Chronicles Reflections

I've been doing some "light" reading in Chronicles. Recently, in my journey of reading through the Bible this year, I've been coming across not a few kings in Judah whose lives, while being listed as “mostly good” as far as their deeds were concerned, were followed by the denunciation: Nevertheless, they did not follow Adonai wholeheartedly.

Amatzyahu was twenty-five years old when he began his reign, and he ruled for twenty-nine years in Yerushalayim. His mother’s name was Y’ho‘adan, from Yerushalayim. He did what was right from Adonai’s perspective, but not wholeheartedly.

We had this whole discussion about it the other morning while we were having coffee on the deck, which got me thinking: “What does it look like to follow God wholeheartedly?”

Amaziah started off being a good King, but then he went into battle against Edom, and ended up bringing back their gods (by which I assumed is meant idols) and setting them up alongside YHVH, the one true living God.

After Amatzyahu returned from the slaughter of the people from Edom, he brought the gods of the people of Se‘ir and set them up as his own gods, prostrating himself before them and offering incense to them.  

In what ways does God look at us and see us doing the very same thing? 

I think if we are going to examine that, we're going to have to define what we consider a god, what we consider to be wholehearted.

In our western church and in our western society in general, there is such a syncretism - a blending of the sacred and the common. God called us to be set apart, but what does that actually look like in real life? We are a blend of cultures and traditions with a long history of adopting cherished practices which are generations removed from our pagan ancestors. In our eyes, we reason that those practices have been “redeemed” somehow, when in fact, Scripture says nothing of the sort. We as humans have been redeemed, but we are told to “put aside foreign gods”, the sins “which cling so closely”, and “renounce disgraceful ways”. We are quick to criticize the Pharisees, but we too “leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”

Does being set apart just mean putting on nice clothes and walking through the church doors one day a week? Is that really what it takes to be set apart? If so, we have millions of people doing just that but living their lives looking exactly like the rest of the world. So my question remains, what exactly are they set apart from?

Somehow I don’t think we define it the same way God does.

• Moses outlined how clothing, decorative items, food, people, and even land could be “set apart for God”

• Jesus said that he had been set apart for holiness, so that [we] too may be set apart for holiness by means of the truth. 

• Jesus was set apart by his having been resurrected from the dead.

• Paul calls us to offer ourselves as a sacrifice, living and set apart for God. He further says we are “freed from sin and enslaved to God” which “consists in being made holy, set apart for God, and its end result is eternal life.”

And why are we to be set apart? Ezekiel explains it:

…’The nations will know that I am Adonai ,’ says Adonai Elohim , ‘when, before their eyes, I am set apart through you to be regarded as holy.’

The whole reason we are to live our lives set apart, whole-hearted unto God is so that the rest of the world will see a difference in us - AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD. I am not saying we need to thump our Big Black Bibles in their faces and doom them to hell. Living a life set apart means just that: We Look Different from the rest of the world.

Everyone of us has our own list of things that pull us away from wholeheartedness. I could make a list, but that would be my list - and it’s most likely that the things I struggle with don’t even attract you, and vice versa. I think the question comes down to: what am I seeking, spending time on, wishing for, or worrying about that does not portray the Truth of Who God Is?

If we don’t know Who God Is, then we will have a hard time discerning those answers. I make it a practice while reading my Bible to use a blue colored pencil to highlight statements of truth about Who God is. As I do that, it helps form a clearer, more accurate picture of how God is portrayed in His Word - which is usually a whole lot different from how the rest of the world portrays him! 

Following Him wholeheartedly just means to me that I need to be living my life lined up with the belief that God really is who He said He is, not what I think He should look like, what I heard from someone else that He looks like, or what the world says He looks like. The truth is: He loves me. He has a good plan for my life - but it does not have to line up with my expectations or desires, because He is God and I am not. Living anything different would be putting myself in His place. 

I hope that in so doing, I will be able to say with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego:

…:our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand… But if not… we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

And with Job:

“Though he slay me, I will hope in him…”

What is He Worth?

I had an odd dream last night, which for me is nothing unusual. Most of my dreams are convoluted, to say the least, and better left on the pillow than remembering for any prophetic value. 

This time, the question was posed about a well-known person in the entertainment industry: What is he worth? 

My immediate thought was: To whom? 

What we are worth is first of all going to be answered by how we define the word WORTH. And it then depends on who is answering the question: His CPA or financial advisor? His studio? His ex-wife? His mother? 

What any one of us is worth depends on pretty much the same criteria. But the opinion many don’t consider asking about is not of a person or an entity, it is of the One who created us - who knew us before we were formed. 

For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. 

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. 

My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 

Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them. 

Psalm 139:13-16 

This was the verse given to me as a young, newly-married person - someone who did not see herself through a proper lens. The older we get, the longer it takes to filter out the noise of everything that life has dished out to us, but understanding who we really are and how we are valued by the One who designed and created us is the starting place and the best platform on which to build our true sense of self-worth.

When we can see our value from the eyes of one who loves us - our innermost being - that puts all of the rest into proper perspective. It frames how we live, what we in turn value, and how we treat others. 

What are Your 2 Mites?

Last night I was hoping to have some lucid dreams that had significance instead of the goofy mixed up ones that I could barely remember in the morning. Something that I asked for as I lay in bed was a peaceful rest. 

What came to me was somewhat of a lesson, or an amalgamation of things I have been hearing over the past days and weeks. Somewhat of an "aha! moment," if you will.

A little over a week ago, Andrew taught about the parable of the talents. Now, I don't think it was a mistake or a coincidence that the original language was translated as "talents." Yes, it did refer to money in the original culture, but the application is so much broader than how we steward our money. How we steward the character qualities, the gifts that God has given us, is equally as important as we learn to discern how God is working in our lives.

