Our Value in God's Eyes

This morning in Sunday School, our teacher Theresa Z Arnold was teaching from Psalms and she reminded me of something I heard when we were at Bethany Christian Church.

 A preacher named Tommy Oaks was talking about our insignificance in the broad scheme of things. He told us to imagine a thick black line all the way around the ceiling of the room. (For BCC members, we were in the original sanctuary before it was expanded.)

He said, "Now, imagine that line is printed in dot matrix. For those of you who are not into computers, a dot matrix printer prints what looks to the human eye like a solid line. But, it's not. It's really thousands of tiny dots crammed together so close that the human eye can't perceive the individual dots. Each of us is but a dot on a dot on a dot within that line. As insignificant as each of those dots is, we are even less....except in God's Eye. And, yet, to Him we were important enough for Him to sacrifice His Own Son for our sins."

 His use of the word "perceive" reminded me of something that had happened several years before when we lived in Marietta. Renee Wright was visiting us and we were all three in the front yard looking up at a beautiful starry sky.

It was such a bright night that all three of us lay in the grass looking up. David pointed out various constellations. And, then it hit me!

I said, "Before the light from the fartherest of those stars left on its journey to where we now stand, God already had a plan for our lives and wanted to know us and see us fulfill that plan." As I think about it now, I know that before God set that star in its place, He already knew me and that takes my breath away.

Guarding our Eyes

We have had two pastors who talked a lot about "guarding" our eyes. This phrase certainly came to mind last night as the half time show of the Super Bowl was aired. That, in turn, reminded me of a book by Albert E. Day: "Discipline and Discovery." I have had an outline of that book in the front pages of every Bible I have owned since I read the book. [Note a previous posting: "Six steps to Purity."]


Two of the major premises of that book came to mind: (1) Set a watch on the door of your eyes, and (2) Guard your imagination. That, in turn, reminded me of King David and his experience with Bathsheba II Samuel 11 ff.


"One evening David got up from his bed and strolled around on the roof of the palace. From the roof, he saw a woman bathing-a very beautiful woman. David send someone to inquire about her and he reported, "This is Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah the Hitite. David send messengers to get her and when she came to him, he slept with her."


Notice the progression:
(1) mindless idleness (He got up from bed and began to stroll aimlessly around.)
(2) he turned his eyes where he should not
(3) he pursued the object of his attentions
(4) he used his authority to engage her
(5) he sinned
(6) he engaged others in sinning to cover up his own sins.


The story goes on. The outcome of what began as aimlessness soon became focused. First, he focused on how he could cover up his sin by blaming the outcome on someone else. Then, he added murder to his cover up abusing his authority to get the deed done.


The Lord told David that his entire family will bear consequences from his sin. They were not being punished for David's sin. Instead, they were caught up in the natural consequences of being related to a sinful father. To David's credit, he recognized his sin, repents, and sought to serve the Lord for the rest of his days even while continuing to bear the consequences of his sins.


And, it all started when he failed to guard his eyes.

Out of our Comfort Zone

The way it came to me was as David and I were driving along the beach road talking about all the extraordinary events we have experienced together and the wonderful people we have met along the way. At almost the same time, it hit both of us that none of that began until we were willing to "step out of our comfort zone" and leave Rome where we knew so many people and were well known, trusting that God was indeed leading us to do that.


We drove on for several minutes pondering what we had just realized. The ferry came to my mind's eye and I described it to him. Later as I was talking with one of our pastors about this epiphany, he pointed out that the part of the ship under water is that which causes it to float and to move. He suggested I bring it up at house church, which I did.


One of our members is a lifelong sailor (as in sailing ships). He pointed out that not only does flotation and mobility come from below the waterline but so does stability in storms (because that's where the ballast is). So, as we have shared this with prayer partners (remember the part about "withstands the scrutiny of other prayerful Christians" as being a part of testing decisionmaking for God's Will as contrasted with our own), more of the meaning has been revealed.

Lessons From The Roman Circus

As I watched the Opening Ceremonies from the 2012 Olympics in London, I was reminded once again of the Roman Circuses. For hundreds of years, the Roman Empire dominated the world, bringing back more and more exotic animals and foreign customs. In spite of the contributions the Empire gave the world (the Appian Way, aquaducts, a uniform highway system, "representation" in government and a universal currency to name only a few), other contributions were not so positive.
As the cost of all this centralization rose, "representation" became more focused on the elite than on the common citizen and taxes became more repressive to the poor. The elite became so wealthy and their appetites so excessive that soon they were jaded. The circuses were the answer both to the oppressors and to the oppressed.


The circuses began with displays of conquered people and the native animals of exotic lands. The spectators soon tired of these so gladiators were added. While the gladiators added to the excitement and offered an adrenalin rush, they were also a subtle reminder of the "might that was Rome." The elite became jaded quickly and unrest about a strange new religion called Christianity fueled the fires of an unhappy populace. The official religions of Rome were not sufficient as more and more people began to adopt Christianity and, in so doing, developed a peace that was not the Peace of Rome. Emperors added Christians to the gladiators' battles but they proved to lack the excitement since the Christians were willing to die rather than kill. Lions soon replaced the gladiators and the gore they produced as they tore the Christians apart titillated for a while until the observers began to wonder why these victims looked more like winners. Not long after, the spectacle of the Roman Circuses no longer distracted the populace from their oppressions.
The same pattern was repeated in China, Russia, Germany, and others. Even England was not immune as the landed gentry's excesses grew. The Magna Carta and later the addition of a Parliamentry government were the first attempts to hold down the masses. World War I and World War II both helped to provide England with a reprise from unrest.

