I don’t see as many workmen at the construction site of the new arena as I have often seen in the past. The building’s exterior is largely completed, but there is still a lot going on inside. The project manager reported last weekend that over two hundred fifty workers are engaged in mechanical, electrical and plumbing tasks, as well as brick and stone work. Only those who are supervising the project really know what is happening in there; the rest of us merely drive by and must wait to see the results until some months from now.
God too does some of His best work very quietly, often barely visible, but tended with the utmost care. Our very persons are an example. “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb . . . You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.” (Psalm 139:13, 15) Spiritual birth and growth are even more miraculous! The words of a beautiful Christmas hymn speak of this inside work: “How silently, how silently the wondrous Gift is giv’n! So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His Heav’n. No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in.”
Take heart! When you don’t see much happening on the outside of your personal concern, know that there is still a lot going on where God is at work on the inside.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture quotation taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
What Cheer!
How can I not feel happy as the cardinal sings “What cheer! What cheer! Cheer, cheer, cheer!” these almost-spring mornings, and the chirping sparrows are checking out the eaves for possible nesting sites? Yes, my bird neighbors can be messy, but they also serve as reminders of the care God has for them and for me!
According to the Psalmist, God didn’t mind birds flying in and around the holy place where His people worshipped. Where could a creature be more secure than near the altar belonging to the ruler of Heaven’s armies? “Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow builds her nest and raises her young at a place near your altar, O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, my King and my God!” (Psalm 84:3) I too am safe when I make my dwelling place in the secret place of the Most High.
We are in difficult and uncertain times, but I need not be afraid. “[I am] more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” (Matthew 10:31) I can sing too, “What cheer! What cheer!”
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
According to the Psalmist, God didn’t mind birds flying in and around the holy place where His people worshipped. Where could a creature be more secure than near the altar belonging to the ruler of Heaven’s armies? “Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow builds her nest and raises her young at a place near your altar, O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, my King and my God!” (Psalm 84:3) I too am safe when I make my dwelling place in the secret place of the Most High.
We are in difficult and uncertain times, but I need not be afraid. “[I am] more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” (Matthew 10:31) I can sing too, “What cheer! What cheer!”
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Give Attention to Reading
As I left the library today with the books I had checked out, I thought about what I intended to do with them. One is a cookbook. I don’t cook much, but I like to browse through cookbooks. They are interesting, many of them are quite beautiful—and they are not fattening!
The other is a novel which was touted by reviewers, but since I didn’t actually see the book before I had it reserved for my use, I may not even read it. If I find it dull, depressing, or otherwise not worth my time, I’ll return it unread.
When I was a student, I was under some obligation to undertake assigned readings in their entirety and with considerable care. I have no such obligation now. I take many books back to the library after reading a chapter or two, or skimming the whole book and then reading the end! So many books, so little time! I have to pick and choose.
That brought me to some thoughts about how we approach reading the Scripture. Sometimes we dip into it as I will that cookbook. “Oh, something interesting here." "Oh, a nice section there.” Or we read the “good parts” as though we were picking our way through a novel: our favorite Old Testament stories, the Psalms perhaps, some of the Epistles. Not every part of the Bible is easy reading, but “all Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” (II Timothy 3:16, 17)
The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, “Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.” (I Timothy 4:11) It is obvious from the context that he is urging his young follower to devote himself to public and private reading of the Scripture, although that was not nearly so handy then as it is today. I think Paul was suggesting to Timothy and to us that we become students of the Word, reading as I did that earlier academic reading, “in its entirety and with considerable care.”
Give attention to your reading!
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture quotation marked NLT is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved. Scripture marked KJV is from the King James Version of the Bible.
Email: mryrtha@gmail.com
The other is a novel which was touted by reviewers, but since I didn’t actually see the book before I had it reserved for my use, I may not even read it. If I find it dull, depressing, or otherwise not worth my time, I’ll return it unread.
When I was a student, I was under some obligation to undertake assigned readings in their entirety and with considerable care. I have no such obligation now. I take many books back to the library after reading a chapter or two, or skimming the whole book and then reading the end! So many books, so little time! I have to pick and choose.
That brought me to some thoughts about how we approach reading the Scripture. Sometimes we dip into it as I will that cookbook. “Oh, something interesting here." "Oh, a nice section there.” Or we read the “good parts” as though we were picking our way through a novel: our favorite Old Testament stories, the Psalms perhaps, some of the Epistles. Not every part of the Bible is easy reading, but “all Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” (II Timothy 3:16, 17)
The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, “Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.” (I Timothy 4:11) It is obvious from the context that he is urging his young follower to devote himself to public and private reading of the Scripture, although that was not nearly so handy then as it is today. I think Paul was suggesting to Timothy and to us that we become students of the Word, reading as I did that earlier academic reading, “in its entirety and with considerable care.”
Give attention to your reading!
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture quotation marked NLT is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved. Scripture marked KJV is from the King James Version of the Bible.
Email: mryrtha@gmail.com
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
It's Hard to Be Humble
A co-worker of mine arrived today with a cross-shaped smear of ashes on her forehead. I knew immediately that early this morning she had appeared at her place of worship for “the imposition of ashes.” This is Ash Wednesday which is the beginning of Lent, the forty days (excluding Sundays) which precede Easter. The pouring of ashes on one’s body is an ancient practice symbolizing mourning or repentance. It is this latter idea that is represented by the modern practice.
Typically, those who wish to participate approach the altar or communion rail where the pastor or priest applies ashes on the forehead of each person, then repeats the words God spoke to our first parents after they had sinned, “Dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” While not commanded by God, many Christians choose on this day to wear the symbol that reminds all of us of our mortality and sinfulness. Not one of us is sufficient on our own, but all need the redemption offered by the Savior represented by the cross.
So, since seeing that ashy cross this morning, I have been thinking about humility. I had to smile, remembering the family gathering last summer where one of my nieces gave a truly funny rendition of the old Mac Davis song: “Oh Lord it's hard to be humble when you're perfect in every way. . .” The trouble is, there are many people whose attitude is nearly that arrogant. Oh, they probably wouldn’t be so bold as to state it in those words, but they insist, “I’m as good as anybody.” “Religion is for the soft and weak.” “I don’t need God.”
Yes, it’s hard to be humble. It is hard to admit, “I am just like Adam, a sinner.” Dying and returning to dust is something we would rather not think about too much. But whether we wear the symbolic ashes or not, whether we even acknowledge the Lenten season or not, our need for repentance and the fact of our mortality are real.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Typically, those who wish to participate approach the altar or communion rail where the pastor or priest applies ashes on the forehead of each person, then repeats the words God spoke to our first parents after they had sinned, “Dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” While not commanded by God, many Christians choose on this day to wear the symbol that reminds all of us of our mortality and sinfulness. Not one of us is sufficient on our own, but all need the redemption offered by the Savior represented by the cross.
So, since seeing that ashy cross this morning, I have been thinking about humility. I had to smile, remembering the family gathering last summer where one of my nieces gave a truly funny rendition of the old Mac Davis song: “Oh Lord it's hard to be humble when you're perfect in every way. . .” The trouble is, there are many people whose attitude is nearly that arrogant. Oh, they probably wouldn’t be so bold as to state it in those words, but they insist, “I’m as good as anybody.” “Religion is for the soft and weak.” “I don’t need God.”