It came to me in the form of a dream last night in which I was trying to convey the concept to my friend Tami who teaches and loves on the young children at church. What a perfect age to start learning what it looks like for God to be working in and through you to accomplish His greater plan. 

I started thinking of people I know who are gifted in areas that I am lacking. My friend Denyse has the uncanny ability to SEE people who are overlooked by others and make them feel SEEN. People who are shy, introverted, or wounded easily pop onto her radar, and she does not shirk at singling them out, talking to them, hearing their story, and often - if the situation warrants it - doing something to help when there is a need to be met. She is also gifted with what we jokingly call the "Martha Stewart anointing." No one I know can organize and pull off a simple or a special gathering so creatively and elegantly and all the while make people feel welcome and right at home.

With so many good examples in the friends that I have, I could go on for quite awhile listing their talents or gifts, but I think maybe just elaborating on a few will get the thought across of how we can be on the lookout to recognize - and possibly call out - these qualities and gifts where we see them.

Recognizing gifts we see in others can go a long way toward nurturing and growing a gift that is maybe unseen by the one with that particular talent. I know people who are gifted with numbers and arithmetic - to the point that they can merely look at a long list of numbers and tell you within a few dollars what the total is. They are also gifted with understanding statistics and how to apply them to practical matters, such as investing, saving, budgeting, and managing resources. This gift has translated to helping people with limited resources and blessing the local church and beyond.

As important and meaningful as such talents as music, acting, writing, and other gifts of artistic expression are, how we use them to bless others and thereby glorify God is equally - if not more important. Years ago, there was a father who brought his twin sons regularly to mow lawns and rake leaves at the church. Not only was he quietly displaying a gift of service, he was instilling in his sons the importance of giving back to bless others. It is not insignificant that Jesus pointed out to the disciples the widow who gave 2 mites. The amount of money we give, the "significance" that others attribute to our talent is irrelevant when it does not bring honor to God and further His kingdom in the lives of others and our community.

Comforting the sick or bereaved, standing up for the marginalized, sewing quilts for the veteran's home or foster agency, singing in a rest home, giving half of your sandwich to someone on the playground who "forgot" their lunch, walking 2 miles through the park with friends with friends to raise funds to feed the homeless or provide clean water in an African village, speaking truth to someone who has been living a life deceived by lies... there are so many ways and instances where we think we only have 2 mites, but God is able and regularly shows up and multiplies our meagre talents and gifts to transform and reform.

And all this, because we ask.

Anxious and Annoying

I had an interesting conversation this morning with a former NorthState resident; we were commenting on the sudden and unexpected death of our Congressman Doug LaMalfa that hit the news this morning. Not everyone in our district was a fan of Doug, as evidenced by the weekly protesters outside of our business complex where he had his office.

I must have indicated some hesitation in my response, because she surmised that I was "non political." 

No - not even an inch. I decided long ago that "being political" was a not just a waste of my time and energy - seriously, what of anything that I could do would make a difference? (Aside from voting, of course.) I told her that getting myself worked up about what the bigwigs were up to just made me anxious and annoying, not to mention the rise in my blood pressure.

And I will admit to being more than a bit snarky at the protesters every week as I crossed their "picket line."

I did like Doug, and was sorry to hear the sad news. I think it is telling when people are glad to hear about the death of someone they disagree with. Besides that, "This world is not my home."

RIP Congressman LaMalfa

2025:: That's a wrap

It's hard to know where to start when the whole year is a blur. I'm sure we went places and did things, saw people and endured the summer heat. All those things are "the usual" of our lives. Honestly, looking back it feels like we were not much more than pachinko balls bouncing from one forgettable pin to the next. If I sound melancholy... well, I guess I am. 

What I know: I had coffee (or lunch) with various friends on various occasions, in mostly diverse locations. If I were to say those times were the highlights of my year, you might be tempted to think I live a pathetic life, but the truth is, all of those times were refreshing, insightful, and reflective. A real opportunity to share my heart and listen to the heart of a friend. A time of honest connection. I believe that if more people sought out those honest connections on a regular basis, our world would be a healthier place.

I know that at one point this year I finally had breakthrough dealing with the after effects of an event that has darkened my life for 60 years. In the space of a month, I was able to speak of it to more people than I have over the previous 60 years and each time I do that, more of the garbage is taken out and my mental and emotional play list is about getting freedom from the lies of the deceiver.

I know that spending time in Scripture is affirming in ways I did not realize it could be. Things that are difficult to navigate become clearer. I am able to turn away from the toxic in some people and learn to be more generous with giving people the benefit of the doubt when their actions do not line up with my thought process.

I know that as much as I love my family - both immediate and extended - I have to lay down my expectations. We are not Ozzie and Harriet. 

I know that as much as I would love to visit many places, the reality is that I do not enjoy the traveling that it takes to get to those places... and I really just do not like leaving home. 

I know that I am blessed beyond measure to have a husband who doesn't always understand me, but who values me, asks my opinion, loves me, and still thinks I'm "beautiful." And this, after 54 years. Yes, I am very aware and very thankful for that fact every single day. (Not only that, he vacuums and does the dishes.)

I know that the very sure prospect of death at some point in time does not overwhelm me. I am, however, enough of a control freak that I have written my own obituary and planned my memorial in advance. Some people find that morbid, but I find it mortifying to have things said about me that are not true. And the truth is, I am probably not the person that most people think I am. I can see it in the raised eyebrow or look of surprise when I make a random statement about my faith or personal beliefs. (That's OK... you don't have to agree with me. For goodness sake, I don't always agree with other people either, but it's always nice when we can have confidence that God is working on each of us in His own time.)

