I bought some fidget spinners yesterday -- they were in a basket at Wal-Mart. I am always looking for a good deal on little items like this. They were on clearance for $1 each. These little spinning gadgets were promoted as helping relieve nerves and helping children with ADHD or autism stay calm and focused.
Fidget spinners quickly became the latest fad and every child wanted one. I must admit they are mesmerizing. In no way am I saying there is something wrong with fidget spinners! If I thought that way I wouldn't have bought any. Still, I'm thinking to be on sale for $1.00 when they were originally going for $5.00 each Wal Mart must have overbought by a pretty wide margin.
Before I put them in my own basket though, I texted a few of my friends. "Can you use a fidget spinner for a devotional?" One responded, "Sometimes we find ourselves going in circles ... are we actually doing something or just busy work?" She made an excellent point.
What do fidget spinners do? They go around in circles. It's neat to watch. Like my friend said sometimes our lives are like that. We may go in circles constantly. How? Well, we go from home to work, to a child's ball practice or other activity, to home for supper and finally it is bed time.
Then we get up the next morning and do it all over again never giving a second thought about our Heavenly Father who loves us and gave us the ability to work and our children to love. Remember - everything we have comes from Him. This is true whether or not we give Him the credit or take the time to say "Thank you, God."
I know we have to earn a living in this world and our earthly lives are a continuous cycle of repetitive events. However, if we are only going along to get along then we are just engaging in busy work. If we don't thank God, if we don't remind our children to thank God, if we don't try to teach them about good sportsmanship when they are at that ball practice, if we don't ever let them hear us pray or tell them that God loves them more than we do -- well, then we really are just going in circles.
Moving forward would be so much better don't you think? If our goal is heaven, then we need to move toward the strait gate. We must keep this goal ever in our minds. I know it's not always easy to do. Our lives are so busy ... but Jesus said "All things are possible with God" (Mark 10:27).
Keeping God in our life makes it so much richer. Giving the Father and Son first place allows to have access to the abundant life Jesus promised us (John 10:10). Our life has so much more meaning when we are trying to live for Him. Our faith, hope and joy in Christ enhances every experience.
Think about watching that fidget spinner spin. We like to watch it go round and round so fast the individual prongs lose their singular identity. They just become a blur. Don't you imagine that old devil loves to see us so preoccupied, spinning so fast in our earthly lives we lose our spiritual identity? I think he loves us seeing us lose.
We can step out of that seemingly perpetual circle. Remember Proverbs 3:6 - "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths." Keeping Him in our lives will help us keep things straight. We won't be going around in circles and never get anywhere. We won't be just doing busy work. We will have a purpose to our lives. We will have hope through Christ.
Seek God and you will find Him. Stop spinning around aimlessly. Keep Jesus in your life. It will truly be worth it because God promises "In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death." Proverbs 12:28
Christ above all things,
Robin
Sunday, January 21, 2018
Saturday, January 13, 2018
A Little Boy and a Can of Soda
He was so little - only five years old. He was my baby. Together with his big brother we were embarking on a new adventure -- something we had never done together before but would do for several years after. We spent a week at Maywood Christian camp together.
I went fully expecting Alex would be in the cabin with me. After all, camping age was officially 8 -- meaning even the youngest of the boy campers would be at least 2 to 3 years older than Alex. We know the way mothers feel about their children. He was -- is -- and will always be -- my baby. For most of us, the memories go too deep and the heart is too full for it to be any other way.
My expectations were not to be reality. When we arrived at camp, the co-director suggested Alex be put in the cabin with the other little boys. What? How could this be? Those boys who were so much older and bigger than he was. How would he ever make it?
Needless to say, I was extremely hesitant about the whole thing. But Tony assured he would be in great hands. The young men who were taking care of the youngest set of boys were great guys and Alex would be fine. "Yeah, right!" I thought to myself. In an effort to persuade me, Tony suggested I let him stay on the boys' hill one night and if Alex was unhappy he could come back to be with me.
