"The Silent Treatment" and Christians

                       

I have had the idea rattling around in this head of mine about writing an article on "the silent treatment." I've started writing the article several times, but I feel like I'm just dancing around the subject instead of getting straight to the point; so I'm just going to go straight to the point--I'm tired of seeing "mature" Christian women (and sometimes men) give other mature Christians the silent treatment, the cold shoulder, or whatever you would like to call it. I do not understand why not speaking to our sisters in Christ when we are angry, hurt, upset, jealous, confused, etc. seems to be an acceptable form of behavior in most churches. Please, don't fool yourself. "The silent treatment" is far from acceptable according to...God's Word.

James 1:19-22  Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:  For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

According to these verses in James, we as mature Christians, are not to let wrath, which is internal seething anger, boil and fester inside ourselves. In most church settings, yelling and telling people off is considered at unacceptable, so "good" Christians learn to internalize their anger, and they have led themselves to believe that not speaking to those they are frustrated with is acceptable.  What has happened to conducting ourselves in the manner of Ephesians 4:32?   And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.  So many Christians are good at following the rules of their church, but they have forgotten to apply such simple truths as Ephesians 4:32.  What good does wearing a long skirt, buttoning the top button, working on a bus route, working the altar on a Sunday morning do, if we are not applying the most basic truths of God's Word to our lives?  We must not fool ourselves into believing that we are good because we are outwardly modest or busy at church. Real Christianity starts in the heart with the simple, basic truths that are taught to our children:

be kind

have a tender heart towards people

forgive

So when James 1:22 says to be "doers of the word," I'm pretty sure that doesn't only refer to being modest and being a soul winner.  I'm not downplaying either of those qualities, but the REAL works of God take place in the heart and are manifested outwardly. Being kind is something you DO. Having a tender heart should be something that is DONE not just felt. "Forgive" is an ACTION. 

Don't fool yourself into believing you are good because you follow the rules. Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" We all have wicked hearts that fool us into into thinking "I am good"; "I am better than others"; "My behavior is acceptable as long as I am going to church, reading my Bible, etc."  

Ask the Holy Spirit to make you sensitive to your treatment of other Christians. Sincerely search your heart to see if your spirit is judgmental. When you sense that you are guilty of mistreating your sister's in Christ, don't try to justify your behavior--it's time to hit the altar and change the attitude. Learn to say, "I'm sorry," even if you are not sure that you have offended someone, and realize when you are falling into the trap of emotionally abusing people, because that's what the silent treatment is.

Note to Self

                                James 1:19 says, "...let every man be 
                                     swift to hear,    

                                    slow to speak, 

                                    slow to wrath."

 Reminder to Self:
1. "Swift to hear"--Read my Bible with understanding and listen to the preaching with a heart that is willing to accept truth. Apply the truth's of God's Word to my life.
2. "Slow to speak"--THINK before I say it! Proverbs 2:23 says, "Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles."
3. "Slow to *wrath"--Give people the benefit of the doubt; that will keep me from passing judgement and jumping to conclusions.  

THIS is DEEP Christianity!

*wrath- Inner, deep resentment that seethes and smoulders. 

Guest Blog: People’s Expectations Versus God’s Excellence

 I love this young lady! Before I ever knew Folsom Myers, I observed her as she worked a job in the college dining hall and exhibited such a godly spirit, not in a spooky way, but in a fun, bright mannerism.  One day while riding a college bus on one of my husband's Chicago history trips, Folsom and I got to know one another, and we became fast friends. Throughout her tenure as a student, Folsom often stopped by my office and we would chat a while. Sometimes she would share her beautiful poetry that she had written with me. Folsom is such a vibrant young lady, that it doesn't take long to see right past the fact that she deals with a crippling disease.  I'm so blessed to call Folsom Blue Myers my friend!

Genesis 37:19  “And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.”

Do the people in your life think that you could never accomplish the great dream God has placed in your heart?  Perhaps you are too young, old, naïve, or shy?  Maybe others feel that you are not mentally, physically, spiritually, or emotionally strong enough to achieve such a grandiose task?

