I'm sure that almost everyone of us received that most ubiquitous of modern Christmas gifts; the GIFT CARD. I only got one this year, and what a wonderful gift it was! Little did I know that it would be more than a simple gift, but it would be used to fulfill a divine appointment. I know people give gift cards because they THINK they are safer than cash, but actually they aren't, as proven by a recent apprehension of a porch pirate who had numerous gift cards in his wallet at his arrest. Still, they are something more than just sticking cash in a card and mailing it off.
The day after Christmas I took my card down to our nearest home improvement store in the hopes of buying a tool. Yep, that's what I do. Nope, I couldn't find anything that appealed to me. I walked around the store for at least an hour, but every time I reached for something I couldn't make myself buy it. So, I decided to ask the fetching Mrs. Bragg if she wanted to go to Branson, Missouri to eat at my favorite burger joint, and shop at one of our favorite stores. She said that would be great because she wanted to go to the big bookstore in town and look for a book she'd heard about on the radio. (She didn't know that I'd already ordered it online.) So, off we went. Nothing spectacularly eventful, no words from Holy Spirit saying; "GO TO BRANSON! I have a divine appointment for you!" We were just going to fill our bellies, and spend a few dollars.
When we were about halfway there, one of Glenda's co-workers called and said that they'd just transported her husband to the hospital in Branson for a Cath on his heart. Her co-worker also explained that her husband would be transferred to the hospital in Springfield the next day. I WASN'T PRIVY TO THIS INFORMATION TILL LATER. Glenda and I went to a couple of places to shop and had a great hamburger. It was dark now, and being 64 years old, with aging vision, I don't like to travel the road from Branson to Harrison at night due to all the deer. I can't see them quick enough to react. Still, Glenda wanted to go to the bookstore, so I obliged even though I'd already bought her the book she was wanting. She didn't know that, and I was disappointed that it wouldn't be a surprise. After about ten minutes of searching, she found it. At that point I told her I'd already bought it. How was I to know a secular bookstore would have a truly inspiring commentary on the book of Genesis? Then she turned to me and said she wanted to buy a bible for her co-worker to read while staying at the hospital. (Sounded good to me.) She found the perfect bible, went up front and found out it was half price. YAY!!!!! This was turning out to be an awesome night. By this time I knew I was going to be going to the hospital to visit her co-worker. I've only met her a couple of times, so being the introvert that I am, I am as nervous as a cat...well you know. Anyway, we go up to the room and find her husband sitting up, but looking frightened. I look over at the heart monitor and can tell he's in A-Fib. I know what it looks like because I sometimes go into A-Fib and have since I was a young man. They'd just told him before we'd come in the door that if he didn't come out of A-Fib that they were going to have to shock him. (You know the paddle things where everyone yells 'clear!' I don't care who you are, just the thought of someone juicing you with electricity makes your skin crawl.
We visit and make niceties, and soon it's time to go. Glenda asks the husband if she can pray for him. He says yes and we're off to the races. This is why I believe my fetching bride works in a hospital in the first place. Not only does she care about people, but she is able to be Holy Spirit's vessel for touching people's lives when they need Him the most.
After we pray, we quickly depart and head home. As we are about to get back to town Glenda's friend texts her to let her know that after we left, her husband's A-Fib stopped and he was able to relax. They wouldn't have to jolt him. Which is exactly what Glenda prayed for.
Often times we find God moving through us when we didn't even expect it. Like Moses tending his father-in-law's sheep, we can meet God at times when we least expect Him. A trip to the store, a restaurant, or even to another town can be an adventure of faith. Sometimes we want God to speak to us audibly before we step out the door, but He's just glad we stepped out the door. Humble, even common everyday occurrences can be the springboard for divine appointments. The signs were there for me to read all day. Everything pointed to something happening beyond myself including the inability to spend the money I'd received, the desire to travel to another town to eat, and most of all the desire to do what my wife wanted instead of what I wanted. If Glenda hadn't wanted that book, we probably wouldn't have gone at all. She'd worked all day, and really didn't feel like going. She had no deep spiritual plan for the evening, but God did.
