Safe Boundaries

My children know the boundaries in our backyard. We live on a lake. Our lawn goes down to wetland vegetation. The vegetation is low so that we can still see the lake and enjoy the view, however you cannot get thought the vegetation to the lake. It's too thick.

To get to the lake, you have to take the path. My children know they are allowed to go to the edge of the grass, but they may not go down the path to the lake without an adult. These "safe boundaries" keep them from the chance of drowning.

What about in our daily lives? Are we living within safe boundaries to protect us? Safe boundaries can not only protect our children, but us as adults too.

Join me over at Titus 2 in Action today, to learn to have Safe Boundaries in your marriage.

You Give Love a Bad Name

Shot through the heart, and you're to blame.
Darling, you give love a bad name.
You Give Love a Bad Name, Bon Jovi, 1986

God is love. Many people don't know or experience God in their every day lives. It is up to us, as Christians, to show them love and thereby they see God. The problem is, as Christians we screw it up. Then, we're to blame. We give Love a bad name. We give God a bad name.

One of my friends from elementary school recently shared on his Facebook status that while he was riding his bicycle, a "Christian" man tried to slip him a religious pamphlet (tract). Now why would anyone try to hand something to a guy on a bike is beyond me, but anyway, my friend didn't accept it but pedalled on. As he did, the man's 6 or 7 year old son yelled to my biker friend, "Sinner! You're going to hell!"

Now really, did that man and his son exemplify God's love with that interaction? I don't know if my childhood friend is a Christian or not. But if not, that interaction didn't bring him one step closer to knowing the love of Jesus. Actually, just the opposite.

The problem with Christianity is Christians. And I should know! Because I screw it up daily. I'm self-centered. I want my own way. Last week I inadvertently offended two different friends by poor word choices...and I'm supposed to be a writer! I should use words better. If people are looking at me to see God, to see love - I give Love a bad name!

What I hope is that people can see Jesus in spite of me. They can see my screwed up mess, and see that I still have hope and joy because of God's love! God is a God of love and mercy. I am sinner, just like that man's son yelled. "Sinner!" And so are that man, his son, my friend, and you.

But if we know Love, even though we sometimes give Love a bad name, He promises Heaven. And I believe He'll deliver.

Don't Be A Fixer

"He laughed at me," my six year old daughter cried as she approached me from the pool. I asked what happened. "I jumped in the pool backwards, and the lifeguard said not to do it again. Then he said 'You got in trouble!' and laughed at me."

Trying to lessen the blow of the boy's words I said, "Well, who cares what he says?" She looked at me with big soulful eyes, trying not to cry and said, "I do!" I pulled her close and told her how sorry I was for his hurtful words.

I messed up. I was trying to negate the hurt she was feeling, trying to make her feel better. What she needed was for me to validate her hurt. Tell her, yes, that words do hurt and it's okay to feel pain. I messed up, but hopefully I got on the right track after she was so articulate in conveying how she felt.

I was reminded of the time when I was talking with a friend before I gave my testimony about my childhood at church. "I'm afraid I'm going to cry," I said. "I cried when I read it," was the friend's response. No assurances I wouldn't cry. No platitudes that I'd be fine or everything would be okay. Just validating me that if I cried, there was in fact reason to cry.

Jesus provides a wonderful example of validation in the story of Lazarus' death found in John 11. As Jesus and his disciples headed to Judea, He told them that Lazarus had died, and that Jesus was going to raise him from the dead. When they arrived and Jesus saw how upset Mary and the family were over Lazarus death, He didn't say, "Stop crying! I'm going to raise him from the dead." He didn't say, "Everything will be okay, wait and see!" No, the Bible tells us Jesus wept. Jesus wept! That is the picture of validating their feelings! He wept with them, even knowing that Lazarus would be raised in a moment.

Is someone telling you how upset they are today? Why not validate their feelings instead of trying to fix them? Sometimes, we don't want someone to fix us. We just want someone to listen to us, to validate us, and maybe, even, to weep with us. Be that someone, like Jesus, today.

I Am, I Said

"I am," I cried. "I am," said I.
And I am lost, and I can't even say why
Leavin' me lonely still.
I Am...I Said, Neil Diamond, 1971

I am lost, and I can't even say why, leaving me lonely still. Neil Diamond's 1971 hit can describe the way life feels sometimes. We are lost. We don't know why, except that we all are sinners, lost and lonely. The song continues, "But I got an emptiness deep inside, And I've tried, but it won't let me go."

Do you have an emptiness inside? There is one who can help to fill it. "'I am' I said." I AM. Do you know who THE I AM is? When Moses was sent by God to go to the Pharaoh to let the Israelites go, Moses asked whom he should say sent him. God answered, I am who I am . This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' "

"I AM," He said. So that we don't have to be lonely still.

In John 18, when the soldiers came to arrest Jesus to crucify him, He asked them who they were looking for. They answered, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus responded, "I AM he." The Bible says, "When Jesus said, "I AM he," they drew back and fell to the ground." Why do you think they fell to the ground? They came to arrest Jesus and he said he was Jesus. Why would that cause them to fall?