Yes, it’s hard to be humble. It is hard to admit, “I am just like Adam, a sinner.” Dying and returning to dust is something we would rather not think about too much. But whether we wear the symbolic ashes or not, whether we even acknowledge the Lenten season or not, our need for repentance and the fact of our mortality are real.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Things Mama Taught Me: "Waste Not, Want Not"
Modern homeowners who drive to a recycling drop-off or who put stuff out on the curb for a recycling company to pick up may think this is a new idea. But seventy or eighty years ago, our Depression-era ancestors were already into “reduce, re-use, recycle” in a big way. My mother often said, “Use it up, wear it out, make it do—or do without.” The thriftiness people exhibited in those times was not so much about environmental concern as simple necessity. You were careful with what you had, because there was no telling when you would get more. "Waste not, want not."
One of my cousins wrote the other day that she smiled to herself when she made pancakes recently. She realized one of her mother-in-law’s “tricks” had rubbed off on her when she used her finger to wipe the last tiny bit of egg white from the shell. If you do that, her mentor said, you’ll actually have an extra tablespoon of egg white for every four or five eggs you use. And I remember telling myself, years ago, that I would know my food budget was stable when I no longer had to scrape the last smear of margarine off the wrapper before I tossed it—what my own mother taught me.
Is this really necessary? Perhaps not yet. But a lot of our careless consumerism, I think, is caused by the very abundance we enjoy and our lack of appreciation for it. I’m not suggesting that we need to return to the lifestyle of the ‘30s, but maybe we could learn thankfulness when we crack an egg or unwrap a stick of margarine?
Did you know that gratitude is actually good for our health? Exciting new research shows that there are life-enhancing benefits to gratitude, compassion, and other love-based activism. Specifically, gratitude strengthens the immune system, makes one less vulnerable to depression, calms the nervous system which can lower blood pressure and slow the heart rate, speeds physical healing, and generates positive social interaction. Dr. Stephen Post is a professor of bioethics at Case Western Reserve University’s School of Medicine and the founder of the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love. Dr. Post and other researchers have shown that even five to fifteen minutes a day spent in thoughts of gratitude can significantly affect our long-term health.
Maybe that’s one reason our parents and grandparents were tough enough to make it through the economic difficulties they faced. They were grateful.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
See an article by Dr. Post: http://www.guideposts.com/story/power-gratitude# He has also written, with Jill Neimark, Why Good Things Happen to Good People.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
One of my cousins wrote the other day that she smiled to herself when she made pancakes recently. She realized one of her mother-in-law’s “tricks” had rubbed off on her when she used her finger to wipe the last tiny bit of egg white from the shell. If you do that, her mentor said, you’ll actually have an extra tablespoon of egg white for every four or five eggs you use. And I remember telling myself, years ago, that I would know my food budget was stable when I no longer had to scrape the last smear of margarine off the wrapper before I tossed it—what my own mother taught me.
Is this really necessary? Perhaps not yet. But a lot of our careless consumerism, I think, is caused by the very abundance we enjoy and our lack of appreciation for it. I’m not suggesting that we need to return to the lifestyle of the ‘30s, but maybe we could learn thankfulness when we crack an egg or unwrap a stick of margarine?
Did you know that gratitude is actually good for our health? Exciting new research shows that there are life-enhancing benefits to gratitude, compassion, and other love-based activism. Specifically, gratitude strengthens the immune system, makes one less vulnerable to depression, calms the nervous system which can lower blood pressure and slow the heart rate, speeds physical healing, and generates positive social interaction. Dr. Stephen Post is a professor of bioethics at Case Western Reserve University’s School of Medicine and the founder of the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love. Dr. Post and other researchers have shown that even five to fifteen minutes a day spent in thoughts of gratitude can significantly affect our long-term health.
Maybe that’s one reason our parents and grandparents were tough enough to make it through the economic difficulties they faced. They were grateful.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
See an article by Dr. Post: http://www.guideposts.com/story/power-gratitude# He has also written, with Jill Neimark, Why Good Things Happen to Good People.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Monday, February 23, 2009
Love Endures
Michelangelo, the great Italian Renaissance painter and sculptor, saw inside each block of rough marble a sculpture, waiting to be freed by his tools. His job, he felt, was simply chipping away all that was not part of the statue, releasing it.
Sometimes we find ourselves in relationships where we feel like that sculptor. Others do not necessarily see what we see; even the person himself/herself may not recognize their potential. We see the person that is really in there and we want them to be released—free and beautiful. Sometimes, though, even when we have invested much of ourselves in the relationship and have been a significant portion of that life, the outcome is not the strong and balanced person we had so hoped to see. It might be our child, our spouse, a parent, or a close friend—and, to be honest, we are disappointed. So what do we do?
We love anyway. “Love may make the world go ‘round,” but it cannot always change the way things are. Lack of understanding, stubbornness, or just plain arrogance may keep the person from yielding to the tools that every person’s life—and God Himself—bring to shape and train us. That is his/her choice. We cannot force the decision.
“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” (I Corinthians 13:4-7)
I carve a monument of stone;
Chips fly to free the marble form inside,
When, unexpected, a sharp blow reveals
What was not visible before:
A crevice hid within the rock.
I’ll not return the stone so deeply flawed,
Though it was given to me as whole,
But rather make a work of art none would have dreamed.
I take up molten gold, I fill the wound,
And smooth the costly flow around the scar.
When I complete the work someday,
All will acclaim the beauty of that vein
And think an artist planned it so,
And only I will ever know
That love can cover any sin. –MM
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Read the article Love Wins here
Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Sometimes we find ourselves in relationships where we feel like that sculptor. Others do not necessarily see what we see; even the person himself/herself may not recognize their potential. We see the person that is really in there and we want them to be released—free and beautiful. Sometimes, though, even when we have invested much of ourselves in the relationship and have been a significant portion of that life, the outcome is not the strong and balanced person we had so hoped to see. It might be our child, our spouse, a parent, or a close friend—and, to be honest, we are disappointed. So what do we do?
We love anyway. “Love may make the world go ‘round,” but it cannot always change the way things are. Lack of understanding, stubbornness, or just plain arrogance may keep the person from yielding to the tools that every person’s life—and God Himself—bring to shape and train us. That is his/her choice. We cannot force the decision.
“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” (I Corinthians 13:4-7)
I carve a monument of stone;
Chips fly to free the marble form inside,
When, unexpected, a sharp blow reveals
What was not visible before:
A crevice hid within the rock.
I’ll not return the stone so deeply flawed,
Though it was given to me as whole,
But rather make a work of art none would have dreamed.
I take up molten gold, I fill the wound,
And smooth the costly flow around the scar.
When I complete the work someday,
All will acclaim the beauty of that vein
And think an artist planned it so,
And only I will ever know
That love can cover any sin. –MM
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Read the article Love Wins here
Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Too Much in the Building Fund
Securing the funds needed for construction is a serious consideration when a major building project is on the drawing board. We are accustomed to bond issues, tax assessments, donor drives, and corporate gifts as ways to raise the necessary money. An article in the local paper earlier this month reported that the huge new arena under construction in our city "still is on budget," according to the county's chief financial officer. "We fully expect [it] to come in on budget and on time," he said. Opening of the arena is still many months away, and we can only hope that his optimistic outlook will prove correct. If you have ever been involved in a building or remodeling project, you know that such an endeavor tends to take much longer and cost much more than originally planned.
