She’s So NOT a Material Girl

By Cynthia Ruchti –

One would expect a five-year-old girl growing up in middle America to create a Christmas wish list that would help boost the economies of many local and online businesses, particularly in the toy departments. Or electronics.

But when her mother, my daughter, sat Hannah down the other day to help her spell the words beyond a kindergartner’s knowledge base, the first thing Hannah wanted on her list was toilet paper.

That’s right.

“Why toilet paper, honey?” her mom asked.

Without losing a beat, Hannah replied, “I wouldn’t want us to run out.”

A five-year-old concerned about the family’s toilet paper supply? She didn’t ask for Beat-the-Lottery Barbie, or Spangle-Dangle designer jeans, or the latest attachment for the latest version of the latest techno-game system.

The family chuckled when we heard Hannah’s top item on her wish list. Then we sobered. She’s obviously not a “material” girl. Lord, please keep her that innocent and uncomplicated.

Then the Lord took me past that response to a deeper layer of understanding. It almost seemed silly, at first, that a five-year-old would concern herself with the family toilet paper supply. I imagine her mom and dad assuring her, “Hannah, you won’t have to worry about things like that. We’ll take care of them for you.”

Isn’t that much like what Jesus told all of us? To those who were worried about how they’d feed and clothe themselves and their families, about food and shelter and heat and shoes and coats, Jesus said, “Your Father knows you have need of them.” The basics of provision? The Lord knows we need them. No need to put them on our wish list.

Just our “thank You” list.

PRAYER: Lord, Your provision is so complete. From the gift of life to the gift of abundant life to the gift of eternal life, I am most blessed. Great gift-giving God, thank You for taking good care of me and those I love.

“Your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his  righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:32b NIV).

Today’s devotional is by Cynthia Ruchti, writer and producer of the radio ministry THE HEARTBEAT OF THE HOME and current president of American Christian Fiction Writers. Cynthia’s debut novel—They Almost Always Come Home—released from Abingdon Press in Spring 2010 and A Door County Christmas released Fall 2010. Cynthia writes stories of hope that glows in the dark. www.cynthiaruchti.com.

Walking in the Dark

By Heather Allen –

Tonight I read a rough draft my daughter is preparing for English class. I read the first paragraph and felt physical pain. So I quit reading and washed dishes. Determined, I went back to the computer, aching, as I read her thoughts about the different moves our family has made.

Our world was rocked hard four years ago. We stood on the brink of winter wondering what to do with life. We were where we wanted to be, where we believed God wanted us, doing what we loved doing. And then the bottom fell out. The verse that rang in my ears was Isaiah 50:10 (NIV), “When you walk in the dark and have no light, trust in the name of the Lord.” It was dark as I struggled to understand why God was allowing such chaos to befall our family.

We did not know where to go or what to do. So we waited. Nothing came. Nothing for months and months turned into three years. Out of the blue a job offer came that required another cross-country move. Our options seemed bleak. With uncertainty we packed our bare necessities and tried the situation for ten long months. And we realized there in our small rental that the call on our lives had not been revoked. So taking a leap, we did what we believe we were last told to do, ten years earlier. We made the move we either did not have the faith to make sooner, or had not seen as a clear option.

My daughter’s essay details her transient, vulnerable life. A life I never would have chosen for her. But then she writes how good God is, and that in the loneliness He is a friend like no other. I nod, mumbling to myself that this is better; her sweet heart knowing it can trust Jesus.

As the days grow shorter and darker, stacks of gifts are growing on my shelf.  My thoughts are turned towards celebrating Christ’s birth. In the ongoing days of trying to make new friends and acclimate to our surroundings, I meditate on a much larger move; the word becoming flesh and dwelling among us. On a night so many heartbreaks ago, God became man, Emmanuel. And every thing changed. My mind aches thinking of God living in the frail body of a man. Only God chooses vulnerability. We who lack strength, who are not glorious, see weakness and vulnerability as something to be hidden. Christ loved and allowed others to reject Him. But oh what He does for those who trust Him.

