Monday, December 31, 2012

MeccaMusing: Gentleness instead of a "Whuppin'."

MeccaMusing: Gentleness instead of a "Whuppin'.": Good Evening Dear Ones - Happy New Year!  What a wonderful holiday season.  Frank and I spent Thanksgiving with "my people," and Christmas...

Gentleness instead of a "Whuppin'."


Good Evening Dear Ones - Happy New Year!  What a wonderful holiday season.  Frank and I spent Thanksgiving with "my people," and Christmas with "his people," (Frank's terminology). For New Year's Eve and Day, we are at home with each other - right where we want to be.

Frank and I are so blessed, and there is not one blessing in our lives about which we can boast.  We have done nothing to merit God's grace and goodness, but we are oh so grateful and humbled at His great love for us.

I have started about five different blogs over the past two weeks.  I have had many thoughts about the Lord and His word, and yet, I have had the most difficult time getting my thoughts together.  I just couldn't seem to get clarity on anything to say.  

Now, for those of you who know me well, you realize there is definitely something "turble" ("terrible" for those who need translation), at work for me to have trouble finding something to say.

I began praying, asking specifically why I was struggling, finding no clarity, and why my thoughts seemed forced.  I asked if there was anything in my heart I didn't know about - or knew about and hadn't taken seriously.

BINGO! That last question was the winning ticket.

I had something in my heart that my Heavenly Daddy had been speaking to me about for a few weeks.  I realized what it was the minute I asked Him to search my heart and point it out to me so there was no way I could miss it.

Have you ever experienced someone saying something to you, and you hear it; but it doesn't register with you for a few seconds.  I hope I am not the only one to whom that has happened; but I have literally taken a few steps, maybe gone around a corner and stopped, realizing someone had spoken to me, and I hadn't responded.  I "heard," but I didn't "listen" until later.

That's what I had been doing - hearing, but not listening as the Lord gently prodded me about what I was harboring in my heart.

Do you know what struck me as amazing about the Lord showing me my sin?  It was the way He did it.  When I finally "listened," I remembered His sweet nudge, gentle reminder, patient repeating of the nudge, firm but kind rebuke, His patient endurance at my ignoring Him.

Think of that.  The God of the universe is speaking through the Holy Spirit to my heart, and I'm ignoring Him.  Though He is all powerful and had the right to do so, He didn't condemn or demand.  He persisted in His pursuit of this disobedient child with patience and gentleness.

That's what rings true to my heart - gentleness - being considerate, kind, tender, and compassionate.  I am in awe of the character of Jesus and so convicted at my lack of gentleness at times when I probably need it the most.

His gentleness and goodness brought me to repentance (Romans 2:4).  In I Cor. 4:21, He even asks the question, "Now which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of correction, or with love and in a spirit of gentleness?"  


I read a sermon by Paul Fritz on gentleness that left me with two challenges: 
  • to ask the Lord to help me exhibit greater trust and obedience to the Lord with the same spirit of Godly gentleness that He bestowed upon me; 
  • and to ask the Lord Jesus to help me respond with the utmost courtesy and respect to others since He has given me the privilege of representing Him with His truth. 
Parents, are you gentle in your pursuit and correction of your children?  Husbands and wives, do we treat each other with gentleness? Those of us in leadership - are we gentle with those who look to us for guidance, support, instruction? Do we remain gentle, giving the truth without condescension (Gal. 6:1)

Gentleness doesn't mean weakness.  You can release someone from a job, initiate difficult conversations, or speak a truth that is difficult to hear and do it all with gentleness.  

My prayer is that I will demonstrate the wonderful fruit of the spirit, "gentleness," in every relationship I have - including the one I have with myself. 

Lord Jesus, thank you for coming to me in a spirit of gentleness, instead of a rod of correction.  We called that a "whuppin'" when I was growing up; and believe me, I remember it.




 
Still approaching every day with joy...and approaching the Throne of Grace with humility and gratitude, asking for gentleness so that I can demonstrate the sweet spirit of Jesus.  

P.S. Listen - Do you hear it?  The trumpet sound?  Be listening, don't miss it. How glorious it would be to see Jesus face-to-face this year.  I would touch that sweet face.  OK - I have to stop.  I will write about that another day.  Love you all so much.  Mecca









Tuesday, December 18, 2012

MeccaMusing: This Princess is Shouting.

MeccaMusing: This Princess is Shouting.: Dear Friends:  I have missed you.  I hope you have missed me.  We have a special connection because we know and love the Lord Jesus and belo...

This Princess is Shouting.

Dear Friends:  I have missed you.  I hope you have missed me.  We have a special connection because we know and love the Lord Jesus and belong to Him.  I miss my brothers and sisters in Christ, and when I write, I feel that connection.  I hope you do, too.

When I think of you, I picture you as you were the last time we saw each other.  That's pretty cool because I haven't seen some of you for many years.  In my heart and mind, you haven't gained any weight, your hair isn't gray, you don't have any wrinkles; you don't need teeth or glasses; your ears and noses haven't grown any longer (Did you know that happens the older you get?); and you still have all of your hair - in the right places!  Amazing!

That works both ways, right?

I just had a precious thought.  My Heavenly Daddy thinks of me without spot or wrinkle, (Eph 5:27) perfect, with no flaws, because He sees me covered by the blood of His sweet Son, that precious baby whose birth we celebrate this month.  I'm so very thankful for that covering.

