Scripture – Page 8 – A Writer's Daughter

Morning at the Laundromat

This morning I am at a laundromat. It’s an annual chore that I enjoy. Bedspreads are too heavy for my home washing machine so once a year I trek over to a neighboring community to give the bed covers a thorough cleaning in large professional machines.

I love the bright atmosphere and fresh scent of this well-kept laundromat. It intrigues me to observe people as they complete the task of laundry together. Moms and sometimes Dad keep up the loading, transferring and folding. Kids find ways to entertain themselves. Today, two toddlers push around wheeled laundry carts. A teenager babysits her younger sibling in front of a too loud TV. The Spanish channel (any channel!) blaring is the only unpleasant part of this experience for me. As I entered, an older woman left in a taxi with her morning’s work all done. It is good to see how others do life in ways different than my own.

I thrive on task completion. Checking off a job or errand on my “to do” list feels satisfying to me. This chore signifies that summer is in full swing; winter is packed away for a while. I am grateful for a measurable accomplishment in a life season that seems to have many unknowns.

My good friend Robin designs in textiles, including the quilts pictured. When my daughter worked for her, I learned much about the qualities, care and beautiful possibilities of fabric!

I was surprised on Sunday when my Pastor mentioned being “clean” in his sermon. Of course he was referring to spiritual cleanliness, not the clean that comes after a shower or even being free from substance abuse. I don’t think modern American culture emphasizes feelings of shame or guilt much, even when they may be appropriate. Some cultures do value honor and use shame as a deterrent. My pastor’s use of the term, however, indicates that we are self-aware of an unworthiness in ourselves, a falling short. In fact, the definition of sin is missing the mark. We have a sense that we should be cleaner. Across time, mankind has attempted to achieve purity in order to reach God. But as my pastor pointed out, God doesn’t ask us to get cleaned up for Him. Instead He allowed Jesus to get dirty for us. The task on the cross is accomplished and we have only to access the fresh life He offers. “Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:7 “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” 1 John 1:9

As I leave the laundromat, a woman and her adult son enter with their laundry baskets. I hope they will enjoy working together today, sharing conversation, and maybe taking a break at the nearby McDonald’s or the Dollar General next door. Such treats I also enjoy.

Robin hand-dyes cloth to produce custom pieces. She possesses amazing creativity and skill which she now uses to bless a community of women in Uganda. Find out more at Gloryboundministry.org

Spring into Summer

This blog post is long overdue. Originally I planned to title it “Spring Makeover” but that is now outdated. My busyness a year ago at this time came as our two kids married within seven weeks of each other! This year I find that springtime still kept me hopping. In education, testing and the associated preparation and paperwork all happen in the second half of the school year. Personally, we have travelled a lot and celebrated most of the family birthdays and anniversaries in the past few months.

It’s not quite meteorological summer but with the end of the school year and hot temps, it is summertime! Many of us think ‘makeover’ after the winter months. We want to get healthy, brighten our look and spiff up the wardrobe! As I mentioned, a year ago our family experienced the back-to-back weddings of our son and daughter. This meant that within a very short period of time I was both Mother of the Groom and Mother of the Bride. Though I didn’t go to a royal beauty spa as Queen Esther of the Bible did, I experienced an untypically high number of beauty appointments during those wedding months.

Two local beauticians handle my normal routines. Both women are similar in age and background and each of them own their small beauty business. With repeated visits, some patterns have emerged. One of them regularly shares about business hardships, difficult customers, high rent bills and bad employees. I try to be understanding in my response but much of her concern is the nature of the service industry and dealing with the public. She works hard and her business is successful. I like supporting her small enterprise.

I had a costly, time-consuming manicure for a beautiful occasion.

The other shop owner radiates sweetness. She too is a very hard worker which has kept her in business alone for many years. As a single parent, she is proudly sending her son off to college. She’s always grateful for customers and she’s friendly with everyone in the building. In fact, I met her through my husband, whose office was directly across the hall from her salon. It is truly a treat, not just a beauty treatment, to patronize her business.

And then there is Annie at the Clinique counter. Unlike some of the other Vogue-like models at make-up counters, Annie is maturing but cute and down to earth. She gives helpful make-up advice and calls to remind me when there’s a sale, because make-up is expensive and rarely discounted in department stores. I notice that Annie’s customers come from all walks of life and many greet her with a hug. I too feel pampered and prettier after my infrequent splurges there.

These three ladies remind me that how we do our work matters. Most of us choose the work we do, paid or not. We can approach our work and our coworkers and clients with joy and gratitude, even when the work is hard, the hours are long, the pay is low and . . . the people! Only God’s touch will perfect us, but a ready smile and a heart of thankfulness will be a beautiful blessing to those around us.

