Father of Lights

Psalm 27:14 -- "Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart."

Slowly removing my arm from the branch just over my head where my finger rested on my camera's shutter button, I put my palm down on the damp earth and tried to get a little blood flowing back in to my sleeping limb. I leaned up against the Crepe Myrtle tree, ignoring the sharp-ended branches of the bush daisies and looked up through the tree bursting with bright pink blossoms. She was up there. I could see her silhouette.

I'd been hunched underneath the tree for four hours - cramped into a tiny space behind the bush daisies so I would not disturb her visits to my hummingbird feeder. She hadn't spotted me yet - and my secret spot yielded some wonderful photos of the tiny little Ruby Throated female while she was in flight.  I even managed to get one with her tongue sticking out. It was well worth the discomfort of my hiding spot. As I flicked a big-rumped spider off my arm [you flick, never squish - that way you don't get a nasty bite] I felt the goose-bumps bristle out over my entire body. I was too hot and my system was trying to compensate. These would be the last shots I'd attempt to take of her that day. It was time for me to take a break.

Knowing her pattern, I slowly put my finger back on the camera and waited for her to visit the feeder again. BINGO!! I was awarded some wonderful shots of her as I pressed the shutter button in repeated rapid-fire succession. I couldn't help but whisper "thank you" to her as she lit out for the Oak tree in our neighbor's yard - where her tiny little spit nest stays hidden.

And the goose bumps got worse. As I wiped the sweat from my forehead, dark clouds rolled in with the typical Florida afternoon thunder storms. Already overheated, the cool contrast made me shiver with the cloud cover. The temperature started to dip quickly - which is usually followed by lightning and not a little bit of wind. It was definitely time to wrap up my photo shoot and head inside. The warmth of the sun had all but completely disappeared.

THAT is what discouragement does to us. Deep, dark, and rolling clouds of discouragement obscure the warmth and joy of The Son. Spiritually, we get goose-bumps as we try to compensate for the abrupt change in temperature. When this happens, it's time for us to pack up and head inside. It's time for us to wait on the Lord.

In my own experience, waiting on the Lord is sometimes the most difficult thing to do. I have a wonderful friend who has recently added to her education and is seeking a change of employment. Last week, she was afforded an interview, only to be told later that they'd made another selection and she was not granted the position. On top of that, there has been a new birth in her family and due to complications, she was unable to visit the new born and mom in the hospital. I think one might call that combination of things - discouragement. Deep, dark, and ominously rumbling clouds of disappointment have rolled in to block her warmth and joy from The Son, Jesus Christ.

However - she knows - and frequently reminds me - that "this too, shall pass". She knows that after the clouds rumble through with their charged tantrums, a rainbow will pop out and she'll be able to feel warmth and joy again. She needs but to wait on God's timing, He will strengthen her heart. In the mean time - she clings to God's promises. It's rough sailing right now, for sure - but God's timing is perfect. When He grants her a new job, it will be hand-picked by him and delivered in His perfect will.  When she IS able to visit new born and mom - there will me many tears of joy and their reunion will be all the sweeter from the wait.

My friend knows that she isn't to hide her head under a pillow and wallow in her discomfort. Psalm 27:14 doesn't tell her to sulk until the sun comes out again. It tells her to be of good courage. Granted, the good courage part comes from no small amount of effort - but she knows her hope and her trust is in The Lord. Her trust is in our Father of Lights - and His warmth will not stay obscured by the clouds of discouragement forever. She knows - that every good and perfect gift is from Him. She'll wait on God's timing. And she'll do it with courage.

Motivator, Please

Hebrews 10:22 -- "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith."

Spoofs of Star Wars number in the thousands. In fact, Star Wars Spoofs spawn spoofs of their own .... so there is ample material out there if you want to find any kind of reference to the hit Sci-Fi classic. Even the most obscure movie references can be located on the world wide web of ours - all you have to do is Google.

One of my favorite Spoofs/Star Wars Reference is a stop-motion show that uses manipulated action figures and some surprisingly intricate set designs. In classic Lucas fashion, a plastic Luke Skywalker walks into his family's living room to find that one of the Droids he and his Uncle recently purchased is laying on the sofa watching television. Luke asks the Droid why he's not out in the fields harvesting the crops. [To which crop Luke is referring, I'll never know. They live in a desert.] The Droid proceeds to surf channels using a TV remote. He then responds: "too hot. Not feelin' it".

I bust out laughing.

Luke then turns his back on the Droid and hollers out; "Uncle Owen, this one's got a bad motivator!"

Yup. Comedy gold.

Now - anytime we, the Dalton gang, have something to do - some task to accomplish - we all quote the Droid. "...not feelin' it". To which one of us will usually reply "do you have a bad motivator?"

And isn't THAT the truth? So very often I find myself with a busted motivator. How many times do I catch myself saying ..... "....not feelin' it?" I actually surprised myself one day by keeping score. The results were a little intimidating.

Faith - is NOT emotionally motivated. Faith is sturdy. It's built on pilings that go so deep into the ground that they might actually pop out on the other side of the globe. In fact, in Hebrews we learn that Faith is THE thing that gives us a true heart. It is also in Hebrews where we learn that Faith is the substance of things hoped for. [Hebrews 11:1]

So - our faith is what gives us a true heart with substance. But having faith isn't really enough. It's the object of our faith that makes all the difference. And - in terms of faith - we can be assured that our feelings [or our bad motivators] aren't what saves us. It's Jesus. So we can toss our bad motivators out the window. Chalk up those couch potato moments to a bad hair day and keep right on truckin' because our Jesus is impervious to bad hair days. Let's face it - he's already had THE worst one imaginable and came out victorious.

