God...Get a big sniff.

I love how fall has its own distinctive smell.  When I step outside it seems to surround me.  After a long day playing outside, my grandson smelled like sunshine and fall leaves. It clung to his clothes and hair.  As I hugged him, I kept breathing in the smell of changing leaves. 

    In the same way, we have a certain distinctive smell to God.  In 2 Corinthians 2:15 it says “For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.”

Today, ask yourself “How do I smell?”  What is God smelling?  Let the aroma of Jesus cling to you and let others get a big SNIFF!

Are you going to eat THAT? Part two

    When I walked into the family room after a good night’s sleep I wondered if an earthquake occurred without waking me.  Even though I saw beautiful, sleeping children, the rest of the room was a shambles.  Couch cushions were everywhere. Blankets and pillows, cans of pop, empty chip bags, pizza boxes and cups and plates nearly covering every inch of floor space.  From the looks of it, it was another successful slumber party.   It was a night of junk food overload. After trying to wake them for an hour, I set the breakfast, good, healthy food, in the oven and started the rest of my day. 

    Even with good food waiting, junk food overload was still ruling.  This same scene plays itself over and over, but instead with spiritual junk food.  Spiritual junk food finds entry by our ears and mouth.  It fills us up so that we don’t recognize our spiritual hunger for God’s Word.  Most Americans watch more than 150 hours a T.V. a month.   So much media junk food seeks to creep in from so many directions.  But Jesus said in Matthew 4:4 "It is written 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"  A life that is pleasing and glorifies God is one that always puts God and His Word first.  Junk food can push into a healthy diet.  Even worse, spiritual junk food can limit the time needed to grow up spiritually.   
    Let me know what can put you into a spiritual junk food coma.

End of part two

A DO OVER

    How easy it was when I was a child.  Everyday problems or mistakes had an easy solution.  My favorite was a DO OVER.   Easy Bake disasters could be fed to the dog, and a new treat quickly took its place.  Mistakes and wrong moves could be redone.  I wanted everything to be fair for everyone.  A “do over” gave a chance to start over with a clean slate.  As easy as just erasing whatever wasn’t wanted.  Unfortunately, life is not always fair or gives us a do over.   But God, thankfully, gives us something even better than a do over- His Love!

    Before we loved Him, He loved us.  No strings attached or based on anything we could do to earn or deserve it.  Lamentations  3:22-23 says “The Lord's  lovingkindnesses  indeed never cease,  For His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.”   God’s love is based on His faithfulness not ours.

    God’s love and faithfulness doesn’t erase or change the past.  However His love never runs low or isn’t enough for whatever we face.  His love is a neverending supply  to provide what is needed.  So every morning let God give you a LOVE DO OVER.  

The best lifeguard

    When I was a teenager my Dad took us to Atlantic City.  It was the first time I saw the ocean.  I loved it!  I was on the swim team in high school and a good swimmer.  When I was enjoying the fun of the waves I realized the under tow had pulled me far from the shore.  My dad, a worrier, had a lifeguard come out to get me.  That was humiliating for a teenage girl.  But my dad had sent the lifeguard out so he could help me if I needed it.  The lifeguard God has sent us is Jesus.  1 John 4:10 “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. NIV” 

     I was perfectly fine when I was splashing in the ocean.  I didn’t need help.  But in the ocean of life, no one can save themselves.  Only Jesus could be the perfect sacrifice of love.  God’s love is for all. But only those who ask Him for help can receive His atoning sacrifice.  As a nine year old I knew I was drowning in life.  Life was to heavy to me to carry.  I called upon Him and He was, is and will be my Lifeguard. 

I must be FAT!

    Seriously! Before you say "That didn't happen", it really did.  To understand this situation best, you need to know a few things.  For the last year my husband has been running. He wanted to get healthier and lose weight. The farther and faster he was able to run, the more weight he lost. 
    This is where I come in.  "Apparently" I've gained a few pounds, maybe a little more.  Sure, the clothes are tighter, my rings won't come off and everything just doesn't fit as well.  One day, after this person saw how much weight my husband had lost, came over to me,
       poked my stomach and said  "Have you gained all the weight your husband has lost?!"
    At that moment I had no answer.  As painful as that was to hear, it was mostly true.  I had gained weight. Not as much as my husband had lost, but I had gained weight. How embarassing it was to be reminded of my weight gain.
     Every day after I looked into the mirror I tried to forget what I saw.  It wasn't to hard.  I simply acted, talked and ate as if what I had seen in the mirror didn't exist.  It worked great.  It worked until someone poked me in the stomach!  The Bible in James 1:23-25 says  "Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it — he will be blessed in what he does. NIV"  
    Jesus said we are to "Love God and Love each other".  The only way that happens is if when we look into the mirror of God's Word-we do it.  Doing something often and on purpose keeps us remembering what God has spoken to us.  I have to not only hear God's Word to love, but I need to put consistant action behind what I am hearing and seeing in the mirror.  The promises of God are for everyone.  But they only work when we do what the mirror is revealing.  I want to live my life on purpose.  God's Word is freedom and truth.  But freedom and truth don't just happen.  Losing weight doesn't just happen.
    I want to live my life honestly.  I don't want to lie to myself.  When I look in the mirror, I want to remember what I saw by taking action.  I want to be a seeing, hearing doer!