...and with that said, I say adios to 2025. No New Years' resolutions for me, but I am going to try to wrap my brain around adopting this verse for the year 2026: 

Colossians 3:15 - Let the shalom which comes from the Messiah be your heart's decision-maker...

My Roots... and Resulting Branches

I believe that I have mentioned previously that I grew up in the Southern Baptist denomination. (One thing to remember: Southern Baptists in California look and sound vastly different from those you will find in the actual South. And I'm not just talking about a southern drawl.)

As a matter of fact, it is true that I have been "going to church" since the first Sunday I landed on this planet. Growing up, we knew that if the church doors were open, we were to be there. For one thing, my mother was the church secretary for many years after my youngest sibling reached school age until she finally retired. For another thing, we lived in the "heartland" of the California Southern Baptist Convention, and it is no surprise that the majority of my church friends had parents who worked for or were ordained by the SBC. To say our world was "church-centric" would be spot on.

That I met my future husband at a Southern Baptist college should also come as no surprise, but much to everyone's shock and dismay, I did not immediately "walk down the aisle" to move my membership to my new husband's home church the first Sunday after we were married. When my new sister-on-law invited us to visit her church, my in-laws were not best pleased. Do not laugh when I tell you that I had a visit from their pastor within the first few months of our marriage, admonishing me that I was leading my husband astray...

Over the ensuing years, it has been a journey of discovery to note how many things I grew up taking for granted as "truth" were a result of tradition or the SBC heritage, rather than based on Scripture. But first, let me state that I am not one to throw out a tradition just because it does not appear in the Bible. That would be like throwing out Reese's Peanut Butter cups or mochas just because the apostles never had them. That would just be silly. Nor will I claim that I was indoctrinated by some cult and grew up with some wildly heretical point of view. I can honestly say that I believe Baptists got more things right than wrong, at least in my experience/opinion. And - like I said - this is California, not Mississippi or Texas. I can hardly speak for anyone else's experience. 

I can find nothing wrong in teaching children Bible stories, helping them see how those faith lessons can be applied to their own lives, and encouraging young people to think of others first and ask themselves how their actions fit in with being a good Christian witness. These are what I have taken away from growing up in what is commonly known as a conservative denomination. 

What I learned that I had to later unlearn were things like we were the only denomination who "got it right" when it came to how we understood and lived out our faith. The way we baptized (total immersion by water only!), the way we took communion (once a month, soda crackers and grape juice only!), the way we worshipped (don't you be raising your hands! This is not a Pentecostal church!) were just the start. 

But even as I transitioned to attending a different (albeit mainstream) denomination, there were still things being taught that I have since had reason to reconsider and reject as extra-Biblical tradition. Ironically, much of my "re-examining" has been thanks to the teachings and writing of some former Southern Baptist or other so-called "conservative" teachers or pastors. 

Am I saying I now have all the answers? No. I am saying that I have come to a place of being willing to weigh the idea that what I thought was Truth may have just been the result of someone's interpretation, but is not necessarily supported by Scripture. Once I figured out that I had enough basic intelligence to read and study scripture without some theologian or divinity student holding my hand and telling me how I should interpret everything, it was only a short trip to realizing that maybe we have not come up with all the right answers, even after all these years.

So, spoiler alert: I still believe the Bible is true. I still believe God created the universe and everything in it. I still believe Jesus died to set us free from the penalty of sin. I have yet to figure out how we arrived at other doctrines that have been handed down through the centuries by various denominations, such as "once saved-always saved", "the Church has replaced Israel", and "the Sabbath is now Sunday - or any day I want to take my rest." 

A few things to think about: Myths we believe

What I don't say...

 It was the 1980's, and we had recently discovered (and quickly devoured) the fantastic book series Anne of Green Gables written in 1908 by Lucy Maud Montgomery. As "luck" would have it, in 1985 a 4-hour Canadian mini-series based on the novels was produced by CBC. In this instance, I have to agree with Wikipedia: "widely considered the definitive version to date."

What brings this character and series to mind is a recurring complaint that I have in common with the titular character: "I know I chatter on far too much... but if you only knew how many things I want to say and don't. Give me SOME credit.”

In my case, I probably don't have to worry about chattering on far too much (unless you launch me into a tangent about which I have strong opinions,) but rather I often feel "if only people knew how much I want to say - and don't..." I feel your pain, Anne.

I learned many years ago that people don't always share my opinions on any number of topics, and I could be as correct as the Oxford dictionary or Encyclopedia Britannica and it wouldn't change anyone's mind who wants to hold on to their own beliefs. Of course, I can also be wrong about something - and obviously, no one likes the thought of having to reexamine their beliefs. Even less appealing is contemplating that one could be wrong or have been misled in some of their views or beliefs. In my case, a challenging 10-year examination of my personal faith upbringing and the resultant shift in how I view God and the Bible specifically, and religion in general. These days, it's become a popular trend to "deconstruct" ones spiritual beliefs, a thin disguise for abandoning them altogether. I prefer to "reexamine" or "realign" - because from the very beginning as I read and researched the belief system I held dear, my prayer was "Lord, take away everything that is not your Truth... but please don't take Jesus."

Having said that, I feel the need to address another popular trend, and that is the tendency to "cancel" anyone whose opinion differs from ones own. I find it ironic that one person can feel justified in believing that they have every right to hold a point of view that flies in the face of basic biology or physics, while holding to the idea that someone who does not share their POV does not deserve to have that same "right."

