Tough As Nails, Mother's Day '16

There are some surface things people get from my mom within moments of being in her presence...

She's jolly and loud.

You hear her before you see her. From her portable "amen corner" in church (any denomination, every church) to intercessory prayer, to her...

(Wait for it...) 

Whistle. 

She whistles in church like other people whistle at ball games. And she's reproduced a whole congregation who at least try to muster a whistle periodically in a red-hot Pentecostal service. It took me YEARS to find my whistle. But I've totally got it now, and you'd better believe I use it! #LikeMotherLikeDaughter

She's tough as nails.

Because this is not always a compliment, I hesitate to use the phrase. It's so often a description used of drill-Sargeant types, which she is not. (Refer to the jolly version above.) She's HILARIOUS! She's fun! She's spontaneous! She's generous! But once she's discovered a truth that should be lived by, she's going to ensure the salvation of all in her boat by insisting these safety precautions are maintained. 

She was raised in a Christian home that had various leanings of the definition of "modesty." She saw the harm that unfolded in those who moved further and further away from conservative lifestyles. Therefore, she's tough as nails when it comes to standards. She's not "judgmental," in that she gives off a condemning vibe. Exemplified by the fact that she has friends who haven't dressed like her in decades. She has lifetime friends whose lifestyle would make your toes curl if you're a staunch Christian. She's incredibly compassionate. But if those friends are going to ask her advice about what lifestyle best preserves sanity & sanctity in the long haul, she's tough as nails in her advisement. And if you've ever been one of her's, you're going to hear "it" if she sees you straying. She simply has been privy to the dangers of another way. She's loves to the point of saying the uncomfortable. 

She's been in leadership in churches for long enough that she KNOWS what makes a congregation strong, or lethargic. She KNOWS what brings fervency into prayer meetings. She KNOWS what brings the raw power of God into a service. And she will let anybody attempt this in any fashion they want. But when it comes to how it's done in her ship, she's tough as nails. 

When I had a life-upset a few years ago I was not all that thrilled with her being tough as nails. I thought she was willing to sacrifice my happiness for "her way." I was so wrong.

In reality, I was in a storm that was battering our ship. ("Our" ship. I'm her daughter, not an island!) We were in danger of losing my children, our salvation, my sanity, and my future. Every time a piece came loose, she'd resecure it. When a strap sprung free from the tumult, she knew if she didn't secure it back yet more parts would break apart. She had to resecure the mast time and again, just so that one fine day, when the storm was past and a propelling wind had come, I'd be able to catch that breeze yet again.

My mom is mother to many. I do not envy those others. I understand the importance of her presence to their well-being. that she makes life possible for them.

She's tough as nails. 

And it's a good thing too, because she holds me together.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

God Does Gifts Even Better Than You

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

It's never easier to understand the good intentions and plans God has for you, than at Christmas time.

The efforts we each go to in order to see, hear, and experience a recipient's glee is remarkable. As soon as a gift idea comes to mind for someone, our focus becomes very narrow & intense, like a lioness stalking prey. All other projects are handled out of duty, but the search and preparations to make "that" item someone's gift is the source joy, dread, and frustrations. Yet, we are determined to make it happen.  Each morning the first thing on our mind is how and where to get that present. We shop online. We go from store to store. We brave the congested traffic, and the cranky fellow-shoppers. Even WE become cranky in our exhaustive search.

We want to experience that shriek of surprise from a recipient. We want to see that you-shouldn't-have look flood someone's eyes. It's so rewarding to incite surprise tears of joy in someone because we gave them the perfect gift. 

There is nothing so personally fulfilling as being a gifter.

I ask that today you recognize THAT IS HOW GOD FEELS ABOUT YOU! 

God doesn't spend time contemplating your punishment because you've been so sinful. He has eternally contemplated how to swoop in and rescue you from the wages of sin!

God doesn't sit on the throne in a resentful stew over how you've ignored him. He sits on his throne continually sending you love tokens that might catch your eye.