It's so hard to think of that baby as the Son of God who gave His life for me.  It humbles me to think how much He loves me, to try and understand the depths of His mercy, and the riches of His grace.

Ok, I didn't mean to start preaching right away.

I had the privilege of having my mother with me a couple of weeks during this holiday season.  I took her to suster's house in Greenville S.C. last weekend and have missed having her here when I come home from work.

I spent a lot of time just talking to her, asking personal questions, asking her to tell me stories that I had heard so many times but wanted to hear again.   We laughed, cried a little, and sang old songs her mother used to sing.  My mother is the oldest of her siblings still living, so she holds the knowledge now to the history of her family, knows the old stories, and can make them come alive with such personal conviction, humor, and passion.  She lived them.

She cleared up some miscommunication from stories being told to someone, and then that someone telling it to someone else until the truth was lost or so muddled, it had morphed into something that didn't even resemble the initial tale.

I learned things I had never known and wondered how I could have known my mother for so many years, spent so much time with her and still not know all there was to know about her.   The longer I know her as an adult and see her not just as my mother, but as a woman who has lived for many years and learned extraordinary lessons during her life's journey, I find there are layers to peel away and numerous things still to learn about her and from her.

When I really listen with my heart, I can hear the same old stories from a different perspective and sometimes understand what those stories mean to her just from the quiver in her voice, a smile, a tear, sometimes shades of regret, and often that far away look of "yesteryear."  But getting those kinds of messages takes "listening with purpose."

When I see this woman as my mother and listen to her as my mother, I am experiencing her from a child's perspective, and I love her especially because she is my mother, and for what all that has meant to me in my life.  When I spend time with her woman to woman, I experience her journey, the richness of her life, the lessons I can learn from her mistakes and her triumphs, and I grow up and mature a little more, while gaining a deeper love and appreciation not just for my mother but for the woman who is my mother.

Isn't that how we approach the Lord?  We come as children, drinking the milk of the Word, loving the Lord because He first loved us. It is not until we have spent time with Him, listened to His heart and applied what we have learned that we mature in Him, get our "spiritual teeth" so to speak and begin eating the "meat of the Word."

That's when I become more like Him.  I cannot fully comprehend the lessons from His earthly journey unless taught by the Holy Spirit.  That takes "listening with purpose" on my part. When I do that consistently, the fruits of the spirit - love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness - become more evident in my daily walk. I begin to really comprehend who I am in Christ because the Holy Spirit Who is my teacher explains what my position is in Christ.

I'm not just His child, I am joint heirs with Him, an heir of God (Romans 8:17). Because that sweet baby was born, died, and rose again, I have the privilege of being adopted.  I am in Him, and He is in me (John 15:5). I will be able to partake of that glorious inheritance.  That is not "milk."  That is "meat."  I am trying to comprehend it as I "chew" on it right now.  I need mammoth teeth for this.

I believe Psalm 139:6 might explain exactly how I feel --- "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it."

I am so humbled before that precious baby in a manger.  Thank you to my Heavenly Daddy for the birth of His Son, His love for me, my position in Christ because of the unsearchable riches of His mercy and grace.

Without Him, we are broken vessels in a broken world and cannot accomplish anything of eternal value.  With Him, we are joint heirs, heirs of God.

I choose to walk with Him through this broken world.  It is not my home.  I have an eternal inheritance. I am the daughter of The King.

This princess is "shouting."  And all God's people said, "Amen and Amen!"

Always approaching the day with joy - Mecca




Saturday, December 1, 2012

MeccaMusing: Wonderful, Wonderful, Wonderful

MeccaMusing: Wonderful, Wonderful, Wonderful: Dear Ones:  What an unbelievably wonderful  (capable of eliciting wonder or astonishment) Thanksgiving holiday we had.  There are four of us...

Wonderful, Wonderful, Wonderful

Dear Ones:  What an unbelievably wonderful (capable of eliciting wonder or astonishment) Thanksgiving holiday we had.  There are four of us siblings who take turns hosting Thanksgiving festivities.  This year we all went to my suster's (Becky) and her husband's (Dan) house.

It couldn't have been a better time.  We celebrated muther's 89th birthday, ate too much, laughed, cried, hugged, told stories on one another, had a therapy session to determine whether or not any of us were high maintenance (funny story), and "cussed and discussed" the Cowboys (they lost, durn 'em).

We grew closer to each other as we reveled in the love we had for one another and the memories we shared because of it.  We remembered our daddy and the heritage he left for us and thanked the Lord he was in Heaven.

Then on Monday evening, Muther, Frank and I had the privilege of having dinner with some life-long missionary friends.  I had not seen my childhood friend in 50 years and had never met his wife, but I really connected with her from the moment we introduced ourselves to each other. I had not seen his dad in about 25 years.  Frank had never met any of the family, but he had heard me talk about them and knew they were dear to me.

As long as it had been, when I saw them both, it was like yesterday, and we picked up our conversation as if it were yesterday.  We also shared memories, laughed, shared who we were today, and what was going on in our lives. We shared pictures of family, spoke of our triumphs and heartaches, and rejoiced in God's faithfulness.

They told me I looked just like my dad and had his mannerisms and sense of humor.  My thought at that moment was how much I wanted to have my heavenly Daddy's attributes as well. That is certainly what my dad wanted for himself and his family. The thought was precious to me.

I might not see our dear friends again until we meet at the feet of Jesus, but we will pray for one another, bear one another's burdens, and rejoice with one another in answered prayer (Gal. 6:2).

