Do It Now-Ow-Ow-Ow!

By Robin Steinweg –

“Hey Mom, they called from work—I have to go.” I heard a slam. Uh-oh! I took the stairs two at a time and launched myself through the door, only to see my ride (my firstborn’s car) go poof. My younger son had left for work in my car fifteen minutes earlier. The door slam triggered my memory from early that morning, when my husband asked me to run Important Errands for him. Important Financial Errands that couldn’t wait. Sure, you can count on me.

Now I stood in an empty garage, viewing an empty neighborhood. No begging a ride. I could walk the mile and a half, but not in fifteen minutes. My bike? I looked around. There, up in the rafters. The ladder would reach, but I’d never have the strength to lift it down. My son’s bike beckoned. Two feet tall, with fat tires and pegs for doing tricks, it might at least get me downtown before closing.

I swung my leg over the boy-bar, sat on the vinyl-covered, two-inch slice of rock they call a seat, and wobbled down the driveway. I hadn’t ridden a bike in eight years. An oncoming car made me back-pedal to brake, but nothing happened. Legs circling frantically in reverse, I found the hand brakes just in time. After half a block I knew I was in trouble.

Had you stood on Broadway that afternoon, you’d have witnessed a middle-aged lady bumping along, “Ow! Ow-ow-ow-ow-Ow,” knees almost hitting her chin, narrowly avoiding potholes, 12×18 canvas tote banging her left leg in syncopated rhythm to the hurried pumping, her breath coming in asthmatic gulps.

I accomplished the Important Financial Errands. I saw only one person I knew, and returned home determined to find some redemptive lesson in this. The Lord was probably telling me to exercise more.

Prone on the couch, I thought about how I’d put off my errands till late in the day. That morning I had delivered another in my series of mother-lectures on the dangers of the sin of procrastination. “Do it now!” I’d told my sons. Oops. There the lesson lay.

AUTHOR QUOTE: God’s Word says if I know the good I should do and don’t do it, that’s sin. Do it now!

“For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:8 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!

Purging the Junk

By Hally Franz –

There they sat, in stellar condition, ready for an eager buyer and new home. The original oil paintings we’d purchased had given me great joy, but weren’t going to fit in our freshly-painted family room. The two canvasses, southwestern motif and circa mid 1990’s, perfectly matched the teal, cream, peach and aqua pallet I’d selected when we married in 1993. Glittery clay pottery and cactus the primary subjects, they were stunning, or so I thought.

I loaded up my art, along with my thirteen-year-old’s giant building blocks and fireman costume, confident that the local consignment store could turn these treasures into cash for me and bless someone else in the process.

It turns out, though, that people don’t buy southwestern décor these days. Go figure! It wasn’t as if I’d delivered them yolk-front jeans and twist beads! The store gave me the option of donating the oils or carrying them home; they weren’t able to put any kind of price on my art. I reluctantly left my paintings behind—to be donated.

After seventeen years of marriage, there are now objects in our home that have just become junk. Worn out, outdated or outgrown, they no longer serve a purpose or enhance our environment, and, in fact, would be a distraction if allowed to remain on display. The color schemes scream a bygone decade, appearing as strange as a deep fryer on a 2010 bridal registry.

Likewise, as I near my forty-sixth birthday, I recognize there are behaviors and attitudes no longer useful in my life and inconsistent with the deeds and thoughts of a maturing Christian. Insecurities and self-doubt have no place if I’m to be the person God designed. Silly consuming worries don’t belong when seeking to be a productive servant of God. And a critical nature will taint my activities, just as my once-loved paintings would spoil any updated family room wall.

As we mature in our relationship with Christ, it’s important to inventory our lives and hearts, asking ourselves what junk is still hanging around in the recesses of our souls. We need to pack it up and clear it out. It’s hard to say goodbye to things we’ve grown accustomed and attached to, but prayer is a great start. When Christians carry around old stuff that doesn’t match our faith, it’s of little value, and no one is willing to buy it.

PRAYER: Almighty God, give me the strength to let go of unhealthy and unholy behaviors and attitudes, so that I may more fully serve You.

“And he said, Lord God of Israel, there is no God like Thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with the servants that walk before thee with all their hearts” (1 Kings 8:23 KJV).

Today’s devotion is by Hally Franz. Hally is a former teacher and high school guidance counselor, turned homemaker. She enjoys volunteering at her children’s school, teaching Bible classes at her church, leading projects in 4-H, writing, reading, scrapbooking, and rousing (though, sometimes, not pretty) Zumba classes

RSVP—Is It A Lost Art?

By Sherri Holbert –

A holiday party? Wow, that sounds like a fun way to kick off the Christmas season. A costume party? Exciting! I think I’ll be Cinderella. A backyard BBQ? Love her potato salad! We all enjoy getting an invitation in the mail. As invitees we are flattered, yet we don’t make it a priority to RSVP.

RSVP literally means repondez s’il vous plait, or please reply. Why do we fail to reply? Are we so busy that we’re afraid to commit to the date? Do we have so many invitations that we can’t decide which event to attend? Is our booked, minute-to-minute schedule not allowing us 30 seconds to find our way to the phone to say yes or no to the invitation?

Think about attending a party in heaven. God has sent out invitations for us to join Him in heaven for a glamorous reception. The invitations are written in crimson red and they are very expensive. They cost Him the price of His son’s life. What if we failed to RSVP to such a powerful invitation?

Fortunately, God is always prepared for the party. He knows each guest attending. We can be assured there will be plenty of food on the buffet table. The punch fountain will be overflowing. The floral centerpieces will be lavish and fresh. The band will play all night.

Are you ready to accept His invitation? Will you find the time to call in your RSVP so that you are prepared for this amazing party?

It’s important to respect the host who is preparing for you, therefore allowing no excuse for ignoring an RSVP. From an eternal perspective, an RSVP is not optional. We don’t yet know the date of this grand party but the invitation has been sent. The Host is ready to accept you with open arms.

How can we make sure the art of a proper heavenly RSVP is not lost?

• Respond to God’s invitation to join him in heaven. (Say yes to make Jesus your Lord and Savior.)
• Serve God by serving others.
• View your time on earth as preparation for the rewards you will receive in heaven.
• Plan daily time to learn from God’s Word.

The next time you RSVP to a party invitation, think about how exciting it will be to attend the best party of your life in heaven.

PRAYER: Father, help me to focus on You as the priority of my life and to realize how important an R.S.V.P. is to Your party. I don’t want to miss the party of a lifetime.

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