So, indeed, - let us draw near in the full assurance of our faith in Jesus Christ. Clinging to that truth - we can even ask our Lord: "pass me a new motivator, please."

Think Global

Acts 1:8 -- "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."

I could see the pout start on my niece's lips and the worry line on her forehead begin to become more and more distinct as she chewed on the answer I'd just given to her question. I knew she didn't like my answer. I also knew that she was trying to work a way around it. But the truth is, no - there are no allowances for remote groups of humanity that haven't heard the Word of God. There really IS only one way in to Heaven - and that one way really IS Jesus Christ and ONLY Jesus Christ. 

She argued. I admired her compassion as she asked me; "What if no one can get to them? What if they live so far out in the middle of nowhere that no one can get out there to tell them about Jesus?"

Ah! THAT question. As a person who has lived way out in the middle of nowhere all over the globe, I answered very simply: there is NO place on this planet where man cannot find a way to visit - somehow.  Our technology is too great. Our ability to travel too convenient. Our adventurous spirit too robust. If we can't fly there, we can take a boat. If we can't take a boat we can take a car. If we can't take a car we can take a bike ... we can walk .... we can crawl. Well, you get the idea. 

She was somewhat consoled by this - but I could see the worry set in deep behind her gorgeous blue eyes. I'm so proud. She's thinking globally - which is EXACTLY what we are supposed to do.

Jesus bestowed upon each of us the great commission to tell others about him. Our reach should be as close as the neighbor next door, as deep as the needs of our community, and as far as the smallest outcrop of an island in the middle of the great Pacific Ocean. Note that Jesus didn't exactly make a list. He didn't say "o.k., first go tell your neighbor, then reach out to your local community, and when you're done with that .... go to the far reaches of foreign lands to tell others about me." No. His command for us is just to REACH. With amazing things like jet engines and the internet our task has never before been made so convenient. It might be easier for us to make a mental list to keep track of progress, but Jesus never said these points of interest were sequential - they are, in fact, simultaneous.  In the great world where multitasking has become a popular buzz word it shouldn't be too difficult for us to comprehend this command. 

In addition to some pretty clear instruction, God tells us that He's provided for us what we need in order to accomplish this. Right there in verse 8 of Acts 1, we are told that we will be granted the power to witness through the Holy Spirit. You see, we have no excuses that allow us to slip out the back door and not get the job done. The only thing standing in our way is .... well, US.

So Bad It's Good

I Corinthians 16:8-9 -- "But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me."

Ever the movie buffs, the three guys in my house find it most enjoyable to sit in front of the TV and invest actual time in some really horrible films. Some of their faves are "Sci-Fi Originals". Which means, essentially - the films were cranked out in less than a year with virtually unknown actors who seem to be reading their lines from off camera while "fighting" monsters thrown together with graphics/affects so cheap that my cat could have hand drawn better animation. They have dubbed these gems - "good bad flicks" in honor of a web series with the same name. In the past, this is when I put my nose deep in a good book or catch up on my Facebook. I have even been known to prefer to floss my teeth rather than watch growling sharks fall from the sky in tornadoes that spawn over what appears to be very calm tropical waters. It has taken me a long time to understand that these "cinematic masterpieces" have some real entertainment value. For me, however - the value is in observing these three film enthusiasts bust a gut as they watch a has-been thespian rip open a flying great white with a chain saw and then stand straight-faced AND blood free as he rescues a damsel in distress by reaching inside and pulling her out from the freshly opened fish. True classic cinema, ladies and gentleman.

Yessiree - my hubby and two boys sit in the middle of the living room as tears roll down their cheeks and try to explain to me that the value in the movie IS its badness. I'll take their word for it. I WILL say, however, that the bank account for the film producers DOES indeed, seem fat. So this formula must work.

Involved in a family that has moved around a lot, one becomes accustomed to periodically choosing a new church home. When in the US on furlough, the first few Sundays were spent "shopping" for spiritual home base. It is quite amazing how very different one church can feel from another. If you get the opportunity, try closing your eyes and FEELING the praise the next time you are in a new place of worship. You might find yourself surprised that you know right away if  the worship is genuine or if it's put on for show.

Now, before I continue, I DO have to admit that we missionary kids can get kind of spoiled when it comes to church. I say that with great humility and no small amount of affection. Sitting in Africa in the back of a structure that has only a thatched roof and a cow dung floor while singing praises with joyful local people was one of the most precious and true spiritual worship experiences of my entire life. The wonderful  international collection of these true praise moments has spoiled me a bit when it comes to looking for spiritual home base. I will also admit, that witnessing church politics influence praise and worship has lead me to make some unfair judgements when prospecting for a new church family. I would like to think that I have grown some in this regard. And perhaps suprisingly - this growth began with my baby brother - who is, infact, nearly eleven years younger than I am.

As I grew old enough to put down my own roots, the church hunting adventure was left to be carried out by my parents and little brother. Calling home to check in from time to time would find me asking how the hunt went. In conversational tag, my Dad would jump on the line for a quick hello, my Mom would give me her opinion, and then I'd settle in for a wonderful chat with my baby brother. David took me completely by surprise one Sunday afternoon when I asked him what he thought about the most recent church visit. I had heard my mother's very careful and very polite expression that "it was not her favorite church" and was interested in what David had to say about it.

My LITTLE brother blew me away.

A young teen-ager at the time, David grew a bit silent on the other end of the telephone line when I posed my question about Sunday Service. Eventually, he blurted out "this is the one."