Joseph’s brother’s thought he was simply the spoiled, favorite son of their aging father.  They ridiculed him for the dream that God had given him.  They despised him for it even.  Those in David’s life, too, thought that he would neither conquer the giant nor reign as king: 

1Samuel 16:11  “And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There  remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep.”

1Samuel 17:28  “And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.”

1Samuel 17:33  “And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.”

In both Biblical accounts, all those finding fault in the dreams of these two young men had negated one thing when forming their expectations: God’s excellence!  Truthfully, Joseph and David probably weren’t strong enough in their own power to accomplish the goals which God had laid out for them, but in God’s power, they could do all—and more still!

I want you to now take a moment to consider two things:

1.       What seemingly unreachable goal has God given you?

2.      Have you ever dismissed or discouraged another from pursuing what you felt would be an impossible task?  Whom?  What did you discourage them from setting out to achieve?

Write the answers to both questions on an index card.  

Now, you must decide.  Is the excellence of God enough to override other’s expectations as you set out to accomplish your dream?   Is the greatness of God enough to compel you to believe your loved one might achieve what they wish, as well?   The answer is most definitely “yes,” but you’ll need something to help during times of discouragement, for they will come. 

 Here’s one more task for you to complete before you set out with God to make your dreams come true:

Go to God’s Word and find six verses: three to encourage yourself  and three more to pass on to that friend of yours!

Are You Self-Righteous?

Galatians 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

The besetting sin for many good people who are perceived to be godly people is the sin of self-righteousness.  Those who have lived "good" lives and have not committed the obvious sins like drinking alcohol, doing drugs, smoking, cursing, committing fornication and adultery, or a host of other "outward" sins,will have to fight other battles that take place inwardly. In fact, even those who do commit the outward sins will not be exempt by default of committing the inward sins that no one, but God sees. The inward sins take place in the heart, and although they are not worn like an expensive piece of jewelry for all to see, the inward sins will manifest their nasty little selves in a variety of ways. One of the insidious inward sins is the sin of self-righteousness.

The definition of the word "self-righteous" is:   Convinced of one's own righteousness especially in contrast with the actions and beliefs of others. 

In this world, the mirror we too often use to judge ourselves by is others. We want to know how we compare and add up to the people around us. We think thoughts like "I'm not as good as so and so, but at least I'm not like so and so." No matter how good a person is, when looking into the correct mirror, the mirror of God's Word, we find that "...all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags"; (Isaiah 64:6). Not for one second should we ever convince ourselves that we are good; when we do, we run the risk of becoming like the most beautiful angel ever created by God, Lucifer--that's right, the devil himself! Lucifer believed his own PR--he was good, and beautiful, and glorious--compared to the other angels. If Lucifer had compared himself to God, he would have realized that he was just like the rest of us--imperfection only made perfect by God's grace. When we compare and sum ourselves up to the only one we should be looking to, Jesus Christ the sinless Lamb of God, we will always see ourselves as we really are--pockmarked by sin. 

Here are some questions you can ask yourself to see if you are self-righteous:

1. Do you find yourself annoyed by other people's apparent sin?

2. Do you disrespect people who you see as sinners?

3. Do you feel better about your self when you compare yourself to others who you deem as less good as you are?

4. Do you ever feel sympathy for those with "outward" sins but feel judgmental to those other "good" Christians who commit the "inward" sins? 

5. Are you slow to see your own faults but quick to point out the faults of others?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, then you, my friend, along with the rest of mankind, have succumbed to the sin of self-righteousness. What is the cure for self-righteousness? Well, the cure is the same as it is for any other sin--admitting the sin to God and asking forgiveness. Ask God to allow you to recognize when you are falling into the behavior of the self-righteous, and remember to view yourself in the mirror of God's Word.

Does God Hear My Prayers?

                                                    

I think all of us know that God really does hear our prayers, but haven't you felt at times that your prayers are just evaporating the moment they leave your mouth or mind? I just want to share with you today a couple of verses that have assured me through the years of the importance of my prayers to God.

Psalm 142:1-3  I cried unto the Lord with my voice; with my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication.  I poured out my complaint before him;  I shewed before him my trouble.  When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knowest my path.

God does hear your voice. He hears your complaints.  When you share your troubles with Him, He listens and He knows everything you are going through.

This is another verse that blesses my soul concerning my prayers to God:

Revelation 5:8  And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of the saints.