On budget would be great, but who ever heard of a surplus in available funding? I read recently about a project with too much in the building fund. To begin with, there was a most unusual way of funding the construction, but one you are probably familiar with already: the people of Israel bringing gifts for the building of the Tabernacle in the wilderness. They brought gold, silver, and bronze; precious stones; fine linen fabric and dyed threads for embroidery; wood and tanned leathers; oil and spices. Moses turned the donated materials over to the workmen who had been specially designated to do the construction. But the people continued to bring additional gifts every morning until finally the craftsmen who were working on the sanctuary left their work and went to Moses. "[They] reported, 'The people have given more than enough materials to complete the job the Lord has commanded us to do!' So Moses gave the command, and this message was sent throughout the camp: 'Men and women, don’t prepare any more gifts for the sanctuary. We have enough!' So the people stopped bringing their sacred offerings. Their contributions were more than enough to complete the whole project." (Exodus 36:5-7)
And this without a fund drive! Only those whose hearts were stirred came with their gifts; there was no pressure, and only those with willing spirits responded. Who ever heard of a project manager--secular or religious--telling people they must not donate any more money or goods? It just doesn't happen! Can you imagine a pastor instructing his associates to spread the word among the congregation, "You can't give any more to the building fund. We don't see how we can use all the offerings you've already brought!"
It just goes to show what a powerful influence on the wallet the Spirit of God has if people are ready to listen!
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture quotation taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
On budget would be great, but who ever heard of a surplus in available funding? I read recently about a project with too much in the building fund. To begin with, there was a most unusual way of funding the construction, but one you are probably familiar with already: the people of Israel bringing gifts for the building of the Tabernacle in the wilderness. They brought gold, silver, and bronze; precious stones; fine linen fabric and dyed threads for embroidery; wood and tanned leathers; oil and spices. Moses turned the donated materials over to the workmen who had been specially designated to do the construction. But the people continued to bring additional gifts every morning until finally the craftsmen who were working on the sanctuary left their work and went to Moses. "[They] reported, 'The people have given more than enough materials to complete the job the Lord has commanded us to do!' So Moses gave the command, and this message was sent throughout the camp: 'Men and women, don’t prepare any more gifts for the sanctuary. We have enough!' So the people stopped bringing their sacred offerings. Their contributions were more than enough to complete the whole project." (Exodus 36:5-7)
And this without a fund drive! Only those whose hearts were stirred came with their gifts; there was no pressure, and only those with willing spirits responded. Who ever heard of a project manager--secular or religious--telling people they must not donate any more money or goods? It just doesn't happen! Can you imagine a pastor instructing his associates to spread the word among the congregation, "You can't give any more to the building fund. We don't see how we can use all the offerings you've already brought!"
It just goes to show what a powerful influence on the wallet the Spirit of God has if people are ready to listen!
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture quotation taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Friday, February 20, 2009
The Puzzle of Life
Life can be a lot like putting a picture puzzle together. We have a picture, realistic or not, of what it should look like, and we also have a whole bunch of separate pieces--people, situations, feelings, ideas, things that happen, things that don't happen. Where do they all fit in?
Picture puzzle fans have different motives guiding their approach to a puzzle. Some are determined to accomplish the task; it's all about getting it done. Others mostly just enjoy the process; if the picture isn't finished today or not for weeks, that's quite all right. And that mirrors the attitudes people have about living.
In real life, some people are driven to accomplish with perfection all they possibly can, to the exclusion of savoring life's experiences. "Drive" is a very good thing, but sometimes these folks get caught up in the urgency of what has their attention and forget about the importance of things they may be neglecting: family, health, spiritual refreshing, helping others. They will no doubt achieve what they have set out to do, but they may not have much fun!
Others who regard life differently have goals too, but they see life not only as a challenge and responsibility but as a privilege. They want to feel the joys of their experiences and relationships without being desperate for them to "mean" something. They endeavor to find the balance in the various areas of their lives.
Puzzle fans also use different methods for assembling the puzzle. When my grandchildren were younger and wanted to help, they might pick up an interesting piece and ask, "Where does this one go, Grandma?" Then I would have to disappoint them by replying, "I can't tell yet, honey." The other family members--a little older--with whom I enjoy this activity do some sorting before they try to put things together. Maybe all the edge pieces are placed in a pile, all the pieces with this shade of green, all the pieces of the brick house, all the pieces that seem to be a furry animal, etc. Then using both color and shape to guide us, we begin to fit those pieces together. Again, this resembles different approaches to life.
Some people look at an incident or a set of circumstances and ask, "What is this? It doesn't make sense and, furthermore, I don't like it at all." They focus on just one thing in isolation and fail to see "the big picture." They may even become discouraged when that one situation or experience or relationship doesn't seem to "fit" and begin to believe that all this is just too hard.
In contrast, others take a long view. They don't expect everything to fall into place all at once. They ask, "What do I have or what do I know that will help me with this? What of God's grace do I need to apply in this situation?" They believe that if what they are experiencing doesn't "fit" now, the chances are good that it will become clearer farther along in the journey. They are willing to tune their ears to wisdom and apply their hearts to understanding (See Proverbs 2:2).
Eventually everything fits. "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28 NASB)
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture quotation marked NASB is taken from the New American Standard Bible; used by permission of the Lockman Foundation.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Picture puzzle fans have different motives guiding their approach to a puzzle. Some are determined to accomplish the task; it's all about getting it done. Others mostly just enjoy the process; if the picture isn't finished today or not for weeks, that's quite all right. And that mirrors the attitudes people have about living.
In real life, some people are driven to accomplish with perfection all they possibly can, to the exclusion of savoring life's experiences. "Drive" is a very good thing, but sometimes these folks get caught up in the urgency of what has their attention and forget about the importance of things they may be neglecting: family, health, spiritual refreshing, helping others. They will no doubt achieve what they have set out to do, but they may not have much fun!
Others who regard life differently have goals too, but they see life not only as a challenge and responsibility but as a privilege. They want to feel the joys of their experiences and relationships without being desperate for them to "mean" something. They endeavor to find the balance in the various areas of their lives.
Puzzle fans also use different methods for assembling the puzzle. When my grandchildren were younger and wanted to help, they might pick up an interesting piece and ask, "Where does this one go, Grandma?" Then I would have to disappoint them by replying, "I can't tell yet, honey." The other family members--a little older--with whom I enjoy this activity do some sorting before they try to put things together. Maybe all the edge pieces are placed in a pile, all the pieces with this shade of green, all the pieces of the brick house, all the pieces that seem to be a furry animal, etc. Then using both color and shape to guide us, we begin to fit those pieces together. Again, this resembles different approaches to life.
Some people look at an incident or a set of circumstances and ask, "What is this? It doesn't make sense and, furthermore, I don't like it at all." They focus on just one thing in isolation and fail to see "the big picture." They may even become discouraged when that one situation or experience or relationship doesn't seem to "fit" and begin to believe that all this is just too hard.
In contrast, others take a long view. They don't expect everything to fall into place all at once. They ask, "What do I have or what do I know that will help me with this? What of God's grace do I need to apply in this situation?" They believe that if what they are experiencing doesn't "fit" now, the chances are good that it will become clearer farther along in the journey. They are willing to tune their ears to wisdom and apply their hearts to understanding (See Proverbs 2:2).
Eventually everything fits. "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28 NASB)
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture quotation marked NASB is taken from the New American Standard Bible; used by permission of the Lockman Foundation.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Crossing the Bridge
Sometimes we come slowly to a new place of awareness; we sort of grow into a better understanding without a crisis provoking it. Sometimes we're not faced with a deliberate decision to re-do our way of thinking. But that will not always be true; at times there may be a crisis or we may face a decision.
