I must admit that it has been such a long time since I posted anything, I had trouble finding m own blog! But, we are re-connected and I will offer some thoughts for you to read, ponder, or even disregard!!!
One of my favorite flowers is the lotus. The buds open to display a most beautiful, fragrant flower.
What fascinates me about the lotus is that such a beautiful flower can grow in really nasty water. It does not have to have a pump and be circulated and "tended to" like a backyard water feature. The roots are very long and deep and are almost embedded in the bottom of the water in which it is growing. One place I read quoted a Confucion scholar as saying "I love the lotus because while growing from mud, it is unstained". You see, the flower itself is about ¾ to one inch from the top of the water. The stem pushes just a little extra off the junky water and then the blossom grows and opens.
I find a couple of very encouraging spiritual applications from the lotus flower.
Let’s just begin with the fragrance. 2 Cor. 2:15 says "For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;" In the world of yucky smells, Christians are the fragrance of Jesus. One translation says "a sweet aroma"! I’ll be honest, I’m very allergic to perfumes and being around what one person may call a "sweet aroma" will give me a throbbing headache and a sore throat!! But, I’m not sure Paul is talking about that kind of literal smell. The connotation there to me is more like walking by a lilac bush or mimosa trees and just catching a wisp of fragrance. Maybe even the air after a rain. Maybe just something that immediately gives a "hey, this is different and is very refreshing". You and I are a fragrance of Christ in a smelly world!!!
The other application I find is simply in where this beautiful flower lives. It thrives in mud. One place I read actually stated "nasty water". Have you ever looked around at all the sin and bad things that go on around us and thought "this world is one nasty place!" In John 17 Jesus prays to His Father on behalf of his disciples. I might add that I find this one awesome prayer!! John 17:15 says, "I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one." Even then, Jesus knew his disciples were surrounded by sin and nasty stuff. But his prayer was for God to protect them from Satan. If we are a Christian, we are one of those disciples. Jesus does not expect us to live in our own little Utopia protected from everything around us. He expects us to live in this world. Why is that like the lotus flower? Because that beautiful blossom pushes itself just a tad above the nasty water to open and allow the beauty and fragrance to been seen.
We don’t have to stand head and shoulders above everyone else, bellow loudly, or force our "smell" on everyone else.
Jesus does expect us to be that sweet fragrance and push ourselves just a tad above the world. You know what? I think we can do that. I love the application from the lotus flower. We may be in this world but we can rise just tad above it!!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
What Are You Giving for Valentine's Day?
I get amused with my students when holidays are coming up. They begin asking, "Mrs. Denton, what are you getting for" and name the holiday. This week the question is, "what are you getting for Valentine's Day?".
My answers are always something silly. But it's interesting that they are almost always talking about what they are "gonna get".
One day I asked "what are you going to give?". The look on a couple of their faces made you wonder if I had just spoken in Greek or some foreign language that they did not understand!!
You know, gifts are fun. Opening a package that someone bought for you really is very special. But think about this - presents can be bought with a half-hearted obligation simply because it is a special occasion. What can you give for free (or almost free) that would mean as much as a purchased present?
Think about how much a hand-written note sent via the mail (for approximately 42 cents) means. Just tell someone you care about them.
Think about how nice it would be to get an email that is not a "forward of a forward" but a note that says, "I just want to tell you that you are special to me"!
Think about loving somebody in spite of their failings!! Not, "I love you because it's the right thing to do"; but really loving somebody.
Think about giving the gift of breaking down and dropping that grudge that you have hung onto entirely too long.
Think about giving someone what they need and not what the deserve.
Think about giving the most wonderful gift of all. Share Jesus with someone.
So, what are you giving for Valentine's Day? Make it one of those very special "free" items!!!
My answers are always something silly. But it's interesting that they are almost always talking about what they are "gonna get".
One day I asked "what are you going to give?". The look on a couple of their faces made you wonder if I had just spoken in Greek or some foreign language that they did not understand!!
You know, gifts are fun. Opening a package that someone bought for you really is very special. But think about this - presents can be bought with a half-hearted obligation simply because it is a special occasion. What can you give for free (or almost free) that would mean as much as a purchased present?
Think about how much a hand-written note sent via the mail (for approximately 42 cents) means. Just tell someone you care about them.
Think about how nice it would be to get an email that is not a "forward of a forward" but a note that says, "I just want to tell you that you are special to me"!
Think about loving somebody in spite of their failings!! Not, "I love you because it's the right thing to do"; but really loving somebody.
