He was circling in on me like a glider coursing to a target. Engulfed in a magazine in a hangar-sized hospital waiting room, I was sitting in one of the hundred plus seats. Only two others were occupied.
A person who I had never met before, hovered near. I glanced up; he sat down in the seat right next to me.
Ernie immediately said, “I collect coins.” Grabbing his belt buckle, he reported: “This is the first silver dollar they made.” Still processing the oddity of our instant-conversation, I said: “That’s interesting.” An 1878 Morgan Silver Dollar was ornately integrated into the buckle.
He then pulled a coin in a sticky-note-sized protective holder from his pocket. Ernie said, “Have you ever seen an Indian Head Penny?” He retrieved coin after coin from his pockets. With each appearance, he told their story.
The coins were precious to Ernie. Price tags were still affixed to the cardboard packaging.
When the coin show ended, he told me some sad life-stories. My pondering mind shifted from coins, to illness, to what I could offer of spiritual value.
The book of Proverbs says: “She is more precious than rubies and all things you may desire cannot compare with her.” This is not referencing coins, but wisdom. Godly wisdom.
And like precious coins, godly wisdom can be examined for specific details. The Bible says: “The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.”
We need to collect godly wisdom. Someone like Ernie may just need a person to talk with. His wife had Alzheimer’s and his appointment was for blood work. Do you think Ernie might need some of that pure, peaceable, gentle advice from above?
Yes. . .everyone does.
11/25/06
11/18/06
A MESSAGE FROM GOD
“I think the Lord was speaking to me,” Marilyn told me.
This happened mid-afternoon while she was lying on her bed. The last few days had not been pleasant. Once again depression gripped her emotions combined with a bout of illness.
A breeze wafted in through the half open window. The pages of her Bible, which was open on the bed, fluttered. Marilyn thought: “That’s weird.” Looking down, her eyes connected with a Bible verse. “After you have suffered a while you will be restored to joy and happiness,” Marilyn said. “Well, something like that.”
It was just what she needed—a message from God. Marilyn has endured more physical and emotional health issues than almost anyone I know.
I was excited: “Wow, that’s really something. Where is that verse at in the Bible?” She said, “I’m not sure, but I will find it for you.” A couple of days passed. Then I asked her again about the verse’s Biblical location. Marilyn replied, “I guess I lost it.”
I have done the same thing. I have read scriptures that were like fireflies flashing on the page. The very words invigorated my spirit. With time, I would let the life-changing verse fade away from memory. Or the piece of paper I wrote it on ended up a withered piece of trash.
The Bible says: “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” We falter, forget and fail; yet God and His Word are continually active.
Lost your message from God? Or maybe you have never received one. Pray this: “God I need a message from You.” Now don’t wait for the wind to blow your Bible open. You open the Bible. And read. God has a message for you.
Don’t lose it.
This happened mid-afternoon while she was lying on her bed. The last few days had not been pleasant. Once again depression gripped her emotions combined with a bout of illness.
A breeze wafted in through the half open window. The pages of her Bible, which was open on the bed, fluttered. Marilyn thought: “That’s weird.” Looking down, her eyes connected with a Bible verse. “After you have suffered a while you will be restored to joy and happiness,” Marilyn said. “Well, something like that.”
It was just what she needed—a message from God. Marilyn has endured more physical and emotional health issues than almost anyone I know.
I was excited: “Wow, that’s really something. Where is that verse at in the Bible?” She said, “I’m not sure, but I will find it for you.” A couple of days passed. Then I asked her again about the verse’s Biblical location. Marilyn replied, “I guess I lost it.”
I have done the same thing. I have read scriptures that were like fireflies flashing on the page. The very words invigorated my spirit. With time, I would let the life-changing verse fade away from memory. Or the piece of paper I wrote it on ended up a withered piece of trash.
The Bible says: “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” We falter, forget and fail; yet God and His Word are continually active.
Lost your message from God? Or maybe you have never received one. Pray this: “God I need a message from You.” Now don’t wait for the wind to blow your Bible open. You open the Bible. And read. God has a message for you.
Don’t lose it.
11/11/06
TURN A LIFE AROUND
Madison smiled. She’s seven. Until three days ago, I never remember seeing her smile.
Perpetually somber, that was Madison. Even more, her soft child-featured face was already shaded with a worried-adult cast.
The Bible refers often to “countenance—the facial indication of mood and emotion.” One of the first references says: “Then the LORD said . . . . why has your countenance fallen?”
I have asked myself—why? The conclusion? Her countenance is a reflection of her challenging life. I see Madison about once a week. She lives in an area crowded with mobile homes in an array of disrepair, some abandoned. Extreme unemployment and fractured families fuel hopelessness.