Romans 12:2a, 11 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.”

Irish Carpenters

A couple of Saturdays ago, my husband headed out for his regular weekend errand to the hardware store. I reminded him that we were in search of replacement feet for a new couch. The couch, an on-line purchase, cost us very little but it needed nicer legs.

He returned finding none at the store but suggested that he could easily make some. Checking a pile in the shed, he located some wood scraps to use. “They’re black walnut,” he raved. He then sketched a drawing with measurements, making sure the size fit the wood and that I approved. The design seemed to ideally suit the sofa.

Within an hour, my husband cut and fit a prototype and then completed the other three. Wood stain and varnish were applied and he let the pieces dry. By afternoon the legs were ready to be attached but special screws were needed. He took care of that too and the little couch wore perfect new shoes!

The sofa looked amazingly better with shaped wooden legs than it had with the original black plastic knobs. Sitting on it was also surprisingly more comfortable with another inch or two of height. I smiled that my husband had so easily crafted the new legs, seeming to enjoy every step of the project.

My husband learned his wood-working skills from his Irish grandfather. As a boy and teen he spent many hours accompanying his grandfather on handyman jobs. Most of his grandfather’s contracts were for painting and carpentry. My husband gained valuable skills over those years and, like his grandfather, had natural aptitude and found pleasure in wood-working.

Wood-working skills run in my family too on the Irish side. Although my grandfather was in business and retail, his store eventually specialized in “fine furniture” so he and my uncles became experts in furniture design and wood types and finishes. Two of my cousins continue in the wood-working business and I think my brother has “the knack” too.

All skills have value but carpentry is particularly useful and creative. Building brings satisfying results to both the maker and the eventual user. Basically all work, a job well done, rewards the worker and benefits the recipient (see blog post “The Work of Your Hands” March 2, 2017)

Jesus probably spent about twenty years in a carpentry shop working alongside his earthly father Joseph (Matthew 13:55). Though he needed no human fulfillment he experienced the tension of a puzzling project and the contentment of a finished product. He also knew about cutting errors, deadlines and nasty customers. I imagine that Jesus built as attractive a piece as Joseph’s small shop could sustain. Jesus was a carpenter before he traveled and preached, taught, healed, and performed many miracles, and then was nailed to a roughly constructed wooden cross for our sake.

One last thought that occurs to me regarding the little couch is the big difference just new feet made. The simple sofa looked and felt so much better! It causes me to ask myself, what small changes should I make for a noticeable improvement, especially considering Jesus’ death for me? It’s a prayer worth asking. “So then, since Christ suffered … you will be anxious to do the will of God.” 1 Peter 4:1a, 2b

Both of us claim Irish ancestry in our melting pot heritage.

Fully Known and Loved

What do the lyrics “fully known and loved” imply? God relates to us from a unique perspective. He created us and knew us individually even as we developed before birth (Psalm 139:13). God hears our words before we say them (Psalm 139:4). He knows the motives in our hearts, pure and impure (1 Chronicles 28:9, Matthew 9:4). We cannot escape Him, anywhere (Psalm 139:7-10, Romans 8:38-39)! Yet with all this insight into our personhood, which is often very unattractive, God loves us completely and unconditionally.

Last month as I prepared to serve an evening meal, my husband reached for his phone to make a call. I suggested that he wait until after dinner since I was nearly ready to put the food out. He went ahead with the call saying, “it won’t take long.” Twenty minutes later the call finally ended. The meal had gone cold as my irritation heated up. A perfectly nice dinner now needed rewarming and I was frustrated over wasted time.

Although my demeanor surely indicated my displeasure in the situation, I did not call him out on this inconvenience. The day had been a snow day off work for us. We had taken a beautiful walk around a nearby lake and enjoyed coffee together afterward. Additionally, my husband had helped a neighbor with a broken snowblower. I had heard that the neighbor needed a part or service recommendation and I knew my husband’s knack for fixing stuff. I sent him over and he soon got the machine running again to the great delight and relief of our neighbor! So, in my heart, I pardoned the delayed dinner for the previous goodnesses earlier in the day.

Human grace provides a dim glimpse of the lavish grace God grants us though we are completely undeserving of it. Tauren Wells calls it “ridiculous grace.” “Fully known and loved” encapsulates the extreme nature of God’s affection for us as the song “Known” conveys beautifully; I hope you will listen and enjoy. Today is a great day to accept God’s love and grace for you.

I enjoy putting together simple holiday wreaths.