What?! Well ... THAT is not what I expected him to say. Not after my mom's review and my Dad's almost non interest in this particular church. But David, even as young as he was, opened his heart up to God's view of the "worship" taking place at the church. When I asked him what in the world made him think that this church was to be their new spiritual home base - he said simply - "this is the one - because this one needs us the most."

Wow.

Just ..... wow.

David was right. And my parents did, in fact, choose the church for their new fellowship home. And as I read 1 Corinthians 16 this morning I was reminded of that life lesson so unintentionally taught by my baby brother. Paul had experienced some pretty rough waters in Ephesus. In his words, there were so very many who opposed him there. But in the middle of that turmoil, Paul saw the REAL issue. It wasn't about Paul. It was about Jesus. It's a reminder that sometimes, when we feel the most horrible in a place, when the situation seems so BAD -- it's actually ripe for spiritual harvest. As my three guys like to say .... it's so bad it's good.

Notice, Paul didn't say -- but there are so many who oppose me.  He said AND there are so many who oppose me. It was a reminder to me that spiritual triage, real healing doesn't happen to those who are already well. It happens to those who are hurting and to those who REALLY need Jesus.

Bouncing Rubber Tires

James 2:14 -- "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? ... Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."

Though our family has been back on US soil for twenty-three years now, some moments, while living in the Philippines, FEEL like they were experienced just yesterday. I remember them in vivid color, in tropical breezes with salt on the air, and in the warmth of a bright sun on my skin.

Dad used to take my sister and I on his trips into the deep tropical "wilderness" on the island of Mindanao. We would take turns so as not to take up more seating in his van/truck, making the trip a little less crowded for the groups of young Filipinos that would travel with Dad to sing, pray with villagers, and help plant new churches. I loved these trips. Dad had a lot of work to do - stressful hours of managing the winding dirt and gravel roads along the side of Mount Apo [a rather large volcano]- but I got to hang out with some pretty great people in the back of the van. From those journeys God blessed me with some wonderful friendships that have lasted my entire life.

I learned very quickly NOT to look out the side of the window that faced away from the cliff. And if by chance, I peeped out over the steep ledge with a sheer drop off just inches from our tires - I knew not to look down. If I did, panic would take over and I'd have to finish the trip with my eyes clinched shut while my teeth ground around my tongue in vice-like jaws.

It was during one of these trips that I learned NOT to look out of the front of the vehicle either. The gang and I were singing loudly as dust billowed up around the windows and our bodies jostled up and down with every rain-washed pot hole and deep rut in the road - when suddenly, the rough ride felt a bit different. The jostling altered a bit and looking out of the front window,

I saw what Dad saw - a bouncing rubber tire rolling along after passing us with great speed. Dad commented; "now that's something you don't see every day."

True. Where in the world did a tire come from out on a dusty and jagged road in the middle of tropical nowhere?

I'll give you one guess. . . 

Not too long after Dad's comment the van tipped right and slammed us all against each other as it ground to a rough and sudden stop. "Well, THAT explains a lot!" Dad said. And then had to go about chasing the tire down so he could put it back on the axle of the old van. We weren't going anywhere without it. While we had a spare strapped to the underbelly of our ride - we would not be able to use it without the rim that had just bounced by us as if it were trying to beat us in a race. Those of us who weren't running after our rebel tire climbed awkwardly out of the severely listing van and spread out along the road to wait out the tire repair. One of my friends made a joke as she swatted at the biggest horse fly I've ever seen. "Don't worry about it - at least it wasn't the important tire." I just looked at her for a beat - then I laughed so hard I had to sit down. [I know Filipino humor is not like our own - but I'd been raised in the country and found her statement to be hilarious.]

I think back on her statement now and see a whole lot more in it than she ever intended. Which tire on our van WAS the important tire?

I think WE have two sides to our walk with Christ. We have our faith - what we believe. The thing that motivates us. And then - we have our behavior - what we do with what we believe. Some would argue that knowing Jesus - our faith side, is more important than our behavior side. But I think THAT is like asking which tire on the van is the important one. All four tires are needed if the van is to go anywhere. In our lives, our faith without action is not going anywhere either. It IS important to know Jesus. There is no doubt about that. But here in James - we are reminded that just KNOWING Jesus isn't enough. It's a seed planted that never gets water or sunlight. It's dead in the dirt. It's our dusty old van listing heavily to the right, crippled to the point that nothing can move it. 

Baguio, PI - scariest rd I've ever been on.

We aren't only charged with holding tightly to our faith. We are charged with sharing it. We cannot GO - move forward and plant the seeds of Jesus' Salvation if we are unable to MOVE. We can't go forward on dead faith. 

Maybe today is a good day to chase down that rebel tire and put a little motion into our faith.

Hidden Hope

Romans 15:13 -- "May The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace."

Growing up a missionary kid, the images conjured up in my head when someone said "think of home" were very different than those a single-continent dweller might have. Usually, a mental photograph of a single home with a pretty white picket fence didn't enter into to the picture at all. In fact, a single picture wouldn't have done it - home was usually a hodge-podge of wonderful people and warm faces more than it was about places.

One piece to this eclectic collection of images and experiences included the rumbling of the rail road tracks across from my grandmother's house. When the train went by, the entire house produced a low frequency groan and the vibrations could be felt through the floor, in the walls - even in the shower. It was, somehow a comfort to me.

When we were young and visiting "home" on furlough from the mission field my cousins would put pennies on the tracks just before a freight train stormed by. The penny would sometimes fly off the track without so much as a scratch, but other times, it would spin out from under the huge metal wheels flat as a pancake, scarred beyond recognition. There is great power in a moving train.

