Poor Me

By Charlotte Riegel –

I love to read, for myself, not just to engage a two year old. I love to relax with my crafts, alone, but am often interrupted by a youngster pleading for my help with a puzzle. By the time the children are settled for the night and the house is tidied for the morrow I’m too tired to read for personal pleasure or to do much of anything but go to bed. I know ‘this too shall pass’…something I have drummed into my children as they whine or complain about challenges facing them. Ah yes, now I must prove to myself and others these words apply to me as well as to those I challenge to buck up, dig in, and persevere all the while looking for anything that resembles the positive.

I had eagerly offered to help a family wrestling with health issues when anticipating a few weeks away from my regular routines. Then complications set in. Weeks beyond what had been originally considered for recovery time I slog on, remain positive and encouraging in the presence of others, yet fight to overcome feelings of ‘poor me’. I long for some ‘me’ time.

My thoughts often drift to thinking of Jesus coming to earth. He left so much behind, yet we are told he took no thought of Himself. He willingly ministered to others and taught about the Kingdom of God even when fatigued. Sometimes He snuck away to rest and to spend time with His Father and even then the crowds and His followers often found Him. When they did, He put aside His needs and desires, lifted up the fallen, healed the sick, and taught those who clung on His every word. I wonder if He got homesick for heaven and His Father? Did He ever long for more ‘me’ time away from the crowds? Did He ever feel exasperated by the disciples’ lack of understanding even after He lived what He taught and explained the Kingdom over and over and over? Yet He did not grumble or complain.

Prayer: Father God, I long to please You in all that I do. Forgive me for being selfish when others need my help. I desire to shine Your light of grace and mercy to the world I live in. Thank you for all the examples Jesus gave while living among us.

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life” (Philippians 2:14-16 NIV).

Dead Batteries

By Kathi Woodall –

My daughter was sick recently, so I took her to the walk-in clinic at our pediatrician’s office. The walk-in clinic is a blessing because an appointment is not required. It is a curse because the wait can often be long, especially during cold and flu season. Anticipating the wait, I grabbed my Samsung Tablet on the way out of the house so she could play games or read while we waited. However, my preparedness turned out to be worthless. The batteries ran down the day before and I hadn’t plugged it in to recharge overnight.

A few days later I wanted to listen to my iPod while housecleaning. After searching awhile, I found it in a pocket of my backpack with a dead battery. Weeks of neglect had killed it.

As I write this, my cell phone is charging in the kitchen, my daughter’s iPod is plugged into my laptop, and my laptop is plugged into the wall. The battery on my laptop no longer charges, it doesn’t work at all unless I plug it into the outlet.

All of this charging and plugging started me wondering. Does God want to use us sometimes but we have run our batteries down so low we’re worthless? Are we ever so in need of a charge that we can’t do what He desires? Do we wander so far that, when He finds us, we can’t do anything because we haven’t plugged in lately?

We plan out each moment of our day weeks and even months ahead of time. We are so busy working, shopping, cleaning, cooking, planning, playing, talking, texting, meeting, eating, driving, and doing that we don’t take enough time to plug in and spiritually recharge.

We can recharge spiritually many different ways. Some may renew their spiritual batteries by worshipping God through music with a great praise band whereas others may recharge by spending time alone in prayer. For me, I recharge by studying God’s Word. Even better is when I can then write about it. My husband, on the other hand, reenergizes by hiking through the woods and enjoying the beauty of creation. There are as many ways to spiritually recharge ourselves as there are Christians who need to do it! What’s critical though is that we find time to stop…just stop…and plug in to Him. Let Him refill us once again.

“Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:30-31).

Waiting for the Right Word

By Cynthia Ruchti –

“Oh, that was unfortunate,” my husband said when a television reporter inadvertently chose a word that was so close to the right one, but not quite. It went something like this:

“Harmony Corners police officers were called to a rural home Saturday night to investigate an alleged claim of invasion of privy.”

We’ve heard and read others over the years. Comedian Norm Crosby made his living messing up words just enough to entertain his audiences.

My father-in-law’s battle with hearing issues created some laughable moments. We took a family trip to Lion Country Safari in Florida one year. He persisted in calling it Lion Country Sapphire. It wasn’t a one-time slip-up. Grandpa was convinced the right word was “sapphire.” So he said it…a lot.

Whenever we think about that trip, we remember elephants, water buffalo, lions, tigers, gazelles- and the color blue.

Was it all a hearing problem? He hadn’t gone far in school before his father needed him on the farm. But he seemed unconcerned that some words didn’t make sense. Like Pepsicola, Florida. Or calling his Oldsmobile Sierra a “Sahara,” his apparent desert-mobile.

