doing before I started this!” No. He was a changed man. He lived differently because He was closer to His Father, and realized the plan ahead. Granted, He changed the world. So, how does this apply to us?  We should not stop this reflection at the end of Lent, but grow from it and be victorious over our own temptations. We should emerge “different.” Better. Stronger. Let’s not give up an item to only retrieve it in 40 days. Let’s “let go” permanently of behaviors or attitudes that interfere with having a bond with Him.

I am personally going to look at this Lenten season not only as a sacrifice time, but a reflection time. Where am I on my faith walk? What goals do I have to serve him and how can I achieve them? These are questions I must think about for 40 days, plans I need to make, time I need to take to draw closer to Him and listen…for His call. I need to reflect on the sins I have neglected to let go, the ones I have ignored or repeated. Repentance is appropriate during Lent to prepare for the Holy Week. That is more of a sacrifice than giving up chocolate, and I think more of what Jesus has in mind when He asks me to join Him on a walk in His garden.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Psalms 139: 23-24.

I saw a lady in a restaurant the other day wearing a tee-shirt with a simple message. “I love my husband.” I had never seen a shirt like that before. Actually, what I am used to seeing is a message that is either male-bashing or insulting to men, including husbands. It made me think a lot about how husbands and wives treat each other these days. They sometimes readily display on a shirt or speak in private conversations with friends about their resentment and belittlement. Why is it that they forget how to be kind and polite to one another? Don’t they remember why they fell in love in the first place? Respect is sometimes one-sided, expected, but not returned.

Bill and I have been planning on going to see the movie “Fireproof” but haven’t had the opportunity yet. It is a story of a young couple going through some serious conflicts in their marriage. The husband is given a book to read and follow for 40 days to work on improving his relationship with his wife. The book was created for the movie and is called The Love Dare. We are reading that book together now and are enjoying the daily challenges to gently remind us of why we fell in love. There are many couples, even ones as old as us, who should accept the dare and read this book together, too.

God wants all of us to keep the love in our marriages and was not shy when he gave us specific rules to follow in His Book. The Love Dare starts with the basics, suggesting ways to show patience, kindness and understanding for starters. We are taking the suggestions seriously and enjoy the time we read to each other (only 3 pages a night) and discuss the plans for the next day. It is fun. Each day’s lesson begins with a scripture that is fitting for the unique aspect of love that is discussed. God’s design and purpose of marriage was so that we would not be lonely, we could establish families and grow old together facing the challenges of life in a partnership of change. If I may quote from the book, “This powerful union provides the path for you to learn how to love another imperfect person unconditionally.” Where have we heard about unconditional love before? This is a relationship that God blesses and wants to succeed.

We never forget that God is the head of this household and at the center of our love for each other. Now, who knows where I can get one of those shirts?

“Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

“GESUNDHEIT, God Bless you,” you might say when someone sneezes. I know I say it a lot, no matter who or where it is. I often use the phrase to end a note. “God Bless” seems like an appropriate ending in a note or e-mail for someone I am fond of, but not as impersonal as, “Sincerely.” I do say it sincerely, though, as if someone is experiencing some “unfortunate events” or hardships and needs a quickie prayer of intercession.

A few years ago I met a lady through the driving school with which I am associated. She was talking about an incident that was…let’s say…good for her. I immediately said to her, “What luck!!!” Here is the rest of that conversation as well as I can remember.

“Honey, that was not LUCK. That was God’s doing. He has nothing to do with LUCK. He gives blessings and keeps promises, but he does not make good or bad luck for people.”

“Really?” I said. “So if God doesn’t make ‘luck’ then who does? And why do I seem to have an abundance of the bad kind?”

“Obviously SATAN. LUCIFER makes it. Look at the first 3 letters of his name. L-U-C. The same first 3 letters of luck. They are related. He is the instigator and designer of LUCK. I want no parts of it. I only want my Lord’s blessings. And they are ALL good. There is no such thing as a bad blessing. Honey, you must be doing something wrong if you think all you have is bad luck. You’d better start counting your blessings.”

Well, I needed THAT slap in the face. Glad she did it.

And so I began counting my blessings and saying thank you for all the blessings I can see everyday. When things go wrong, if I am disappointed or at a loss, I know that Satan has somehow slipped into my life, I know that God is in control. He will turn things around and help me see the good in his blessings. I have to be patient and confident. I haven’t mastered either of those. Maybe I’ll meet another stranger to straighten me out on THAT one, too.

So, I am careful about wishing someone “Good Luck,” or blaming something on “bad luck”. I might slip once in a while, but I catch myself, cast Satan behind me, and say a quick “God Bless” in its place.

This has changed the meaning of “I have no luck at all.” I hope I don’t. I want only blessings, and I have many of them.

God Bless you with good blessings this Thanksgiving. They’re ALL good.