Lately, I've been wrestling with the question of how to proceed when confronted with the accusation that my beliefs are toxic or somehow abusive. I could understand that assertion if I was trying to force my opinion down that person's throat, but that is not the case (as far as I can tell.) Does the mere fact that I don't agree with someone make that a hateful act? I don't think so... and if it were so, then the same logic would necessarily apply to the person who is disagreeing with me. 

However, as I continue to read my Bible and keep my mouth shut, I am realizing that while I don't have to agree with someone, and I can (and should) give them the respect of having the right to their opinion - but I do not, and should not, have to change my opinion to suit them. (Reexamine, yes. We should all be willing to do that.)

I liken it to two people playing a game together, but they are not playing the same game. One is playing checkers while the other is playing Candyland. If two people don't have the same "rules" or beliefs from the outset, the game will go nowhere. Of course, that analogy falls apart because one person could easily abandon their game board in favor of playing the same game, whereas ones core belief system of how they maneuver life's decisions is not so easily discarded.

I am not sure that I have an answer to this dilemma. But I know that I cannot simply chuck my belief in a loving God who created me and wants to be in relationship with me - with very clear criteria of what that looks like. The choices I make each day are based on how I understand that simple reality. Those are far bigger things to consider than if someone has decided to "unfriend" me for the simple reason that I am not going to jump on the current bandwagon of whatever social experiment is in vogue this year. 

Sad, but true. Some may have the conviction that you should do ANYthing and EVERYthing you can to maintain a relationship, especially when it is a family member. I am not convinced.

Yes, I know that the Bible says: (1 Jn. 3.11) ..."you have heard from the beginning that we should love one another." Guess what? Right after that, it says (v.13) "And do not be surprised, if the world hates you." 

So, this is me, not being surprised. Sad, but not surprised. But I am going to continue to do my best to align my actions with another Biblical instruction: "speaking the truth in love..."

15 Minute Ramble

Yesterday my friend challenged herself to writing daily for just 15 minutes, attempting to break a habit we all have: wasting time on such frivolities as watching TV or playing a video game. I can pat myself on the back for not falling prey to the first vice, but the second one surely has me hooked. I convince myself that I am "exercising my brain" - important to us who have the dubious privilege of having Alzheimer's in our family and finding ourselves to be of an age that worries about that kind of thing every time we find ourselves repeating a story, misplacing our keys (or glasses, or phone...)

It would be easy enough for me to look back on my day and lament the things that I did not get done - but I'm rarely willing to admit that the amount of time spent on sudoku or mahjong contributed to that. 

It's all well and good to acknowledge our shortcomings, but that is the easy part of the battle. I like to claim that my sister inherited all of our mother's "self-discipline gene" - just reading her daily rundown of things accomplished makes me want to take a nap. (Although, to be completely honest, most anything these days makes me want to take a nap... so, there is that.)

Just knowing that we have an area that needs some work and then ignoring it by playing a puzzle is, in my mind, akin to an alcoholic who acknowledges they might have a "problem" as they crack open another can. Or, another analogy that we can all identify with: hearing the alarm clock and knowing it's time to get up, then rolling over in bed for another 15 minutes. (Bazinga!)

I have read countless self-help books and websites designed to inspire and motivate me to focus on the areas that I know should be priorities, but setting the book down or turning off the computer is really the answer. 

Watching TV

Today's post is from my friend ToriLynn...

There are probably one hundred reasons I waste my time watching TV several hours a day. And probably a few reasons of why it is so hard to break the habit.

When I was a kid, the default on Saturday and in the evenings was to be plopped in front of the TV. We watched whatever the parents wanted. We were rather well-versed on current events because they watched the news and all the things going on. I remember the Nixon/Kennedy debate. I remember the hullabaloo after Kennedy was shot. I remember Lyndon B Johnson lifting his beagle up by its ears. I remember the moon landing footage, and the riots in Watts and the tanks going down Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, California. And I remember the Mr. Ed song, ‘A horse is a horse of course of course, unless of course it's a talking horse...’ and many more, Casper, and Miss Nancy, and Captain Kangaroo. And Sunday at 7 p.m. was an hour of the Wonderful World of Disney programs.

It's not that I (we) didn't play outside or in our rooms. We sure did! But my mom wasn't a "Go outside and play!" type of a mother, most of the time. Sometimes... but not usually. If we got rambunctious that was another story. We rode bikes and climbed on rocks and in trees and shot our little cowboy pistols at bad guys and went over to the friend's house down the street to play hide and seek in the dark and my sister and I even had a Kool-Aid stand for 2¢ a paper cup. But we always came in before supper and watched afternoon cartoons. I don't know why.

As a little girl, I contracted Rheumatic Fever and had to not be active for months at a time. The second time I got it, I was in bed for six weeks. My mom piggy-backed me to the bathroom because she followed the doctor's instructions to the tee. That lasted a day or so before she decided that I was just across the hall from the toilet and I was ten and pretty normal size for my age... not a little kid. But I was in bed with books and the teacher, Mr. Hackett, came by with homework once a week. That was when I read Black Beauty and the one thing I remember most was that Ginger, the horse, got her tail cut down to nothing and couldn't swat flies away from her anymore. That was probably when I learned to be a voracious reader. But still, you could watch TV from the couch made up as a bed... And on my 11th birthday, the girls came over and we had a dinner party. We played pin the tail on the donkey out back, and then we went in to watch the first ever showing of "Flipper, faster than lightning, no one you see is smarter than he... under the sea." So, TV was used as an enforcement for keeping quiet. Which may have led to "self-medicating" on TV as an adult. It's always about being physically quiet.