Several years ago, as we contemplated our lives of faith, a friend and I began to pray, individually and for each other, "God, transform me into a new person by changing the way I think." (See Romans 12:1 in The New Living Translation.) What a trip this has been! I had no idea that there were huge portions of my mental processes that had never been liberated from accumulated warping. Where I am now is like being in another country: I do things differently here, I speak differently here, I view things differently here. And God isn't even finished yet!
I'll explain. I always thought I could "get by" on a certain amount of sleep, far less than doctors recommend, just because there was so much I was expected to do. I told myself it didn't matter whether or not the food I ate tasted good, just so long as there was enough of it for everyone. When I had to deal with major trauma, I said it didn't hurt too much--just what I learned to say as an eight-year-old when I stubbed my toe. I confused setting appropriate boundaries with being selfish. I thought helping others achieve their goals excluded my own, and I believed that for others to be happy and well-cared-for meant that I needed to be overburdened and poor.
Many times, I looked across the way to this "other country." From over there, it didn't appear to be all that different, but I just knew anyway that it was better. There was clarity of purpose here, and a sense of self worth, permission to dream, and freedom to take care of myself. I don't know exactly when I first crossed the bridge because it has not been a single experience, but rather something that's repeated over and over. But I suppose it must have been when I started praying about God changing the way I think. I soon began to face in rapid succession a series of situations that forced me to evaluate everything: my relationships, my work, my health, my faith.
What is the bridge? I propose that the bridge is truth--not necessarily ultimate truth like the Gospel of Jesus Christ, although there is that too--but the truth about myself, my past and present life, my future, my faults and failures as well as my giftings and successes. Reality can be a real wake-up call (or the more descriptive, "kick in the pants")! In the Scripture or other books and articles, on a regular basis, I find truth. In messages my pastor preaches or in conversation, I hear truth. When I am reflecting on daily events or experiences, I discover truth. "This is the way life is, and there is the way it can be. This is the way you are, and there is who you can become." And then I must choose: accept this "bridge" to better knowing and better being . . .
Or close my eyes and walk away.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Several years ago, as we contemplated our lives of faith, a friend and I began to pray, individually and for each other, "God, transform me into a new person by changing the way I think." (See Romans 12:1 in The New Living Translation.) What a trip this has been! I had no idea that there were huge portions of my mental processes that had never been liberated from accumulated warping. Where I am now is like being in another country: I do things differently here, I speak differently here, I view things differently here. And God isn't even finished yet!
I'll explain. I always thought I could "get by" on a certain amount of sleep, far less than doctors recommend, just because there was so much I was expected to do. I told myself it didn't matter whether or not the food I ate tasted good, just so long as there was enough of it for everyone. When I had to deal with major trauma, I said it didn't hurt too much--just what I learned to say as an eight-year-old when I stubbed my toe. I confused setting appropriate boundaries with being selfish. I thought helping others achieve their goals excluded my own, and I believed that for others to be happy and well-cared-for meant that I needed to be overburdened and poor.
Many times, I looked across the way to this "other country." From over there, it didn't appear to be all that different, but I just knew anyway that it was better. There was clarity of purpose here, and a sense of self worth, permission to dream, and freedom to take care of myself. I don't know exactly when I first crossed the bridge because it has not been a single experience, but rather something that's repeated over and over. But I suppose it must have been when I started praying about God changing the way I think. I soon began to face in rapid succession a series of situations that forced me to evaluate everything: my relationships, my work, my health, my faith.
What is the bridge? I propose that the bridge is truth--not necessarily ultimate truth like the Gospel of Jesus Christ, although there is that too--but the truth about myself, my past and present life, my future, my faults and failures as well as my giftings and successes. Reality can be a real wake-up call (or the more descriptive, "kick in the pants")! In the Scripture or other books and articles, on a regular basis, I find truth. In messages my pastor preaches or in conversation, I hear truth. When I am reflecting on daily events or experiences, I discover truth. "This is the way life is, and there is the way it can be. This is the way you are, and there is who you can become." And then I must choose: accept this "bridge" to better knowing and better being . . .
Or close my eyes and walk away.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Daily Benefits
Years ago, my very first apartment, furnished in Early Poverty, had very little in the way of decoration. No House Beautiful award for it! I had, though, made one "extravagant" purchase: a pretty and impractical bedspread. Pink roses adorned the top which was quilted in metallic gold, and a ruffled taffeta skirt reached the floor. I thought it was quite elegant!
I was showing my home to a friend. "This is the bedroom," I announced, as we entered a little nook just off the living room--no door to open or close. A little apologetically, I added, "The bedspread is my only luxury."
"You have ice cubes, don't you?" she responded quickly.
I have never forgotten that reply. So much of what I took for granted then--and even still today--is almost beyond imagination in other parts of the world. Ice at my fingertips when many people do not have clean water to drink? A place of my own, warm in the winter and cool in the summer, when thousands live in refugee camps? A taffeta bedspread, no less, when homeless women in my own city have no bed?
"Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation!" (Psalm 68:19 NKJV) Lord, let me not forget!
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
I was showing my home to a friend. "This is the bedroom," I announced, as we entered a little nook just off the living room--no door to open or close. A little apologetically, I added, "The bedspread is my only luxury."
"You have ice cubes, don't you?" she responded quickly.
I have never forgotten that reply. So much of what I took for granted then--and even still today--is almost beyond imagination in other parts of the world. Ice at my fingertips when many people do not have clean water to drink? A place of my own, warm in the winter and cool in the summer, when thousands live in refugee camps? A taffeta bedspread, no less, when homeless women in my own city have no bed?
"Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation!" (Psalm 68:19 NKJV) Lord, let me not forget!
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Spring Is Almost Here!
Am I rushing the season a bit? This is only the middle of February, but it smells like spring on damp mornings, and my spring bulbs are pushing green shoots through the layer of dry, brown leaves that covered them through the winter. A little yellow crocus greeted me a couple of days ago; that counts for something, doesn't it? On the calendar, the beginning of spring is more than a month away, and Phil Punxsutawney, the spring-forecasting groundhog, says so too, but what does he know?
From my distant educational past, I remember a few lines written by William Wordsworth, "All at once I saw a crowd, a host, of golden daffodils beside the lake, beneath the trees, fluttering and dancing in the breeze." My flower bed won't produce what you could exactly call a crowd of daffodils, but there will be a few and they will delight me! Even after they have faded, their memory will cheer me. Wordsworth wrote "I Wandered Lonely As a Cloud" (or "Daffodils") in 1804 two years after he saw the spectacular swath of daffodils by the lake. The closing lines of his poem reveal that often when he was alone and somewhat pensive, he still remembered the beauty, "And then my heart with pleasure fills, and dances with the daffodils."
Spring is almost here--and I am already dancing!
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
From my distant educational past, I remember a few lines written by William Wordsworth, "All at once I saw a crowd, a host, of golden daffodils beside the lake, beneath the trees, fluttering and dancing in the breeze." My flower bed won't produce what you could exactly call a crowd of daffodils, but there will be a few and they will delight me! Even after they have faded, their memory will cheer me. Wordsworth wrote "I Wandered Lonely As a Cloud" (or "Daffodils") in 1804 two years after he saw the spectacular swath of daffodils by the lake. The closing lines of his poem reveal that often when he was alone and somewhat pensive, he still remembered the beauty, "And then my heart with pleasure fills, and dances with the daffodils."