This is how God takes care of us. This is how He shows us we are more valuable than sparrows. Yes, He cares for the sparrows, but he cares more for us. He saw a scared woman and her husband in a hospital room contemplating a bleak future and spoke peace into the situation through people who din't even know He was going to use them for that. HOW COOL IS THAT? Like the song says; If his eye is on the sparrow, I KNOW his eye is on me.
Sunday, December 29, 2019
Wednesday, December 25, 2019
Peace On Earth
Merry Christmas
This is the first time in my memory that my wife and I have spent Christmas alone without any of the kids, or my mother and father to enjoy it with. Being a bonafide introvert, I'm not affected by being alone, however I know my wife would be happy with a houseful of kids and grandkids. To me it is another day. There is a certain amount of sadness about not being able to see the grandkids open their presents, and to some degree I miss the sound of my kids voices in the house. As I write this, my lovely bride is getting a well deserved rest. We both still work, and she works at the hospital, so I don't mind letting her sleep away. To kind of add to the absence of the Christmas spirit, we don't have snow on the ground, and it is unseasonably warm.
Outside, the sky is just beginning to turn a soft deep blue, and I can hear dogs barking down the street. There isn't the sound of one car anywhere within earshot of my home. I don't have any sparrows in the yard, so everything is peaceful. It is as God means it to be. Peaceful. I know it isn't that way all over the world, which makes me feel sad. For just one day, I would love to know that there wasn't fighting, or killing going on anywhere on this planet. Just one day where men had goodwill toward one another. What a joy it would be to experience one day where everyone set aside their hatred, their greed, and their politics.
In Luke 2 verse 14 when the angels proclaim the birth of Jesus, we are given the words that have been the core of the Christmas message "Peace on earth, and goodwill toward men." Don't get me wrong, I know the angels were talking about us having peace with God. The infant savior was the promise of a final and lasting way for man to be at peace with his maker. Different translations give their proclamation different meanings, but the one I like most is "Peace toward men of good will." God's peace is extended toward those who have good will toward one another. Sadly we seem to be further away from that peace than at any time I can remember. I am not hopeful for a peaceful solution. Even my little sparrows fight with one another for a morsel of food. Maybe this comes with being an old man? I don't know. Maybe you get weary of knowing that your grandchildren will be caught up in some future conflict over something that some wicked man concocted in their imagination. The greatest gift I could get this Christmas is the declaration that no one died today at the hand of someone else, or that all little children awoke to the glee of finding presents under a tree.
So to anyone who may stumble upon this blog, may God's peace find you, and may you enjoy the calm before the storm of bright paper, empty boxes, and dashed hopes. Somewhere in that excitement there will be peace that all is well with you and your family. Someday, all men will enjoy the peace of God. Then again, I am old, and I am just one man among billions. I'll lay my head down some night and never awaken again to this angry world. At least then, I will sleep in peace.
This is the first time in my memory that my wife and I have spent Christmas alone without any of the kids, or my mother and father to enjoy it with. Being a bonafide introvert, I'm not affected by being alone, however I know my wife would be happy with a houseful of kids and grandkids. To me it is another day. There is a certain amount of sadness about not being able to see the grandkids open their presents, and to some degree I miss the sound of my kids voices in the house. As I write this, my lovely bride is getting a well deserved rest. We both still work, and she works at the hospital, so I don't mind letting her sleep away. To kind of add to the absence of the Christmas spirit, we don't have snow on the ground, and it is unseasonably warm.
Outside, the sky is just beginning to turn a soft deep blue, and I can hear dogs barking down the street. There isn't the sound of one car anywhere within earshot of my home. I don't have any sparrows in the yard, so everything is peaceful. It is as God means it to be. Peaceful. I know it isn't that way all over the world, which makes me feel sad. For just one day, I would love to know that there wasn't fighting, or killing going on anywhere on this planet. Just one day where men had goodwill toward one another. What a joy it would be to experience one day where everyone set aside their hatred, their greed, and their politics.