Do you have family and friends with whom you have that kind of bond?  It is priceless, right?

As we were driving home, I was thinking of this season of Thanksgiving.  I do try with all of my heart to have an "attitude of gratitude" no matter what is going on in my life.  I believe it is important to my spiritual maturity and happiness.

There is ALWAYS something for which we can be thankful.  The Lord commands us to be thankful in everything and every circumstance "for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you (I Thess. 5:18).

I began wondering why it was so important to be thankful, why so many strong statements are in the Word of God about gratitude. I believe it is a matter of obedience.  I don't believe it is possible to be depressed, unforgiving, selfish, or have any of the other attitudes and characteristics that keep us from living abundantly when we have a grateful heart.

I thought today that even if none of the things I had just written about were true in my life, I could live an abundant life because of Calvary.  Because of that sacrifice, every occurrence in my life can be a source of gratitude and thankfulness.  When I live as unto the Lord, everything that happens, whether it brings me prosperity or adversity, is equally a source of joy; because when I am grateful for it, it will make me more like the Lord Jesus.

Being thankful keeps me in a spirit of prayer, gives me the ability to love others the way I should.  I have had people in my life that were absolutely intolerable to be around until I started praying for God's blessings on their lives.  The result was blessing on my life.  As I said before, it is a matter of obedience.  Obedience and gratitude are eternally connected.

Thank you Lord Jesus for Calvary, for the power of your resurrection and its availability to me each moment of every day;  thank you for every circumstance of my life; thank you for my daddy's and mother's legacy of knowing and loving You and Your Word that right now, today, causes our family to love You and one another more.

Thank you for your Holy Spirit that bears witness with my spirit that I belong to you.

Whether I shout it, speak it in conversation, dwell on it in my heart, or whisper it in my dreams,  May my heart's cry ever be, Thank you, Lord Jesus, for Calvary.

What a wonderful Savior.  Still approaching each day with joy, Love to all, Mecca





Saturday, November 17, 2012

MeccaMusing: Corners, Crevices, Cracks, and all of 'em Clean

MeccaMusing: Corners, Crevices, Cracks, and all of 'em Clean: Dear Ones:  It has been a busy week.  Do any of us ever have a week anymore that we can say is not busy?  I think there might be something ...

Corners, Crevices, Cracks, and all of 'em Clean


Dear Ones:  It has been a busy week.  Do any of us ever have a week anymore that we can say is not busy?  I think there might be something wrong with that.   I am still struggling with my sinuses.  Finally went to the Dr. and got an antibiotic.

I am some better, but as LaRue's (sweet, dear friend of mine) mother used to say, "I am just putting up a good front."  Now, I just like to say that I get a lot done for a sick girl.  Truly, I am better.

I am overjoyed today.  It is again so beautiful here in Atlanta.  The brilliant colors of red, orange, green, brown, and yellow are everywhere.  The weather is not too cold or too hot, and most special of all, my mother flew in today to spend the next two weeks with me.

We will celebrate her 89th birthday the day after Thanksgiving.  Isn't that amazing?  Her mind is so clear (has always been brilliant), her heart is strong, and she had the strength and stamina to fly from San Antonio to Atlanta.  (Frank just walked by and said, "but she can't hear worth a ****," to which she said, "What did you say?"  All three of us laughed.)

We keep a pretty clean house, but we do clean extra for company.

Everything in the house felt so much cleaner after Frank and I pulled up rugs, pulled out the refrigerator and cleaned good behind, underneath, on top (whew, you talkin' about some kind of mess). It is eye-opening and nostril-challenging to pull out the refrigerator.  There is no tellin' what you will discover.  As many ice cubes as I have kicked under there, I don't know why there wasn't an igloo in the corner.  LOL

While the house might not look any cleaner than normal to anyone else, Frank and I knew we had cleaned every corner, crevice, crack and in between.  We had such a great sense of accomplishment.  It felt good to be the right kind of stewards of what the Lord had given us.

I remember that we cleaned very thoroughly one evening.  The next morning, the sun showed through the large uncovered windows in the living room and dining room, revealing a lot of dust and crumbs we had missed.  We were actually amazed at how much we had missed.  The problem was, we were cleaning without enough light.  Things looked really good because we couldn't see everything with just the room lighting.

The bright light of the morning sun revealed every little particle of dust, every crumb, every single smudge on the front of the refrigerator or stove top or hardwood floors.  Nothing escaped its rays.

My mind and heart went immediately to this manifested truth in God's Word.  The knowledge and application of His word to my life is a "lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path."  (Ps 119:105).  Unless I ask the Lord to "Search me and know my heart," (Ps 139:23) I will have crumbs, smudges and dust particles of sin left on the shelves of my soul; the kind that can come between my soul and my Savior.

His search is precise, cuts through the clutter; it penetrates even to dividing the soul and spirit, joints, and marrow; it judges the thoughts and intents of my heart. Hebrews 4:12.  So, when I really want to be right before the Lord, I choose the light of His Word, not a facsimile of it.

When I try to search my own heart, I tend to compare myself to others in order to determine if what I am doing is right or wrong and to justify anything I might find.  My sweet Lord Jesus clearly tells me that is not wise.  II Cor. 10:12.

The only reason I would shun His search is that I am afraid of what He will find, ashamed of my failures and bringing dishonor to Him.  What I must remember is that He already knows them; when I ask Him to reveal them to me, I will know them.  Then I have the wonderful opportunity of claiming His forgiveness.