Spring is almost here--and I am already dancing!
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Monday, February 16, 2009
Footprints
One stanza of "A Psalm of Life," written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in the 1830s, says,
Lives of great men all remind us we can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us footprints on the sands of time.
Some people leave bigger footprints than others, and I'm not talking about our present-day concern over "carbon footprints." In the U.S., we are celebrating Presidents Day today, commemorating the February birthdays of two of our particularly important forefathers: George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Regardless of how revisionists have written about these men, we still honor their contributions to our country and our way of life.
Since the recent election, much has been made of perceived similarities in our new president and various previous ones. I'm not so much interested in comparing the men as the issues which the times presented. It's really true: "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 1:9) And again, I'm not nearly as concerned with the footprints left by presidents, old and new, as the footprints that each of us are leaving for those who follow us. "Sublime" as Longfellow suggested? Maybe not, but there all the same.
Many of us have experienced walking with our big feet and long legs through sand or snow and, looking back, we have seen a much smaller person--offspring of our own or a grandchild, perhaps a nephew, niece, or the child of a friend--struggling to follow with their little feet and short legs the big prints we left behind. We need to walk slower, walk straighter, walk more faithfully.
(Words and Music by Jon Mohr; popular performance by Steve Green)
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture quotation is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Lives of great men all remind us we can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us footprints on the sands of time.
Some people leave bigger footprints than others, and I'm not talking about our present-day concern over "carbon footprints." In the U.S., we are celebrating Presidents Day today, commemorating the February birthdays of two of our particularly important forefathers: George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Regardless of how revisionists have written about these men, we still honor their contributions to our country and our way of life.
Since the recent election, much has been made of perceived similarities in our new president and various previous ones. I'm not so much interested in comparing the men as the issues which the times presented. It's really true: "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 1:9) And again, I'm not nearly as concerned with the footprints left by presidents, old and new, as the footprints that each of us are leaving for those who follow us. "Sublime" as Longfellow suggested? Maybe not, but there all the same.
Many of us have experienced walking with our big feet and long legs through sand or snow and, looking back, we have seen a much smaller person--offspring of our own or a grandchild, perhaps a nephew, niece, or the child of a friend--struggling to follow with their little feet and short legs the big prints we left behind. We need to walk slower, walk straighter, walk more faithfully.
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful.
May the fire of our devotion light their way.
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey.
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful.
(Words and Music by Jon Mohr; popular performance by Steve Green)
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture quotation is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Unconditional Love
People are writing and talking these days about unconditional love. I believe in it. My understanding of it is based on the love that God has for us. This is real, unconditional love: God loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins, while we were active sinners with nothing at all to commend us to His love and grace. (I John 4:10; Romans 5:8) Nothing you and I have done or can do will separate us from that love. Our behavior, good or bad, does not change His love and concern for us and His interest in us.
However, and this is a big proviso, if we want to enjoy a personal relationship with God, we must reciprocate. Jesus said, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them." (John 14:23) If we want to enjoy Family privileges, we will have to take Family responsibility. "So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God." (I John 3:10) To me, it is clear that we are the beneficiaries of the all-encompassing, unconditional love of God--as are all people, whether or not we and they choose to receive it. But the love expressed in personal relationship demands a fitting response.
Not everyone understands that, even on the human level. I have had acquaintances over the years who were "takers" rather than givers or sharers. They did not seem to think that what they did or said made any difference in our connection; it all depended on me. They were grateful, they told me, for my always being there for them, but they felt little obligation to be supportive of me. One in particular expressed appreciation for "accepting me as I am." (Implicit in this was "sin and all," mistaking gentle tolerance for what could have become genuine, heart-level comradeship.) While I believe in the love that says, "You don't have to do anything or be anything or change anything for me to love you," I also know that lasting friendships and strong marriages and family relationships are built on the God-kind of love that requires commitment.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
However, and this is a big proviso, if we want to enjoy a personal relationship with God, we must reciprocate. Jesus said, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them." (John 14:23) If we want to enjoy Family privileges, we will have to take Family responsibility. "So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God." (I John 3:10) To me, it is clear that we are the beneficiaries of the all-encompassing, unconditional love of God--as are all people, whether or not we and they choose to receive it. But the love expressed in personal relationship demands a fitting response.
Not everyone understands that, even on the human level. I have had acquaintances over the years who were "takers" rather than givers or sharers. They did not seem to think that what they did or said made any difference in our connection; it all depended on me. They were grateful, they told me, for my always being there for them, but they felt little obligation to be supportive of me. One in particular expressed appreciation for "accepting me as I am." (Implicit in this was "sin and all," mistaking gentle tolerance for what could have become genuine, heart-level comradeship.) While I believe in the love that says, "You don't have to do anything or be anything or change anything for me to love you," I also know that lasting friendships and strong marriages and family relationships are built on the God-kind of love that requires commitment.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Friday, February 13, 2009
Secret Service
For Valentine's Day, February 14
"What the world needs now is love, sweet love. It's the only thing that there's just too little of . . . [Love] not just for some, but for every, every, everyone." (Burt Bacharach) Lots of people could benefit tomorrow from knowing someone cared about them. I thought you might need some "lead time" if you're going to take action, so I am posting this today, even though it's only the 13th.
If you are certain to get something really wonderful from someone you love, ladies--chocolate, a beautiful card, roses, jewelry with rubies or diamonds--or fellows, a candlelight dinner or a weekend getaway, enjoy! Could you take just a few minutes in the next day or two to give away an expression of caring to someone who does not expect it--and perhaps doesn't even deserve it?
Or maybe the people you love aren't into the sentiment surrounding this particular day or they simply are not able to do what their heart desires. Never mind, if you're loved, be glad! Buy yourself the chocolate, if you want to, and do your own planning of the getaway. And remember to reach out to someone who may be wondering if there is anyone at all who cares.
Or maybe, for whatever reason, you're alone. Perhaps there is no one who would send flowers or treat you to dinner. All the more reason for you to extend your love to someone else who is alone. You know how it feels.
I'm suggesting "secret service" for several reasons. So often when we give, we expect something in return, even if only gratitude. A gift or an act of service that comes from an undisclosed giver cannot be reciprocated, and it's good for us to experience that sometimes. Secret service keeps us free from entanglements that might be undesirable or unwise. And secret service is just so much fun!
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
"What the world needs now is love, sweet love. It's the only thing that there's just too little of . . . [Love] not just for some, but for every, every, everyone." (Burt Bacharach) Lots of people could benefit tomorrow from knowing someone cared about them. I thought you might need some "lead time" if you're going to take action, so I am posting this today, even though it's only the 13th.
If you are certain to get something really wonderful from someone you love, ladies--chocolate, a beautiful card, roses, jewelry with rubies or diamonds--or fellows, a candlelight dinner or a weekend getaway, enjoy! Could you take just a few minutes in the next day or two to give away an expression of caring to someone who does not expect it--and perhaps doesn't even deserve it?
Or maybe the people you love aren't into the sentiment surrounding this particular day or they simply are not able to do what their heart desires. Never mind, if you're loved, be glad! Buy yourself the chocolate, if you want to, and do your own planning of the getaway. And remember to reach out to someone who may be wondering if there is anyone at all who cares.