So it was a surprise to me when I read that over across our Atlantic Pond a few rail road maintenance men in England discovered a small thrush's nest securely tucked away underneath the trusses of the well-worn tracks. The female thrush not only called the unlikely retreat home, but was, in fact, sitting on a clutch of eggs. Quite comfortable to attend to her motherly duties as the trains ripped and roared just over her head, she seemed oblivious to the noises and the vibrations. She was at peace amidst some pretty loud chaos.

We could all take a few notes and learn from this very small bird. Her tiny little voice has been heard world-wide as this story has reached every corner of the globe. This little feathered mamma has been able to reach the hearts of people in a way that even other people haven't really been able. She has reminded us, that God is in control and that no matter our situation, we CAN have peace. It all comes down to clinging to God's promises and claiming the gifts that He has already given. It comes down to holding on to God's hope.

What are our troubles but fast moving trains that set foundations to quake? Noisy moving issues that rattle our faith and shake loose some confidence from time to time? Like the thrush, we have the choice to keep on keepin' on. There is no doubt that she knows every time a train passes by. Even if she couldn't hear the noise due to some problems with her ears [which she does not have] she could at least feel the rumble in the metal overhead. But little thrush mamma doesn't let that stand between success and her chicks tucked tightly away in their shells. No, she sits firm - gently encouraging her babies to grow. She will add to the thrush population and cultivate new life amid the cacophony.

In these times, there are moments when we look at our lives and feel that there is no way we can possibly get through whatever THING is shaking our network of spiritual track. But today really isn't all that different from when Jesus walked the dusty streets and offered hope to a desperate mankind. We may think that we have to deal with situations so foreign to believers that surely we are bringing a new element of chaos into our prayers. Chaos to which God's Word must NOT have intended nor to which the old verses apply. This is not the case. When you think about it, God never intended for us to leave the Garden of Eden at all so the struggles we face today are just as relevant to the "old promises" as the struggles Noah faced on the ark, Esther faced when her people were about to be slaughtered, and Joshua faced when charged with bringing the walls of Jericho to the ground. God's promises are timeless. His hope is eternal.

And very, very real.

It is true, the English Thrush may not have had the use of rail road tracks several thousand years ago when these verses were shared with the church in Rome. But today, she builds her nest - just as all thrushes do - just as they did when Paul set out on his first missionary journey. The scenery has changed a little bit. But her task has not.

Ours hasn't either.

Look closely into the creaking, winding, rusting metal tracks of our busy lives. Hope IS there. God has given it to us.

Sit Down! You're Rockin' The Boat!

I John 3:24 -- We know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us."

Looking out over the deep blue of the Pacific, I watched the dancing glimmer of sunshine bounce off the waves. My grandmother would say that those ever-moving sparkles are her diamonds. To this day,  I can't look at them without hearing her voice share those words so proudly. It never fails to put a smile on my face.

The sun put a sheen on everything giving the landscape before us an other-worldly, blinding glow while we sat in the shade of a Mango tree and listened to the surf roll in. I could feel that I'd let myself burn. Heat radiated off my shoulders and back. I'd have a weird tan line since I'd spent most of the day with my face in the water and a snorkel in my mouth.

Out in the Mindanao Trench, a huge ocean liner slowly lumbered into view. Dad said it was full. When I asked him how he could tell that from so far away, he pointed out the slow speed and the red
paint line nearly completely obscured by the great Pacific. He said that if it were empty, we could see more of the red paint and the big 'ole ship would have a little more spring in her step.

Near the bow, a gush of water poured out of a round hole connected to giant pump. I thought it was so full that it might be sinking. But Dad told me how those big liners have a pump going round the clock. It doesn't have to be sinking to get a little water in now and then. They keep the pumps running just in case.

I stared in awe as the behemoth trudged on by. I wondered what she was carrying. I wondered what it would take to actually sink something that big. She seemed impervious to waves and weather. Dad said, it would take surprisingly little to sink the giant if the damage to the hull was in the right spot. But - he pointed out - she won't sink because she's sitting in the water. She'll sink because some of the water gets IN. That's why the pumps stay on.

Billy Graham once said that we Christians don't fail to produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit because we are IN the world. We fail to yield fruit because the world gets INTO us.  And just like that big 'ole ocean liner, it doesn't take a very big chink in our armor to do a whole lot of damage. Often, the leak starts out so small that we don't even realize we're sinking. THAT is why our pumps need to stay on.

In I John, we're told that we KNOW we have the Holy Spirit. God has given Him to us while Jesus sits with His Father. We HAVE our pump. We need to keep Him on. Giving the 'ole liner a few swift punches of the pump switch every now and then isn't enough to keep the water out. The hum of those engines needs to be echoing through out the ship at a constant and steady pace. To do THAT - we need to stay in the Word. Putting a little "umph" in our safety system requires US to be vigilant. We have the Holy Spirit within us, we need to stay in touch. We need to keep the machine of our physical bodies finely oiled and ever-tuned-in to our inner pump. We HAVE to do everything we can to keep the world OUT.

Now In 3D!

II Corinthians 5:16 -- "So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view."

The din of hundreds of voices trying to communicate in loud whispers. The smell of hot, fresh popcorn. The stickiness of the floor as you try to find your seat in the dark. All of these things make up the movie going experience. For the most part - they are enjoyable [well, all but the sticky floor, part]. And -- as we walk past the large trash can overflowing with cardboard drink holders, bent straws, and crushed paper cups, there is a bin for the return of your borrowed 3D glasses. The latest thing in film making is 3D. It would seem that no one can come up with a really good NEW movie idea - so to make their summer blockbuster money - Hollywood and the cinema powers that be re-release a bunch of stuff with an additional 3D feature. Perhaps the gimmick will make up for the fourteen dollar price tag. [though, I find it usually doesn't].