Your prayers to God are REAL! I love those words "...golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints."  Our prayers do not hit the ceiling and stay captured in the same room in which we are praying; they make their way to Heaven where they become precious to God. I don't know about you, but that is AMAZING and EXCITING to me!

So when you feel like you are spinning your wheels in your prayer life, don't get discouraged.  Keep on praying--God HEARS your prayers.

Bill and Anna Whitehouse: A Long Line of Love

This is Bill and Anna Whitehouse at our wedding in 1983

"Laurie May, I can't wait until that baby is born!" were the words that I used to hear every time I saw my father-in-law just weeks before Jessica's due date (my middle name is Ann, but Laurie May was his nickname for me).  He loved his grand babies, and couldn't wait to hold a new life in his arms.

My father-in-law, Bill Whitehouse, was every bit a man. My mother-in-law says that she has never seen a better looking man than Bill Whitehouse in a pair of blue jeans--and she means it every time she says it! He was a good looking man in a very manly way. He had dark hair and sparkling blue eyes that couldn't possibly go unnoticed. In fact, I was with him a few times when women would comment on how beautiful his eyes were; he would turn all "aw shucks" and just brush off the compliments...those blue eyes only saw one woman, his sweetheart, Anna. 

My husband, his brother, and sisters had the greatest example of what two people are like when they are truly in love. My husband loved waking up early in the morning, hearing the coffee cups clink, and listening to his parents downstairs talking to each other quietly before the rest of the household got up. Knowing his parents enjoyed one another's company and hearing them enjoy conversing with each other laid a wonderful foundation for his security as a child and for our own marriage. All of Bill and Anna's children are great conversationalists. I am thankful for the great example that they gave their children of how a loving couple should communicate.

My mother-in-law has often bragged on how her husband paid attention to her smallest needs and wants. She has often told how she and Bill were watching television and talking about what they would have for dinner. My mother-in-law is an amazing cook, and I'm sure they were both looking forward to the meal later in the day. Anna said to Bill, "I sure wish I had some fordhook lima beans to go with our dinner." She sort of made the comment in passing not really thinking anything of it. A little while later, she heard his pickup truck start up. She wondered where he was going. A short time later Bill came back with a bag of frozen lima beans. Anna's wish was Bill's command, and in return she would do anything for him.

Bill and Anna were openly affectionate with one another.  It's not unusual to see pictures in which she is sitting on his lap, and it wasn't unusual to see him wink at her or to see them hug. I believe that one of the reasons why my husband is such a great husband and dad is because of the affection that he gives me and each of his kids. My husband learned at the feet of his parents how to be an affectionate husband and dad.

I remember when my father-in-law would decide to work on a household project. He was never alone. Anna was always working by his side whether it was remodeling a bathroom or working on the roof or making the back porch screened in. Debi, Keith, Daryl, and Cheryl grew up watching their parents work together and enjoy each other's company while doing so. Through the years, I have been able to watch each of them work alongside their spouse just like their parents did. They were taught by example to support one another in marriage.

April 20th marks 19 years since Bill Whitehouse went to Heaven. He missed seeing Jessica be born by 9 days.  I know he would have loved Jessica's big, brown eyes and blond hair--she would have reminded him of the girl he loved for so many years.  I know he would have been crazy about all the grandkids and now great grandkids that have been born since his passing. I am forever thankful that Bill and Anna Whitehouse had a relationship of love that has been passed down to their kids and now their grandkids.

As I was writing, this song came to mind:

LONG LINE OF LOVE

I bought a beautiful diamond ring
I offered it to the sweetest thing I know, and she said she would take it.
We started making some wedding plans 

She looked at me, and she took my hand and said, "Do you think we can make it?"
I Said,  "My Granddad's still in love with my Grandma."

 I Said, "My Dad still thinks my mom's the sweetest thing he ever saw."

You see I come from a long line of love.
When the times get hard, we don't give up;

 Forever is in my heart and in my blood;

 You see I come from a long line of love.

The years went by and we had a son;
Now he thinks he has found someone for him;

They're planning a wedding.
He called me up on the phone today,
Just to see what I had to say to him
Did I think he was ready?

