The Right Fit

By Jodi Whisenhunt –

In seventh grade, Kaepa tennis shoes were all the rage at my junior high school. With their unique dual lace design, you could mix and match shoelace colors to coordinate your outfit or show school spirit. They were great for 1980s fashion.

Kaepas came in an affordable canvas style, but the cool kids wouldn’t be caught dead in those. No, to be cool, you had to have the much pricier leather ones. Well, my family didn’t have a money tree in our backyard, and my mom was a struggling, single parent at the time, so no matter how much I begged, she just couldn’t say yes to such an expense…until one day at JC Penney.

Mom and I had gone shopping. As we strode past the shoe department, I noticed a big red SALE sign by the most awesome shoes in the whole mall: the leather Kaepas. “The shoes! Mom! The shoes! Please, please, please!”

She said, “OK.” Yes!

I grabbed the nearest salesperson and asked for a size 7. He brought out a 6-1/2, the last box in the store. I didn’t hang my head in surrender, though. I squeezed my feet in, loosened each lace, and strutted across to the mirror to admire the glorious prize. I was on the verge of coolness. They fit perfectly—not.

The shoes were snug, but I was afraid that if we left the store without them, my mom would never again agree to buy them. So I lied. I said they fit great, that they were the most comfortable shoes I’d ever owned. Mom knew they were too small, but I wouldn’t take them off. I wore them every day for the rest of the school year.

I was cool. Or at least my shoes were cool. But how much better would I have felt—both physically and emotionally—if I had trusted my mom? If I had listened to her assurance that we’d get a better fitting pair at another store? If I would have waited for the right thing?

I must confess I still struggle with trusting and waiting. The issues don’t necessarily concern shoes anymore–well, maybe sometimes—but often important life decisions tempt me to jump into situations that might not be the right fit. In those times, I end up somewhere snug and uncomfortable. However, if I trust my heavenly parent, God the Father, and heed His gentle assurance, His provision will always suit my need.

Jodi Whisenhunt is an Amy Award-winning freelance writer and editor who would really like to have a size 8 vintage leather pair of split-lace Kaepas, circa 1983. You can find her at www.jodiwhisenhunt.com or at www.magicalmouseschoolhouse.com, where Disney IS school.

As White As—Eew!

By Robin J. Steinweg –

Here in Wisconsin, the snow comes in fat, determined flakes. When it’s covered our world, the sun shines on it, and its brightness dazzles away even the memory of bare trees, brown, patchy lawns and spent rose bushes. Everything glistens with purity.

By afternoon the plows come through and it is business as usual. The traffic sprays salt, sand and grime that spreads somehow even to the far sides of the cornfield. If there’s no more snow overnight, the next day it starts to look gray, pocked, and—eew—disgusting.

That’s like we who follow Jesus. When we first experience His forgiveness, He washes us as white as snow. His blood, most powerful cleanser, removes our sin as far as the east is from the west.  We glisten with purity.  But over the course of a day, sin splatters our souls with grime and dirt. If there’s not a spiritual cleansing, it’ll get worse.

How can we remove that sin stain? We can only apply the cleanser: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. …and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:8, 9, 7b).

I don’t remember who it was that gave me this advice, but it stuck like wet snow on a sign: “Keep short accounts in spiritual as in other things.” If someone loans me something or blesses me with a good turn, I should pay it back quickly. If I sin, I do well to confess it right away.  I shouldn’t go to bed with a debt of money, deed or sin on my conscience.

PRAYER: My Lord, show me every sin splatter so I can confess it to You. Thank You for making me as clean as fresh-fallen snow, no matter how deep the stain of my sins.

“Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered” (Romans 4:7 NIV).

Today’s devotional is by Robin J. Steinweg. Robin’s life might be described using the game Twister: the colored dots are all occupied, limbs intertwine (hopefully not to the point of tangling), and you never know which dot the arrow will point to next, but it sure is fun getting there!

The Lazarus Effect

By Marty Norman –

Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him”(John 11:35-36 NIV).

Jesus had many friends. But Mary, Martha and Lazarus were counted among his closest. So it is no surprise that when Jesus arrived at the tomb after Lazarus died he wept, for he loved much. Even the Jews saw how much he loved him.