Eyes somewhat shakily focused on the huge screen I tell myself that I'm seeing this film in a new light. I keep sending my brain subtle little reminders that the colors pop, the sound is crystal, and the film is much better [or at least new] as the thrumming behind my forehead slowly but surely turns into a migraine.

The truth is, no matter WHAT I tell my brain, I can't stand to see this picture - so enjoyable the first time it came out - in it's "new", shiny packaging. I keep seeing the movie the way it used to be. The same colors. The same undercurrent of beautifully written music. The same characters. It's not a new film. It's just an old one trying to relive it's former glory and earn a few more dollars before it's returned to the "iffy" world of the discount DVD bin at my local Wal-mart.

It occurs to me that I do the same thing to people.

No matter the time that has gone by - or the huge amounts of water accumulated under the bridge - there are some people that look the same to me today, as they did twenty or thirty years ago. I refuse to let that all-healing wonder of time take the sting out of some past experiences. And, in some cases - I refuse to see the new packaging in which they are now wrapped up. I see the same old personality, the same old behavior patterns, the same old, same old.

What if other people did that to me? What if .... the church at Corinth did the same thing to Paul? He would probably be turned away at the church door - if not stoned to death for his part in the torture and destruction of so many followers of Jesus Christ.

The thing is -- we really ARE a new creation when Jesus cleans us white. I don't want others to remember me only for my past transgressions or for the mistakes I've made. I should give others the same grace.

When addressed in some pretty harsh language from a person we work with, or play with, or just pass by -- do we see the pain behind the anger? Do we see that they might be in great need? Do we see the pan-handler on the side of the interstate in disgust? Or do we reach deep within ourselves and pull out a little bit of the mercy that God so freely bestowed upon us? Do we make comments cloaked in thinly veiled whispers about a fellow church-goer that has slipped and fallen all while we look down our noses? Or do we reach out gracefully with encouragement and gentle guidance?

Paul put it so plainly, and yet packed it with so much punch.  From now one, we regard NO ONE, from a worldly point of view. If I could just borrow a fraction of the lenses through which Jesus looks at my fellow man, perhaps I would be more graceful. More compassionate.

Perhaps -- I could even see the desperation of the hour as I'm washed over with the image so many lost souls who have yet to be saved -- while the clock is ticking, ticking, ticking.

Growing The Light

Proverbs 4:18 -- "But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day."

Sunrise at Mickler  by: Kelly Babb Dalton

Standing with my toes deep in the wet sand I can barely see the foam come in on waves that seem lazy and unmotivated. The beach stands deserted at this hour. It's the reason I trudge out here in the full blown dark while the rest of the beach combers lie fast asleep in their beds.  There is no traffic. No smell of sunscreen wafting in on salty breezes. Brightly colored plastic toys don't litter the beach and there is no din of laughing voices. It's the surf. The dark. My husband. And the entire beach all to ourselves. 

If we're lucky, the flout player will be there with his little dog - and now and then, the gentle sound of his well-worn wind instrument can barely be heard over the waves that fall down on dark sand. While his dog chases ghost crabs, he sits in a beat-up lawn chair, filling the night with beautiful sound.

Steven and I sit down on an old blanket and look out over the dark. We count shooting stars. Without the light pollution of our busy neighborhood, we can usually catch a few on any given night. It never fails to amaze me that at almost any moment, were we to simply look up into the starry night sky for more than a few fleeting seconds - we could see those other-worldly clumps of rock and ice light up as they hit the earth's atmosphere. I am reminded of the power of our Creator. I am in awe of the precious gifts He grants us daily.

Like when the moon rises on a low tide. 

In silence, Steven and I look out over the water and watch the moon. Bright red with reflection and shadow, the pock-marked orb creeps up over the horizon. It's as though the coast holds it's breath in anticipation -- awaiting the moment our celestial satellite takes it's place on the night watch, while the sun is warming up the other side of the world. The sand begins to glow, ever so slightly - where there was previously nothing but shadow.

As the minutes tick by, we can see where our feet fall without the use of a flashlight. The higher the moon climbs across the vast ink overhead, the more detail we can make out on the sand. We can see the sand fleas try to bury themselves at the water line and the sandpipers that try to catch them. We can see the new sea turtle nests roped off by our patrol team. We can see fins break the surface where the dolphins play at catching fish. 

Following Jesus and growing in God's will is much like baring witness to the rise of a full moon. The shaky baby steps we take in the beginning are timid when compared to the confident leaps we learn to take as we become stronger in our faith. The thing that strikes me about Proverbs 4:18 is the lack of a few words. For example, the verse doesn't say - "but the UNDERSTANDING of the righteous" -- it says " but the PATH of the righteous." In other words, I don't have to wait until I understand God's full desire for my life before I begin to live it. In fact, it's best if I DON'T do that. I will not reach full understanding until I get to meet my Savior face to face. That being the case, I cling to the growth of light in this verse. It starts out like dawn. If you've ever tracked the sun through the hours of a day you know that at noon there are really no shadows. The sun is straight overhead and the light is at it's brightest. The earth gradually absorbs the sun's heat. The day doesn't start out bright and hot. It happens over time. 