I said what his grandfather used to say to me;
Its been handed down for ages,

 It runs in our family.

"Son you come from a long line of love;

 When the times get hard, you won't give up.

 Forever is in your heart and in your blood.
Son, You Come From A Long Line of Love;
Yes you Come From A Long Line of Love."

Bill and Anna Whitehouse gave a great thing to their kids and grandkids--a long line of love.

Be Nice-- But Don't Be Weak!

                                                                    

When Jessica was in junior kindergarten, she liked to wear her little girl jewelry to school--bracelets and necklaces.  One day she came home from school and said with a perplexed look on her face, "Mom, Suzanna said that if I don't give her my bracelet, she won't be my friend."
     I said, "Jessica, you're not allowed to give Suzanna your bracelet. Dad and I bought that for you."
     "But she won't be my friend!"
     "If she is really your friend, then she will still be your friend even if you don't give her your bracelet. Real friends don't ask for their friends things and then get mad when they won't give the things to them," I told her.  She seemed to understand, and I thought we had the problem solved.
     A few days later, Jessica was really frustrated after school. "Suzanna told me that if I don't give her my cookies from lunch, she won't be my friend."
     I realized that I needed to do more than talk to Jessica about this situation, otherwise she was going to keep having a problem.  Obviously I couldn't be there with her at school and stand up to the 5 year-old girl who was bullying her; I had to teach her how to stand up for herself. 
     I said, "Jessica, I am going to be Suzanna, and you are going to be you. We are going to sit here at our kitchen table and pretend that we are having lunch together. Now this is what I want you to say, when I ask you for something. Say, "No.'"
    Jessica looked at me and said, "But, mom, then she won't be my friend!"
    "That's okay, Jessica, because if she stops being your friend, then she wasn't your friend in the first place.  In fact, I'm going to pretend to say to you, 'If you don't give me your cookie, then I won't be your friend,' and you're going to say, 'Then your not my friend.'"
     Oh boy, this was really tough for such a nice girl to do, but we sat there and practiced.

     Me:  Jessica, I really like those kind of cookies that you have. Can I have one?
     Jessica:  No.  (She giggled as she played her role)
     Me:  If you don't give me that cookie, I won't be your friend.
     Jessica:  (She struggled to get the words firmly out of her mouth) Then...you're not...my...friend.

      I could tell it was hard for her to sound firm, so we practiced over and over until she could say those words with confidence. I had to assure her that she was not being mean to her friend; her friend was being mean to her in making demands.

     My husband and I taught all of our kids to be kind to others, to make many friends, and to be friendly to everyone, but they all also had to be taught to live by principle.  They had to be taught that there are character issues that they should develop, and while we wanted them to be nice, more importantly they also had to be strong, moral, and ethical.
     The word "nice" is a very non-descript word that can pretty much mean whatever someone wants it to mean.  When I taught English, and I was trying to teach the students to use good descriptive words, I would often use the word "nice" as an example of a weak word. People say:

                                                              Have a nice day!
                                                              You look nice.
                                                              You're a nice person.
                                                              This is a nice meal.

     What do people really mean when they use the word nice?  If a young man asks a girl to go to a banquet with him, and she spends hours getting ready, and he responds by saying, "You look nice," she may be a little let down! In fact, she might get downright aggravated!
     Niceness is a good quality if by nice, we mean kind, good, or pleasant, but the word "nice" can have a weak quality to it.  The word nice does not carry the meaning of strength and courage with it.
     Did you know that the word "nice" is not found in the Bible one time?  The Bible does give many qualities that a Christian should strive for like being good, gentle, meek, kind, temperate, etc.  These qualities tell us how our behavior should be toward others, but the Bible is also full of examples of the strength of character a Christian must have.  Several times throughout the Old Testament, God calls on the Israelites to "be strong and of good courage."  Living as a Christian in a secular world, we need to hear the voice of God telling us to "be strong and of good courage!"  We need to teach our children to be strong and courageous so that others don't mistake their "niceness" for weakness.
     Even children who are growing up in Christian homes need the training from their parents that will teach them to be strong, courageous Christians amongst their Christian peers.  Peer pressure in the church and the Christian school is alive and well. The Bible teaches principles from which we as parents can become more specific with our children, and our children need for us to be specific! What are some things that need to be taught to our kids?:

• Kids need to be taught to say "NO" to sin-- alcohol, drugs, pornography, dirty texting, sending nude and semi-nude pictures of themselves or receiving pictures like that from others.
• Kids need to be taught exactly what sexual behavior is so that they are not deceived into believing that what us older folks call "necking and petting" is biblically unacceptable and is fornication. An example we gave our kids that drives this point home is that if they were married and found out that their husband or wife was kissing (or any other sexual behavior) someone else, would they consider that behavior to be sexual? If it's wrong to practice that behavior while married, then it's wrong before you are married.
• Girls and guys alike need to be taught what being "forward" means.  When James was in junior high school, a girl was giving him notes and shouting "I love James Whitehouse" on a bus full of girls and some moms.  When we found out about the girl's behavior, I was obviously concerned that this girl was being overly forward.  James was no longer allowed to accept her notes, and soon she took the hint and backed off.  When James was in college, a young lady was dating a young man.  They were known as a couple on campus, yet this college girl would send James text messages.  I remember when that girl broke up with her boyfriend and someone suggested that James date her. I thought it was a good idea too until James said, "I would never date her! I couldn't trust her knowing how she would text me about classes and homework and such. She could have gone to any of the other girls in class. She just sent wrong signals." Girls and guys are both very forward these days, and really don't have any type of dating ethics or standards.  There are such great books that can help in these areas, but parents really need to have heart to heart conversations about what behavior is acceptable and what behavior is not acceptable between the opposite sex.
• Kids need to be taught how to stand up for their friends and those who are "different."  Bullying is unacceptable in any walk of like, but if we don't teach kids when they are young to appreciate people who are "different," they will resort to the sinful behavior of bullying.
• The Golden Rule NEEDS to be taught to our kids:  Matthew 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them:  Kids need to be taught that they should treat others like they want to be treated.  For some reason, many kids and adults alike have a hard time putting themselves into another person's shoes.  They never develop empathy for others, so they develop a callousness of the soul that causes them to treat people in unethical and immoral ways.  Many times throughout a child's life, he should be asked, "Would you like to be treated that way?"
• Kids need to be taught not to cheat, not to steal, and they need to be taught to be responsible with money.  They need to be given different scenarios so that they learn how to be ethical and responsible in society. We have often talked with our kids about what we would do if we found a wallet with money.  Our kids know that the right thing to do is to take the wallet to the police department and turn it in. What should they do if they find a $20 bill by the side of the road? After looking around and making sure that the money doesn't belong to someone within sight, they then become $20 dollars richer!

There are so many more things to be taught that young people need to know and learn.  Parents need to watch for every opportunity to teach their kids to be strong, moral, ethical, and courageous Christians who are anything but weak in their everyday Christian living!

Be a Supermom!

 For some reason, my kids who are 23, 18, 17, and 14, could care less about any achievements I have had that don't affect them.  None of them ever asked to see pictures of me when I was 17 and the homecoming queen at my Christian school (one time seemed to be enough).  Never once have they inquired about why I was Who's Who in college.  They don't seem too impressed that when I stopped teaching, I got a plaque for being an outstanding teacher. You might think that my kids are hard to impress, until I tell you...

I did James' taxes, and he got a good chunk of money back.  He was mighty impressed!

When we were quizzing each other on Bible trivia the other day, one of the kids said, "You're doing a great job, mom! You really know your Bible!"

Keith got a new book and has been reading it. I was interested in the book, so yesterday I spent some time reading Keith's book. He came into the living room and said, "How far are you, mom?"
     I answered, "Chapter 9."
     His eye widened.  "How do you read so fast?"
     "I've had lots of practice," I responded.
     He smiled and looked proud of me.

A few years ago when James bought a video game called Medal of Honor. Four of us could play at a time, so we would take turns playing as a family.  That was a great game, and I even won quite a few times.  The boys were so proud that THEIR mom played video games and was actually good!

My daughter and I have always had great talks about everything under the sun. Just recently she said to me, "I'm so glad I have you to talk to."

When I made dinner last night, I used a cheaper product, and it really bugged me that the outcome didn't taste like I wanted it too, but as we ate, everyone kept saying, "This is really good!" and they all thanked me for the great meal.

