Duh!

By Jarrod Spencer –

Some words and phrases are spoken in a way that makes the receiver feel insignificant or dumb. This is rude, and is especially true when a younger person is saying it to an adult, when they should instead show respect.

Over the past month, our three-year-old has learned to use the word “duh.” He thinks he is funny when he says it, and dose not realize it might be rude. However, as most parents know, when a “too-big-for-his-britches” child says something at just the right time, it can come across as funny. As hard as you try not to laugh, you are so surprised at your child’s response you cannot stifle it.

Recently, my in-laws visited and we planned to go out to lunch. At my wife’s instruction, my son asked his Papaw where we were going to eat. Papaw replied, “I don’t know, where are we going to eat?”

My son replied with one eyebrow raised up and a little deeper voice than normal, “El Dos de D’Oros. Duh!” And with a pause, as if realizing he had crossed the line, he added. “It’s up to you.” Though this would be considered a bit rude, we could not help but laugh, even though he spoke down to his Papaw, a person whom he should respect.

I wonder how often we treat our Father in heaven this way. He questions us and we respond with a direct or indirect “duh,” as if to say, “You should know this God. You’re God after all!” We fail to show the proper respect we should exhibit to the all-knowing God.

How often have you responded with “duh” to God? If you’re like me, you probably don’t even realize how often you say it. May our radars be tuned to becoming more respectful to Him.

PRAYER: Father, I am weak and mortal. I make more mistakes than I would like. I respect You and apologize when I am disrespectful to You, as if I know more than You do. Thank You for being such an awesome God!

Isaiah 55:6 – 9 Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Son Bleached

By Cheri Cowell –

I was amazed the other day to discover young girls still use lemon juice in their hair during the summer. My teen girlfriends and I put lemon juice in our hair before heading to the beach. While out all day in the sun, the lemon juice would bleach our hair in streaks—a cheap highlighting job. If we returned to the beach day after day, those streaks would turn almost white. I remember one time, however, we tried this when spending a day at a friend’s pool. Some of you may be laughing right now because you know what happened. That’s right, our hair turned green. The lemon juice produces a chemical reaction with the chlorine in a pool that turns hair green. And there is no way to fix this problem, except to bleach your hair. I still chuckle with that memory. God knows all about highlighting, bleaching, and the solution for color mistakes.

In God’s color wheel, sin is given the color red—blood red. Purity is white—snow white. Though our sins are blood red, God’s forgiveness, or His purity, bleaches that sin, making it as white as snow. How does this process work? We begin by highlighting them, and then submitting them to the rays of His Son. Often, you and I try to make this process “easy” by skipping the step of bringing our sins into the Sonlight. Instead, we try to hide them in the pool of self-help, self-analysis, or self-pity. But these don’t really work and instead of white as snow, we get green with envy. Our only hope is to turn to God’s bleach bottle and blot out our transgressions. His solution is the only one that works.

PRAYER: I praise You God for Your gift of forgiveness that comes through the blood of Your only Son. Forgive me when I choose self-help, self-analysis, or self-pity instead of the wonderful free gift of forgiveness—Son bleached sin.

“‘Come now, let us settle the matter,’ says the LORD. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool’” (Isaiah 1:18 NIV).

Hairy Situations

By Elaine James –

“She was flicking her hair in my face and it bothered me, so I cut it.” This was my five-year-old son’s logical, nonchalant response when asked why he cut off an eight-inch lock of Sarah’s hair at school. What a way to start the school year with my son! I found myself dealing with a hysterical mother, a teacher who discovered the evidence in the classroom garbage and a classmate with long blonde hair who had no idea how her hair got cut off. Who really is to blame in the situation? My husband and I sat my son down at the beginning of the school year and had given him the dos and don’ts of school etiquette. I guess we left out the “don’t cut a girl’s hair when she keeps flicking it into your face and it’s bothering you” part!

Dealing with my son was difficult because he was so sincere and honest about what he had done. The furious mom actually asked me how I planned to discipline my son. I was taught to let the punishment fit the crime. My son’s hair was already very short and so I could not cut it off, but he was guilty and needed punished. We did have a good talk with him, and the teacher separated their attached desks and put him on the other side of the room.

This experience reminds me of the story where Mary takes about a pint of expensive perfume; she pours it on Jesus’ feet and wipes His feet with her hair. Judas finds out and asks, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor?”