Or maybe, for whatever reason, you're alone. Perhaps there is no one who would send flowers or treat you to dinner. All the more reason for you to extend your love to someone else who is alone. You know how it feels.
I'm suggesting "secret service" for several reasons. So often when we give, we expect something in return, even if only gratitude. A gift or an act of service that comes from an undisclosed giver cannot be reciprocated, and it's good for us to experience that sometimes. Secret service keeps us free from entanglements that might be undesirable or unwise. And secret service is just so much fun!
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Thursday, February 12, 2009
The Original Text Message
Th Orignl Txt Msg
(This appeared on tablets of stone some thousands of years ago)
I. I m yr Gd; no othr gds, jst me.
II. No wrshp of thngs u hv mde; I mean it.
III. No usng my nme 4 cursng or silly tlk; I wont pt up wth it.
IV.Keep Sun hly; wrk sx days 2 do wht u need 2 do.
V. Honr yr fthr and mthr.
VI. No mrdr.
VII. No adltry.
VIII. No stealng.
IX. No lies abt yr na-br.
X. No lustng; dnt set yr heart on thngs tht belng to othr pepl.
Luv u 4evr.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
What to Give Up for Lent
I intended to write a meditation for the beginning of Lent, but it was earlier this year than it often is. I wasn't watching the calendar very closely and it started without me! So here is what I wanted to share, a little late. (Edited: Oops! Lent does not begin until February 25. My mistake!)
My religious affiliation is not with the Catholic Church; nevertheless, for several years I have found it a helpful spiritual practice to observe the Lenten season with some small form of self-denial. It is not that I feel it is required of me, but something that reminds me specifically and regularly of the significance of the approaching Easter season has been worthwhile. One year it was chocolate; you might be surprised how many times during the forty days of Lent I was confronted with delectable offerings of chocolate! Other times, other things. One especially memorable year, the season was approaching and I was wondering, "What shall I 'sacrifice' for Lent?" I even asked God for an idea. And to my surprise, He gave me one!
"Well, how about your angry feelings?" I need to explain that a situation had developed in the preceding weeks that was very unfair to me and to several others, and there was not a single thing to be done about it. I was angry, no denying that, but I knew that what I felt was really pretty normal under the circumstances. No matter how I examined what had happened, there was just no way to call it right or fair. I was "justified." I don't often carry injustice around too long, but this was just so extreme that it was with me all the time. And so God was suggesting I give up this anger for Lent? I was not sure I could do that, or that I even wanted to!
"Yeah, just suppose I do give it up," I answered with a little heat, certain that God was tricking me. "And then when Lent is over, You know that I probably won't even get it back!"
"No, that's okay. You can have it back if you want it."
With this assurance, I was able to lay the anger down. When it bubbled up again, I would say to myself, "It's only until Easter, then I can be mad again." I quit thinking about the injustice so much, knowing that I could mull it over again later. I began to get used to the feeling of not being so agitated by the situation, and although the way things had been was the way things remained, they lost their acute power over me.
And yes, you guessed it! When Lent was over, I did not want my anger back. God and I had a good laugh! I am thankful that He is so understanding about the human need to have things put right, and I am also glad that He knows what anger--especially concealed, prolonged, unusable anger--does to the body and the spirit. He helped me put aside the "poison" that could kill me--just in time for Resurrection Day!
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
My religious affiliation is not with the Catholic Church; nevertheless, for several years I have found it a helpful spiritual practice to observe the Lenten season with some small form of self-denial. It is not that I feel it is required of me, but something that reminds me specifically and regularly of the significance of the approaching Easter season has been worthwhile. One year it was chocolate; you might be surprised how many times during the forty days of Lent I was confronted with delectable offerings of chocolate! Other times, other things. One especially memorable year, the season was approaching and I was wondering, "What shall I 'sacrifice' for Lent?" I even asked God for an idea. And to my surprise, He gave me one!
"Well, how about your angry feelings?" I need to explain that a situation had developed in the preceding weeks that was very unfair to me and to several others, and there was not a single thing to be done about it. I was angry, no denying that, but I knew that what I felt was really pretty normal under the circumstances. No matter how I examined what had happened, there was just no way to call it right or fair. I was "justified." I don't often carry injustice around too long, but this was just so extreme that it was with me all the time. And so God was suggesting I give up this anger for Lent? I was not sure I could do that, or that I even wanted to!
"Yeah, just suppose I do give it up," I answered with a little heat, certain that God was tricking me. "And then when Lent is over, You know that I probably won't even get it back!"
"No, that's okay. You can have it back if you want it."
With this assurance, I was able to lay the anger down. When it bubbled up again, I would say to myself, "It's only until Easter, then I can be mad again." I quit thinking about the injustice so much, knowing that I could mull it over again later. I began to get used to the feeling of not being so agitated by the situation, and although the way things had been was the way things remained, they lost their acute power over me.
And yes, you guessed it! When Lent was over, I did not want my anger back. God and I had a good laugh! I am thankful that He is so understanding about the human need to have things put right, and I am also glad that He knows what anger--especially concealed, prolonged, unusable anger--does to the body and the spirit. He helped me put aside the "poison" that could kill me--just in time for Resurrection Day!
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
One Thing After Another
Lord, I don't understand
the unrelenting pressures on my life:
A long period of not being well,
and then a legal tangle,
And then the child whose life unravels
before my very eyes.
I'm made of sturdy stuff
but I confess I sometimes think
This is too much,
this one thing right after another.
"Of course, it's one thing after another!
That is the way I mold My children's lives.
You could not bear the shaping tools
all at a time.
They come one after another.
Be glad!"
A note: I wrote this some years ago. The illness is long past, the legal situation is forgotten, the child weathered that crisis and several new ones. It is still true, though, that I face "one thing right after another," just as you do, no doubt. Our God is just as faithful today as He has been in the past.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
the unrelenting pressures on my life:
A long period of not being well,
and then a legal tangle,
And then the child whose life unravels
before my very eyes.
I'm made of sturdy stuff
but I confess I sometimes think
This is too much,
this one thing right after another.
"Of course, it's one thing after another!
That is the way I mold My children's lives.
You could not bear the shaping tools
all at a time.
They come one after another.
Be glad!"
A note: I wrote this some years ago. The illness is long past, the legal situation is forgotten, the child weathered that crisis and several new ones. It is still true, though, that I face "one thing right after another," just as you do, no doubt. Our God is just as faithful today as He has been in the past.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Monday, February 9, 2009
A Few Choice Words
Communication with other folks is a risky business. There is:
1. What you said.
2. What you meant.
3. What I thought I heard you say.
4. What I thought you meant.
Rarely are these all exactly the same message, and there may be as many as four varying ones! And sometimes, I may hear only what I wanted or expected to hear—different from any of the above four.
That possibility reminds me of a clever word-twisting story that one of my brothers favored and gave to me, many years ago, on a couple of purple-imprinted sheets duplicated on a Ditto Machine. (Okay, you don't know about this if you are younger than, say, forty-five!) Written nearly seventy years ago by Howard L. Chace, it demonstrates how words can say what we want them to and not what they really mean. Chace re-wrote the fairy tale, "Little Red Riding Hood," and later a whole book of stories (Anguish Languish), into plain English words--but never the correct ones, relying on speed and intonation alone to convey the meaning. In case you are interested in such "terminal silliness," there's a link (Edited: at a community college site) here to the furry tell of Ladle Rat Rotten Hut or you can skip it altogether.