I finally agreed to the one night deal. I honestly thought that would be it and surely both Alex and I could live through one night. I still don't remember where we got the extra bedding for his bunk, but I helped Alex get set up in his cabin for that 'one night.' I noticed how excited he was, but still didn't think it would last.
I was so wrong!! I barely saw my little boy the rest of the week! He would race past me with all the other boys and glance quickly my way, but never wave or speak. To acknowledge his mother was there would be weakness. It would somehow mean he wasn't as big as the other boys. So from a distance I watched my little Alex fall in love with the same Christian camp I loved as a young girl.
He went at everything 200%. He always has. Only once during that week did he seek me out for anything. It was one night during our "canteen break." He bought a canned soda to me and asked me to open it for him. I said I would if he would give me a hug.
The cost was too high. I didn't get my hug. Alex just took the can, sat it on the bench beside me, turned around and walked away. I should have known it was too much to ask of a little boy trying to prove himself.
I suppose Alex and I both learned some things that week. He learned the love and joy we share at one of our favorite places in the world. If I never realized it before, I certainly knew then how independent my little fella was. I learned he could actually get along without his mom being with him at every turn.
These memories are bittersweet. Most mothers are happy to see their children grow up and watch their world expand. Yet it is a little sad to know their ever expanding world means we will be a smaller part of it. We miss all the times when they loved to be with us and would tell us everything about their day.
When I think about this, I realize how sad it must make our Heavenly Father when we don't spend as much time with Him as we should. After all He is our Creator. He loves us so much He gave us His only Son.
From the very beginning all God has ever wanted is to be with us. He wants us to talk to Him about everything. Does He watch eagerly as we run through our day hoping for some kind of acknowledgement? How does He feel when He gets barely a sideways glance from us?
As humans, sometimes we have to grow into a certain amount of maturity before we are no longer embarrassed by our parents or their presence in our lives. At some point it no longer bothers us to hug our mom in public. Likewise, we have to reach a certain amount of spiritual maturity to proclaim the presence of God in our lives.
As our Heavenly Father, God wants us to be happy in our lives. He wants the best for us here on earth - yet at the same time, He wants us to remember Him. Is the cost too high for us? Like Alex, do we set the soda can down and walk away?
In Luke 9:22 Christ foretells his death and resurrection. He then challenges His listeners in verse 23, saying "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it."
Granted, it is not always easy to follow our Savior - to live as He did, to teach what He taught and do good to all we meet like Jesus did. Darkness resists light and the devil will always battle for our souls.
The challenge to follow Him comes directly after He predicts His death at the hands of others. It is interesting to note He also foretells of His own miraculous resurrection. In a nutshell, Christ said "I will die, but live again. Live for Me -even if it cost your life - then you will live with me."
The promise of eternal life comes just before the challenge to take up our cross. So what kind of blessings do we lose when we fail to follow our Savior? The living water of Christ is far more valuable than a can of soda!
Christ above all things,
Robin
I went fully expecting Alex would be in the cabin with me. After all, camping age was officially 8 -- meaning even the youngest of the boy campers would be at least 2 to 3 years older than Alex. We know the way mothers feel about their children. He was -- is -- and will always be -- my baby. For most of us, the memories go too deep and the heart is too full for it to be any other way.
My expectations were not to be reality. When we arrived at camp, the co-director suggested Alex be put in the cabin with the other little boys. What? How could this be? Those boys who were so much older and bigger than he was. How would he ever make it?
Needless to say, I was extremely hesitant about the whole thing. But Tony assured he would be in great hands. The young men who were taking care of the youngest set of boys were great guys and Alex would be fine. "Yeah, right!" I thought to myself. In an effort to persuade me, Tony suggested I let him stay on the boys' hill one night and if Alex was unhappy he could come back to be with me.