I still read sometimes, but my sight isn't as good as it used to be and you can make the print on electronics as big as you want it to be. (The Bible is not very generous in the print sizes.) Electronic research is so nice now, but it's not as trustworthy as the old card catalogue and running around the library looking for the reference books, nor as fun as writing information out and having all the papers spread around, cutting the sections apart and putting them in order. The original cut and paste. Yet the default is TV or YouTube or scrolling. 

Why is TV the default when I'm feeling restless? Who knows? But I am currently working on doing other activities. Yes, I still watch things, but I'm trying to do one thing between Andy Griffith and Leave It To Beaver; between "Matlock" and Elsbeth. Eventually, when Father Brown episodes run out, I will not replace it with another show, but with a project or walking the dog a second time. One new practice, that I pray I can stick to daily, is writing 15 minutes a day. Perhaps praying a little more would be a very good thing. My health is good enough to be active, pickleball? More time cleaning house and doing yard work? Only the LORD knows. But with prayer and encouragement, it can change and my life can be more productive.

You've Heard it Said... (Part 2)

How many times have I heard people say things like, "There are 613 Commandments in the Torah - I can't keep them all!" (Usually followed by another misconception, such as: "The law is a curse!")?

I will tell you - I cannot count the times...

But I do have to wonder: these people who think it is "impossible" to keep the Commandments - have they ever actually read the list of commandments? My guess is "No."

I Googled it once and found a helpful website, Hebrew4Christians, which lists the commandments and the corresponding scripture for each. One of the very first things I noticed as I made my way down their list was the overlapping of commandments. In fact, the website comments on this:

The website goes on to comment that "some laws do not apply at to [Gentiles] at all (for example, laws concerning Temple practices, agricultural laws, civil laws...)" etc. By the time you cross out anything that applies to the King, a judge... and whatever other category does not apply to you, the arbitrary number of "613" has been significantly reduced.

I was encouraged to read a similar comment on a Bible study website that I follow:

The common refrain ... is “There are 613 laws, we can’t possibly keep them all!” This is pretty much always spoken by someone who has never taken the time to read Leviticus and know that no one is asking us to obey all 613 laws. Are you a Levitical priest? Are you a farmer? Are you a woman? Are you a man? Are you a judge? Do you live in Jerusalem? Is there an earthly temple right now?  If you answered “no” to any one of these questions then a large portion of those 613 don’t even apply to you. Answer “no” to more than one? Even fewer.

Our duty can be summed up in what is known as the Ten Commandments.  If we set our hearts to follow those and to remain in His word, seeking His guidance on our lives, all other commandments (laws) that apply to us will naturally follow suit.

In contrast, there are so many laws in the United States that they do not even have a count of them but estimates are that they exceed 25,000. Most folks I know will proudly state that they are a law abiding citizen of the United States.

And that’s when the real reasons come out for why people don’t want to obey God: We feel we are being “inconvenienced” when it comes to giving up things we want to do, and can’t understand why God won’t let us do things like eat bacon or spare ribs, go to a baseball game on Saturday, and other seemingly “harmless” things that everyone else is doing, and they’re fine! So why shouldn’t I? God is not that mean, God doesn’t care about such trivia; after all “Jesus Paid It All” and it’s now all about Grace, Grace, Grace. I mean, "Jesus nailed all that to the cross, right?"

Again - have these same people actually read their Bibles? And again, my guess is: "No." Because if they did, they would have read in Colossians 2:13-14: 

When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses, having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross!

This is the verse so many people quote, thinking that it means "Jesus nailed 'the Torah' to the cross." But if you go back and read it again with fresh eyes, not influenced by all the so-called doctrine you have heard all these years, you can see for yourself that Jesus nailed our DEBT to the cross. It simply does not mean the same thing!

Back in 2016, I posted about wearing tzitzit... in which I mused:

I don't need a "logical" reason. I need to do it because He asked me to.

In my mind, the same logic applies to our basic obedience to God's instructions for living a godly life. Because that is exactly what "The Law" is - God's instruction manual. It's not a set of arbitrary rules set down by a "mean God;"  instead, they are principles to live by that will bring us blessing. That is what He promised, and that is what I believe is true.

If you don't agree with me, see for yourself what Jesus said about it.

(... and you may have noticed, I have already expounded on this same topic previously... but it keeps coming up!)

45762 :: More Musings on Jeremiah

 Continuing in the Jeremiah vein, the scripture I picked up on today was Jeremiah 32:32-33 - the one where God is saying that His instructions will be written on our hearts instead of just tablets of stone. (Although I think sometimes that our hearts must be made of stone... there is so much evil and hatred blatantly displayed all over the world.)

I think as society has walked away from God's teachings, basic civility has been on the decline. So, with whatever time we have left before "the days to come," it falls to us who love God's law to walk in the opposite sprit and overcome our base human nature that defaults to wanting to return evil for evil - but instead find ways to (metaphorically speaking) "turn the other cheek"; when we see unkindness, we respond with kindness. When we see greed, we respond with generosity.

What will that look like in real time? I'm guessing "easier to say - not as easy to do" without the power of the Holy Spirit working in us.

I will put My law in their minds
and inscribe it on their hearts.
And I will be their God,
and they will be My people.

-Jeremiah 31:33b 

 

45761 :: Taking a Leap from Jeremiah to Ephesians

 As I think over what I have just finished reading in Jeremiah, I can't hep but feel grateful that God has opened my eyes and opened my ears to hear His Word.