Let me just say this.  In my walk with the Lord, when I have felt like I was doing "pretty well,"  I was not comparing myself to Him.  "Pretty well" never enters the mind of a believer who is truly walking in the presence of God. It is more akin to "humbled and undeserving, but grateful."

I wonder why I am content with the crumbs, dust, and dirt of this world, when I can have His resurrection power available to me because my heart is clean and pure before Him.

When I was thinking about the brightness of the sun, sometimes so bright, it hurts my eyes, I remembered how overwhelmed I was the first time I heard that Heaven would have no sun or moon because the glory of the Lord would outshine both of them.  Isaiah goes so far as to say that not only would the sun and moon not shine, but that the moon would be abashed and the sun ashamed to even try to shine in the presence of the glory of God.  (Is 24:3)


Oh, how thankful I am for the truth and living power of God's Word and His glory that flows from it.  The gift my mother and daddy gave me of ensuring I heard and memorized God's Word has been deep, priceless, and enduring.  It has been a drink for my soul in times of thirst, a source of peace in times of fear, a fortress when I needed courage, and always a light in times of darkness.

Now, I make it a point to really clean when the sun is shining.  It reminds me of the love of God, His power to show me my mistakes and redeem them as I walk in the light of His Word.  How about you?

I am approaching this and every day with joy.  Love and miss you all.  Mecca



Sunday, November 4, 2012

MeccaMusing: To Him be Glory...both Now and Ever, Amen!

MeccaMusing: To Him be Glory...both Now and Ever, Amen!: Good Afternoon .  It is a beautiful day in Atlanta, Georgia.  It's about 65 degrees and the sun is shining (between the clouds).  I have a b...

To Him be Glory...both Now and Ever, Amen!

Good Afternoon.  It is a beautiful day in Atlanta, Georgia.  It's about 65 degrees and the sun is shining (between the clouds).  I have a bad cold or sinus infection.  Doesn't matter what I call it, the results are the same.  I attended "Bedside Baptist" this morning.  Most of you will completely identify with that phrase.

(Pause). I took a little nap after that first paragraph.  

I am looking outside my window at the most beautiful array of fall colors.  Now, there is a cloud cover with a sweet, gentle falling rain.  

Frank knows I love flowers.  I left for a conference on Tuesday.  When I returned on Friday, he had planted winter blooming plants in the front yard and all of our pots on the back porch.  (Thank you, Lord, for watering them today).

When I hugged and thanked him, he proudly ran his fingers through his beautiful, thick salt and pepper gray hair (that is a little bit longer, and I love it) and said, "it's my love language." Of course, we both laughed. I love him.  God is so good all of the time.

Are we ready for this election to be over or what? The political storm is swirling in every newspaper, on every TV channel -- Like It, Spin It, Tweet It --- in every kind of communication medium imaginable.  

As I reminded myself in an earlier blog, we have the far left, the far right, and then there is "leading from the center."  The hot buttons are Obamacare, abortion (always will be), deep deficit, too much spending, the ever-present agenda of "spreading the wealth" vs. individual responsibility, bias of the media, corruption in the government, loss of religious freedom, the 47%, vote for revenge, vote for love of country, debates -- the first, the last and the ones in between, four more days, Sandy, Benghazi - and on and on. 

It's too close to call. The brilliant pundits don't know who will win. If Romney carries Ohio, he wins; if Obama loses Florida, but carries Wisconsin, PA, and CO, he wins.  Someone might win the popular vote but lose the electoral college.  Right now it's a dead heat.  Many of us feel it is either a fresh beginning or the end of America as we know her.

There is so much rancor, discontent, accusation, and distrust.  This is just part of the chaos of this ole' world and its prince who revels in it (Eph. 2:2).  

My Heavenly Daddy reminded me this morning that He is not surprised by any of it.  The world is groaning and toiling under the weight of chaos and sin.   

Hebrews 12:1-3 talks about all the weight and the sins that so easily beset (surround or attack from all sides) us."  While I believe that verse is referring to believers, it does remind me of the commercial about COPD and how the disease makes the person feel like an elephant is sitting on her chest.  

Following that analogy, the inhabitants of this world are laboring under a giant circus tent full of elephants.

Then, the other verse that comes to mind is Isaiah 25:1, "Oh Lord, you are my God.  I will praise and exalt your name; for in perfect faithfulness, you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago."  There is great peace and rest knowing that in perfect faithfulness, my Heavenly Daddy planned my future a long time ago.

And the other verse, II Tim 1:12b "for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day."  He knows what tomorrow holds, and I know Him, and He knows me by name.  How about that? 

I will vote.  You must vote; but rest assured that God is sovereign. The Word of God tells us that an omniscient God has been working behind the scenes throughout history.  

And it is my Heavenly Daddy who "executes judgement, putting down one [king or kingdom] and lifting up another (Psalm 75:7).  And I know He does all things well.

Here is what is difficult for my flesh - to pray that the one whose presidency will bring the most honor and glory to the Lord Jesus will be elected.  As I prayed that prayer, He gently reminded me that sometimes He is most glorified when saints rejoice in suffering.  He only promised grace and strength for the day, not that the day would be without sorrow.  

I have been guilty of praying for whom I wanted to win the election.  I decided that was a selfish prayer, because it might have been more for my good than His glory.  

Now I pray that He will do whatever it takes (it unsettles me just to type those words even though I say I trust Him) to make me ready to see Him face to face, to give me grace and courage to share in His suffering and be made conformable to His death (Phil 3:10).  I have no idea what that entails, but He does, and that's all that matters.  