God doesn't allow his mind to be consumed with what you deserve. God's mind is like an eternal Christmas-mind; his thoughts toward you are CONSUMED with providing you with every good and perfect gift. 

There is a "trick" to being on the receiving end of God's gifts; it is that we ASK. In the passage where Jesus is comparing his ability to provide good gifts, to a dad's provision abilities, he points out that the child ASKS for bread and fish. 

Even though God knows the desires of our hearts, he also knows that part of the "purchase" of a gift comes through the power of the tongue. Therefore, Jesus said, "ASK!"

God doesn't think you're being selfish if you ask for your specific desires. He sees your request as a level of trust that is shared between only the closest of companions. I don't tell just anyone what I truly want for a gift. They may see me as "cheap," or as "haughty," or as "ridiculous," if they knew what I really, really want. But if I believe someone loves me, I can trust them to know what the desires of my heart are.

There is great creative-power is speaking out your desires. And there is a sign of great trust in who you reveal your desires to. 

God has repeatedly tried to convince humanity that he delights in relationship. He will play whatever role you need him to play, JUST to be near you. He'll be your father, your husband, your friend, your teacher, your master, your servant. He craves your love and trust. 

So, approach him with the insight that he wants you to trust him enough that you ASK for what you want and need.

You're the child of The KING of kings!

Matthew 7:11

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Mind Your Spotlight

I have grown up in the most beautiful environment on earth; The Church.

In this place liars, thieves, addicts, bodily ailments, personality disorders, successes, failures, races of the entire globe; we are ALL the same in that each of us stands free and able to lift the praises of our King of kings. The only thing that matters in a church service is what's happening in the present. If in the present moment we are all lifting God's name on high, all celebrating the power of His mercy, all acknowledging His grace, then literally NOTHING else about the person beside us matters. 

Nothing else matters. 

Can you comprehend how POWERFUL that is? That a prostitute can lift their hands to bless God beside a virgin, their prostitution not being an issue, is HUGE! That a thief can stand beside the hardworking laborer without their thievery being recognized is REMARKABLE! On & on these black and white comparisons can go. Only its not actually "black and white" in His presence. In His presence, it's JUST HIM! And there are NO COMPARISONS! Who we are, or have been can receive no recognition. Neither our goodness, nor our badness gets a spotlight. 

The moment we turn the spotlight to display our own righteousness, only the reality of our personal filthy rags will be seen by all. And such awareness pollutes the atmosphere. The moment we turn the spotlight to display the filthiness of someone else in the building; the system sparks, and glitches, and on display is... OUR OWN DISGUSTING FILTHY RAGS.

One's efforts to point out someone else's shame will ALWAYS backfire to spotlight their own. Lowering our gaze to confront or fight battles across the aisle defiles the sanctity of the environment. He can't breathe in such an unmerciful, vengeful place. He will either remove His presence, or remove the offender. Because the only thing "better" about a virgin than a prostitute is her personal memories not being filled with shame. And the only thing "better" about the laborer than the thief is his self-awareness not being degraded. My pastor always reminds us, "We're not better. We're just better-off."

The consequence of sin is heavy; our memory never turns off. Even after the blood covers, the memory is still intact. And memories are painful enough. But in the church, no one human is more worthy of God's protection, defense, and love than another. Memories aren't on display. Only HE can be on display. We are all equally forgiven in repentance. 

Must we repent? Of course. But God and the voice of a pastor will call to repentance. The rest of us must focus on delighting in the goodness, mercy, and majesty of God. Keep the spotlight of our eyes lifted to Him.

Never mess with the spotlight system in the church. The direction of our spotlights is what keeps us safe and protected. They are perfectly turned to illuminate His glory, His mercy, His grace. The love He has for us beams back flawless enlightenment for life.

And we DANCE in His glory!