When teenagers at my church found out, I was asked, “What can we do to help?”
They decided to purchase back-to-school supplies for the kids in Madison’s neighbor. So, on Wednesday Ruben, Megan, Kayla and I went on a mission, delivering their purchases--backpacks stuffed with essentials.
The next time Madison saw me she ran up to my van. I rolled the window down, she said, “My mommy wants to thank you for the things.” Then Madison smiled. So did I. Her white-toothed grin tingled my emotions.
And then I saw Madison smile again. And again.
Theorizing what happened, this Proverb kept flickering into my brain: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” The Message Bible says it this way: “Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick, but a sudden good break can turn life around.”
Think about this. Because some teenagers decided to spend their own money to bring hope into the lives of kids they had never met, there is the distinct possibility they may have turned a life around.
Call it a faith-stretch to believe. Not for me. I saw Madison smile.
Perpetually somber, that was Madison. Even more, her soft child-featured face was already shaded with a worried-adult cast.
The Bible refers often to “countenance—the facial indication of mood and emotion.” One of the first references says: “Then the LORD said . . . . why has your countenance fallen?”
I have asked myself—why? The conclusion? Her countenance is a reflection of her challenging life. I see Madison about once a week. She lives in an area crowded with mobile homes in an array of disrepair, some abandoned. Extreme unemployment and fractured families fuel hopelessness.
When teenagers at my church found out, I was asked, “What can we do to help?”
They decided to purchase back-to-school supplies for the kids in Madison’s neighbor. So, on Wednesday Ruben, Megan, Kayla and I went on a mission, delivering their purchases--backpacks stuffed with essentials.
The next time Madison saw me she ran up to my van. I rolled the window down, she said, “My mommy wants to thank you for the things.” Then Madison smiled. So did I. Her white-toothed grin tingled my emotions.
And then I saw Madison smile again. And again.
Theorizing what happened, this Proverb kept flickering into my brain: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” The Message Bible says it this way: “Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick, but a sudden good break can turn life around.”
Think about this. Because some teenagers decided to spend their own money to bring hope into the lives of kids they had never met, there is the distinct possibility they may have turned a life around.
Call it a faith-stretch to believe. Not for me. I saw Madison smile.
11/7/06
A FRIENDSHIP SPIRALING TOWARD MEANINGLESS
Robert will never know how many times I have cried. With desperate prayers and enduring, seemingly endless faith; I maintained hope that Robert could get off drugs and live for God.
Now an almost more difficult thought arises: “God are you releasing me? Have I done everything possible to help Robert?”
Sometimes while crying for him, I would get a picture in my mind, a vision for his future. I would see him drug free, living sold-out for God--serving God in ministry.
As we drove that morning, we were both silent. Finally I said, “What happened Robert?” He indignantly replied, “I don’t want to talk about it.” I pushed. He rebelled, “You always want to nitpick.”
This was our fourth drive to a drug rehab facility in eight years. Still, he wasn’t getting better—just worse.
A scripture Robert probably has memorized says: “Know the truth and the truth will set you free.” That is what I wanted to talk about—truth. Robert didn’t want truth. It was becoming apparent our friendship was spiraling toward meaningless.
Now I had to face a truth in my life. When do you step away, leave a relationship with someone you are trying to help?
The Bible says: “For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful . . . but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near being cursed, whose end is to be burned.”
All I see for produce in the Robert-garden is thorns and briers. And I fear for his end.
God only gives us so many hours a day to work for Him. We need to pray more often: “God, help me know which gardening, which efforts will produce the most for Your Kingdom.”
Now an almost more difficult thought arises: “God are you releasing me? Have I done everything possible to help Robert?”
Sometimes while crying for him, I would get a picture in my mind, a vision for his future. I would see him drug free, living sold-out for God--serving God in ministry.
As we drove that morning, we were both silent. Finally I said, “What happened Robert?” He indignantly replied, “I don’t want to talk about it.” I pushed. He rebelled, “You always want to nitpick.”
This was our fourth drive to a drug rehab facility in eight years. Still, he wasn’t getting better—just worse.
A scripture Robert probably has memorized says: “Know the truth and the truth will set you free.” That is what I wanted to talk about—truth. Robert didn’t want truth. It was becoming apparent our friendship was spiraling toward meaningless.
Now I had to face a truth in my life. When do you step away, leave a relationship with someone you are trying to help?
The Bible says: “For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful . . . but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near being cursed, whose end is to be burned.”
All I see for produce in the Robert-garden is thorns and briers. And I fear for his end.
God only gives us so many hours a day to work for Him. We need to pray more often: “God, help me know which gardening, which efforts will produce the most for Your Kingdom.”
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