"A few choice words" does not have to mean, as we so often use the phrase, that someone spouted profanities or was verbally abusive. They are the means of effective communication. The Scripture says, "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." (Proverbs 25:11 KJV)
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
1. What you said.
2. What you meant.
3. What I thought I heard you say.
4. What I thought you meant.
Rarely are these all exactly the same message, and there may be as many as four varying ones! And sometimes, I may hear only what I wanted or expected to hear—different from any of the above four.
That possibility reminds me of a clever word-twisting story that one of my brothers favored and gave to me, many years ago, on a couple of purple-imprinted sheets duplicated on a Ditto Machine. (Okay, you don't know about this if you are younger than, say, forty-five!) Written nearly seventy years ago by Howard L. Chace, it demonstrates how words can say what we want them to and not what they really mean. Chace re-wrote the fairy tale, "Little Red Riding Hood," and later a whole book of stories (Anguish Languish), into plain English words--but never the correct ones, relying on speed and intonation alone to convey the meaning. In case you are interested in such "terminal silliness," there's a link (Edited: at a community college site) here to the furry tell of Ladle Rat Rotten Hut or you can skip it altogether.
"A few choice words" does not have to mean, as we so often use the phrase, that someone spouted profanities or was verbally abusive. They are the means of effective communication. The Scripture says, "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." (Proverbs 25:11 KJV)
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Look Busy
"JESUS IS COMING! Look Busy" a bumper sticker warned me as I exited a parking lot the other day. I've been pondering that. What does it mean?
- Does it mean: Jesus really is returning. Since He instructed us in a parable, "Do business till I come back" (Luke 19:13), I had better be involved in doing something religious, or at least look like I am.
- Does it mean: Actually, I can fool Jesus. How I've lived and what I've done so far don't really matter much, so long as I'm looking good when He divides those who are ready from the unprepared.
- Does it mean: Jesus' return is a threat. He is one mean Boss not to be messed with. Do I really want to risk my job as one of His servants?
- Does it mean: It's a jab at people who are foolish enough to believe that Christ's return is real, let alone imminent.
- Does it mean: It's just a joke. Don't try to make it imply anything.
I don't know for sure what the owner of the bumper sticker meant, but I can offer my own take on the possibilities. No, I don't want to be "just acting" at anything when the Lord returns; I want to be genuine. No, I can't fool Jesus—don't want to. No, Jesus is not a stern taskmaster just waiting to catch me with my guard down, relaxing. No, it's not really a jab, but maybe a clever way of calling attention to those Christians who are overly performance-oriented. No, it's not just a joke, or else why bother with sticking a message on the bumper?
MaryMartha
(All rights reserve)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Friday, February 6, 2009
Walls of Water
When reading the Exodus story again, I paused to consider how scary it must have been for those who walked on the path God had created by dividing the waters of the Red Sea. (Exodus 14:21, 22) When the Israelites left Egypt, they were pursued by Pharaoh's chariots, and the people were trapped between the enemy and the uncrossable sea. At God's command, Moses stretched out his rod over the sea, but if I am reading the account correctly, a useable path did not immediately appear—sorry about that, Charlton Heston. ("Moses" in Cecil B. DeMille's 1956 film, The Ten Commandments). The Scripture says God caused a strong east wind to blow all night. Either that caused the water to heap into walls on not one, but two, sides—an impossibility without Divine intervention—or Moses' action divided the sea and then the wind held back the waves and dried the seabed. Either scenario is truly miraculous.
There is significance for us in the way God got His people across the sea. He did not transport them during the night so that when they awakened, they suddenly found themselves on the opposite shore. He did not enable them to walk on top of the water either. He did not remove the sea, nor did He dispose of the enemy. He made a way through—and He will do the same for us.
"My Child, the wind which you feared for its power to harm,
I have chosen to use as the strength of My arm,
And while your soul suffers the darkness of night,
I'm dividing the waters to the left and the right.
At last when the light dawns and once more you see,
You will find an escape made for you there by Me.
Though the host of the enemy is still close at hand,
You can walk through your Red Sea upon the dry land.
"I've made only a pathway, not a calm, placid sea
For I want you to walk in reliance on Me.
I will use all your trials and heartaches today
To guide you and keep you in My chosen way.
There'll be wind, there'll be billows that foam and toss high,
But the waves cannot touch you for I am still nigh.
You will walk upon dry land in the midst of the sea
And the great walls of water will press you to Me."
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
There is significance for us in the way God got His people across the sea. He did not transport them during the night so that when they awakened, they suddenly found themselves on the opposite shore. He did not enable them to walk on top of the water either. He did not remove the sea, nor did He dispose of the enemy. He made a way through—and He will do the same for us.
"My Child, the wind which you feared for its power to harm,
I have chosen to use as the strength of My arm,
And while your soul suffers the darkness of night,
I'm dividing the waters to the left and the right.
At last when the light dawns and once more you see,
You will find an escape made for you there by Me.
Though the host of the enemy is still close at hand,
You can walk through your Red Sea upon the dry land.
"I've made only a pathway, not a calm, placid sea
For I want you to walk in reliance on Me.
I will use all your trials and heartaches today
To guide you and keep you in My chosen way.
There'll be wind, there'll be billows that foam and toss high,
But the waves cannot touch you for I am still nigh.
You will walk upon dry land in the midst of the sea
And the great walls of water will press you to Me."
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Things Mama Taught Me: "Work First, Then Play"
I have my parents to thank for a sturdy work ethic: "Work first, and then play." On the farm, I learned valuable lessons about the importance of fulfilling obligations in a timely and thorough manner. If you don't bottle-feed an orphan lamb, it will die. If you don't gather the eggs, the hens are apt to break them. If you don't pick the beans, they will become tough and inedible.
What I didn't learn so well was how to play. Life was not easy for my depression-era, wartime parents. There was little leisure time and discretionary income while they reared a large family. My mother enjoyed reading and my dad listened to (no, not watched!) pro boxing, but those were the only diversions I remember their having. It was late in their lives before they began to enjoy television, a little travel, and some entertainment purely for entertainment's sake. They were good examples of the lifestyle Richard Bolles wrote about in The Three Boxes of Life and How to Get Out of Them: An Introduction to Life/Work Planning. Although this book was published in the '70s, readers find its principles still workable and valuable in this generation. Many people, he said, have a linear progression for life: get your education, work forty or fifty years, then retire. That is what I learned from my parents. A better plan is to do all three all throughout life. Never stop learning, never stop working, never stop playing.
Some people discover this in kindergarten—at least one person did. Robert Fulghum wrote: "Learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work everyday some." (All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten) Some people take a little longer to gain understanding. I was mid-life before I realized how important this balance is. Now, barring actual disability in body or brain, I intend to keep my priorities ordered so as to continue for the rest of my life to "learn some and think some . . . and play and work everyday some."
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
You may be interested in a related article, Three Little Lambs.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
What I didn't learn so well was how to play. Life was not easy for my depression-era, wartime parents. There was little leisure time and discretionary income while they reared a large family. My mother enjoyed reading and my dad listened to (no, not watched!) pro boxing, but those were the only diversions I remember their having. It was late in their lives before they began to enjoy television, a little travel, and some entertainment purely for entertainment's sake. They were good examples of the lifestyle Richard Bolles wrote about in The Three Boxes of Life and How to Get Out of Them: An Introduction to Life/Work Planning. Although this book was published in the '70s, readers find its principles still workable and valuable in this generation. Many people, he said, have a linear progression for life: get your education, work forty or fifty years, then retire. That is what I learned from my parents. A better plan is to do all three all throughout life. Never stop learning, never stop working, never stop playing.