Last week, the opening season for the Cubs was on T.V.  William is a huge Cub's fan, so I let him finish his school work early and watch the game. He was so happy and thanked me for letting him watch a ball game during regularly scheduled school time.

A couple of days ago, I cut Jessica's hair for her.  She has only ever had a salon cut once in her life.  When I was finishing up, she said, "I don't know what I will do about getting hair cuts when I get married one day."
     "Well, I guess your husband will have to cough up the money for real haircuts," I said.
     "I don't mean that--I just mean I know how to explain to you what I want, and you understand. I don't know if I can do that with someone else," she elaborated.  I took it as a compliment.

I know this is gross, but here it goes anyhow.  William called me into the room where he was watching another ball game.  "Mom, Max threw up in four spots. I can't tell what it is," he informed me with watering eyes. Instead of chewing on a beef bone, Max our dog had actually ingested quite a bit of the bone particles.
     I wasn't thrilled, but I had  done this a few times, and I had seen worse messes.  I got some paper towel and swiped up the nasty mess quickly.
    William looked grateful and said, "You really are a mom!"  I knew what he meant. Although he didn't say it in words, what he meant was that I'm a Supermom.

Although my kids are proud of me for accomplishments that I have had, if those accomplishments don't really affect their personal lives, they won't go around thank me for becoming homecoming queen in 1982 or bragging on me for getting second place on a writing project I did in high school. What really matters is what I am able to do with them and for them on a dad to day basis.  What makes me a Supermom in their sight?  Cleaning up dog barf; making a favorite meal; talking about issues that are important to them; taking part in the things they enjoy.  It really is that simple. In fact, it looks to me like any mom can be a Supermom!
    

Remembering the People Who Influenced Me to Get Saved

                                                       


I Corinthians 3:6-  I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

There are three people that played significant parts in my decision to accept Christ when I was an 8 year old girl:

• Linda (Darby) Williams was a teenage girl that lived across the street from my family when I was growing up.  On occasion she would show up at our back yard and talk to my mom. Inevitably she would turn the conversation to an invitation to attend Loomis Park Baptist Church in Jackson, Michigan.  My mom told Linda, "When the triplets are old enough to dress themselves, we will go, but you can take Laurie."  I'm 3 1/2 years older than the triplets. I was probably 4 or 5 at this time.  My mom did wake me up on Sunday mornings and get me ready, and I would cross the street and wait for Linda to get ready. I remember "reading" the funny papers while I waited.  Soon Michael, Linda's boyfriend, would pull up, honk the horn, and we would ride to church together.  I attended Sunday school and junior church and learned the stories and songs. I believe the seed of the Gospel was planted during that time.

• My dad got saved when I was about 8 years old.  I had stopped going to church because it seemed that all the other boys and girls went with their families, and I didn't want to go alone. My dad got saved in an Assembly of God church, but soon after his salvation he began attending Loomis Park Baptist Church--the church I had attended! Our whole family began attending church whenever the doors were open. One Sunday on the way home from church, we were all piled into our station wagon, and I was sitting in the back seat leaning forward with my chin resting on the front seat between my mom and dad (these were the days before the seatbelt laws). "Laurie, have you asked Jesus to save you?" my dad asked.

               "No, not yet. I'll do it next week, Dad," I responded.

               My dad was a new convert and didn't even know how to show me how to be saved yet, but I meant what I said, and I knew that in junior church, kids went forward to get saved.  My dad's question that day was watering the seed that had been planted by Linda from across the street.

• Mr. and Mrs. Root were a husband and wife team that taught junior church every Sunday morning at Loomis Park Baptist Church. I loved the songs we sang with lyrics like, "I've got the joy, joy, joy down in my heart," and "Somewhere in outerspace, God has prepared a place..."  Although I only won a few times, I even loved looking for scripture passages during the Bible drills. My favorite part of junior church though, was when Mrs. Root told a story and used the flannel graph board.  She was a masterful story teller and made the Bible stories and kid's stories come to life as she laid her flannel pictures on the board each week. Mr. and Mrs. Root always had an invitation at the end of every children's service, and I remember vividly walking the aisle and looking up to Mrs. Root and saying, "I want to get saved."