Six Generations of Gardeners

The women in my mother's family are known for their gardens.I am (at least) the sixth generation of gardeners in my mother's family. I've only known three generations other than myself and each of us has a different philosophy....or maybe just a progression of philosophies.

My great grandmother and grandmother lived with us for about six months before Granny decided she wanted to spend her final days at her son's farm. So, she and Bebe moved to the farm. I spent my weekends, holidays, and summer with them on the farm. I learned a lot from Granny about plants. She would describe a plant to me and tell me how to look for it. I would then spend hours looking for it and take her the leaf to verify my find.

Granny said you could look at a person's yard and tell the condition of that family. If they grew vegetables, she said they had hope. If they grew fruit, they had a sense of permanence. If they grew flowers, they had joy. I think of that so often when I drive through an area of homes.

After Granny died, Bebe moved back in with my mother and me and lived with us until I married. Bebe's philosophy had a bit different focus. She was a very practical person and her philosophy reflected that. She said it was a foolish person who would buy commercial fertilizers when God gives us so much natural fertilizer. I never heard her use the word compost. Instead she used the verb forms: composting, composted, composts. When I complained once that I couldn't grow ferns, she said if you want to have a green thumb, just learn what you can grow well and grow lots of it. Then, people will think you have a green thumb and before long, so will you.

My mother always said only edible plants should be brought inside though she made exception for Christmas cactus, one of her favorites. She also had a soft spot for amaryllis and mandevilla. She had an eight foot by four foot window installed in her basement so she could bring them inside for the winter. Until her eightieth birthday, she refused to have cut flowers in the house. A friend, at her eightieth birthday party, violated Mother's ban against cut flowers and brought her a dozen red roses. Mother accepted them graciously, later saying she wondered why she had never like cut flowers. I didn't remind her that she had always equated them with funerals.

My philosophy toward gardening includes some of their ideas with a twist of my own. I have a very obedient garden. When I plant a seed or a plant, I lovingly put them in the ground and then I say, “Live or die, durn you!” And, they always do....one or the other. If they live, they become a plant. If they die, they become compost. Either way, they add to the success of my garden and give me the feeling I might actually be learning something about gardening!

So, my dears, ponder how you feel about gardening. Is it something other people do? If you do garden, what do you grow and why?

"Of an age"

We have just returned from the memorial service for Abbie Anderegg (brother Jim's widow) out in Tucson, AZ. The service was truly a celebration of her life. All four children, two of the three grandchildren, David, and I were in attendance. Brother Richard had come to see Abbie a few months ago when his wife was in better health. Unfortunately, Abbie probably was not certain of who he was.


It was noted during one of our meals together that David was the patriarch of that gathering. That reminder made me think of a phrase which my great grandmother, grandmother, and mother were all fond of. They would say, "You are now of an age" to do whatever the new task at hand was. That memory made me think that, indeed, it was appropriate that we make every effort to celebrate the passing of each of our generation.


That is important because it is one of our dwindling opportunities for passing to the next generations an oral history of our generation. During the meals together, we were able to share stories of our generation to the next generation and their children. Those experiences reminded me of when I was growing up when family members would gather to break bread together and afterwards to hear the generation ahead of relate stories of their youth.


Another aspect of those gatherings is the ability to celebrate the Salvation we share with them through the Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that sharing, we can celebrate their life on this earth and their victory over death because of Jesus' sacrifice for us. Having known people who died without that assurance, I am struck by the contrast between their memorials and those of believers.


That brought back a memory of Josh's preschool years. We had taken Josh to VA to meet my grandmother in her last year of life. He had heard stories of her beautiful blue eyes which had closed due to ptosis when she was in her early sixties. When Josh met her, she was blind, almost deaf, and partially paralyzed from a stroke. Despite that, she was cheerful and funny.


When we got the news of her death, I wondered how to break the news to him. I started by reminding him of his meeting her. He contributed the things he remembered from that meeting. Then, I said, "I'm glad you got to meet her but I'm sorry to tell you but Granncie has died."


His reaction was unexpected and one I think I shall never forget. "Hot dog!" he said. "Now, she has her new body and she can see and hear and she can go anywhere she wants to without Miss Katherine's help!"


I was so taken aback! He had grasped the reality that death of the body is a victory if we know Jesus.  He knew, as only a child can, that we were being selfish in our tears because we were thinking--not of her but--of ourselves and the loss we were experiencing.


Dad and I are "of an age" to be able to celebrate that victory for those we love and for ourselves. God is still in control. Our salvation through Jesus supercedes all other events and the separation from our loved ones is only temporary. We will rejoin them in worship of our God in what, in the face of eternity, is a short time.


Love and blessings to all of you! We pray you will celebrate when we come of that age to go to be with Jesus.

God Does Not Make Mistakes

This Youtube shows the perfect love that we should exhibit to each other. It shows a mother Lab interacting with a beautiful Down Syndrome child.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA8VJh0UJtg