It's not about an election or even America.  It is all about Him.  

"Now unto Him Who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy; to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen!" Jude 1:24-25

PS - The sun just broke through the clouds.  And all God's people said, "Amen and Amen."  















Saturday, October 27, 2012

MeccaMusing: Catch Up and The Beauty of Fall

MeccaMusing: Catch Up and The Beauty of Fall: Dear Ones - has it really been almost a month since I have written anything?  I have just completed co-chairing a very large event for our c...

Catch Up and The Beauty of Fall

Dear Ones - has it really been almost a month since I have written anything?  I have just completed co-chairing a very large event for our company that I thoroughly enjoyed.  It took all of my waking hours, but it was a success and a lot of fun.  So, that's my excuse.

If that doesn't work, I also thought since I had been "preaching" so much, maybe I needed a sabbatical.  "Now, that right 'thar' is funny.  I don't care who you are."

How are you?  Since God is good all of the time, I hope you are reveling in that fact and giving Him rule and reign in all circumstances. I am saying that to myself as well.  I have missed sharing with you all and have found that there is something missing in my day when I don't at least write something.

I am being careful with my eating and have been walking more consistently.  I find that when I am faithful in eating healthily and exercising, I have greater success in many areas of my life.

Funny how God's faithfulness in our greatest challenges (the proverbial thorn in the flesh) increases our faith, strengthens our confidence in the Lord and truly provides a natural "upper," which those who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ refer to as the "joy of the Lord."  Hmmm, reckon that's why He allowed "thorns in the flesh"?

I still love Frank and enjoy being with him, "most of the time."  Those of you who know him, know he can be a "buzzard" on occasion.  Of course, living with me is always a lark.

Let's see --- I was thinking if there were any other items I needed to report.  Oh, I know - I went to the eye doctor, and I have Glaucoma.  The good news is that it is completely controllable.  I will need to use  a prescription eye drop in my eyes every night for the rest of my life.  If I don't, I will go blind.

I watched my Mother put those drops in my Daddy's eyes every night that I was home.  So, I think of that every time I put the drops in my eye.  Sweet Memory.  Glad he doesn't need those drops anymore - hasn't for about 10 years.

The real silver lining is - are you ready? - the eye drops are the exact same substance as LATISSE - 2.5 million bottles sold (not covered by insurance) to lengthen and thicken eyelashes.  So, there ya go - I won't go blind and will grow long, thicker eyelashes paid for by insurance.  Is that a silver lining or what?  God loves me - yes He does.


Now, to something my sweet Jesus touched my heart with this morning - dedicated to my sweet husband, mother, suster, and sister-in-law who admonished me to "write."

The weather is perfect.  In fact, this is my favorite time of the year.  Yet, it is the season of death for nature.  What extraordinary beauty there is when leaves turn colors,  die, and fall from the trees - especially when the rain has been plentiful.  

When Georgia went through the awful drought about 3 years ago, when the season of death came, the leaves didn't really turn.  One day they were on the trees, the next day they weren't.  Even now, when strong winds and rains come, some huge trees will blow over, cracked at the roots from brittleness caused by the prolonged drought several years ago. 

You probably already know where I am going with this.  

I have known Jesus in a personal way since I was 6 years old - 55 years.  The older I get, the more real He is, the sweeter He is, the clearer my spiritual eyes see the way He sees events and circumstances (physical eyes have Glaucoma); this is especially true in the seasons of my life when I have faithfully drunk from the spring of water welling up to eternal life (John 4:14).  

That initial dose at 6 years old indeed welled up to eternal life.  My heart just skipped a bit as I thought of the privilege of drinking daily from that crystal clear stream of living water that matures me spiritually, makes me more effective as an ambassador of Christ, and will be the reason for any beauty evident in the season of my physical death.

There have been times in my life when I have not come to the spring of life on a consistent basis and have experienced spiritual drought. When the winds came (and they most certainly will for everyone), I am ashamed to say the brittleness in my heart lashed out, wounded, and almost destroyed me and stole my joy.  I made it easy for the thief.

Oh, how thankful and humbled I am when I realize that crystal stream is never off limits and always satiates the brittle roots and restores health to the spirit when I choose to return and partake.  

However, here is the warning.  While God is good, loving, forgiving and healing, scars from neglecting the "Living Water," remain as a reminder of the damage done.  I might never know the damage I did to others.  

This is my personal challenge and one I want to share with each one of you - especially to those of you who are young.  If you don't already, begin now drinking daily of that crystal clear stream of His Word, strengthen your spiritual lungs through prayer, and in the final season of your life, you will be the most beautiful you have ever been.   

Those who witness it will be in awe just as I was, watching the beautiful leaves fall from the trees this morning.

It is my sincere hope and prayer that because of your faithfulness in this pursuit, you will never experience brittleness and its scars. 

In all of it, most importantly, you will honor the One Who gave all so that the stream remains pure and available.  Oh, how magnificent is He Who died for me.

I love you; I've missed you; I can't wait until we are all together, having a picnic, eating the bread of life along the banks of the river of life in the midst of the City of God.  Won't that be glorious? 

Still approaching this and every day with joy.  Mecca

Friday, September 28, 2012

MeccaMusing: Confidence, Courage, Clarity and Favor

MeccaMusing: Confidence, Courage, Clarity and Favor: Dear Ones - I hope you have all had a wonderful week.  I have, and the Lord laid something on my heart this morning that I just have to shar...