I also think back to the details I read recently about William Tyndale and his efforts (and martyrdom) to get the Word of God into the hands of the people in their own language. It does not escape my notice that we have 30+ copies of the Bible in our house. So, with the privilege and ready availability of having the very Word of God so accessible, wouldn't you think that our society would have improved by now? I'm not talking about medical or technical advances that have made our lives better (although that might be debatable...) but the condition of our hearts.

No, I rather think that with every opportunity that is presented to us to grow closer to God, the enemy has ramped up his deceptive schemes to pull us away - to take our focus off of our own salvation; we have lost our devotion to God and the things of His kingdom.

All the more reason to STAND.

Ephesians 6:14-18 - Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with Truth, and having on the breastplate of Righteousness and your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace; ABOVE ALL, taking the shield of Faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of Salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is THE WORD OF GOD: praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit...

(I quoted that from the KJV, as that is how I memorized it when I was young, but I am a fan of understanding what I am reading, so recommend using a modern translation, as the English vernacular, despite having dictionaries available since 1604, has continued to morph and evolve through the centuries.) 

I have lately become a big fan of the Berean Study Bible, which translates it:

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed, and with your feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition.

 

Not Sorry to be Set Apart

I knew there was a reason I have been hesitant to join in the Lent observances that have begun to be practiced every year at our church. (Beginning, if I remember correctly, when a former staff pastor who is decidedly on the side of traditional liturgical practices instituted it.) I have gone once or twice, did the "Stations of the Cross" that were set up around the auditorium, and even had ashes placed symbolically on my forehead. But, to be quite honest, it seemed like meaningless ritual to me. I "tried" to feel more spiritual through it all, but just could not drum it up.

Turns out, my Southern Baptist roots are probably at fault for this. I remember, when I was in high school, many of my friends asking, "What are you giving up for Lent?" Having not a clue, I asked my mother, who informed me, "We don't observe Lent. That's what the Catholics do." (In case you did not know, there never seemed to be any love lost between the Baptists and Catholics - at least the way I saw it.)

However, that did not deter me from wanting to fit in with my friends (ah, peer pressure!) so the first year I valiantly gave up French fries for lunch. (Believe me, that was a sacrifice.) Over the years I have given up chocolate, given up drinking anything but water - even these days, I have friends who go dark on Facebook for Lent. 

Today, in preparation for Lent observance, I decided to Google "is Lent Biblical?" and not to my surprise, a transcribed podcast from a Independent Baptist Church in Indianapolis jumped to the top of the list. I read their arguments with interest.

They went into great detail about the meaning and timing of Lent, and the significance of it as it is based on the worship of Babylonian fertility goddess "Ishtar" and her son Tammuz. (Sound familiar? I have known for years that the word "Easter" is derived from "Ishtar," but that is a different bunny trail.) This false god worship is mentioned in Scripture in Ezekiel 8: ...Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD’S house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these... (Yes, you heard that right. God called their observance an "abomination.")

Just the simple fact that Lent was not celebrated by the apostles or the early Christian church until the early 4th century is reason enough to ignore the custom, in my opinion. But wait! There's more!

Some feel that by observing Lent, we are showing "solidarity" with the rest of the Christian church. (Presuming they mean the "denominations" that hold on to the Catholic traditions.) But is that really a legitimate reason? WDSS? (What does Scripture Say?) I don't know about your Bible, but mine calls me to "Come out from among them and be separate." In other words, just because every other denomination is doing something is not justification for doing something that is not only unscriptural, but counter to the tenets of our belief. Nothing that we can do, no ritual that we perform, no ashes on the forehead can replace the grace and forgiveness we have received freely from God by believing and trusting in His son, Yeshua (Jesus.) 

Another reason given by some is that "We need time each year to repent." Well - sort of. We actually need to take time EVERY.DAY to repent. Besides that, why would we align our Day of Repentance with a decidedly pagan observance when the Lord gave us a perfectly good commandment to observe the Day of Atonement (which - surprise - does not fall anywhere near Easter.) Nowhere in my Bible does it say this is for Jews only. If we have aligned ourselves with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and we want to claim the blessings God gave to them, why ever would we turn around and align ourselves with Babylonian sun god worship? That just makes no sense to me.

So, here I am, still faced with the fact that our assembly is inviting us to participate, and having to choose to stand on the truth that we are called to be separate from those who mix holy with common. Religious rituals and symbolism are a sorry substitute for Grace through Faith. 

I guess you can take the girl out of the Baptist church, but the Baptist church never really comes out of the girl. Sorry if that hurts anyone's feelings - but not sorry to be Set Apart.

45638 :: Seasoned with Salt

According to Ability Central, a website educating the public about disabilities, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) "affects the way people perceive, think about, and interact with the world." Listed among the "most common symptoms of autism" are:

• Often being misunderstood and appearing to be blunt or even rude
• Taking words and phrases too literally

So now, while I am not claiming to be autistic or even on the spectrum, I do have to wonder if even people who are generally perceived as being neurotypical commonly present one or more of the markers associated with autism. Because, believe it or not, I have frequently been accused of the two above-mentioned traits.

I was given to contemplating that conundrum this morning when confronted again with the manner in which I worded a simple request. Upon reflection (after getting over myself and my annoyance at, once again, being misunderstood,) it came to me that indeed I had phrased my request as telling the person what to do instead of telling them what I wanted to do and needed from them. 

(Honestly, it has gotten to the point where there are days when I feel like I might as well just keep the flap shut because I am going to be misunderstood no matter what. A friend of mine who has been officially diagnosed with Asperger's often complains that he has to constantly monitor what he says, and my answer to him has always been the same: "So does everyone else." Now I am beginning to wonder if I see it that way because I have to do likewise, and have just assumed that is the norm.)