In Luke 2 verse 14 when the angels proclaim the birth of Jesus, we are given the words that have been the core of the Christmas message "Peace on earth, and goodwill toward men." Don't get me wrong, I know the angels were talking about us having peace with God. The infant savior was the promise of a final and lasting way for man to be at peace with his maker. Different translations give their proclamation different meanings, but the one I like most is "Peace toward men of good will." God's peace is extended toward those who have good will toward one another. Sadly we seem to be further away from that peace than at any time I can remember. I am not hopeful for a peaceful solution. Even my little sparrows fight with one another for a morsel of food. Maybe this comes with being an old man? I don't know. Maybe you get weary of knowing that your grandchildren will be caught up in some future conflict over something that some wicked man concocted in their imagination. The greatest gift I could get this Christmas is the declaration that no one died today at the hand of someone else, or that all little children awoke to the glee of finding presents under a tree.
So to anyone who may stumble upon this blog, may God's peace find you, and may you enjoy the calm before the storm of bright paper, empty boxes, and dashed hopes. Somewhere in that excitement there will be peace that all is well with you and your family. Someday, all men will enjoy the peace of God. Then again, I am old, and I am just one man among billions. I'll lay my head down some night and never awaken again to this angry world. At least then, I will sleep in peace.
Sunday, December 15, 2019
WILL THERE BE SPARROWS IN HEAVEN
As a handyman, I often get into theological discussions with my customers in large part due to the fact that I'm very open about my faith. Some customers are of like faith as me, and others well...let's just say they tolerate me. This last week I had a whimsical discussion with a customer that I do a lot of work for. We'll call him Jim. Because we are both over sixty, we found ourselves quickly discussing what heaven was going to be like. I was telling him about all the people in my life who've passed away and how I longed to see them again. Jim smiled and told me that in the church he goes to, they have a couple of ladies who've declared that if their dogs won't be in heaven, they don't want to be there. Jim suddenly got a serious look on his face as asked me if I thought dogs would be in heaven.
OKAY, in my nearly 65 years on this earth, that is the first time someone has asked me if dogs would be in heaven.
I don't know. I can conjecture about it, but I don't know. Will our beloved pets be raised from the dead? Will heaven have all new marvelous creatures for us to befriend? These are questions I don't have answers for. Will there be sparrows in heaven? Personally, I don't think there will be, but I also know people for whom the thought of heaven without pets would cause them to break out in tears.
I actually think it speaks to the wonderful gift of love that God has placed within us. His breath is in us, and it causes us to love just like He loves. We can express our love to something that can't communicate it back. Then again, if the animals on this planet are an expression of God's creative spirit, wouldn't it make sense for them to be replicated in heaven? What intrigues me is how much we get attached to animals who are unable to communicate with us, and what that says about our capacity to love. It isn't trite or silly that a couple of sweet ladies would desire that their beloved pets join them in heaven.
So, for now, as this Holiday season is fast coming upon us, I want to believe that everything the Father has created is redeemable and repeatable. I want to believe that there will be beautiful creatures beyond my imagination, as well as familiar little sparrows.
Will there be sparrows in heaven? I hope so.
OKAY, in my nearly 65 years on this earth, that is the first time someone has asked me if dogs would be in heaven.
I don't know. I can conjecture about it, but I don't know. Will our beloved pets be raised from the dead? Will heaven have all new marvelous creatures for us to befriend? These are questions I don't have answers for. Will there be sparrows in heaven? Personally, I don't think there will be, but I also know people for whom the thought of heaven without pets would cause them to break out in tears.
I actually think it speaks to the wonderful gift of love that God has placed within us. His breath is in us, and it causes us to love just like He loves. We can express our love to something that can't communicate it back. Then again, if the animals on this planet are an expression of God's creative spirit, wouldn't it make sense for them to be replicated in heaven? What intrigues me is how much we get attached to animals who are unable to communicate with us, and what that says about our capacity to love. It isn't trite or silly that a couple of sweet ladies would desire that their beloved pets join them in heaven.
So, for now, as this Holiday season is fast coming upon us, I want to believe that everything the Father has created is redeemable and repeatable. I want to believe that there will be beautiful creatures beyond my imagination, as well as familiar little sparrows.
Will there be sparrows in heaven? I hope so.