Speak Your Truth, Really? A Crossroads – Part 3

In part 2 of this blog series, I laid out some options for making regular Scripture reading part of your life routine (“Speak Your Truth, Really? A Plan” January 3, 2019). I shared that many types of Bible reading plans exist and they can be adapted to one’s available time and one’s familiarity with Scripture. I also explained that several years ago, I began a Bible reading plan that incorporates different sections of the Bible into a single reading. It is a self-paced plan and I included in that post a photo of the lovely bookmarks my daughter made for me, to keep my four places.

Last summer, as I was following along in this reading routine, I came across specific references to God’s concern for prisoners or “captives” in three of my four passages. This kind of thing has happened before. One passage quotes another that I’ve just read, or a previous event is referenced in a following passage. These are not coincidences; they are proof that God’s Word is a unified message from Him, and that God powerfully works through His Words. As I read the Bible that day trusting it as True, I came to a crossroads. How would I follow-through on God’s concern for the incarcerated?

For years I have known about an organization that provides Bible study materials to prisoners. Volunteers check the lessons and return them to the prisoners with a letter of encouragement. I had always thought it would be a great opportunity. With the clear reminders in Scripture that day, I knew that’s what I must do. I hesitate to share my commitment with you because Jesus said to keep our good works to ourselves since He knows what we’re doing (Matthew 6:1-6). We are told not to boast (Matthew 23:1-12). But as this pertains to how Bible readers must respond, I cautiously tell you this story.

After scoring the Bible lesson, I write a letter. I ended this letter by composing a prayer for both of us.

Crossroads Prison Ministry developed a Bible study program designed specifically for those in prison. It’s a leveled series broken into weekly lessons. Prisoners sign up to become a Bible student and Crossroads Ministry sends them lessons. Students mail the finished lessons back to Crossroads who document completion and pass it on to a mentor like me. Mentors receive one lesson each week. We check the answers with an answer key and then write a letter encouraging them, based on thoughts they share through the lessons. Mentors return the graded lesson and letter to the prisoner in a Crossroads envelope, signing only our first name. Thousands of incarcerated individuals are doing these lessons and Crossroads Ministry needs more mentors. This is why I wanted to tell you my story about obeying Scripture. Crossroads Prison Ministry can be found at http://www.cpministries.org

I can’t leave you with the false impression that I always follow-through fully on everything God challenges me to obey in Scripture. There is much that I neglect or violate. Such is sin and needs correction. You may have heard the expression, “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven.” That’s how it is. Believers trust Jesus to accomplish redemption because we can’t accomplish that on our own. The life of a Christian seeks to walk more fully in God’s ways each day (Colossians 1:10, 2:6).

Speak Your Truth, Really? A Plan – Part 2

My blog post from December 31, 2018 focused on truth, as demonstrated by the life and words of Jesus. I would like to continue briefly on the subject of truth.

Jesus spoke to us about acknowledging Him and the truth He taught. All the Bible contains God’s words to us. In fact, the Bible is commonly referred to as “The Word of God.” In describing the Bible, a simple comparison illustrates its function well. The Bible is like an owner’s manual. God created the world and mankind. He also wrote the guide that explains how it all works. To figure out life, the world, truth and purpose we should read the directions, the Bible.

At New Year’s you may be thinking about trying to read the Bible more. There are many ways to approach Bible reading. Several years ago, I began a method of daily Bible reading that works well for me. On most days I read an Old Testament passage, a Gospel chapter, a New Testament selection plus a Psalm. I certainly miss days, even several days frequently, but it’s my plan. There are two reasons that I like this approach: 1) it is well-rounded, giving me the full flavor of Scripture in a sitting; 2) I don’t worry about getting behind and trying to catch up. My method may be a bit much for you so do something that works for you. Also, if you’re just getting started in Bible reading get a Bible version that is easy to understand such as The New Living Translation or The Message.

Here is a link to some ideas on Bible reading: https://kenboa.org/biblical/bible-reading-guide/. In February my church will start a chronological reading plan covering the whole Bible. I will be happy to share that later with anyone who asks.

For the New Year, Isaiah 55:11 is the Lord’s great promise about His Word. It is below first in the classic King James version and then in the modern Good News Translation:

¹¹So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

¹¹So also will be the word that I speak—
it will not fail to do what I plan for it;
it will do everything I send it to do.

My daughter inscribed bookmarks for me, with hand drawn verses for each section of Scripture.

Speak Your Truth, Really? Part 1

This fall I attended an all-day workshop for teachers. As is often the case, one of the first slides of the PowerPoint displayed the norms for the day. One expectation out of the fairly short list stated “Speak your truth.” That jolted me awake! As educators, I expected a better understanding of the English language!