“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “You will always have the poor among you but you will not always have Me.” Jesus suggests in this passage to first spend time with Him and then you will know where to use your gifts and money wisely. We can be serving in so many good ways.

Whenever I read this I think of the lesson: good, better, best. We want to give Jesus our best. You would think giving to the poor would be our best. Jesus clearly is teaching the importance of being led by the Spirit.

My son had a “hairy” situation and did not choose wisely but Mary did.

PRAYER:  Lord there is so much in life that I want to do. What do You want me to do with my time? Help me to be strong and learn from You.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29 NIV).

Looking at the Bright Side of Bird Poop

By Elaine James –

“Is that bird poop on your back?” I asked my husband who just came back from fishing.

Without hesitation, he replied, “How did that happen? I thought God had my back.”

Let me back up to that morning and explain.

My family and a couple of friends woke up in our beach house to a sunny clear blue sky and the birds were singing. I blurted out “They are worshiping God.” My heart leaped with the reminder from God’s Word, “Praise the Lord—the birds of the air nest by the waters; they sing among the branches.”

“LOL, Mom! You are so funny,” my daughter responded.

This is a teachable moment. God gives these teachable moments. I am not crazy! I need to say what I’m thinking and not lose the moment.

I explained to everyone that day, that when I think of birds, I think of God saying “Elaine, I’ve got your back.” They began laughing at me at this point.

I continued explaining my point by quoting scripture. “Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?”

God is telling us not to worry for a second. So when I see a bird it reminds me not to worry, because God has my back.

My hope is that when you hear birds singing you will think about this and remember: “I do not have to worry. I just need to listen to the birds sing and enjoy life. God has my back and He is going with me!”

This lesson reassured my husband that God has his back and he is reminded of this each time he hears the birds sing. Perhaps being pooped on by these birds was simply God sending that message a little stronger and His way of saying “LOL!”

PRAYER:  Lord thank You for having my back today. Thank You for Your love today. Each day I get up help me to remember this message and know that I am loved by the Creator of all things. Forgive me for worry and busyness and leaving You out of my day. I want You to be with me all the way.

“Praise the Lord, everything he has created, everything in all His kingdom. Let all that I am praise the Lord” (Psalm 103:22 NIV).

Stinkin’ Thinkin’

By Robin J. Steinweg –

My name is Robin J. Steinweg, and I am a closet pouter.

It took reading a post on The Barn Door, a blog started by my friend Lisa Lickel, to wake me up and hear the non-music of my complaints.

I’m cold. I’m hot. I’m tired. I’m hungry. That was too much walking. I don’t get enough exercise. Too much noise! Way too much mess. Too busy. I’ve got nothing to do. Is it snowing again? This computer strains my eyes. My closet is stuffed. I’ve got nothing to wear. You wanna hear complaining? I’m just getting warmed up!

So what was it that started this round of whining? I had a week off from teaching. It’s called Spring Break hereabouts, and many of my students had trips scheduled to warm, sunny places (and had the nerve not to invite their music instructor—go figure). So I filled in the gaps with a schedule of tasks I don’t usually have time for. With more work than usual on my list, I began to feel sorry for myself, a response that crept in from a very warm place indeed. Well, to be fair, the devil shouldn’t get so much credit for my attitude, when my own sinful nature has no trouble grumbling all on its own.

How does God stand me at such times? I can hardly stand myself. In the Old Testament, there are accounts of God so frowning on Israel’s bellyaching, He sent poisonous snakes among them.

I need to face facts—my gripes are a tacit criticism of the day the Lord has made. And shame on me. It’s time for a radical purging of the Big Stink I’ve been putting up. Time for a week of Spring Cleaning. As Henry Ward Beecher said, “An ungrateful heart uncovers no mercies; but if a thankful heart sweeps through the day, it will find some heavenly blessings in every hour.”

QUOTE: “It is literally true, as the thankless say, that they have nothing to be thankful for. He who sits by the fire, thankless for the fire, is just as if he had no fire. Nothing is possessed save in appreciation, of which thankfulness is the indispensable ingredient. But a thankful heart hath a continual feast.” –W. J. Cameron

“Do everything without complaining or arguing” (Philippians 2:14 NIV).

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