Confidence, Courage, Clarity and Favor

Dear Ones - I hope you have all had a wonderful week.  I have, and the Lord laid something on my heart this morning that I just have to share with you.  Are you ready?  I'm excited.

I have shared with you before that Frank and I pray together each morning before we leave.  Those prayers are sometimes very funny depending on what the previous conversation has been.  I am quite sure the Lord thinks they are funny, too.

For instance, one morning this week, as we were getting ready to leave, he jested that the junk mail on the kitchen counter was too much trash lying around (acting like he was upset about it because I am always telling him he is too anal---hate that word but don't know how else to say it--- about cleanliness).  He said he just didn't know how we could live like this.

An aside:

When we were younger I didn't think this part of Frank was so funny.  Now, I've learned to embrace it (most days), be thankful he cares (I never have to pick up after him), and laugh off the extreme parts.  By the way, wives and husbands, the sooner you get to that point about things that bug you about your spouse, the better you will be in many ways.  Just sayin'.

OK, one more thing about that.  I will never forget hearing Dr. Tim LeHaye advise a group of couples that we should never resent God-given attributes and talents in our mates.  We should embrace them, not try to change them, but ask the Lord to strengthen, balance, and refine them. So, go forth and appreciate what until this very moment might have caused you great angst.  LOL

Back to the point:

So, after he commented that he didn't know how we could live like this, I didn't miss a beat by saying how worried I was about the dirty sink, etc.  Rarely do we walk out together, but this morning we were ready at the same time.  Frank grab my hands and began praying, " Lord, thank you for this dirty house, dirty laundry room, dirty back porch; thank you for letting us have a sense of humor, "but most of all thank you for giving us the Confidence, Courage, Clarity and Favor with others for your sake as we rest in you while we work today." 

I am going to repeat that---"but most of all thank you for giving us the Confidence, Courage, Clarity and Favor with others for your sake as we rest in you while we work today." 

I don't have the pages or the time to write what the Lord has done in both of our lives through that one simple, powerful prayer.  I believe the key is asking for those things for His sake.

CONFIDENCE - Phil 1:6 - Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.  


Oh my goodness, what a stress reliever.  When events aren't about me, and I have the confidence in my Heavenly Daddy to perfect every work He has begun in me, I can truly move through any circumstance with that peace that passes understanding.

People are drawn to that peace, and that gives the Spirit of God in me the ability to draw others to Him.  Reminds me of I being in the way, the Lord led me. (Genesis 24:27)

Why did it take me so long to see the simplicity of what it means to just be the vessel and why it is so important that the vessel is clean and yielded?  I've known that all of my life.  Maybe, it's because I am not really sure I have ever specifically prayed for Clarity before.  That is a perfect example of clarity, right?

COURAGE - Joshua 1:9 - Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good Courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.  I don't think I really grasp what that means or I would never be fearful again.  I also believe that courage can mean not only a lack of fear, uncertainty or intimidation, but it has a physical and moral aspect as well.

I believe physical courage can mean being able to be strong in the face of physical pain, threat of death, or ongoing physical hardship.  Moral courage for me is the ability to dress and act in a right way (especially as a woman) in the face of temptation for attention or seduction in this sorry ole' world, and the courage to make the right decisions about any kind of right and wrong scenario no matter the consequence.  What would that mean for your daily walk in the circumstances your face?

God forbid I think I don't have the ability to fall, because as surely as I think I don't, I will.  The only reason I should ever be afraid is if I attempt life without the resurrection power of Jesus Christ.

CLARITY - Prov 24:3-4 By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.  I love that verse.  A precious, life-long friend of mine is a wonderful artist who scripted and framed that verse for me when Frank and I first married.  

It has a powerful message.  To me, knowledge is knowing something.  Understanding is knowing what is means, and wisdom is knowing how and when to use it.  Now here is a fact, a tidbit of knowledge that I saw for the first time in Proverbs 8 about a year ago (after having read through Proverbs hundreds of times).  

Proverbs 8:35 says For whoever finds me [wisdom] finds life and obtains favor from the Lord;  Please read that whole chapter.  It says that before anything existed, wisdom (feminine gender for all of you egalitarians out there) was there and that when everything was made -- the heavens, the sea and its shores, earth, fields and primal dust, wisdom was there.  


God Almighty, the great I Am, Alpha and Omega,  OMNISCIENT and OMNIPRESENT did not attempt to create anything without walking with wisdom. The thought of that burned in my soul the power and importance of wisdom.

Here is what that tells me.  If God would not attempt to do anything without wisdom, is the servant greater than the master? What a powerful testimonial for the importance of wisdom.


Here is where I get clarity  - Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.  It is as basic and powerful as knowing God through His Word, having the spiritual oxygen through prayer to find clarity of purpose in every day circumstances.


FAVOR - Proverbs 8:35 says For whoever finds me [wisdom] finds life and obtains favor from the Lord; Proverbs 3:3-4 - Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of our heart. So, you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.

It has become clear to me (clarity) like never before that favor is the outgrowth of courage because of the Holy Spirit, confidence in the power of the Holy Spirit in me to use my God-given gifts, talents, and knowledge I have gained by knowing and obeying what I know to be true about God.


Mmmm - emote that sound in five syllables with the inflection that comes naturally, and you will understand "groanings that cannot be uttered" because I am just overwhelmed today with the joy that comes from knowing, trusting, and obeying.  

(People can't help themselves, they will just love us when we do all of that.  Just Kidding - a little flesh welled up in me.) 