‘The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine upon you
And be gracious to you;
The LORD turn His face toward you
And give you peace..’
Numbers 6:24-26

Every fall I look forward to being outside with my physical education classes. The air is crisp, the sun rides low across the sky, and I get to watch the migration journey of one of God’s most beautiful creatures, the monarch butterfly. For several weeks, in the middle of my class, my students and I often pause to watch a few of these beauties flutter across the field, struggling against the wind on their journey south. They are heading toward a warm climate such as the volcanic mountains in Central Mexico. Can you believe that these frail insects can fly that far? They have a determination and a purpose that I can only admire. I wish I could keep even a smidgen of that focus on my own flight, my faith flight. I must battle wind that often sets me backward, or perhaps getting hit by what seems like a large truck sets me off course. But these little butterflies show no fear of these obstacles. They journey on; knowing that what waits them is “home”, a comfortable, peaceful haven to protect them from the cold and deadening winter.

This fall seemed different from other autumn seasons. I didn’t see as many monarchs. I am not sure why, but read that the migration of the monarch is threatened by something, no one seems to know. I hope that God can intervene on their behalf. I think he somehow intervened for me on my own flight to a safe haven this fall. The expected loss of my father has not been easy to overcome. I have looked for beauty in the great outdoors because Dad was so fond of working outside and spent most of his days working in the yard and the garden, or fishing and playing ball in his younger days. The outdoors reminds me of him. I was counting on those butterflies.

Since there were not many monarchs to watch during the day, God sent me many butterflies in many other ways. There are butterflies on the windows of the Hospice thrift store and vehicles. It is the appropriate symbol of the Hospice care that Dad received, representing the metamorphosis for leaving this world and entering God’s kingdom. It is the symbol of the Chrysalis walk my son experienced in early August, a transition from just knowing about Christ to experiencing Him. I found many more butterflies this fall, on books, pamphlets, clothing, and music cd jackets. And every time I saw a butterfly I was reminded of the monarchs and how faithful they are to why they are here. They demonstrate their faithfulness and they are to reach their haven, or heaven. And when they face obstacles, they don’t turn around and change directions. They persist onward to what is waiting for them. A promise of “home”.

I must learn from the butterfly, no matter where I see it from now on. This little creature is faithful because it is not forgotten by its creator. Everything about it is on purpose, from its color to its destination. Even its family name: Danaidae. Genus: Danaus.

I see my name in the monarch butterfly’s. I, too, have a purpose that God has planned for me. And I have a destination. I need God’s intervention when I am blown off course, but he promised me that he would be waiting. He calls me by name. I am heading home.

“The watchman opens the gate for him and the sheep listen to his voice.
He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” — John 10:3

I believe that when Jesus gave us the Lord’s Prayer to pray, there were actually blanks that we were supposed to fill in. I bet he had more in mind than the words he gave and we are supposed to add to this prayer.

Bear with me. Think for a minute how you “say/sing” the Lord’s Prayer. I can say it very quickly, and in groups, like at church, it comes out in a rhythmic tone almost like a nursery rhyme. I can even say it without thinking about what I am saying. But if I would be asked, “What comes after…” I might have to go through the whole prayer to figure it out. It is sort of like the alphabet. I can sing or say it, but don’t ask me what comes after “q”. I have to hesitate and say a few letters before I can tell you the answer. I know the rhythm but I can’t say it without going through part of the alphabet to remember individual letters. Why is that?

Perhaps it is that I learned it that way at a young age and seldom give the individual lines any serious thought. I used to think the Lord’s Prayer was only good if said in its entirety. It sort of covered all the bases, so to speak. But lately I have been saying it slowly and filling in the blanks. Here is how I do it: 

Our father who art in heaven
     You are my Lord and my creator, without you, I would be nothing
Hallowed be thy name
     You are wonderful and I praise you for all the blessings that you
     have given me today
 Thy kingdom come
     I look forward to being with you Lord and hope you are returning
     soon because we need you
Thy will be done
     I know that you have a plan for me and I ask for patience and strength
     to do your will and not my own
On earth, as it is in heaven
     I pray for your church to grow and be stronger against those who hate us
Give us this day our daily bread
     Thank you Lord for fulfilling my needs and seeing that I have enough
And forgive us our debts
     I know I have sinned today lord and have not pleased you. I specifically
     ask for forgiveness of these sins.
As we forgive our debtors
     Help me Lord to forgive the people who have wronged me today, help me
     to love them and move past the hurt I may feel
And lead us not into temptation
     Lord, you know my weaknesses and I call on you for strength
But deliver us from evil
     You are the one who can protect me from Satan and the entrapments of
     this world. Please help me.
For thine is the kingdom
     This world belongs to you, Lord, and so do I
And the power
     You are the one and only true God
And the glory
     I praise you. All that is good belongs to you, Lord
Forever
     Eternity God, I want to be there with you
Amen.
     Let it be so.
And Amen.

Your blanks could be different from mine. In fact, mine could change, daily.

But pray. He did. And that is what he wanted us to do. We can take his model and make it our own. Just fill in the blanks.