Our Christian steps may seem feeble at first. Only slightly lit - like the first hues of sunshine that break through at dawn. But notice, at dawn even the tiny flicker of light makes a huge difference in what we can see. Before the moon began to rise on the beach at Mickler's Landing we couldn't even see our toes without the use of a flashlight. But even barely peeking out above the line of the horizon the moon granted us the sight of a little more detail in the surf. We didn't wait for the moon to rise completely to start enjoying the view before us. WE should not wait to allow our light to shine for Christ. Even a single spark can set an entire forest to blaze. Just like tiny trickles of light that dance across a new morning sky - a small amount of light can offer up a great deal. 

We are asked to shine. With whatever light we have .... we let it shine. In time, it will grow - it will warm - it will spread.

Back In Black

Psalm 46:2 -- "Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea."

When I was younger my Dad would say that there were some moments in life that etched forever in our memories. So strong were these moments that they would never leave us. They would actually become part of what defines us and shapes us into what we are. He would then say that he could remember exactly what he was doing when JFK was shot. I would sit and listen to him tell the story. I could see the sadness in his eyes.

My Dad's Dad could tell you exactly what he was doing when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Well, he could if he chose to talk about it. A WWII vet, he will not bring up the subject and during my entire life I have heard him make a comment about those events all of twice.  And that's a generous count. But you can see it behind his eyes - he can tell you exactly where he was and what he was doing when that unprecedented invasion took the lives of so many young men.

Today, I can sit down with my children and tell them exactly what I was doing on September 11th, 2001. More than likely, every American teen-aged or older can probably say that they remember exactly what they were doing when the twin towers fell. As the television camera panned upward into a bright New York sky, I knew the minute the first plane slammed into the World Trade Center that we were under attack. It was a gut-wrenching realization that forever changed my own patriotism and galvanized my love of country.  More than any other event in my life 9-11 solidified my very American pride.

Shaken to the core as the debris hit the busy streets of New York and dust billowed up into what had been a cloudless sky - our nation was brought to its knees to a degree that it had never been before. Tear stained faces lined every street in our country. The American flag was unfurled in nearly every yard. So many innocent people were lost.


Today - as we are back in black to remember those precious souls we lost to unequaled acts of true terror, I think of Psalms. David's passion and pain expressed in a way that moves the soul so deeply seems fitting on the anniversary of September 11th.

Verse 1 of Psalm 46 reminds us that "God is our refuge and strength - an ever-present help in trouble." While it IS true that so many of those involved directly at ground zero on that tragic day may not be able to say they felt the presents of God during the horror, He was - as He is - our strength. It was on that day that a unified cry out to God could be heard from our corner of the world. It was on that day that some found hope in Jesus for the first time. It was on that day that racial lines were finally blurred and social status became trivial.  9-11 galvanized US. We were not Conservatives. We were not Liberals. We were AMERICANS. We became the lion protecting her cub and stepped up to the plate united in a way that we have never been.

David had it right. God is our refuge and our strength. Therefore, we will not fear when air planes smash into sky scrapers. We will not fear when jobs are lost and debts rise. We will not fear when foreign countries rattle sabers and itchy trigger fingers hover over weapons of mass destruction. Because God IS- as He was - as He always will be - our strength.

It's All About The 'Tude Dude

James 1: 5-8 --  "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." 

It's been asked a million different ways since Who Wants To Be A Millionaire first hit our TV airways a few years back: "Is that your final answer?"  Each time the question is posed, I'm thinking in the back of my head -- well, it WAS until you asked me that question...... That's when I see beads of sweat beginning to pop out on the contestant's forehead. The brows furrough a bit, and the lips start to twitch just a tad. Perhaps the contestant sitting in the hot seat isn't quite as confident as he or she first thought. Doubt slinks over them and their body language changes a great deal. 

It's just a game show. They won't leave worse off than they were when they first sat down across from our celebrity host as millions of high voltage light bulbs heat the air around them. AND - they might actually walk away with some cash. Life or death does NOT hang in the balance. The moment, while perhaps blistering over with high anticipation - is truly not all that important.

Life back home, however .... IS the real deal.

Locked in the bathroom, face flat to the old shag carpet that my grandmother had for YEARS .... I agonized over a very poor life choice I'd made. Humility put me on the floor. And there, I stayed. Tears pouring down my face, hands shaking as they gripped my t-shirt, I uttered words that - to this day - I will never forget. The thing is: for most people this life changing event wouldn't have really been a big deal. It wasn't the choice itself that made up my poor behavior - it was my commitment to it. So wrapped up in the situation my focus steered far away from being centered on Christ. THAT - to me, was inexcusable. THAT - was definitely a problem. 

So I prayed. I knew if I continued on this path my focus would continue to veer away from the things that God really wanted me to do. So I asked, in all humility - that God take the cup from me. I didn't just want Him to pass it over - to pass it by me.  I wanted Him to take it from me completely. In shaky, sob-wracked breaths, I prayed that the Lord take the thing out of my life. I did not want to lose focus on what really mattered. 

However, as I brought myself up to rather shaky feet, I left the words hanging in the bathroom as I walked out and closed the door behind me. I wasn't entirely sure that I WANTED to let go. I talked myself into thinking that God was out of the office as I fell face first before Him. Perhaps, the prayer was going to be left unanswered. I almost hoped it would. I prayed thinking that there was no way God was going to give my words a second thought.  In fact, I was almost confident that He wouldn't.

Oh ye of little faith ..... ever hear the phrase; be careful what you ask for? I hit a home run with the bases loaded. Total grand slam. The thing, was indeed, taken from my life. It was the first, true devastating loss that I'd ever really experienced. I cried for months. It was nearly a year before I felt the timid makings of a smile spread across my lips, once more. Through out that year, I walked around like a zombie caught in a fog. But -- there WAS healing. And my focus had become, once again, on what the Lord wanted me to do with my life. There is no richer joy than being square in the arms of Jesus. No matter the growing pains we might experience along the way.

