Clean hands

I had just received a letter from the little girl I support in the Philippines. She was so excited to tell me that her school and others in her country were celebrating Global Hand Washing Day. And she asked if the children in my country celebrate it too.  I was astounded. I didn't even know there was such a thing; much less that it was global!

So I Googled and sure enough there is a Global Hand Washing Day celebrated by 70 countries. It is an initiative to decrease children deaths due to the spread of diseases caused by improper or not washing hands. In a lot of these countries water is not readily available or soap for that matter.

I had just subbed for a daycare where we sang (to the tune of Happy Birthday):

We wash our hands.

 We wash our hands.

We make lots of bubbles,

When we was our hands.

Those toddlers never questioned that each time they turned the spigot (and we washed hands a lot) there would be water or that they would not be able to make bubbles because there was no soap. I realized how blessed we are as a nation. I realized how blessed I am.

Then I found out that through several different agencies (World Help, Compassion International, and Samaritan’s Purse, just to name a few)I can help provide water for families and/or whole communities for a lifetime for what I consider an easy, not even a sacrifice, use of my money. So why haven’t I?

I think I have taken my blessings from God for granted. I didn't even know this need existed until a little 8 year old girl celebrated water and soap. It’s time I celebrated too.

Jesus, Himself said in Luke 12:15, “Beware, and be on your guard against any form of greed, for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”  

OK, this got my attention. I was not on my guard. Instead I was guarding my possessions with both hands full. These dirty hands filled with everything I could hold.

Then Jesus told the parable of the man who had been blessed by God so much that he even built more storage for it. And Jesus said that he was foolish and really had nothing to show for it in heaven.Option 1:  Me holding onto everything on earth and building my own pile of possessions means nothing to God. Option two: Me using these blessings from God to build His kingdom means everything to God. I choose option two.

I'm going to celebrate Global I Can Help Give Clean Water and Soap to People Day. I'm going to let go of some stuff and show God some empty hands.

Some clean empty hands

To Infinity and Beyond

One of my IPhone apps is a little miffed at me right now. I thought I was being so Susie Spiritual by getting this Bible app and doing a daily devotional with it. But now I’m stuck on one of the daily lessons and have been for three days. I feel that I should explore what God is telling me but my phone keeps reminding me that I’m behind. Today it even offered me some “catch up” options.

Now those who know me know that I can’t be involved with organized Bible studies because I’m a slow learner. It took me about a year to get through one 16 week study. One of my dear godly sister-friends said after a week that I could move on past verse 1. It took me over two months to do the 30 days of praise study with the choir. My music pastor Josh patiently waited.  So now even my phone wants me to get it and go on.

I guess I’m not so Susie Spiritual as I thought. I’m stuck with a wonderment and comprehension issue I encountered in Ephesians 3:17-19.

“So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith: and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to the fullness of God.”

After reading this I felt that all the saints had left me in the dust. I felt like saying, Hey, wait for me!” as they went on comprehending how wide, long, high, and deep is Christ’s love.

I read several commentaries by learned theologians about this passage.

One commentary said that the love of Christ did not begin at the cross, or at His birth, or even when the original man sinned. But that the love of Jesus was there for man before the earth was even created, or before the beginning, He loved.

One theologian said that when we first believe in Christ we have no clue of how much Christ loves us. We just believe He does. But as we grow in spiritual knowledge we get closer to really understanding the breadth, length, height, and depth of God’s love for mankind.

One learned man said that it is one of the mysteries of the faith – to comprehend the love of Christ that surpasses comprehension.

But it was actually my sister that put it into a picture I can understand. She said imagine the cross as it stretches vertically to infinity in both directions and horizontally to infinity in both directions. That is how much Jesus loves us.

Now with this picture I can run with the saints. I can move on to the next lesson on my IPhone. (I wonder if it will thank me.) I can comprehend a little better how wide and long (eternal infinity) and how high and deep (eternal infinity) is the love that Jesus Christ has for us. Jesus LOVES little ole me and little ole you.

I can add this to the cartoon astronaut action figure’s saying:

Yes, Jesus loves me.

Yes, Jesus loves me.

Yes, Jesus loves me,

(to infinity and beyond!)

The Wonders of Paint

My sister has accumulated “antique” furniture in her dining room. They are pieces of different types of wood and different colors of wood. They are pieces that have been used, scratched, and abused. And she inherited some of the pieces.  But she liked the sizes and shapes of the pieces. If you looked at her dining room now, though, you’d never know the past of this furniture. She painted all of the pieces that new popular green color. Her dining room is beautiful.

This is the picture I thought of two weeks ago when my pastor Wade was explaining 1 Peter 4:8.

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins.”

Above all = before you do anything else, go here first

Love =* the love given to us by Jesus Himself to give to others

Each other = consciously prefer others

                                

Deeply = to the maximum potential, *stretched beyond what you think you can do

Because = this will produce this result

Love =* the love given to us by Jesus Himself to give to others

Covers = (*not absolves) hides, kept secret and not shouted out, veiled, *covered over

A multitude = a crowd, a big bunch, a great number

Of sin = Yes, that means *sins, failures,*stuff that people do that gets on your nerves

*This is what my pastor Wade explained (not exactly his words but how I understood it.)