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” Ezekiel 36:26 (NIV).

On that night so long ago a star announced His birth: a star, announcing the glory of its Creator. He came knowing He would be despised. But the sin growing in the garden had only one hope of redemption. So the Word became flesh. Before the manger He was the pillar of fire at night. He has always moved despite the instability of our flesh. On this dark night my heart rejoices in a God that intervenes and saves. My heart leaps knowing the darkness will soon be turned to day and the King will again dwell in Israel.

Heather Allen spends most of her time carrying for her hubby and 3 kids.  Check out her blog: http://www.thebloodknot.blogspot.com/

The Reason Many People Fail to Reach their Goals

By Don Otis –

I have this running joke with some of the men I see at the gym. It is easy to spot those who are faithful with their fitness routines. I typically ask, “Hey, Michael, didn’t I just see you here yesterday?” The point, of course, is that getting in shape or staying in shape is a process that requires consistency. It is part of a daily routine.

We have seasons of life when we can’t get to a gym or stay consistent with our workout activities. It may be an illness, family crisis or change of job. While I believe we can usually find time to walk, run or climb a stairwell, sometimes we have to go easy on ourselves and focus on other life issues. But this should be rare. Consistency is something we have talked about before but as we approach the cooler months of the year (when many of us gain weight), it is definitely worth a reminder.

The biggest impediment to not reaching your goals is lack of consistency. If you were taking a class, would you regularly take days off or ignore your homework assignments? Success at anything is a combination of effort, time and right action. Have you ever wondered why people with addictions relapse? Whether it is weight loss, substance abuse or exercise, the challenge comes back to choices you make daily.

God has gifted you with the unique ability to choose. It is with this power that you make healthy choices or unhealthy ones. No one can do it for you. Your mate can’t do it, your parents can’t make you, and even God isn’t going to stop you from eating that next big bite of chocolate cake or ignoring your trip to the health club. So use this power to make right choices to improve your health. Your body, as well as your spirit and your mind, are made to honor God. The best way to honor God with your body is by caring for it.

According to recent estimates, 30 percent of the American population does not engage in any kind of leisure time activities. Meanwhile, only 25 percent of us are involved in recommended levels of physical activity. The drop-out rate for beginners is more than 50 percent. How can you avoid failure? For me, and millions who are successful, one of the prime ingredients is to do it regularly. If you have goals that are measureable and reasonable, you will be more inclined not to give up. An important aspect to your goal-setting is to keep your goals reasonable. I start with small, achievable goals with clients and then revise these as they successfully meet them.

There is nothing wrong with having big goals but it is easy to become discouraged if you are not meeting these. For example, when I speak with a client who wants to lose weight, I ask them how long it took to become overweight. In most instances, it has been a process that has taken years. As typical westerners, we want instant results and these rarely occur. A patient, plodding approach with goals and regular benchmarks almost always works with those who are motivated.

How do you stay consistent? Send me a note and let me know.

Don S. Otis is the president of Veritas Communications and the author of Keeping Fit after Forty. He is a Certified Personal Trainer, runner, climber and mountain biker – www.veritasincorporated.com

A Piñata Kind of Christmas

By Hally Franz –

We were celebrating in the home that my 91-year-old grandmother affectionately refers to as “The Big House.” The year was 1978, and, by today’s standards, there was nothing big about it.

I’d begun Spanish that year and wanted to share my new-found cultural savvy, so my sister and I made a piñata for our Christmas Day celebration. Our piñata was fashioned into human form, but his angular build was more like that of a robot. His torso was constructed of a boot box, his head a smaller boxy version and his appendages wrapping paper rolls. Simply decorated, what “Roboto” lacked in flash and style, he made up for in strength and endurance.

The youngest-to-oldest gifting procedure typically started right after dinner, but this year Roboto would precede the usual festivities. Once our clan of 16 was strategically positioned and, consequently, pinned in, around the perimeter of the family room (no bathroom breaks allowed), we were ready for Roboto.