Truth is something that is veritable in all situations. Truth is not dependent on circumstances or personality. Truth stays the same; is absolute. I am not a grammar expert but putting the possessive pronoun “your” before “truth” is an oxymoron, a faux pas or just plain poor writing. Pairing “your” with “truth” suggests that a colleague’s truth could be different than my truth. If that is the case, that there are multiple versions of truth, then the topic is no longer truth but experiences, feelings or opinions.

Sadly, the presenters didn’t miscommunicate their intentions. They, like many, believe that truth is relative and that kindness, respect and peace are best achieved by accepting all ideas equally. Nothing in the workshop was particularly controversial. Conflict was unlikely during the training but expecting tolerance is admirable and may be necessary in this day and age, especially in a region that is extremely diverse. Of course every participant’s contributions are valued! Unfortunately, the presenters missed the point by misusing the term ‘truth.’

As we come to the end of the Christmas season and look ahead to the New Year, we can reflect on Jesus’ words about his own coming to Earth. To his interrogator Pilate Jesus said, “In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.” (John 18:37) Jesus was born as a baby, leaving behind His heavenly privilege, so we could experience truth. Jesus spoke the truth and He talked about true things and unchanging principles. He even called Himself truth when He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” (John 14:6)

Christmas cards artfully portray Jesus and His various names. Christmas carols include His names too. He is called Prince of Peace, Light of the World, and Lamb of God, to list just a few. Each of these names and His many others represent something true about Jesus the Savior, the Son of God. May you be greatly encouraged that Jesus’ birth and purpose are true and real; may you not fall prey to believing that there is any other Truth.

There is a funny story about this photo. I saw this nativity scene in a nursing home, while visiting a family member. On our first visit, the manger was empty with no baby Jesus. I joked with someone that possibly one of the residents had picked up the baby Jesus; some of them like to carry doll babies and often mistakenly take things. It turns out that the Catholic tradition is to leave the manger empty until Christmas Day. Happily, baby Jesus arrived on Christmas!

Speak Your Truth, Really?

All Creatures Great and Small

Did you read the classic James Herriott stories retelling the experiences of an English country veterinarian? I thoroughly enjoyed reading the detailed, even graphic accounts of treating farm animals and working among simple folks in rural Yorkshire. The veterinarian turned author wrote a series of four books and he gave each a title from an English hymn: All Creatures Bright and Beautiful, All Creatures Great and Small, All Creatures Wise and Wonderful, and The Lord God Made Them All.

This delicate flower named Toad Lily is blooming in my yard now.

Cecil Frances Alexander wrote those words in 1848. Her lyrics reflected tenants of The Apostles Creed and may have been inspired by Psalm 104. The poem’s wording also echoed a stanza from Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s “Rime of the Ancient Mariner.” Whatever her inspiration, the concept of God’s creatures is now well-established in the English lexicon.

Amazing how the moth perfectly mimics the leaf.

All God’s creatures, great and small, amaze me. I’m not a biologist (that’s my husband and daughter) but I appreciate the order, complexity, beauty, and creativity of living things, especially little things like flowers and insects. Field botany and biology courses in college piqued my interest in God’s tiniest creatures, starting with microscopic algae! My classmates and I collected, preserved and identified an assortment of plants and bugs. We became quite competitive regarding the varieties and sizes of our specimens, which would partially determine our course grade. I give much credit to one of my professors, Dr. Dorothy Chappell, who always pointed the origins of our amazing world to its amazing Creator.

Never did figure out what insect this was. It was about 4 inches long; maybe an unusual dragonfly variety.

God’s created organisms can all rightly be called God’s creatures, but another phrase is not so accurate. “God’s children” is an expression that some use to refer to all people. This is a misnomer. God’s children are those who have joined God’s family by means of repentance of their self-sufficiency, claiming instead dependence on God’s forgiving work through Jesus alone. Those are the only ones who can rightly be called “God’s children.” John 3:16 tells us that this opportunity is open to all, but the choice is ours.

The ‘walking stick’ and the featured praying mantis are two of my favorite insects. I see the incredible uniqueness of God’s handiwork in them.

The letter or epistle of First John (not the Gospel of John) uses the expression “children of God” several times. My pastor, David Platt, is currently preaching a sermon series on this book of the Bible. His sermons on First John can be found on-line at www.mcleanbible.org/sermons.