I finally agreed to the one night deal. I honestly thought that would be it and surely both Alex and I could live through one night. I still don't remember where we got the extra bedding for his bunk, but I helped Alex get set up in his cabin for that 'one night.' I noticed how excited he was, but still didn't think it would last.
I was so wrong!! I barely saw my little boy the rest of the week! He would race past me with all the other boys and glance quickly my way, but never wave or speak. To acknowledge his mother was there would be weakness. It would somehow mean he wasn't as big as the other boys. So from a distance I watched my little Alex fall in love with the same Christian camp I loved as a young girl.
He went at everything 200%. He always has. Only once during that week did he seek me out for anything. It was one night during our "canteen break." He bought a canned soda to me and asked me to open it for him. I said I would if he would give me a hug.
The cost was too high. I didn't get my hug. Alex just took the can, sat it on the bench beside me, turned around and walked away. I should have known it was too much to ask of a little boy trying to prove himself.
I suppose Alex and I both learned some things that week. He learned the love and joy we share at one of our favorite places in the world. If I never realized it before, I certainly knew then how independent my little fella was. I learned he could actually get along without his mom being with him at every turn.
These memories are bittersweet. Most mothers are happy to see their children grow up and watch their world expand. Yet it is a little sad to know their ever expanding world means we will be a smaller part of it. We miss all the times when they loved to be with us and would tell us everything about their day.
When I think about this, I realize how sad it must make our Heavenly Father when we don't spend as much time with Him as we should. After all He is our Creator. He loves us so much He gave us His only Son.
From the very beginning all God has ever wanted is to be with us. He wants us to talk to Him about everything. Does He watch eagerly as we run through our day hoping for some kind of acknowledgement? How does He feel when He gets barely a sideways glance from us?
As humans, sometimes we have to grow into a certain amount of maturity before we are no longer embarrassed by our parents or their presence in our lives. At some point it no longer bothers us to hug our mom in public. Likewise, we have to reach a certain amount of spiritual maturity to proclaim the presence of God in our lives.
As our Heavenly Father, God wants us to be happy in our lives. He wants the best for us here on earth - yet at the same time, He wants us to remember Him. Is the cost too high for us? Like Alex, do we set the soda can down and walk away?
In Luke 9:22 Christ foretells his death and resurrection. He then challenges His listeners in verse 23, saying "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it."
Granted, it is not always easy to follow our Savior - to live as He did, to teach what He taught and do good to all we meet like Jesus did. Darkness resists light and the devil will always battle for our souls.
The challenge to follow Him comes directly after He predicts His death at the hands of others. It is interesting to note He also foretells of His own miraculous resurrection. In a nutshell, Christ said "I will die, but live again. Live for Me -even if it cost your life - then you will live with me."
The promise of eternal life comes just before the challenge to take up our cross. So what kind of blessings do we lose when we fail to follow our Savior? The living water of Christ is far more valuable than a can of soda!
Christ above all things,
Robin
Saturday, January 6, 2018
Promises, Frames and Gears
I have a friend named Esther. She has one of the most positive attitudes I've ever seen. Every Tuesday Esther sends a spiritually encouraging text to several others. Because the messages are always so upbeat, I look forward to hearing from her every week.
This week's message was especially thought provoking. Esther made so many good points; but two or three statements really stuck with me. The thoughts she shared kept running through my mind --probably because I needed to learn from them.
I will quote my friend -- "We ask the Lord to deliver us from satan's evils and not get caught up in promises made and not kept through the year." Did you get that? Don't dwell on promises made but not kept. Excellent advice, don't you think?
How many of us waste so much time trifling over unkept promises? So many situations come to mind. We might think of promises others made to us, or those we made to others, or even of promises we made to ourselves. Friends and loved ones sometimes disappoint us -- even when they have no intention whatsoever of doing so. Someone might promise never to hurt us or raise their voice in anger or complete a task within a certain time frame.