Our prayers matter. The words that we lift up toward our Father should not be taken lightly. James reminds us how very important those words really are. Do not utter things we do not mean. Do not pray half-heartedly, without reverence, without hope - and especially, without faith. 

Did you know that an academic study put out years ago on the statistics of standardized tests concluded that most students do better when they don't go back and second guess their first answer? The study indicated that our first response IS actually usually the correct one. For a game show participant sitting in the hot seat waiting for the clock to tick by - the same is true. The first choice IS usually the correct one. Game show producers know this and have intentionally designed their programming to instill self-doubt and lack of confidence. FAITH - is where it's at. Utter your words - your prayers - with courage, with strength ... with FAITH. Let not the tv game show producers of your life rattle you into a shaky relationship with Jesus. Blow NOT as sea foam in the winds of a hurricane. Be the wave - not changing in it's direction.

Whether it be under the blazing bright of studio lights, or a tungsten, low-lit bathroom with horrible shag carpet - faith matters. Confidence matters. Our attitude is EVERYTHING. The power of the words we utter in true humility cannot be discounted. God knows our hearts. THAT is where the impurities float to the top of the crucible where they can be scraped off and thrown out - leaving the pure, precious metal in the pot. Leaving a pure attitude.

Ask. God is generous. God provides freely. Ask with words that punch through any doubts like a volcano pushing to the surface of a boiling sea. God WILL answer.

When we let him.

Road Map Not Included

Matthew 25:45 -- "He will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' "

Cart bursting with thin gray plastic bags, my hair is whooshed over my face by the industrial strength blower over the automatic doors. The sun is blaring and I have to squint before I realize I'd stuck my sunglasses on the top of my head and need to put them over my eyes. Doing so makes the Florida bright bearable.

It never fails, it seems.  As I put foot to boiling black top a scruffy looking person that appears to need a good, long shower comes up to me with a forlorn look spread across his face. He starts in on his story about how his car broke down and he's stuck. An out of towner, could I just spare a dollar or two to help put some gas in his car so he can get back home?

I have been snared by this trap before. I no longer carry loose change. I carry no cash - so when the dirty guy approached me I could honestly tell him I didn't have anything on me. I avoided eye contact and hurried on my way in attempt to keep my refigeratables from melting before I could get to the car.

Now, here's the truth. I felt bad for the guy. I can't imagine being far from home with no foreseeable means to get back. However, I have been strongly encouraged by members of my family to allow the "lost parking lot vultures" to find aid elsewhere because, undoubtedly, they are not honest seekers of help.

Are we so sure they aren't? What if the tables were turned? For example:

My oldest works the night shift. He leaves before I go to bed and gets home as I'm stepping into the shower the next morning. It's a tough thing for a mom to let their babies go ... it's even tougher when the mom knows it's dark outside. What if something happens? What if something goes wrong? Every night when B closes the door behind him I pray that the Lord command his angels concerning Brian. Every night, the Lord blesses me with the return of my child in the wee hours of day light.

Except one.

Sunday morning came bright an early like all other Sunday mornings with one exception - B was late. Very, very late. By 11:30am, the rattle of the garage door had still not been heard and the change in pressure as the back door opens had not been set into motion. This time, it was my son roaming a parking lot hoping against all hope that he could get home on the kindness of strangers. This time ... God granted my son grace, when I so often don't do the same for others.

Brian endeavors to let the light of Jesus Christ shine through him no matter the situation. Early Sunday morning was no exception. A co-worker needed a lift home - and though extremely short on gas AND having neglected to pick up the gas card on his way out - Brian obliged. He and co-worker set out for the far side of Jacksonville. [Note - Jacksonville is the second largest city in the world from boarder to boarder. The first? Davao City, Philippines....]

Off they go - after safely arriving at co-worker's residence, Brian is faced with the challenge of getting back home. The thing about B? He's not blessed with a great sense of direction. In no time flat he found himself out of gas and terribly lost. Brian managed to pull the Cruiser into a gas station on pure fumes and asked the clerk how to get back to Saint Johns.

The clerk replied: "Florida?"

Wow. Really? B's stomach dropped to his toes as he asked: "Where am I?"
Clerk: "You're in Georgia, son."

Had it not been for a kind woman who put one gallon of gas in B's car -- AND the kind gentleman who gave him four dollars to do the same .... Brian would not have made it back home. After three failed attempts to put a call through to our house from his cell phone - he was very literally stuck out of town, with no foreseeable means to get back.

Thank you, sweet Savior, for keeping my son safe. Thank you, Lord - for granting undeserved grace. Thank you for providing in a time of need.

Matthew put it pretty plainly in chapter 25. Whatever we do not do for our fellow man, we do not do for Christ. It isn't up to me to decide if a person is deserving of grace. It is not for me to judge if the person is honestly seeking help or doing what he can to put gas in his car without actually working for a living. I don't' have to hand over a fortune. But I DO have to do what God wants me to do.

From this day forward -- that includes handing over a couple of dollars to the "lost parking lot vultures". I am so very, very grateful that someone did the same for my son.

Sign Dancer

Acts 9:18 -- "At once, something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight."