Have you considered that when Jesus responded, "I AM," that he was telling him that he was THE I AM. Saying He was God, which caused them to fall to the ground in fear and shock. It's something to consider. Jesus has seven self-descriptions he introduced by "I AM." In 8:58, he states, "Before Abraham was born, I am!" Notice, he didn't say, I was, but I AM!

Are you feeling lost, lonely or empty, consider the words of God. "I AM." He is the one who is, who was, and who is to come.

Musical Musings:
1. When you are down, does it make you feel better to know that God, the I AM is always there? He always is. Why or why not?
2. Jesus declared that he too was I AM. And he experienced everything we do; hurt, rejection, pain and suffering. Knowing that our God, I AM, experienced this things as incarnate man, does that make you better able to relate to him?
3. If you don't know who he is, spend some time with I AM today in prayer. Ask him to show himself to you.

Karaoke:
Lord, you are the I AM. You are the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Thank you for always being there. Fill me with your presence, so I will know you are there, even in the hard times. Help me believe you are, forever and ever. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Rock on:
Research all the times that Jesus made an "I AM" statement in the Bible. Try Biblegateway, or google it. What are the different statements and how did Jesus use them to expand on who He is as God?

It's Not P0rn

I don't like sports. My husband watches a lot of sports. Football, baseball, basketball, golf, softball, boxing...there really isn't a sport he doesn't watch. Recently, we were out to eat with another couple. The men's conversation turned to, of course, sports. They discussed the latest games, scores and stats.

I turned to the wife, "Do you like sports?"

"I don't mind them," she responded.

"I'm not a fan." I said.

Then she said something that changed my view point:

"It's not p0rn."

"*cough*-Excuse me?"

"It's not p0rn." she continued. "He could be spending his time looking at p0rn. I'm glad he likes sports."

Wow - talk about perspective. That one comment made me LOVE sports!

Is there something in your life that you need a change of perspective on? Some small annoyance that could be worse? Why not focus on the positive today. My new motto? "It may not be perfect, but it's not p0rn."

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8

Un-Sin Me

"Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;" Psalm 51:7a

"Un-sin me." That is the literal translation for "Cleanse me" in Psalm 51 above. It is David's humble prayer for forgiveness and cleansing that he wrote after Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

Un-sin me! What a great phrase to pray to God. I think as Christians, our view point of forgiveness is often like giving someone a "re-do" or "do-over." But in God's view, forgiveness is not a re-do, it's an un-do! He literally takes away our sins. As a sinner, I can barely wrap my mind around that.

But join me over at Titus 2 in Action, as I try. And let me know your thoughts as well.

I'm a Believer

And then I saw her face, Now I'm a believer. Not a trace of doubt in my mind.
I'm in love, I'm a believer, I couldn't leave her if I tried.
I'm a Believer, The Monkees, 1967

Do you believe beyond a doubt that the risen Jesus lives? I admit, sometimes when life isn't going quite right, it's easy to wonder. "God, where are you?" And sometimes when sharing our faith, we can get asked some tough questions by non-believers that make us think.

The first folks who had to come to terms with whether or not the risen Jesus was really alive were the disciples. They were in hiding behind locked doors fearing for their lives as associates of the crucified Jesus. Then he appeared to them. They were overjoyed. But one disciple was absent.

Thomas was not with the disciples that day, and when they told him Jesus had risen, he stated, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." I don't know about you, but I meet people with that philosophy all the time. They want proof, concrete evidence of Jesus. Like the Monkees, they need to see a face before they'll be a believer.

Jesus returned and showed his face, hands and side to Thomas. He told him, "Stop doubting and believe." As a result of seeing, Thomas did believe. But Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

We don't have the opportunity to physically see Jesus, and touch his scars. But it doesn't matter to me. "I'm in love. I'm a Believer, I couldn't leave him if I tried." Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which the disciple John says he didn't record. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Don't be a doubting Thomas, or even a Monkee, who will only believe with seeing. Join me today in singing "I'm a believer!"

Musical Musings:
1. We can't physically see Jesus. But Jesus says blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. What are some blessings in your life as a result of your belief?
2. "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1 What are some ways that you show your faith in your daily living? Would those around you know you are believer without telling them?
3. The Donkey in the movie Shrek sings the Smash Mouth re-recorded version of I'm a Believer at the end of the movie. Donkey sings, "I believe, I believe, I believe, I believe." Sometimes it is good to be stubborn as a mule, like when it comes to your faith.

Karaoke:
Dear Lord, I want to be a believer! Help me in times of doubt. Renew my faith, help me believe without seeing. Thank you for the Bible, so that I may read it and be renewed in my faith. In Jesus name, Amen.

Rock on: Spend some time in prayer asking God to increase your faith. Join a Bible study. Talk to like minded Christian friends. Remember Romans 10:17, "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ."

Donkey singing "I'm A Believer" from Shrek.
Sing along, "I believe, I believe, I believe!"