Some people discover this in kindergarten—at least one person did. Robert Fulghum wrote: "Learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work everyday some." (All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten) Some people take a little longer to gain understanding. I was mid-life before I realized how important this balance is. Now, barring actual disability in body or brain, I intend to keep my priorities ordered so as to continue for the rest of my life to "learn some and think some . . . and play and work everyday some."
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
You may be interested in a related article, Three Little Lambs.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Watching the Symphony
A few evenings ago I attended a concert presented by our area symphony and their guest performers. I often listen to orchestral music, but I don't very often get to watch it being made! Arriving early, I saw the members of the orchestra come in a few at a time and take their places. They began to warm up their instruments and their fingers (and also their lips for those playing wind instruments). Some played scales, some went over parts of the musical score—every man or woman for him/her self. As the stage filled with musicians, there was a cacophony of sound, not really unpleasant but not very melodious either.
Just before the hour when the concert was to begin, the concertmaster made his entrance. The audience applauded him, and he acknowledged us with a bow. Turning to the orchestra, he signaled to the first player in the oboe section, and the oboist sounded a clear, beautiful note (an A, in case you're interested, and it's the oboe because it has the most reliable pitch). Then every player sounded the note and tuned any off-key instrument. The oboe sounded the note again, and then a third time while all the instrumentalists checked their pitch carefully. I noted that although the conductor had yet to appear and begin the performance, the orchestra was creating harmonious sound under the leadership of that one person.
The program of music which followed was simply wonderful, and the guest performers dazzling! I kept watching as well as listening. All those violinists make their bows go back and forth at the same time, and the other stringed instruments are handled that way too. How do they do that? I have since learned that the concertmaster, who is the principal player in the first violin section, is the one mainly responsible for establishing the appropriate bowings for the string section, which affects their musical technique as well as the "look" of the ensemble.
The concertmaster sits in the "first chair" next to the conductor's podium and customarily plays the violin solos that occur within the orchestral pieces. Glenn Dicterow is concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic, one of the world's premiere symphony orchestras. In an interview several years ago, he stated that perhaps the hardest aspect of being a concertmaster is to be part of a sea of sound—and then come out as a soloist for ten seconds, and then again be part of the complex sound. "It's a challenge," he said. "You have to learn how to be not just a stellar player, but how to play with other people—how to meld in and not stand out, how to be part of the team and help that team along." When Dicterow goes on tour as a soloist with other orchestras, and if he performs early in the program, he sometimes sits with the second violins in the back after the intermission. It is harder to play in the back of a section than in the front, and he empathizes with the people who sit back there, twenty or thirty feet from the conductor and the concertmaster's cues and near the brass and percussion. So why am I telling you all this?
- Christians can't do their own thing. We need a Leader, and we need those who are commissioned by Him to help us give consistent evidence of His grace.
- We need to tune to the "A" note that Jesus sounded. We won't be exactly alike, just as violins and trumpets have different voices. But we all need to find the pitch that resonates with His.
- We have some written instructions, the Word of God, just as the string sections in the orchestra have a score with notes to play and technique to follow.
- Leaders who have a highly visible ministry must never forget how hard it is to be "just" an usher, the snack-preparer for children's church, or the parking lot attendant.
Keeping these things in mind, we can make beautiful music together!
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
The Making of Beautiful Wood
I admire objects made of beautifully-grained wood. I like to look at them, I like to touch them. There is something warm and alive about wood that doesn't exist in other materials: plastics, ceramics, and even precious metals. Sometime in my elementary school education, my science text explained that one can determine a tree's age by the number of growth rings. A wider, light-colored area encircles each thin dark area. The lighter section shows growth that occurred during the summer months when the sap flowed freely in the tree and growth was rapid. The darker layer shows the slower growth that occurred during the cold of winter when the sap had descended to the lower part of the tree. Together, the two represent a year's growth. Now many seasons later, I understand that the lovely grain I prize on wooden pieces is nothing more than the inner and outer portions of those growth rings, revealed when lumber is cut from the tree's trunk. Depending on the location and angle of the "slice," different grain is obtained.
I am realizing that if I want the end result of my life to be an object of grace and beauty, I must grow during good seasons and difficult. I am laying down a new "ring" every year. I don't know yet all that God will make of me, but I want it to be something He can admire!
"He hath made every thing beautiful in his time." (Ecclesiastes 3:11 KJV)
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
I am realizing that if I want the end result of my life to be an object of grace and beauty, I must grow during good seasons and difficult. I am laying down a new "ring" every year. I don't know yet all that God will make of me, but I want it to be something He can admire!
"He hath made every thing beautiful in his time." (Ecclesiastes 3:11 KJV)
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Monday, February 2, 2009
Perception Is (Not) Everything
An almost two-year-old watched as his grandfather boarded an airplane in Kansas City and took to the air, bound for Texas. A week or so later, the child went with the family to the airport again to meet the traveler as he returned. On the way home, the boy seemed a little restless and perhaps concerned. Finally he asked, "Papa, how did they squeeze you?" He had watched his full-sized Papa walk out to the huge plane, but as it headed off into the sky, it became obvious to him that the plane and his Papa with it were growing smaller and smaller! Papa explained that distant things only appear to be small because they are far away from us. He and the other passengers sat in regular seats, and everything stayed the same size as always. The youngster was quite relieved to learn that Papa did not get squeezed at all! Because of his limited experience, his perception was narrowed to what he could see—and was therefore inaccurate.
A former employer told me, more than once, that when it comes to the people we serve, "Perception is everything," or as we often hear, the customer is always right. In the circumstances where we worked, that may have been perfectly good policy. But as you can see from the little story above, perception is not really everything. What people think is true becomes true for them, but that is not necessarily the same as the real truth. We could be as mistaken as the little boy who saw his grandpa disappear.
Do we believe everything we read in the newspaper or hear on the news, forgetting that those who write and speak are reporting their (or someone's) perception, which may or may not represent the facts accurately? Are we to accept without question every morsel of information about other people in our lives just because someone perceives it as the ways things are? And for ourselves, do we form into reality what someone else thinks we are worth? Do we accept as our destiny the sad prediction someone has made about our prospects for success? That is their perception, and may not be valid at all!
Yes, good customer service may well be driven by "Perception is everything." But caution and discrimination are needed if we really want to live in truth.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
A former employer told me, more than once, that when it comes to the people we serve, "Perception is everything," or as we often hear, the customer is always right. In the circumstances where we worked, that may have been perfectly good policy. But as you can see from the little story above, perception is not really everything. What people think is true becomes true for them, but that is not necessarily the same as the real truth. We could be as mistaken as the little boy who saw his grandpa disappear.
Do we believe everything we read in the newspaper or hear on the news, forgetting that those who write and speak are reporting their (or someone's) perception, which may or may not represent the facts accurately? Are we to accept without question every morsel of information about other people in our lives just because someone perceives it as the ways things are? And for ourselves, do we form into reality what someone else thinks we are worth? Do we accept as our destiny the sad prediction someone has made about our prospects for success? That is their perception, and may not be valid at all!
Yes, good customer service may well be driven by "Perception is everything." But caution and discrimination are needed if we really want to live in truth.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
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