Scripture tells believers in Colossians, "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt..." which, in context is referring to speaking with un-believers so that our speech correctly reflects the truth of the Gospel, but I think the principle can apply to our speech in general and how our words come across to others. 

As I have (frequently) mentioned, I am not a fan of putting labels on people or having them put on me. We are so much more than any label and we do ourselves and others an injustice by trying to relegate them into a neat little box. BUT - understanding that not all brains are wired the same is a helpful tool when interacting with others, and to that end I think a little monitoring of my speech habits could possibly be in order. If nothing else, to help foster better communication and lessen hurt feelings.

We'll just have to see how that plays out.

Marking a Sad Day in the NorthState

First thing when I woke up this morning, I was greeted with the news of the passing of our biggest local icon. Sometime in the early morning hours, our local landmark Bidwell Mansion caught fire and within a few short hours has been completely destroyed.

Built over 160 years ago by early pioneer John Bidwell, the mansion housed innumerable historically significant furnishings that are obviously irreplaceable, not the least being the beautiful rosewood piano purchased in New York City as a wedding gift in 1868 by General Bidwell for his bride Annie Ellicott Kennedy  which was kept in tune and played for visitors to the mansion.

While Annie and John Bidwell resided in the mansion, they were hosts to many prominent figures of their era, including: President Rutherford B. Hayes, General William T. Sherman, Susan B. Anthony, Frances Willard, Governor Leland Stanford, John Muir, and Asa Gray.

As a long-time resident, it brought to mind the loss of a different landmark, back in May, 1977, when the Hooker Oak (already famous before guest starring as the "Gallows Oak" in the Errol Flynn movie Robin Hood) fell during a windstorm.

ca. 1910 - postcard of the landmark Hooker Oak

I am just thankful that I had more than one opportunity to explore both while they were still here.

(And as if we need another reminder, nothing lasts forever... except the love of God. And thank goodness for that.)

God's Way ≠ My Way

 I was actually just dinking around under Google Images, looking for a graphic of a tree to illustrate the saying, "Obedience is not the root of our salvation - it is the fruit," often quoted or paraphrased from C.S. Lewis, Charles Spurgeon, A.W. Tozer, and the like.

 

I thought it might look kind of cool to have a rustic drawing of a tree, with roots and all, and show the relationship of Grace - Faith - Obedience - Fruit... Alas, I am not an artist, but I can see the pictures in my head. (Or find them online.)

So, in the middle of all this, I find a website with some interesting blogs - The Sisterhood Hub - in which I found an article I have bookmarked, titled 8 Reasons Why Obedience to God is Important. For the sake of not repeating what you can read for yourself on that site, I will distill it down to just the 8 main points.

1. John 14:15 - If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 
2. Romans 12:1 - Let (your bodies) be a living and holy sacrifice... this is truly the way to worship Him.
3. Luke 11:28 - Even more blessed are all who hear the word and put it into practice.
4. 1 John 5:3 - This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.
5. 1 John 2:3 - We can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. 
6. 1 Samuel 15:22 - To obey is better than sacrifice.
7. Romans 5:15 - By Adam's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by Christ's obedience the many will be made righteous.
8. Psalm 119:1-3 - Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the instruction of the Lord. Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart— they do no wrong but follow his ways.

I have found that a lot of times, people read into these verses what they have heard over the years, but not really taken the time to think about it, and if what they have heard actually lines up with Scripture. When Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments," the usual take-away is to think that Matthew 22:37-39 is saying that all you have to do is love God and love your neighbor. Well, yes. He does actually say that. But what is he really saying here? Verse 40: "All the law and prophets hang on these two commandments." 

I think he's saying that we have to know what the Foundational Scriptures are, and then we will see the correlation - it has often been taught that the 10 Commandments can be broken into two categories: Loving God and Loving Others. I believe that is a good and accurate picture. But if we have dismissed all of the Torah ahead of time without even reading it because some preacher has said "the Old Testament is not relevant to us," we can never know how God uses His commands to show us what it looks like to love Him and love our neighbor. The very things that Jesus came into this world to walk out in real time so we could get a handle on what it was supposed to look like.

Can I just paraphrase Jesus here and say, "You have heard it said..." and challenge some of the things we have all heard from (hopefully) well-meaning teachers and preachers. "But I say to you..." WHAT DOES SCRIPTURE SAY?

You owe it to yourself to find out for yourself. (Believe it or not, there is a website dedicated to helping you do just that.)

Just the way we are

 

As I was reading this morning, this observation caught my attention. Part of my journey has gotten me to the place of accepting that God created me and He didn't make a mistake. I have taken comfort in that thought over the years when I was tempted (or accused) of being too weird, too shy, too contemplative, too... whatever. All those things that made me feel like something was wrong with me. Those things that left me feeling like I needed to apologize for the way I thought, or the feelings I had.

Once I accepted that it was God who made me, and I could trust that He knew what He was doing, it eased much of the angst that I had over performance to meet the expectations of others.

But the commentary today - even though I have heard it and have known it - somehow spoke to me and helped me realize that, Yes... God made me and He doesn't make mistakes... but, as someone witty has said, "God cleans the fish He catches."

It never hurts to be contemplative or introspective when it comes to examining truth and what that should look like in our own lives. Are there thought patterns or habits that need to come into alignment with the goal of looking more like Jesus? It's not a matter of if God loves us or not. That is a given if you believe that His Word is true. And I do. Rather, it is a matter of taking every thought captive, seeing ourselves and our behavior from a different perspective. How do our actions, words and thoughts line up with the plumbline of God's Word?