“A Writer’s Daughter” Turns Two

August marked the two-year anniversary of my blog. I enjoy the discipline of writing and posting. Ideas and topics come to me regularly and I pair them with what I pray are appropriate Scriptures. For me, the challenges of blogging include technical issues and the pictures. I can’t always navigate the WordPress software and ‘sharing’ through social media sometimes goes awry. Last spring, I attempted to strengthen my photography skills by enrolling in a class. Then our daughter got engaged and we plunged into wedding planning for her July wedding. I flunked the class because I couldn’t complete the homework; so much for the teacher being a student!

Thank you for subscribing to my blog. If I had a goal for my blog, it would be to increase the number of subscribers, however I am not fussing over my statistics. I write in response to God’s prompting. When I introduced my blog, a friend expressed her hope that it would reach millions. Such success is unlikely, but I will follow through faithfully. The Bible tells us to be faithful in the small things (Luke 16:10), so I plan to continue posting. The song “Dream Small” by Josh Wilson captures this message. He says, “simple moments change the world … find little ways.” Many amazing things happen in the world because of the obedience of ordinary people in seemingly insignificant ways. Watch the song below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOBaLrItEyc

I snapped this as Dad sweetened his Dunkin coffee.

As I created my blog two years ago, two parallel ideas emerged in my mind: God as The Author and my father’s writing career. My blog is not meant to be a tribute to my Dad but I am happy to acknowledge his wonderful influences. I had a special chance to spend time alone with him this summer while my mother was out of town for a funeral. Though my dad is experiencing some age-related declines we enjoyed the extended visit. He shared an idea he has for a new book and he asked about my writing. We discussed gardening and he kept me company on errand running. Dunkin Donuts is a favorite spot for us and we discovered a Russian gourmet store in the same shopping center. We stopped in to eye all the Slavic goodies. I asked the clerk to speak to my Dad. Dad responded with a robust Ukrainian phrase, sounding quite authentic!

I look forward to writing on as I continue being blessed by the presence of my earthly father* and my Heavenly Father. Thank you for your part in this calling.

*My friend Seth Barnes recently shared blogs of time with his aging dad. www.sethbarnes.com

Welcome Back Teachers

The Master Teacher

The Master Teacher, Jesus, taught a lesson on humility and children:

” He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.’ ” portions of Matthew 18:2-11

This object lesson strongly cautions those of us who work with children. With the little one before Him, Jesus warned us not to mislead children or cause them to sin. One of my saddest days of teaching was the day I witnessed a teacher compel some students to be dishonest. The kids were working on a project and realized it was time to go to another school activity. When they reminded their teacher that it was time to go, the teacher said, “No, we’ll just tell them we forgot.” I watched the children react in bewilderment as they realized their teacher suggested that they tell a lie. It broke my heart but I could not intervene. All of us err; every teacher, including me, has said or done something we later regret. It is encouraging to see that God protects young hearts and minds with His angels.

In my classroom preparation this week, I had to reread the school handbook. It states that school personnel shall not impose their “biases” on students. At times, teachers may sense a conflict between covering required curriculum and misleading students into ideas and behavior contrary to God’s standards and Biblical truth. Teachers of faith who have given Jesus charge of their lives can trust God to help them navigate that struggle. All of us can shine wherever God places us.

Teachers, have a great year!

NOTE: I am annexing this post to a previous post. Both posts start with a longer portion of Scripture and both address the Christian and culture.

One Nation Under God

My usual writing process is to share an experience and some thoughts, ending with an appropriate Scripture quote. Today on America’s birthday, I will let Scripture speak for itself. This passage, though addressed to God’s people as they inhabit their new land, parallels modern life in Western culture. In affluence and intelligence, God can be forgotten and society credits itself for its success.

1”Be careful to obey all the commands I am giving you today. Then you will live and multiply, and you will enter and occupy the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors.

⁶“So obey the commands of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and fearing him. ⁷For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land of flowing streams and pools of water, with fountains and springs that gush out in the valleys and hills. ⁸It is a land of wheat and barley; of grapevines, fig trees, and pomegranates; of olive oil and honey. ⁹It is a land where food is plentiful and nothing is lacking. It is a land where iron is as common as stone, and copper is abundant in the hills. ¹⁰When you have eaten your fill, be sure to praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.

¹¹“But that is the time to be careful! Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey his commands, regulations, and decrees that I am giving you today.¹²For when you have become full and prosperous and have built fine homes to live in, ¹³and when your flocks and herds have become very large and your silver and gold have multiplied along with everything else, be careful! ¹⁴Do not become proud at that time and forget the Lord your God, He did all this so you would never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.’ ¹⁸Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.

¹⁹“But I assure you of this: If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods, worshiping and bowing down to them, you will certainly be destroyed. Deuteronomy 8: 1, 6 -14, 18 – 19 New Living Translation