VERSE OF THE DAY: John 11:14

VERSE OF THE DAY: John 11:14

SONG: https://www.dropbox.com/s/5a5pnomkeif5s9e/John%2011%2014.mp3 

John 11:14

Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

We know that God is love. We know that when God came to earth as the man, Christ Jesus, he spoke peace & calmed a storm. We know that Jesus was so kind and approachable that children were comfortable & happy to receive a hug from him.

Sometimes, however, Jesus must take on a role of cold, hard reality. That's what we find Jesus doing in John 11:14. In this verse he was not saying, "peace be still." He was not saying, "Let the children come!" In this verse he was lowering the boom about reality, saying it "plainly."

Sometimes Jesus does this in our lives as well. He requires us to face and accept a hard fact.

But we can never become so overwhelmed with the shock and emotion caused by the reality that we lose faith in God's love for us. Regardless of the pain, God is at work for us. He will never leave or forsake us. He will walk through the difficulties of life with us.

THOUGHTS AND DISCUSSIONS

What "realities" have you had to face?

What emotions did you feel?

Do you feel you found a way to trust God's love?

COMMITMENT

Tell God your thoughts & feelings.

Ask forgiveness for any time you may have doubted his love.

Ask for his help to think and behave as a disciple of Christ.

Tell God (and possibly yourself, and those you're accountable to) that you will strive to handle difficulties with behaviors of faith in God's love for you. 

ABOUT THIS DEVOTIONAL:

Please, share it! 

The Verse of the Day is taken from a selection of Bible memory verses, compiled for memorization by the United Pentecostal Church International, for the Bible Quizzing program.

Denée writes & records each verse as an individual song to aid the memorization process. You can find the links to purchase the songs at Denée's website:

www.DeneeRichardson.com. 

Adaptation and Creation

Imagine the earth suddenly void of the oceans. They are so vast, our world is called "the BLUE planet." Even in all our scientific advancements, we still haven't reached anywhere near closure to what there is to discover about the oceans and all therein. Of course humanity would have to adapt to such a loss. We would need to find a new way to not merely survive, but to thrive. 

Those who allowed the sorrow of the loss of their oceanic traditions, habits, nutrition, & more to cause them to become bitter & angry, to constantly taut how much better life was when we had the beautiful salty water, with its incredible contributions to our lives, the more they would hinder EVERYONE'S ability to move forward. If children only hear how much better it "used" to be with the ocean, they may never see value in seeking what good their may be in the mountains, or in the deserts. 

In truth, even the mountains ecological system would suffer from the loss of the oceans. But somehow, someway we could find a new way to be healthy, & excel, & grow. Survival is coded into our DNA. Adaptation is just what we do. HOW we adapt is what we want to control & guide. "Controlled adaptation" is actually CREATION.

Even though God put it in our instinct to create the best we can out of mess & confusion, it's also possible for us to choose to NOT make things new. Our adaptation of choice can be to settle in the sorrow of loss, & never leave there. Others will move into the struggle to create. & they will reap the glorious benefits of "it is good!" Just as God, our Father & Creator did in the beginning.

He created. But it was without form. It was void and dark. So he began the process of creating NEW things to fix the old.

I'm not really thinking about oceanography, or ecology. I'm actually thinking about the loss of relationships & love.

The vastness & strength of love is bigger than is comprehensible. Like our oceans. The pain of its loss is as well. As it should be. While it's APPROPRIATE to appreciate the devastation of great loss. It's just not appropriate to not recover, adapt to the difference, & create new.

I don't know if God felt any sense of failure over his original creation not being "right." But I do know that he went into the process of "one step at a time." And with EVERY step of creation he said, "It is good."

So don't expect your process to be a "shazzam." Evidently, "shzazam" moments aren't the smartest. (Because, God of course is very smart about these things.) So, take a step. And rather than focus on what's NOT fixed, focus on what change you DID make. Then proclaim, "It is good!"

Rebuild relationships. Create new friendships. Never stop giving or receiving love. After all, GOD IS LOVE. He loves being shared. He is not limited by failures or fumbles. Rise up! Adapt! Create! Make new! Let God guide the process and you will thrive!