I am approaching a day full of responsibility with the joy of the Lord.  Are you?  I wish I could see your sweet faces.  Love to all.  Mecca 




















Saturday, September 22, 2012

MeccaMusing: So, have you seen Sea Biscuit?

MeccaMusing: So, have you seen Sea Biscuit?: Dear Ones - I had the most wonderful week.  I have been unsettled the entire week. There is such a mixed bag of emotions that accompanies ...

So, have you seen Sea Biscuit?

Dear Ones - I had the most wonderful week.  I have been unsettled the entire week.

There is such a mixed bag of emotions that accompanies being unsettled for me, especially when I have purposefully ask my Heavenly Daddy to unsettle me, shake me up, use His "spiritual sandpaper" (phrase I heard this week from a wonderful individual I met in a meeting) on me.

You might be thinking "how is that so wonderful?"  Well, it all depends on what your definition of wonderful is.

When things happen that only God can orchestrate, when He reveals sin to me, and because of His goodness I repent (Romans 2:4) - not His wrath, not fear of retribution, but because of His faithful loving kindness, I repent, that is "some kind of wonderful." (Did you just think of a secular song?  Me, too.)  

To each reader who has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, dwell on that for a moment.  I mean, stop reading and close your eyes if you need to and remember a time when your Heavenly Daddy loved you back to His arms in repentance.  It will thrill your soul just as it did mine.  It also reminded me of how He wants me to love others.

Now, if that doesn't bless you, "your blesser is broke," (quote from my pastor when I was growing up).

Several years ago when the Passion of the Christ first came out, it took me awhile to decide if I really wanted to go see it. I had qualms about whether or not it was sacrilegious.

I did decide to go see the passion movie. I couldn't watch all of the time.  Often, I put my head down because I just couldn't watch what my mind and heart could not comprehend - seeing in living color what the Lord Jesus went through for me, while realizing that what was displayed on the screen couldn't possibly capture it all.

It revealed enough that it overwhelmed me with humility, grief, sense of loss and being found, love, joy, gratitude - talk about being unsettled.  I will never forget when the movie ended, people sat still in the theatre for what seemed like forever, but it was probably just a few minutes.  When we decided to move, there was no talking or laughing - just silence.

When we walked out to the lobby, people were laughing and talking, buying and eating popcorn and candy, drinking sodas, holding hands, correcting children, completely unaware of the solemnity of what had occurred on the screen in Showing #2, down the right hallway, first left.

The thought came to mind about how often I go through the busyness of life, completely forgetting the magnitude of what Jesus did for me.

I wondered how different my life would be if I walked so closely to His sweet side that I could feel the scar He carried on my behalf, (John 19:34, Rev. 1:7) and in that moment be silent, waiting for that still, small voice.

Selah

The movie, Sea Biscuit, came out about the same time.  It was a great movie, true story about the horse named Sea Biscuit that won the triple crown.

During the same time frame that these movies were released, I had been trying to interject conversation about the Lord here and there to the guy that did my hair.  During one particular appointment, I asked him if he had seen "The Passion of the Christ."  He indicated that he hadn't.

I proceeded to tell him about it.  I didn't go into the spiritual detail like I just did with you, but I did share what impact it had on me and how odd it seemed that the people in the lobby weren't more respectful.

He looked at me for a minute.  I thought maybe I had reached some place in his heart, until he said, "so, have you seen Sea Biscuit?"

"Now, that right 'thar' is funny, I don't care who you are."  Every time I tell that story, we all laugh.  It will always be funny, because it is real.

As always, the Lord used it to teach me a lesson.  When the Lord is trying to use His "spiritual sandpaper" on me, and I ignore His voice, His gentle attempt at persuasion - I am in reality saying, "So, Lord, have you seen Sea Biscuit?"

In other words, "I'm too busy right now to talk; or, let's change the subject because I surely don't want to talk about that right now or maybe -  ever."

The Lord tries to draw us close, to love on us, to whisper what is best; and like a toddler who doesn't want to be in his daddy's lap, we push away, whine, and literally say, 'no'."

Then, in loving kindness, He continues to draw us to himself until we are no longer even thinking about the sea biscuits of the world.

God forbid, that anyone would ignore, whine, push away so hard, so long, and so far that he or she no longer recognized His voice.

That would be a dangerous place to be with monsters of all kind waiting to destroy.  They would most likely be successful since we would have placed ourselves in danger without the resurrection power of the helmet, shield, sword, having our feet shod - the whole armor.

My goal each day is to stay close to the cross, to the One who suffered on it, lives to intercede for me -  and to take my eyes off of the "sea biscuits" of the world.  How about you?

Love to all.  I am determined to approach this and every day with joy.  Are you?  Mecca














Sunday, September 16, 2012

MeccaMusing: God is great, Beer is good, People are crazy

MeccaMusing: God is great, Beer is good, People are crazy: That is the name of a country song I heart this week.  I thought it was funny and decided to use it to name the blog to get the attention of...

God is great. Beer is good. People are crazy.

That is the name of a country song I heard this week.  I thought it was funny and decided to use it to name the blog to get the attention of the readers.  If you are reading this.  It worked - at least once.  