Stop and go. Stop and go. Stop and go.  With the sun burning through the daylight hours as bright as can be outside, I wanted nothing more than to reach the beach [Fort Clinch] before we lost low tide, but the traffic was going to be a factor. Taking a deep breath, I looked out the window and saw, what I like to call, Sign Dancers. They are the guys and gals bee-boppin' on the side-walk in heavy traffic areas - sometimes in costume, sometimes, not - dancing away to the music playing in their ears via digital devices, boogie'n with a sign baring a few choice words in favor of their chosen place of employment. [Bet ya didn't know...they can make on the upwards of ten dollars an hour. And if you ask me, in the Florida heat, they are underpaid.]

To my right, was a gung-ho lad shakin' a tale feather to some unknown and unheard beat, waving his sign up in the air proudly, in colorful animation with a huge smile on his face. Sun beatin' down on his shoulders like there was never going to be another sunny day. Man, this guy had some moves!

But I start laughing out loud. My fellow travelers immediately ask "WHAT?!"

Pointing out my window, I share with them the little funny moment.

This guy, so enthusiastic, so cheerful, so dedicated...was dancing with such vigor....holding a sign....that I couldn't really read because it was upside down.

We all got a kick out of that and I almost rolled the window down to inform him of his advertising fopaux but decided to allow others the same little chuckle that we enjoyed.

It made me think.

Is my sign upside down? Do I animate for Christ in sincere and heart-felt dedication with a signal that gets lost in the flare?

I want - I NEED Jesus to remove the scales from my eyes - from my actions - from my walk with Him. I want to see clearly so others can clearly see Jesus in my life.

One of my favorite verses EVER is "Create in me a pure heart, O God and renew a steadfast spirit within me." [Psalm 51:10] This is what I need! Let the scales fall away and allow us to renew, to be the best Sign Dancers with a crystal clear message! JESUS IS LORD!!

Bible Thumper

James 5:20 -- "Remember this; Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins."

Donning the thick, insulated "freezer coat" packed full with goose-down, Brian zipped up and headed into the giant walk-in freezer. He had three pallets to shelve and had already instructed his team to get started on the dairy isle. Once his two slip-proof booted feet were inside the cold and his breath billowed out in a fog however, he realized that - once again, he had to re-shelve the freezer before he could shelve it. The stock team working the shift prior to his often had their hands full of customers, and did not always have the time to keep the freezer up to organized snuff. B is a whiz at keeping the freezer up to organized snuff. Working the overnight shift - he is not overwhelmed with a busy store packed with shoppers ticking off their longs lists at the same time they are trying to become familiar with the brand new facility. It can be pretty chaotic. By the time B clocks in - he's got his hands full and usually hits the ground running to get everything done before day light breaks and the storm of hungry shoppers blows through all over again.

Elbow deep in all things frozen, B is joined in the frost by one of the people on his team. [to protect his privacy, I will call him J.] J has his hands full at home. Brian is a good listener. As J pours out heart and soul and fights back tears, Brian says: "there's a verse for that" and takes a moment to share it with his heart-weary friend. J, with nothing but affection for B, says: "I thought the Bible Thumper would be able to help."

Bible Thumper. That's what they call Brian. A name that was first called out in good, easy-going humor has been adopted by some fellow "overnighters" and is often thrown at Brian with intent to sting. Some will even walk away and leave the room to avoid any potential Biblical applications to whatever situation they may be discussing at the time. As they turn their backs, they hurl out "here comes Bible Thumper".

Consumed by frustration, and not a little anger by the use of this nick name, Brian exploded one evening while sitting on the couch on family movie night. "If one more person calls me Bible Thumper, I'm gonna' take my Bible and thump him over the head with it." 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that's not really what Jesus had in mind when He instructed us to share God's Word. Trying to stifle a laugh working it's way up to the back of my throat - I addressed the more serious part of Brian's exasperated expression. I am very proud of my oldest. I could not beam any brighter - knowing his co-workers call him Bible Thumper. Not able to shadow him 24/7 [more's the pitty says one Mom] as he goes about his daily life I do not have the opportunity to see him interact with other people while he's at work. Until his outburst in the living room, I was completely unaware that he verbalizes his habit of applying scripture to nearly everything in his life. I pray a silent word of gratitude. In my head I am grinning from ear to ear while shaking pom poms and jumping up and down on the side lines of the in-zone. SCORE!!

Desperately trying to keep a straight face, I inform him that he will NOT take his Bible to work with the intent to hit some one with it. Though, that WOULD be an entertaining thing to witness and I must admit that there are moments when I wish I could do just that. Hit someone over the head with my Bible. If they don't get it verbally, maybe they'll magically get it through Osmosis. Especially if I hit them hard enough.

James reminds us how very important it is for us to do what God has told us to do. We who are in the know - we followers of Jesus Christ - may be the only light that some will ever see. We may be
the only thing between a person and an eternity away from God. And while there are moments within which we may feel sheer frustration and fatigue while fighting what seems like an uphill battle - the fire behind the words spoken by James is LOVE.

It is not anger that drives James to remind people to share Jesus Christ. It was not anger that drove Jesus to the cross. It was love.

That is NOT to say that there aren't moments when it is, indeed, anger that we experience when faced with some anti-Christian challenges. Jesus himself experienced anger on the steps of God's Temple when he witnessed how man could be so blatantly disrespectful by using a holy place to make a profit. But it is love that inspired God's Living Word. It is love that God gives us when we least deserve it. It should be love, when we reach out to share that Word with others.

What do we do when we see a loved one make terrible life choices that don't reflect Jesus? What do we do when we watch a fellow church member slip and fall into sinful behavior? What do we do when we see that a fellow Christian is NOT doing something that we KNOW God has instructed him to do? Is our RE-action anger? Disgust? Pride?

How very, very blessed are we that Jesus does not hit US over the head with God's Word? There are very surly times when I'm certain that He must feel like it.