As we enter into the month of February, the world’s epitome of and definition for love, we hear repeated commercials and advertisement regarding expressions of that love through the gifting of candy and flowers, valentines and gifts. It might do us well to stop and compare scriptural love to worldly love.

Recently I watched a rerun of “Shakespeare in Love” with Gwyneth Paltrow and Joseph Fiennes. A fun movie, although fictional, its viewing prompted research on my part of the play it depicted.  According to worldly standards and reviews read, “Romeo and Juliet” is a portrayal of true emotional and spiritual love.

The story of love is birthed in the midst of chaos and broken relationship as two members from feuding families find each other and fall in love. Residents of a broken world they are unable, because of prejudice and judgment, to come together in freedom. They, therefore, choose to die in order to not be separated. It is through their love experienced in death that their families reconcile as they set aside differences and forgive.

Although awe-inspiring and spell binding, Shakespeare misrepresents real love.  His love is based on emotion, a worldly romantic, passionate, love at first sight kind of love, unselfish but limited by the boundaries and stipulations of others.

Contrast that with scriptural love. Unconditional, it is self-sacrificing the kind of love God has for his children. Pure and without judgment it is uplifting. According to I Corinthians 13 this kind of love is patient and kind. It does not boast nor is proud, rude or self-seeking. Rather it rejoices in truth, protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres.

First John 4:19 (NIV) tells us that “we love because he first loved us.” A clearer statement can’t be found. We love as we are loved. One cannot give love if one has never received it. Even in the best of circumstances, there is no way that worldly love can express or portray this kind of supernatural love. For real love is a commitment and a covenant. Rather than a feeling it is a decision, based on an act of the will. Denying self, one chooses to put others first. We choose to love by serving others. We put ourselves second, sacrificing in ways that are at some cost to ourselves.

John tells us that Jesus was love. He demonstrated the extent of his love by sacrificing himself. John 15:23 (NIV) says, “Greater love has no one than this that he lay down his life for his friends.” That is what Jesus did for us on the cross.

One of the most beautiful examples of love in scripture is the story of the sinful woman who anoints Jesus before his death with a vial of perfume. Some report that this was Mary, the sister of Lazarus. As she anoints Jesus’ feet, this woman never stops kissing him. Her gratitude for his love and forgiveness has no bounds. Of her Jesus says, “Her many sins have been forgiven – for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little” (Luke 7:47 NIV).

The Lazarus effect is very powerful. Applied to our world today, this unconditional, selfless, protective love can change the world. The Bible illustrates that love heals all things, even to overcoming death. Here the love of God, the love of Christ himself, brings life, not death. In this type of love God is glorified.

As humans we often need a physical manifestation in order to understand a spiritual principal. But in this case, one need only look into the eyes of a baby or small child. The light, love, hope and trust seen in their depth will bring one to his knees. I am blessed to see this manifestation on a daily basis from my grandchildren.

Let us learn a lesson from the story of Lazarus. Even in the depths of our prisons, tombs of death in which we reside, let us listen for the voice of the one who loves without measure. When he calls, “Lazarus, come forth” (John 11:43 NIV), let us hear our own name. Let us set aside our grave clothes and move into the light of love that is Christ.

And having experienced the Lazarus effect, let us pass it on to others by loving them unconditionally as we introduce them to Jesus. By doing so, they too will be brought out of the darkness of the tomb into the light of eternity.

Marty Norman is a wife, mother, and grandmother of five, who lives in Fort Worth, Texas.  She is the author of “Generation G – Advice for Savvy Grandmothers Who Will Never Go Gray.” You can learn more about her at:   www.martynorman.com, http://martynorman.blogspot.com, http://savvygrandmothers.blogspot.com.

Look at Them

By Hally Franz –

Vince Gill’s “Look at Us” was number two on our play list that May evening in 1993. Tim and I danced first, and my grandparents joined us for the second one. It was our first day as a married couple and their 60^th year of marriage.

They moved together in perfect step, smiling with one pair of hands clasped, elbows bent and arms partially outstretched, in their generation’s style of dance. We looked less graceful doing the rotating hug of our peers, but hoped our marriage would resemble my grandparents’ union.

Alvin and Adele married young, moved from city to countryside, built a successful farm and raised four children. She was a supportive wife, genuinely laughing at his jokes, listening attentively when he spoke, helping with farm work and raising his family. He adored her, demonstrating equal amounts of teasing and flirtation, and confidence in her as his most trusted and savvy business partner.