Let's be honest here. Sometimes we make promises we can't keep. We may speak them in good faith - fully hoping to live up to our words. We are all human. Life happens. Sometimes we forget. Sometimes we set unrealistic expectations for ourselves or others. Sometimes we stop caring. We cannot let these situations hold us back.
Parts of my past that haunt me the most are promises I made and didn't or couldn't keep. But we can't ever expect to move forward if we allow ourselves to stay wrapped up in the past. That includes an unkept promise - regardless of who made it.
Esther was right. Getting caught up in promises made and not kept through the year -- well, that keeps us in the old year. When we do, we prevent ourselves from moving on to opportunities of the new year. Maybe we should learn what we can from the experiences and move on. Christ said, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62 ESV).
I think being fit for the kingdom is the point Esther was trying to make. Getting caught up in the negative keeps us from finding the positive all around us. She went on to say "let's get this year rolling in the right frame of mind and gear, giving God all the praise and glory." This statement also stuck with me.
Our frame of mind refers to our mental or emotional attitude or mood. We certainly can't give God praise and glory if we aren't mentally prepared to do so. Consider Colossians 3:1-4. I think these verses fit perfectly into the discussion here:
"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."
If we have our minds set on things above, then we will be able give our lives to Christ. We will be in the right frame of mind -- have the right attitude -- to love Him as we should. If we love Christ as we should, we will love others as He did. Then our own lives will be hidden and those around us will see Christ in us. Seeking the things above will bring us to glory with Christ. Oh how wonderful will that be!
It takes a lot of work and discipline to keep our minds centered on the Savior. Yet it is the only way to win the battle over the devil. Paul goes on to list all the earthly things we are to lay aside in order to live the new life Christ would have us to live. We must leave the worldly life behind.
Changing our minds help us change our actions. In Romans 12:1-2 we are exhorted to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. I don't know if my friend Esther had this scripture in mind, but I think she was right on target. We can't become like our Father if we aren't in the right frame of mind.
The apostle Paul tells the Ephesians much the same thing in Ephesians 4: 22-24. He exhorts them to leave their old way of life of corruption. He also tells them how to accomplish this goal - "to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."
Esther also mentioned getting in the right gear for the new year. Well, what about that? Merriam-Webster on-line dictionary defines getting in gear as working more energetically or effectively. Shouldn't we all want to work energetically and effectively toward getting to heaven? The word zeal comes to my mind here.
Think about gears. Many things need some type of gear to work. Gears have been used in machines for a long time. An automobile needs to be in the right gear to move forward. In neutral no power moves from the engine to the wheels or other moving parts of the vehicle.
Similarly, we can't get to heaven by remaining in spiritual neutrality. We have to be moving forward standing for righteousness and holiness. Yes, we definitely have to be in the right gear -- serving our Father effectively and energetically.
In Philippians 3, Paul focused on one thing: forgetting what was behind and looking forward to the future, he continued (pressed) on toward the "prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (v. 13-14). If we are to be found faithful, we must stay focused on the Savior.
Dwelling on empty promises will pull us away from the prize of the upward call. We will become disappointed and discouraged. This will keep us from getting in the right frame of mind to live a righteous life. However, if we focus on the promises of our God who cannot lie we will be full of hope. We will have the mental fortitude to keep going -- to "not grow weary in well-doing."
Let's adopt the right frame of mind by seeking the things that are above. Let's get into gear. Live a hidden life "with Christ in God." For then we have a promise: "When Christ, who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."
After all, His promise is the only one that matters.
Christ above all things,
Robin
This week's message was especially thought provoking. Esther made so many good points; but two or three statements really stuck with me. The thoughts she shared kept running through my mind --probably because I needed to learn from them.
I will quote my friend -- "We ask the Lord to deliver us from satan's evils and not get caught up in promises made and not kept through the year." Did you get that? Don't dwell on promises made but not kept. Excellent advice, don't you think?