My husband observed, “Maybe Dad felt self-conscious about his lack of education. Maybe he’d been bullied as a child. His poor self-esteem might have exasperated the problem.”

“You mean, exacerbated?” We broke into hysterics.

I’m grateful God was careful about the way He expressed himself to us through His Word.

“Cast your careers upon the Lord, and He will sustain you.” You mean, cares, Lord?

I can almost hear God saying, “Yeah. Those too.”

PRAYER: Lord, You, the unerring One, speak eloquently to my heart. Help me catch every nuance, the significance behind Your word choices. Help me keep my sense of humor about my verbal slip-ups, but walk so close to You and pay such careful attention to Your world and Your people that they are few.

“For we all often stumble and fall and offend in many things. And if anyone does not offend in speech [never says the wrong things], he is a fully developed character and a perfect man, able to control his whole body and to curb his entire nature” (James 3:2 Amplified Bible).

This Side of Eden

By Cindy Martin –

A while back, I watched the movie, “The Boy in Striped Pajamas.” Its content disturbed me to the depths of my being. A movie depicting the horrors of the Holocaust through the eyes of two eight year old boys, it “put skin on” on the atrocity of ethnic cleansing. I was struck by the innocence of the boys. They lived less than a mile apart from each other, yet their ethnicity meant their life experiences were worlds apart. The hateful attitudes and comments expressed by the adults in the movie, followed by their mortifying actions, congregated like a dark cloud over my soul for several days.

More recently, I caught a viewing of “The Trade of Innocents,” a graphic portrayal of the realities of human trafficking. Again, my heart felt a wave of heavy, dark sadness as the weight of injustice seemed to suffocate my soul.

Perhaps the most overarching internal reaction I felt was one of disbelief. How could humans do this to one another-especially to innocent little children? What is going on inside of them that allows them to think this is OK?

Early this morning we got a phone call telling us that our niece Danielle celebrated her 36th birthday in heaven last night after losing a courageous battle with breast cancer. There is great rejoicing in heaven at her ultimate healing and we celebrate that, but there is also great sorrow here right now. She leaves behind her adoring husband Brad and three precious children ages 7, 5, and 2. The children cried inconsolably as Daddy gave them the news that Mommy was gone. Again, I am moved to tears at the pain precious innocent lives must endure.

The words in an e-mail from a dear friend, express this angst of soul so well, “this side of Eden is brutal.” I daresay, some days, it is excruciating. Bumping up against the brutality of our human existence has a way of reminding us that this is not our final home – pointing to the day when God will right all that is wrong in our world. One day children of all nationalities will live in complete harmony without fear of exploitation or loss or pain. What a day that will be!

PRAYER: Until then, God give us the grace to lean deeply into You as we authentically bring You our pain, declare our dependency on You and allow You to pour healing, power and perspective into our lives.

SCRIPTURE: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NIV).

God Pops Out

By Peter Lundell –

I had the privilege of visiting St. Augustine, Florida, the oldest continually occupied settlement in America. As I walked the narrow streets, ogling the quaint buildings, I came upon the St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine. What on earth? Weird. I kept walking. Then stopped. If it’s weird, I should check it out.

It was a fancy—really fancy—shrine to glorify a guy in the early Greek settlement years. Not interested. On my way out I looked at some historic photos then turned around and froze. Before me in big letters sticking out from the wall, about twelve feet wide and six feet high was the Nicene Creed. It was not boring.

I’m so used to the Apostle’s Creed that the different and expanded wording of the Nicene Creed grabbed my attention. And knowing the history and theology behind every word, I read slowly and carefully.“I believe in One God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible . . . Jesus Christ . . . begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God . . . and He shall come again, with glory . . . whose Kingdom shall have no end . . . the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life . . .”

The meaning of the creed came to forceful life.

I began to weep—stopped after every phrase, sensed the presence of God all over. I felt as if I encountered not just God but the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In front of me. The Creator of the Universe.

He is all around us, usually unnoticed but sometimes overwhelming.

Finally I shuffled away, speechless. Full of joy. Awed at the God who shows up without itinerary to intersect my earthly world and stop me. Who in all His omnipotent glory doesn’t zap me but loves me despite myself. Loves me because of who He is.

I encourage you: Expect things like this in your life. You can’t plan them, but you can live in anticipation. God responds to that attitude of faith. And when you might least expect it, He is there. And He may blow you away.

Nicene Creed:
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.

Who, for us men for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father [and the Son]; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.

And I believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

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