My cousins, sister and I took turns batting our Latino guest, now suspended mid-air by a rod.   After Roboto took several blows unscathed, we put more muscle into it. As we whacked Roboto, he whirled across the room, lunging at Great Aunts Iva and Ruby. They yelped out, took cover and dropped down at the ends of the sofa.

Roboto’s flat, and evidently, well toned, midsection was struck repeatedly. He remained silent, and we determined to break him and get the bounty of treats. Violent shouts and unabashed laughter filled the room; it was getting ugly. My uncle managed to extract himself from the circle, returning moments later with shotgun in hand, prepared to do the unthinkable! Thankfully, Roboto soon broke without gunfire. A modest candy sampling landed on the floor, certainly not a haul worthy of this effort.

The holidays can be like our piñata experience. Life gets so busy we feel we’re being batted from one event to the next, head spinning with no time to reflect on the real gift of Christmas. For some, experiencing grief or difficult circumstances, this time of year can be like a punch in the gut. And, for others, the holiday hype just doesn’t live up to the reality when the season is over.

Our holiday challenge… Strive for calm rather than chaos, remember the eternal gift of Christ Jesus, keep others in our prayers and expect that earthly celebrations may never measure up.

PRAYER: Almighty God, guide me through the Christmas season so that I navigate the busyness of the holidays, remembering You and others in my heart and activities.

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14 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.

The Prairie Watch-Dog

By Nina Medrano-

My interest was piqued to research the habits of the prairie dog when I witnessed their peculiar behaviors as I traveled to and from my workplace.

I learned that prairie dogs spend a lot of time building and rebuilding their dwellings, which are marked by many mounds of packed earth at their surface entrances. The prairie dogs use these carefully maintained mounds as observation posts.

The prairie dog is well adapted to predators. Their eyes which are positioned on the sides of the head enable detection of predators from a far distance over a wide arc. When a predator approaches, the first prairie dog alerts the other prairie dogs to the danger with a special high-pitch bark.

As I read about the prairie watch-dog behaviors, immediately three verses of Scripture resonated in my spirit:

Son of man, I’ve made you a watchman for the family of Israel. Whenever you hear me say something, warn them for me. If I say to the wicked, ‘You are going to die,’ and you don’t sound the alarm warning them that it’s a matter of life or death, they will die and it will be your fault. I’ll hold you responsible. But if you warn the wicked and they keep right on sinning anyway, they’ll certainly die for their sin, but you won’t die. You’ll have saved your life (Ezekiel 3:17-19 MSG, emphasis mine).

Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil (Ephesians 6:11 NLT, emphasis mine).

Prowling around the Throne were Four Animals, all eyes. Eyes to look ahead, eyes to look behind. The first Animal like a lion, the second like an ox, the third with a human face, the fourth like an eagle in flight. The Four Animals were winged, each with six wings. They were all eyes, seeing around and within. And they chanted night and day, never taking a break:
Holy, holy, holy
Is God our Master, Sovereign-Strong,
The Was, The Is, The Coming (Revelation 4:6-8 MSG, emphasis mine).

I used to believe that a watchman is a person that has a special calling to the prophetic and intercession ministry. This led me to believe that there are persons who may not be called to be watchmen. I was mistaken.

The watchman life of the prairie dog shows me that every person shares responsibility to preach the gospel to the lost. If we do not speak God’s warning to the lost, and they perish in their sin, then the fault is ours.

The prairie dogs’ adaptability to predators, reminds me to put on the full armor of God and be prepared for the strategies of the devil.

Lastly, in order for us to communicate the Kingdom of God to the lost, we must see past our own human ability. The Apostle Paul writes, “…ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers…” (Ephesians 1:18 AMP).

Perhaps the next time you pass by a prairie dog town, the Spirit of God will bring to remembrance our call to be a watchman to the lost souls in our families, neighbors and workplace.

This article is dedicated to my beloved Jack Russell Terrier, Daisy.

Daisy Medrano

February 16^th 2003-October 12^th, 2010

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