What a wonderful week.  I have certainly had my ups and downs, but God is great, haven't had any beer (tasted it one time years ago, and it was really bad; but I know many who have, and they say there is nothing like a cold beer on a hot day), and I have met some crazy people.  I think they probably thought I was crazy, too.  My mother has said this to me since my earliest memories, "my dear, the whole world is a bit 'queer,' except thee and me, and sometimes, I worry a great deal about thee."  I looovvveee that quote.  There's no telling where she got it, but I guarantee you even at 88 years of age, she can tell you exactly where it came from.  

Yesterday, I was getting ready for dinner in our home with dear friends of ours. Frank had ordered fresh sourdough bread from a wonderful bakery. Below is a brief description of the place where the bakery is located:

When Atlantans want to shop like a chef, they go to Star Provisions, a chef-owned shop filled with fine foie gras, artisan cheese, succulent seafood, decadent desserts and tasteful tableware.
The creation of Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison, chef/owners of Atlanta’s acclaimed Bacchanalia Restaurant, Star Provisions was a logical outgrowth of the owners’ passion for providing fine food. As Quatrano says, “We sympathized with our customers’ inability to find black truffles or even good bread in Atlanta. So, we virtually opened our restaurant’s pantry and walk-in to our patrons.
At first glance my experience yesterday was not that great.  They lost the order for the bread, so I had to wait about 15 minutes for them to get a loaf of fresh bread made earlier but already sent to the restaurant.
(Imagine that - Frank had ordered it in plenty of time, why should I have to wait?)
The loaf was bigger and better than I had ordered; the baker apologized profusely; and all the while I was thinking he should give it to me without charge since he lost the order.  
People were everywhere - you know the kind - savvy, shabby chic, thin, some quite eccentric "looking"; then, there were some wealthy grandparents in their preppy outfits with their grandchildren sitting outside at the picnic tables in front of this "chic" passageway to the only 5 star restaurant in Atlanta.  
The little tousle-headed blonde grandchildren were asking every manner of question, and the grandparents were letting them "run the show," intently explaining the answer to every question.  You know the scene. 
There were shops in the area full of the same kind of people.  Pristinely dressed security people were stationed at every corner since all shops had doors open (even the air conditioned ones), and people were streaming in and out.  
People were either shopping, eating, or driving cars slowly through the parking lot just waiting for someone to leave.  Mercedes, Jaguar, Lexus, junkers and everything between were parked, with their passengers all enjoying the glorious, cloudless, 80 degree Atlanta day. 
I sensed no evidence of a recession.
I stood in a very long line waiting to pay for my loaf of bread. 
In early childhood education, one of the biggest "no-nos" is requiring children to stand in line for any length of time.  They fidget, then start fidgeting with each other, then start fighting, and so on.  
Well, I would venture to say that adults are just as bad if not worse.  Someone else should have been at the other register.  It was poor service to all of us not to be better prepared. 
At least that's what I was thinking.
At that very moment, the spirit of God gripped my heart with the following thought, "because of my grace and mercy, you are standing in one of the neatest places in Atlanta - safe, secure, with a loaf of bread bigger and better than you ordered or expected, provided by a courteous gentleman apologetic for a human error, doing everything he could to make it right. 
Use this opportunity to wait patiently on Me, be a blessing to someone, and be grateful you aren't living in the Middle East this morning.  Because of My grace and mercy, you are blessed beyond all measure with not only all of your needs met but many of your 'wants'." 
I had no idea whether or not I was the only Christian in that place, but if I were, I was the only representation of the presence of the Holy Spirit.  Do you ever think about that?  If you are the only Christian in a situation, you are the only Holy Spirit "host." 
I often wonder how cluttered His "space" is within my heart?  Is He buried so deep in the shadows that His power is thwarted in my life, or is there open, clear communication so that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to me for any situation?  
The thought of that reality rocked my small world.   
I immediately thought of the scene I saw this morning on my HDTV indicating areas of the world experiencing deadly riots.  The continents of Asia, Europe, and Africa were littered with highlighted areas.  
Here I stood, privileged, gently rebuked by my Heavenly Daddy (I love His gentleness.).  I was safe, feeling good, waiting in line with enough money to pay for a special order loaf of bread in an "upscale" store.  
I wanted to stand up on the table and tell everyone to stop fidgeting and griping under their breaths, that they were safe and blessed and to get over themselves.  The Lord told me to mind my own business.   
Hrrmmph! What in the world?  Wasn't spreading His truth my business?  He reminded me that He spoke to me about being obedient, and His concern was my obedience, not theirs.  I didn't talk back.  
When I reached the lady at the register, I noticed she was older, looked tired, and as I approached, she sighed.  I told her she was doing a great job.  Thanked her for her patience with all of us and told her to have a good day and not to let anybody talk hateful to her.  She smiled and seemed relieved.  
I will never know what that one act of kindness did for this lady.  Only the Lord knows.  
Now, that wasn't me.  That was Christ in me.  The "me" within me was aggravated about the order, irritated about having to wait for it as well as waiting in line to pay for it; but the Holy Spirit within me wanted me to use it as an opportunity to be more like Christ.  I am so grateful I listened - that time.
Those of us who have accepted the gift of Jesus' death on the cross for our sins have Christ in us, and He is the hope of glory (Col 1:27).  I am determined to become more like Christ, moment by moment, choosing to obey, one command at a time.  That is the only way I won't take His greatness and goodness for granted.  
God is indeed great. Psalm 63: 7-8  My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.  
2 Corinthians 9:8  And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
I just don't like beer, and people will always be crazy; but I will continue to approach the days with joy because of God's greatness, goodness, grace, and the gift of His sweet, precious Son, Jesus.  How about you?  Love to all, Mecca