          I also will never forget her saying to me, "Didn't you just get saved last week?"

         Well, I guess had gone through the motions previously, but I told her in all honesty, "I did, but I didn't mean it." Apparently, I had kept my word to my dad and had followed  through on  "getting saved," but I really hadn't meant it after all. 

I'm so glad that Mrs. Root didn't try to talk me into believing that I had gotten saved the previous week!  She kindly took me and a couple of other girls to a private room and told me the plan of salvation once again.  I remember listening with purpose to every word and then praying the sinner's prayer for the second week in a row--but this time I mean it!  I remember that day after church running around and telling anyone who would listen, "I got saved!" That day was the best of the best!

Linda, the teenage neighbor had helped to plant the seed of the Gospel in my life; my dad had watered that seed, and Mrs. Root had the privilege of seeing God reap another soul.  Sometimes I feel like if I don't give the whole plan of salvation to someone and see them saved right on the spot, that I have failed somehow, but even in my own life several people were involved in the process that led to my accepting Christ as my Saviour. Don't belittle even the seemingly "small" efforts that you make--you never know that part you will play in planting and watering the seeds of the Gospel.

Missing Bob

                                                           

My stepdad, Bob Lucas, went home to be with the Lord in January.  I've been thinking a lot about him the past couple of days.  He sure loved spring.  He loved going to the nursery and buying new plants whether they be flowers or vegetables.  Bob and Miracle Grow had a special bond--pretty much every weekday you could find Bob in the yard fertilizing or weeding or planting or harvesting. He didn't just have a green thumb; he had a whole green hand! Bob took pride in having the best lawn in the neighborhood. Bob grew up in Northwest Indiana and was used to caring for the type of grass in that region, and he knew exactly how to make his grass the most lush, green grass for miles around.  When mom and Bob moved to Florida a few years ago, he didn't realize the difficulties he would face in getting the same type of lawn he had in Indiana.  No matter how hard he tried fertilizing and weeding, he just could not get the same results.  One day, he had the whole lawn torn out and had sod laid so he could finally get some rich, green Indiana-type grass. Even though Bob was determined, nature fought back, and soon the typical Florida weeds were invading the new sod.  Not only were weeds making his lawn-tending life miserable, but some sneaky gopher moles were making mounds on the property.  Bob had his hands full, but he never let the obstacles stop him. He continously worked hard to have the prettiest lawn in the neighborhood.

If you wanted to have a great conversation with Bob Lucas, you would be pretty wise to choose your topic of conversation from the things he enjoyed discussing:  adventure stories, fishing, Alaska, nature, and...gardening. I enjoyed our talks about gardening even though I'm not much of a gardener. One year  he inspired me to dig out an area behind our deck and plant some flowers. When I told him what I was going to do, he told me he had some moss roses to give me. I followed his instructions in planting the moss roses and in tending them, and I ended up with some beautiful flowers that I was proud of--he was pretty proud of me too! 

Bob grew all kinds of tomatoes in pots, and after seeing his success, I decided to grow some tomatoes at home too.  I bought some tomato seeds, dug out a patch of earth, planted the seeds, and carefully tended the little plants as they sprouted through the soil and grew like weeds. I made sure to pluck any invading greenery that grew around my tomato plants so that they would not get choked.  One day when mom and Bob were visiting, I took Bob outside and proudly showed him my thriving tomato plants.

 "Those aren't tomato plants," Bob said in an exasperated tone, "Those are weeds!"

Bob wasn't one to mince words or to make me feel less stupid. I could have crawled into the ground and died, but instead we all had a great laugh that day! For a couple of months I had lovingly tended 8 weeds. No wonder there weren't any little tomatoes yet!

I sure am glad that in Heaven we will enjoy many of the same things we have down here on earth but without all the complications.  Lawns in Heaven won't have gopher moles,  and weeds won't look like tomato plants, and loved ones won't be going anywhere else.


   

Is There Such a Thing as Christian Yoga?