He has taught us from the very Beginning what it looks like to follow Him, how to be a set-apart people who will faithfully reflect His light in a dark world. Am I taking the time and effort each day to spend time learning and understanding how to walk that out? Our journey to anywhere does not begin and end as soon as we have our ticket in hand. We take the steps to move forward toward our destination, and sometimes (often) that involves changing our mindset and perspective. Whether it be a journey to a new country or culture, or our journey of life and walking out our calling to be people after God's own heart.

Accepting God's design in my life does not mean I should remain static in my spiritual development. Or, as Paul in his letter to the assembly of believers in Philippi says: "Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and awe." (And lest we have been duped into thinking that WORKS = LEGALISM, we should also heed the words of James, the brother of Jesus when he says, "faith apart from works is worthless."

Pitiful Parenting

They say we are our own worst critic, and I am sure in many instances that is a valid observation. 

Take parenting, for example. As I look back on my childhood, I have only a few memories of feeling I was being treated unfairly, or misunderstood by one or both of my parents. As I have become more familiar with just how dysfunctional some families can be, I marvel that mine was (and still is) so functional and loving. Yes, I was spanked a few times for bad behavior, but never beaten. Yes, I was grounded on occasion for stepping out of bounds with rules or curfews. Yes, I got mad at one or another parent from time to time when I did not get my way. But honestly, that was so long ago it is barely a blip on my memory screen. Obviously it did not traumatize me.

However, when I came to be a parent myself (45+ years ago now,) those memories were a bit fresher, and I was determined to "do a better job" at parenting than my own parents had done. Sadly, no one gave me an instruction manual, and when I lamented my feelings of inadequacy and unpreparedness, my doctor told me, "Just love them." OK, I could do that.

I am here today to say, that is easy enough... but it is not enough. I love my daughters with all my heart. I have tried the "best I could with what I knew" to love them, teach them, and guide them. But, I have learned that these things do not happen by osmosis. In retrospect, it probably would have worked out better if I had been a little more intentional, a little less bound by my own insecurities and failures, and a lot less dependent on the concept that they would learn what they needed to know from church. Don't get me wrong, I am not blaming any of their excellent teachers for failing to accomplish the task set before them, but I am accepting that I fell short in fulfilling my own responsibility to fulfill the Deuteronomy 6:7 mandate: And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

I don't really have many memories of either parents or grandparents sitting down with me and sharing their faith journey, or even really praying with me beyond teaching me "Now I lay me down to sleep..." I basically mirrored their model of relying on Sunday school teachers to accomplish what is essentially our own responsibility to our children.

One doesn't need a theological degree to share the basic, foundational truths of what Scripture teaches in how we should live. Heaven sakes, to make matters easier, Jesus boiled it down to just two simple tests: Love God and Love Others. Everything taught in the first covenant falls into one of those categories.

Could I have done a better job? Absolutely! Would everything have turned out perfect? There are never any guarantees. (And don't bother throwing Proverbs 22:6 back at me: Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. That is a premise, not a promise.)

But here is the thing: I AM STILL A PARENT, so instead of beating myself up about shoulda-woulda-coulda, the point is to start every interaction with the right mindset. How can I speak TRUTH by my everyday words and deeds? Yes, loving them is a great place to start, but speaking the Truth in Love has to fit in there somewhere, and that is the part I am working at now. Respecting that they have their own free will and their own "testimony" to work out is also part of it, and that is something that is the biggest challenge for me. Because, in the end, I still love them, no matter what.

Hype, Hypocrisy, and Hysteria Hot Topics

I don't generally make a habit of listening to the news, unless something historically monumental is happening. Even with that, I can only stand so many hours of saturation. Sometimes events catch me by surprise, but usually I am better off for not being "in the know" about everything that MSM wants to throw at me.

One of the reasons I got off of Facebook this year also has to do with the negativity that seems to be rampant with everyone voicing their opinion about the economy, politics, racism, religion, gun control, abortion... ad nauseum. 

Not so long ago, yet another mass shooting hit the headlines. Don't get me wrong, I am 100% opposed to murder in any form, and mass shootings are particularly heinous in that usually innocents are the targeted victims, as compared to a premeditated, targeted murder victim. A common response when any kind of mass tragedy occurs is to see social media flooded with postings of prayers for the victims and their loved ones. Following that is the typical knee-jerk rant response, something along the lines of "F* your prayers! Stop Gun violence... Ban guns..." etc.

This post is not about gun control or gun violence per se, but more an effort to bring some perspective when it comes to the hype, hypocrisy, and hysteria that is promulgated by politicians and media regarding those hot topics. California's governor Gruesome Newsom has lately jumped on that hysteria bandwagon with his recently signed AB 1594, which allows the state, local governments and Californians to sue "irresponsible gunmakers" for the harm caused by their products. 

My question is this: Where do we draw the line? Take a look at these statistics on cause of deaths in the U.S. for the year 2020. (Most of this information was gathered from the CDC and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety websites.) 

Of the estimated 3,383,729 U.S. deaths in 2020...

Compare those numbers with Gun Related Death statistics:

(I have highlighted Homicides and Accidental as those seem to the ones that get most people up in arms.)

Here is the point I wish to make: The misuse of cars and the misuse of drugs kill around as many people as the misuse of guns. When are the politicians going to stop their hypocrisy? Why are they not signing bills allowing people to sue car manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, doctors, and liquor companies for all of the deaths that are caused by the products they manufacture or prescribe?

Wake up folks. Guns, drugs, and cars do not kill. Angry, sad, frustrated, vengeful people kill. If they don't have a gun, they will use whatever tool they can put their hands on: knives, baseball bats, machetes, battery acid... and yes, cars. 

What are we doing to fix the real problem?