How many of us waste so much time trifling over unkept promises? So many situations come to mind. We might think of promises others made to us, or those we made to others, or even of promises we made to ourselves. Friends and loved ones sometimes disappoint us -- even when they have no intention whatsoever of doing so. Someone might promise never to hurt us or raise their voice in anger or complete a task within a certain time frame.
Let's be honest here. Sometimes we make promises we can't keep. We may speak them in good faith - fully hoping to live up to our words. We are all human. Life happens. Sometimes we forget. Sometimes we set unrealistic expectations for ourselves or others. Sometimes we stop caring. We cannot let these situations hold us back.
Parts of my past that haunt me the most are promises I made and didn't or couldn't keep. But we can't ever expect to move forward if we allow ourselves to stay wrapped up in the past. That includes an unkept promise - regardless of who made it.
Esther was right. Getting caught up in promises made and not kept through the year -- well, that keeps us in the old year. When we do, we prevent ourselves from moving on to opportunities of the new year. Maybe we should learn what we can from the experiences and move on. Christ said, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62 ESV).
I think being fit for the kingdom is the point Esther was trying to make. Getting caught up in the negative keeps us from finding the positive all around us. She went on to say "let's get this year rolling in the right frame of mind and gear, giving God all the praise and glory." This statement also stuck with me.
Our frame of mind refers to our mental or emotional attitude or mood. We certainly can't give God praise and glory if we aren't mentally prepared to do so. Consider Colossians 3:1-4. I think these verses fit perfectly into the discussion here:
"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."
If we have our minds set on things above, then we will be able give our lives to Christ. We will be in the right frame of mind -- have the right attitude -- to love Him as we should. If we love Christ as we should, we will love others as He did. Then our own lives will be hidden and those around us will see Christ in us. Seeking the things above will bring us to glory with Christ. Oh how wonderful will that be!
It takes a lot of work and discipline to keep our minds centered on the Savior. Yet it is the only way to win the battle over the devil. Paul goes on to list all the earthly things we are to lay aside in order to live the new life Christ would have us to live. We must leave the worldly life behind.
Changing our minds help us change our actions. In Romans 12:1-2 we are exhorted to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. I don't know if my friend Esther had this scripture in mind, but I think she was right on target. We can't become like our Father if we aren't in the right frame of mind.
The apostle Paul tells the Ephesians much the same thing in Ephesians 4: 22-24. He exhorts them to leave their old way of life of corruption. He also tells them how to accomplish this goal - "to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."
Esther also mentioned getting in the right gear for the new year. Well, what about that? Merriam-Webster on-line dictionary defines getting in gear as working more energetically or effectively. Shouldn't we all want to work energetically and effectively toward getting to heaven? The word zeal comes to my mind here.
Think about gears. Many things need some type of gear to work. Gears have been used in machines for a long time. An automobile needs to be in the right gear to move forward. In neutral no power moves from the engine to the wheels or other moving parts of the vehicle.
Similarly, we can't get to heaven by remaining in spiritual neutrality. We have to be moving forward standing for righteousness and holiness. Yes, we definitely have to be in the right gear -- serving our Father effectively and energetically.
In Philippians 3, Paul focused on one thing: forgetting what was behind and looking forward to the future, he continued (pressed) on toward the "prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (v. 13-14). If we are to be found faithful, we must stay focused on the Savior.
Dwelling on empty promises will pull us away from the prize of the upward call. We will become disappointed and discouraged. This will keep us from getting in the right frame of mind to live a righteous life. However, if we focus on the promises of our God who cannot lie we will be full of hope. We will have the mental fortitude to keep going -- to "not grow weary in well-doing."
Let's adopt the right frame of mind by seeking the things that are above. Let's get into gear. Live a hidden life "with Christ in God." For then we have a promise: "When Christ, who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."
After all, His promise is the only one that matters.
Christ above all things,
Robin
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