Memory...I can smile at the old days...

Lately, I've been reminiscing a little of the "good ole' days"... the younger days when my biggest problem was that I got a detention for chewing gum (ok, well to be fair they did give me three tries, but I never really learned my lesson). I was looking through my high school yearbooks this week and as I read through the summer wishes from classmates and inside jokes from close friends, I realized that I don't really remember very much at all. Certain references to things that back then were so funny (obviously they would have had to be funny to a certain degree to make it into the yearbook as a summary of the year) and to be honest, I couldn't even remember what some things meant! This made me sad! I loved high school and wish I could remember more of the fun times...however, I also loved moving on from that stage in my life too. I feel like I need a reunion just so I can ask people, "What does this mean?" I will be the nerd walking around making notes in my old yearbooks. I bumped into someone from high school about two years ago and they couldn't even remember who I was! (I was hoping that I was a little more memorable than that! Especially since we had the same circle of friends) At that point, I had only been out of school for six years! Will we eventually forget everything?

Today, I found a scar on the bottom of my foot and I can't remember where it came from. Wouldn't you think I would remember something like that? It's not like it's everyday that you get an injury on the bottom of your foot...plus, it would have caused an inconvenience of some type as far as walking. To me, this should have stuck out in my memory...but it didn't.

Private side bar: That didn't make me as sad as forgetting the inside jokes from high school.

To be honest, I don't really know where this post is heading. Although, as I was reading last night, I found a little passage that somehow connected with me. Here it is....

"I remember the days of long ago;
I meditate on all your works
and consider what your hands have done."

This was a Psalm from David found in chapter 143 verse 5.

I realize that there is a lot of things that I will want to remember and may, without knowing, forget...and there are a lot of things I will want to forget and even if I tried wouldn't be able to. All of us have scars and most of them we probably can't remember where they came from...and then there are those that bring back a memory....a story.

My hope is that in twenty plus years from now, if I don't remember this post...I will at least "remember the days of long ago". That I will meditate and consider what God had done in my life during this time in my life. That I will be able to think back and recall the times that He was so presently and actively working in my life. That the "scars" of my life will trigger a memory or testimony of God's faithfulness to me. That through the high peak times, I will see Him carrying me just as much as the low valley times. God has done great things!

Read Psalm 136 and you will see how He truly is mighty, faithful and all-powerful and through it all "His love endures forever.

June 30th

There are 365 days in a year....sometimes 366....and every single day marks an icon for either a positive or negative memory for someone out there. June 30th marks a positive day for Amanda and Chris who celebrate their first anniversary together and also for Josh who celebrates his birthday....Celebrations shared on the same day that is also filled with sadness and grief. Today marks the second anniversary of the death of Aaron Kyle Cooper and although we celebrate that we know he his in Heaven, there is still such a loss. I just wanted to publically say how grateful I am for the Cooper's profound message of hope that they proclaim even when I'm sure it is so very difficult to bare at times. They have distantly given me strength and encouragement through my own grief giving me a godly example of perseverance, courage and strength. Memories of Aaron stay fresh and will never be forgotten.

So, CONGRATULATIONS to Amanda and Chris!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Josh!
And SEE YOU AGAIN to Aaron! Take care of my Zachary and see you soon!

What is that stuff anyways?

I often play these little games like "If you were an animal, you would be a...", "If you were a color....", "If you were a car..."....They pass the time and are very entertaining. I've decided that if I could choose the material of which I was made that I would like to be made from the stuff that ear plugs are made of. Is that weird? Well, think about it....you can smush them down and twist it and it doesn't appear to be affected. I made it as small as I could and eventually it just popped right back to original form. I'm fascinated by this. Even when they accidentally make their way to the washing machine and dryer....they just get bigger....I think they might still be usable! This made me think of that verse that talks about being "troubled on every side..." Essentially, it is the same thing that happens to the ear plug....but being smushed and temporarily distorted doesn't keep it from doing it's job. In fact, the temporary "discomfort" equips it to better do its job....And, I don't think we should use exterior circumstances as an excuse to keep us from doing our job either because God often uses these times in our lives to grow us up and enable and equip us better to serve Him. Here's the verse: "But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and NOT to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh." 2 Corinthians 4:7-11. Maybe today you feel defeated. Let me encourage you to follow example of the ear plug (that sounds silly) and don't forget to "pop" back up! Take advice from the verses that follow in that same chapter: "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory BEYOND all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." Sometimes, this life offers some "uncomfortable" circumstances...but I guess what I am trying to say can be summed up with a quote by one of my favorite authors, "But on that day when you and I have the finish line in view, ready to cross that tape and complete the race, we'll understand that our CHARACTER was infinitely more important than our comfort."