If I go to love first when people do the things I don’t like, or hurt me, or hurt God, then my love for them will be stretched to deal with them or the incident the way God would want me to. Sometimes I’ll have to let it go and forgive. Sometimes I’ll have to confront. Sometimes I’ll  have to help with their learning curve. But always cover my responses with love.

Just paint over it with love.

Paint over their past sin.

Paint over your hurt feelings.

Then you will see their beauty.

The wonders of love

Choose Your Layers Carefully

I just spent a little time in North Carolina for Christmas. And I was cold the whole time. Now even though it is the northernmost Carolina it is still considered a part of the south and has fairly mild winters. But after living so long in the southern south I was not used to it. I would get dressed in the morning and keep adding clothes as I went through the day.

One day my sister said, “Let’s go shopping!” So I grabbed my thick hooded sweat jacket, a scarf, and my purse and off we went.  While at a store I happened to pass a mirror. The sight of myself made me laugh. I had on: jeans, socks and boots, and …a tank top, two t-shirts, a hooded sweatshirt, the thick hooded sweat jacket and a scarf. That’s quite a lot of layers. I don’t know why my sister let me go out in public like that. It was not attractive. Yes, she was silently laughing at me the whole time.

Even though it’s not quite fashionable to wear as many clothing layers as I was sporting that day, the Bible does tell us to wear layers of Godly character.

Colossians 3:12  says, “Since you have been specially selected by God for a special reason and because He loves you so much, put on these things like layers of clothes:

1.         deep compassion for those who need mercy

2.         gracious kindness that meets urgent needs

3.          putting others above yourself with humility

4.         gentle strength given to those around you

5.         and keeping your temper under control so that you don’t hurt others”

That’s five layers to put on and sink into and cinch around us permanently. These layers are a choice we need make for every situation daily. These layers will be noticed by those around us but they won’t be laughing at us. They will be attracted to us. Because we will be reflecting the Savior Jesus Christ who embodied all of these character qualities.

1.       He has deep compassion and mercy for us when we do not deserve it

2.       He graciously answers our prayers and meets our daily needs

3.       He humbly put us before Himself by submitting to a death on a cross for our sin

4.       He is all powerful yet gentle with His children giving us His strength

5.       He holds back His anger with patience as we struggle with living the Christian life and forgives us

Now we can put on a lot of things throughout the day; love or hate, kindness or rudeness, me first or others,

timidity or strength, anger or patience. It’s our choice what layers we put on.

I want to choose my layers carefully.

I want to clothe myself with care.

I want to put on a reflection of Christ.

New Year’s “Better than Botox” Resolution

I guess it’s time to think about the New Year. Every year I try to join the crowd and make a resolution because, hey, who doesn't want to be a better version of themselves? Sometimes it’s a spiritual improvement and sometimes it’s random.  I try to make my New Year’s resolution something I can actually do. Like one year’s resolution was, “Learn to like jello.”  I never want to turn down a sugar free dessert just because I don't like it, This year I decided to go to Proverbs for some resolution inspiration.

 I was thinking about a goal and noticed that I was frowning as I was thinking. I looked in the mirror and saw that the frown lines between my eyebrows were getting deeper and permanent. No, no, not good. So I’m going to try not to frown so much (2013 resolution.) The easy way (and most expensive way) is Botox treatments. No, no, not paying for it. So I happened accidentally upon a solution… (a cheap one)…invisible cellophane tape.

I don’t know how I stumbled on this. One Saturday that I wasn't going anywhere I put a piece of tape between my eyebrows as I was wrapping Christmas presents. I had the tape in my hand and, Bingo, I had the idea. The tape on my forehead caused enough tension that every time I frowned I felt the tug of the tape.  I never realized I frowned that much. Frowning has become a habit. OK, so it was a little weird but it got the point across to me.

Most psychologists will agree that facial expressions indicate what is going on in the emotions. But studies also show that changing your expression will help to change your emotion too. Botox patients who cannot frown have expressed that they are happier. There are all sorts of “break the frown habit and feel happier” web sites. None that involve tape however. I guess it is a vicious cycle that can be broken (maybe) with a smile.

Anyway, breaking the frown habit is going to be my resolution. I think it’s going to be harder than learning to like jello.

Even though I thought of the tape idea, I didn't stumble on anything new in the change the heart change the face area,

 Proverbs 15:13 “A joyful heart makes a cheerful face …” (no frowny lines)

Proverbs 17:22 “A joyful heart is good medicine…” (no Botox)

Yep, The Bible says that I can break the frown cycle with a joyful heart.

So here goes. I plan to make a habit of putting the tape between my eyebrows (in the privacy of my home, of course.) Maybe not frowning will become such a habit that I forget I have the tape on. If that happens, just whisper to me, “Psst, tape.”

Hopefully I’ll say, “Oops, sorry” with a smile on my face.

No Botox

No frown

Happy face

Joyful heart

Habakkuk 3:18 “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!