Every Flame Needs A Wick

[I've pecked this out on my mobile device, so ur about to read my "text lingo." I promise to write entire words w/appropriate punctuation & grammar if I ever go to print. Lol]

Sittin here watching my candles flicker... Had this realization along the lines of "opposites attract:"

A Flame can't dance wo a Wick... A Wick can't illuminate wo stillness or depth. God has always put deep, still "Wicks" in my life so I can dance. :-)

To my fellow Flames; Don't get ticked if ur Wick doesn't dance! If ur Wick started dancing ud lose ur light. Let em b still. They're not as flashy, not as sparkly, not as enticing... But if it wasn't for the solidity of ur Wick, u cldnt dance.

And, Wick! Lemme address u for a moment, ur Flame CAN'T b still. There's a word for making a flame b still; "smothering."

The ONLY other thing, besides dance, a Flame can do is die. The result of a Flame's death is suffocating smoke. Surrounding people die more from smoke inhalation than fire burns. Ur Flame MUST dance! For the sake of anyone within oxygen range, ur Flame MUST dance. Realize the importance of that. (Also, that death-smoke comes from the Wick, not the Flame.)

Together, Wick & Flame, u provide light for others to live. U provide a warm, rich ambiance for others to refresh thereby. Together, the two opposites r absolutely one in purpose & understanding, & that unity makes living beautiful, not only for themselves, but also for those around.

Wick, stay still, & deep, & enjoy (& yes, smtimes endure) the dance of ur Flame. Bask in ur Flame's warmth & illumination.

Flame, cast ur light in all directions! The more u enjoy ur dance, the more light u spread. But do dance in the knowledge that ur rhythm is literally at the expense of ur Wick. Respect & honor ur Wick's stillness.

Wick & Flame, Accept & respect ur 2 roles. Appreciate each other's contribution. Understand that ur combination not only brings the two of u to completeness, but the two of u working properly in ur roles brings peace to those around u.

(Now imma have a hard time bringing myself to blow out my candles tonight!) lol

Are Women Weak?

(KJV) 1 Peter 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with [them] according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

Yesterday I was rearranging the furniture in my office, and while I pushed a credenza full of files, which seemed to weigh a ton... And while I moved a miniature fridge... And moved a desk and couch... This "weaker vessel" verse came to me.

How can a woman who can birth babies be a weaker vessel? How can women who'll stand in front of a bullet to protect her child be a weaker vessel? I know women who can bench press huge amounts of weights! How can women be considered the "weaker vessel?" I've heard non-Christian women and Christian women alike feel slighted by this verse.

But.... Wait a minute... Ah-ha! Let's look a bit closer to the wording of that scripture, shall we?

"giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel..."

It doesn't say a woman IS weak! It's merely a mental image to show a man how he is to honor his wife! Now I'm liking this verse a whole lot better! Lol

In our culture we can get a "vessel" to drink out of from the dollar store. If we break it we're more frustrated by the mess than the destroyed glass. But "vessels" of ANY sort in the ancient times this verse was written in were valuable. First of all they had to make their own vessels... If they didn't have the means to do so, then they'd have to go buy their vessels from a potter. The potter didn't sell his handmade wares cheap. Men, women, and children were very responsible and careful in their handling of any vessel in their house.

Peter was not saying women were weak. Rather he was using their understanding of how valuable the vessels were in their home to demonstrate the care men were to show to their wives. They didn't go knocking about clay bowls or vases. They didn't carelessly toss any type of vessel across a room. They understood their value and they treated their vessels with respect.

THIS is how women are suppose to be treated, with honor. Handled with care.

God created women, therefore he knows how they best function; in a loving, caring environment. If men want their "vessels" to reach their full potential they will give honor to her. She will in turn cherish that level of care and will give the "holder" the respect and service he needs.

Neither God nor Peter were saying women are weak... But rather that women are valuable and should be held with honor.

What a lovely bit of advice God and Peter gave to men!