Think about giving the gift of breaking down and dropping that grudge that you have hung onto entirely too long.
Think about giving someone what they need and not what the deserve.
Think about giving the most wonderful gift of all. Share Jesus with someone.
So, what are you giving for Valentine's Day? Make it one of those very special "free" items!!!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Moving On
Have you ever noticed that when someone has been through a tough time it seems difficult for others to let them move on? That has become very evident to me in the past few months.
Sometimes we can endure what other might think is just "unforgiveable". In doing so, it may appear that we do not see the vastness of the problem. It may appear that they are "pretending to be doing well". You know, just maybe the ones struggling made the concentrated choice to deal with it and move on!!!
It's not that there was no pain. It was not that the hurt did not seem overwhelming. It is not that it is just ignored or forgotten.
But, here is what it is:
Sometimes we can endure what other might think is just "unforgiveable". In doing so, it may appear that we do not see the vastness of the problem. It may appear that they are "pretending to be doing well". You know, just maybe the ones struggling made the concentrated choice to deal with it and move on!!!
It's not that there was no pain. It was not that the hurt did not seem overwhelming. It is not that it is just ignored or forgotten.
But, here is what it is:
- It is a person showing absolute remorse for actions.
- It is that person asking for forgiveness.
- It is the person who was hurt giving forgiveness with no conditions.
- It is focused on recovery - together!
- It is learning from how this happened and moving on.
- It is once again laughing and joking together; holding hands and loving life - together.
- It is recognizing that Satan wants us focused on the sin and the hurt.
- It is knowing without a doubt that Jesus wants us moving on and continuing to grow together.
So, sometimes no matter what happens and how devastating it might be, those involved just might have already put it behind them and are fully enjoying rediscovering what they love about each other!!!
I love moving on!!!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
"I do not need to be here".
My husband and I have 7 grandchildren. They are every one precious. Today, I have the 4 year old on my mind. You see, she lives in north Arkansas and is in the midst of an ice storm. She has seen snow but this is her first ice storm. Things have been ok until last night when the power went out.
She said to our daughter, "I do not need to be here. I need to be at Mimi's". So she called so we could talk. Of course, they live a good 5 - 6 hour drive from us and that's in pretty weather!!! I knew that their car was not leaving the ice it was stuck in! I tried to give her some things to do in the quiet and dark to get her mind off the dark and the sound of tree limbs falling!
Have you ever thought, "I do not need to be here?" Maybe it's a situation or even a location or maybe even a job!! That thought from that so very cute 4 year old reminded me of Paul saying that he was torn between wanting to be with Jesus. Philippians 1: 21-26 "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me."
I suppose when I read that I hear Paul saying, "I do not need to be here. I need to be with Jesus". He is wanting to be in a better place. Specifically, with Jesus! But, Paul knew that he had work still to do. Work he loved in spite of the fact that he thought he would rather be with Jesus.
Are you in a spot where you would rather not be? What are you going to do about it? The choice is yours: You can whine and spend days talking about your "lot in life" or you can do like our granddaughter and find something to do even in the cold and dark. You can do like Paul and keep on doing what you are supposed to do. You can do like many of us have done - ask yourself, "what can I do to make this a better situation?"
Just thoughts prompted from a four year old granddaughter!!! Linda
She said to our daughter, "I do not need to be here. I need to be at Mimi's". So she called so we could talk. Of course, they live a good 5 - 6 hour drive from us and that's in pretty weather!!! I knew that their car was not leaving the ice it was stuck in! I tried to give her some things to do in the quiet and dark to get her mind off the dark and the sound of tree limbs falling!
Have you ever thought, "I do not need to be here?" Maybe it's a situation or even a location or maybe even a job!! That thought from that so very cute 4 year old reminded me of Paul saying that he was torn between wanting to be with Jesus. Philippians 1: 21-26 "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me."
I suppose when I read that I hear Paul saying, "I do not need to be here. I need to be with Jesus". He is wanting to be in a better place. Specifically, with Jesus! But, Paul knew that he had work still to do. Work he loved in spite of the fact that he thought he would rather be with Jesus.
Are you in a spot where you would rather not be? What are you going to do about it? The choice is yours: You can whine and spend days talking about your "lot in life" or you can do like our granddaughter and find something to do even in the cold and dark. You can do like Paul and keep on doing what you are supposed to do. You can do like many of us have done - ask yourself, "what can I do to make this a better situation?"
Just thoughts prompted from a four year old granddaughter!!! Linda
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