                                                    

Occasionally a topic will pique my curiosity, and I will give it some study. Due to the fact that I am not familiar with many of the terms of the religion of Hinduism and the language of Sanskrit, I am not sure that I have totally done justice to this topic, but I do hope that you find this as helpful and informational as I did. I knew that the background of yoga was that it stemmed from an Eastern religion, but I wanted to know more, so here is what I learned:

• Yoga moves are postures that in the Hindu and Buddhist religions are postures that are offerings to their deities (gods).  There are over 330 Hindu gods.
• The word "yoga" means to join or to unite. The religious use of the word "yoga" means to join one's self to a chosen deity in order to become one with the deity.
• The idea of yoga is to empty all of one's thoughts and focus on one thing--to become one with the chosen deity. Yoga is to take a person from his natural form to a perfected form when he is united with the deity of his choice.
• The Yoga Sutras are writings which define the Hindu religion.
• In the Yoga Sutra, Samadhi is a state of bliss in which the person performing the yoga is absorbed into the "One." 
• According to the Yoga Sutra, the person performing yoga will be capable of "Vibhuti" which means "supra-normal powers.  The goal of yoga, according the the Hindu religion should not be to attain Vibhutie, but the goal should be to be liberated.
• Two other words that are important to the practice of yoga are "pranayama" which is control of breath which steadies the body and allows the mind to focus and concentrate.  "Pratyahara" is the withdrawing of all senses in order to focus on external objects.
• As I was studying for this, I came across a site that was promoting teaching one's self yoga. The conclusion was: "I have less pain when I do more yoga. I feel calmer throughout the day. Ultimately, yoga isn't just doing poses. Yoga is something that permeates your life, and it does so in a way that brings wholeness and connection to the rest of what you do and who you are."
• Quotes concerning yoga:  

                   1.   “There is no Yoga without Hinduism and no Hinduism without Yoga." -unknown

 Yoga and Hinduism are intertwined; that is according to the Hindu religion itself.

               2.   "Any belief, whatever it is, is counterproductive in the context of the practice of yoga. One holds a belief instead of knowing. For example, you wouldn’t say you believe in your right ear, since you know your ear, no belief is required. Believing always excludes knowing. When jnana (supreme knowledge) comes through the practice of yoga, you will know. Do not be satisfied with believing.” ~ Gregor Maehle

 The practice of yoga will bring about this "supreme knowledge." This reminds me of the knowledge that Eve was seeking by eating of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

                 3.  “Inhale, and God approaches you. Hold the inhalation, and God remains with you. Exhale, and you approach God. Hold the exhalation, and surrender to God.” ~ Krishnamacharya

 Who is this god?  Don't let the upper case "G" lead you astray, this is whichever deity the person doing yoga focuses upon.

 In 1853, Henry David Thoreau, a writer and American philosopher who was disillusioned with Christianity and turned to Hinduism, wrote:

“ Repentance is not a free and fair highway to God. A wise man will dispense with repentance. It is shocking and passionate. God prefers that you approach him thoughtful, not penitent, though you are chief of sinners. It is only by forgetting yourself that you draw near to him. The calmness and gentleness with which the Hindoo philosophers approach and discourse on forbidden themes is admirable.” 

 

"The Christian and Hindu concept of man," Thoreau wrote, "are diametrically opposed to each other, the former sees man as a born sinner whereas the latter takes him to be potentially divine." 

Thoreau turned from Christianity and embraced the many gods of Hinduism.  During the years he spent alone in the wilderness writing the classic book "On Walden Pond," Thoreau was known to have practiced the art of yoga in order to become the divine being that Hinduism offers to humanity. 

In our post-Christian society, Christians now, more than ever, need to be aware of their need to be "salt and light" in a world that is denying the one, true God at every turn. Being physically fit is important to a certain extent, but not to the extent that we walk blindly toward the tricks of the old serpent, Satan. I Thessalonians 5:21 says, "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good."

As I was studying about yoga, I often thought to myself how glad I am that I serve ONE God who is so easy to worship and so easy to access. I can enter boldly unto my God and pray to Him anywhere I choose.  I don't have to breathe a certain way or manipulate my body in hopes of trying to connect with Him.  

So what do I believe about yoga? I believe I love my God too much to follow after other gods or even appear to follow after other gods. Even if I thought that I was too grounded as a Christian to let my mind be controlled by yoga practices, I would choose to follow, worship, and serve God in a way in which I KNOW He would be pleased.