Oh, His Goodness!

I think one of the hardest things to deal with is knowing that God could change things if He wanted to, but didn't...Isn't that such a paradox? God is in control and is good, but allows things to happen to us that hurt and grieve us...My pastor posed the question to the congregation one Wednesday night, "What do you think causes people to get to the point where they blame God and almost become angry at Him?" I seriously thought about this because I think I might have been there, and my honest answer was "Why wouldn't we blame Him...He is in control!" I mean, I've been taught that my entire life and I've always had that attitude of "whatever happens, happens because that's the way God wanted it". Somehow, that ideology doesn't cut it when "whatever happens" hurts so deeply and is so hard to understand. So, I confessed all of these unsettling thoughts to M and he told me something that I can't seem to get out of my mind...The main point of what he said is this: Part of God being God is His ability to say "No". If He had no other option then to answer "Yes" at all times, wouldn't it sort of take away from His "Godness"? And if He could never say "No" to what we ask for then He wouldn't really be in control...WE would be...If we are searching for the kind of god who always gives us what we want then maybe what we should really be looking for is a genie.

Thank God, He has more than just one option. Thank God, He is God!!

Accept and Launch

For the last year or so that I've been working with my current employer, I have been using a particular program that daily asks me if I want to upgrade the version I have. Actually, it is more than daily because it is every time I log-in. My options: Accept and Launch...Make Changes Later...or Exit. So, for the last two hundred or so log-ins, I've been selecting "Make Changes Later"...

Change is inevitable...

Since it is our call as believers to become more like Christ daily, there are daily changes that will need to be accepted. The Bible urges us consistently to put off the old nature and put on the new...to exchange sinful behaviors for godly behaviors....to daily renew our minds in order to think God's thoughts...

Could we be postponing a fantastic upgrade by selecting to make changes later?

Fly, Stupid Bird!

So, N and I were driving down the road and we spotted a little bird crossing the street. Doesn't it make you wonder why they don't just fly across? I mean, they see a huge moving object travelling towards them and they walk?! Stupid birds! Don't they sense the danger? It is pretty obvious that one should remove itself from the path of something that is most likely going to annihilate it, wouldn't you think?

We do the same thing though!! Turns out stupidity isn't only "for the birds"! We find ourselves in situations all the time that could be somewhat dangerous and we walk...we rationalize...make excuses...WE NEED TO FLY! There is no time when danger is on the way! Get off that path and use the wings that God gave you!

Proverbs 18:10 "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe."

Pride by Beth Moore

My name is Pride. I am a cheater.
I cheat you of your God-given destiny...
because you demand your own way.
I cheat you of contentment...
because you "deserve better than this."
I cheat you of knowledge...because you already know it all.
I cheat you of healing...because you're to full of me to forgive.
I cheat you of holiness...
because you refuse to admit when you're wrong.
I cheat you of vision...
because you'd rather look in the mirror than out a window.
I cheat you of genuine friendship...
because nobody's going to know the real you.
I cheat you of love...
because romance demands sacrifice.
I cheat you of greatness in Heaven...
because you refuse to wash another's feet on earth.
I cheat you of God's glory...
because I convince you to seek your own.
My name is Pride. I am a cheater.
You like me because you think I'm always looking out for you.
Untrue.
I'm looking to make a fool of you.
God has so much for you, I admit, but don't worry...
If you stick with me,
You'll never know.


"The biggest injustice of pride: it cheats wherever it plays."