Visiting grandchildren were challenged to find excitement and sugar at Grandpa and Grandma’s. They ate plain food, sandwiches on rye bread with brown mustard, and sliced tomatoes. They drank coffee and tap water. The most decadent treat available was ice cream, reserved for the close of each day.

Television remained off until evening news; with chores to be done. Their 20-minute afternoon naps seemed like an eternity of silence and stillness. We filled our time with “Ants in the Pants,” “Kerplunk” and random trials on that weight-loss machine with the wildly shaking strap for one’s backside. We learned the best use of time was in the spacious horse barn or visiting with Grandma about her youth.

Grandpa’s health declined by 2002. He spent their 69^th anniversary in the hospital, but saved his midday dessert to share with grandma when she arrived later. Grandpa passed away after Christmas. Their farm was auctioned in the spring before Grandma moved to town. She became sick and died in August 2003, just a few months before their 70^th anniversary in November. Grandma joined Grandpa in their eternal home and, as my mother and her siblings know, the two of them celebrated that one together as well.

My grandparents held their relationship above all others. They inherently knew that marriage is the human bond God views most sacred. In an age where strong, long marriages are rare, find that couple who has made it last.

And… look at them!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for the blessing of a wonderful husband. May I always practice wisdom and grace, and may our marriage continue to grow stronger and longer.

“Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth” (I John 3:18 NIV).

Today’s devotion is by Hally Franz. Hally is a former high school guidance counselor, turned homemaker. Hally sees each day as a new exercise, where routines change and weights vary. Her goal is to maintain all-around fitness for service, while training her children to be competitive, compassionate and Christ-like in the world in which we live.

Getting Rid of Spiritual Clutter

By Janet Morris Grimes –

Clutter is defined in several ways. Garbage. Unnecessary mess. Disorder. Confusion. It is the stuff no one knows what to do with, so it just piles up, expanding to fill whatever space it is allowed.

Entire television shows are based on how clutter steals the joy of a home. When left to its own accord, clutter takes over, to the point that it hides all that is beautiful; to the point that the mess is the only thing that can be seen.

During the last week of the life of Jesus, he was disturbed by the clutter he found in the temple. He hoped to find a quiet place of worship and prayer, but instead, he found a ‘den of robbers,’ shady characters who twisted the truth in an attempt to make a profit. He cleansed the temple, overturning the tables in a controlled fit of rage.

He had a right to be angry. Clutter cannot be ignored, and in order for the temple to serve its true purpose, which was to bring his followers closer to him and give them a place to worship once he was gone, he had to get rid of all that did not belong there.

The same is true for our spiritual lives. We hold on to bits of pieces of our past, the parts we aren’t sure what to do with, and we try to ignore them. But they accumulate and expand, soon overtaking our lives and keeping us from serving our true purpose. We end up carrying trash bags full of garbage with us wherever we go, wondering why we don’t feel free to worship and why we can’t sense the presence of God.

Here are a few ways to cleanse your own temple:
§     Forgive yourself and others – True forgiveness is the only act that frees you to move forward. Holding on to past hurts will damage you much more than the person who hurt you in the beginning. The only way your future can be better is by leaving your past in the past and getting it out of your temple. And as hard as it is to forgive others, it is much more difficult to forgive ourselves. Let go. Let go of the garbage, and make sure you are not your own worst enemy.
§     Free yourself from bad habits – Your body sometimes is a great reflection of how you feel spiritually as well. Treat your body with respect, and it will do the same for you. Strengthen you muscles and push yourself hard enough to grow.
§     Focus on Heaven – Most of what the world stays in an uproar about matters little in the end. Life is short and thankfully, it is not up to us to make sure the world is running properly. Paul said it best in I Corinthians 9:24, when he encourages us to “run in such a way as to obtain the prize.” The true prize is Heaven, and all that we experience between here and eternity are just preparing us for the reward of living with God, with Jesus by our side. Anything that doesn’t bring you closer to Heaven is simply not worth worrying about.

Our lives are meant for worship, and beauty, and growth, and anything that gets in  the way of this is clutter, and needs to be removed as quickly as possible. Only then can we find true peace.

I Corinthians 14:33 – For God is not a God of disorder but of peace…. (NIV)

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