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

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 

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

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