Saturday, December 7, 2019
CHRISTMAS, SPARROWS, AND FRENCH FRIES
It's not quite winter yet, but here in Northwest Arkansas, we've already had a fairly cold, and wet November. The first week of December hasn't been much better. The trees have dropped their leaves, the grass is dry, and yellow, and the sparrows aren't hanging around in my front yard. It feels like winter, but it isn't. It used to be a time of wonder, and mystery to me. With the Nativity, the choirs, the lights on houses and downtown, all we need is a snow for the season to be special. We haven't had a snow at Christmas time since 2012. We've had snow in early December, mid-December, and after Christmas, but somehow we've escaped a white Christmas. The older you get the more you hope it doesn't happen. As I sit at my computer writing this, it is a nice sunny day and 48 degrees. I have the front door open and the sunshine is pouring in through the glass storm door, making my home office nice and toasty warm. All is good, except...there aren't any sparrows. My little buddies seem to have found better places to be. Next year, I'm going to put up a bird bath in the front yard so I can watch them from my office doorway. I'd put up a bird feeder, but the squirrels would hog it all. I haven't seen a bird feeder yet that could keep out squirrels. Still, I know God cares for the little sparrows, and as ironic as it may seem, we are part of His love and care.
Yesterday, I went to Sonic for lunch, and watched as a bunch of sparrows fought over a bunch of spilled french fries, and a bun from a dropped hamburger. It was quite comical as one particularly large sparrow tried to heft the bun. I'm sure the bun weighed more than he did, but he was determined to make a getaway with it. The more he worked at it, the more attention he drew from his companions. Soon there were about five or six sparrows tearing chunks from the bun and flying off in victory.
Not far from the bun was one sparrow who'd discovered a french fry. He grabbed it up in his beak and made off like a bandit. It is just like God to use us messy humans to provide food for a group of sparrows. It made me wonder if the sparrows got together and decided to go to Sonic for a holiday feast, knowing full well that there would be 'droppings' for them to eat.
I've said it before in this blog and I'll say it again, the knowledge that God cares for us more than He does the sparrows, makes this season special to me. In that statement made by Christ, is a truth that should encourage every sparrow. Jesus didn't say that God didn't care about sparrows, He said that he cares more about us. It is knowing that God loved...me, and everyone enough to give us His Son as a way to have eternal life, that makes Christmas a mystery. Perhaps, the sparrows are smarter than we are. I don't think sparrows wonder if we love them, or that we deliberately drop food for them. They just enjoy the feast we provide. If only our faith was that simple. If only we could jealously guard the salvation given to us by our loving heavenly Father. No questions, no worries, no moments of doubt. Somewhere within the angelic choir singing praise to God in the highest, is an angel who's duty it is to make sure that someone drops a bun, or spills some fries. That angel will make sure that a Tyson feed truck hits a bump and drops scoops of chicken feed along the road. What's good for the chicken is even better for the sparrow. If He does this for Sparrows, think of what He does for us. Somewhere, someplace will do an act of kindness and wonder why they did it. Someone will be given a thought to give a blanket to the homeless shelter, or work in a soup kitchen, or even give coins in a Salvation Army kettle. It may seem like only a french fry or a scrap to the one giving it, but to the one receiving, it is love.
I know my sparrows will be back. I know they will have somehow made it through the winter with or without my help because they have a God who cares for them.
Yesterday, I went to Sonic for lunch, and watched as a bunch of sparrows fought over a bunch of spilled french fries, and a bun from a dropped hamburger. It was quite comical as one particularly large sparrow tried to heft the bun. I'm sure the bun weighed more than he did, but he was determined to make a getaway with it. The more he worked at it, the more attention he drew from his companions. Soon there were about five or six sparrows tearing chunks from the bun and flying off in victory.
Not far from the bun was one sparrow who'd discovered a french fry. He grabbed it up in his beak and made off like a bandit. It is just like God to use us messy humans to provide food for a group of sparrows. It made me wonder if the sparrows got together and decided to go to Sonic for a holiday feast, knowing full well that there would be 'droppings' for them to eat.
I've said it before in this blog and I'll say it again, the knowledge that God cares for us more than He does the sparrows, makes this season special to me. In that statement made by Christ, is a truth that should encourage every sparrow. Jesus didn't say that God didn't care about sparrows, He said that he cares more about us. It is knowing that God loved...me, and everyone enough to give us His Son as a way to have eternal life, that makes Christmas a mystery. Perhaps, the sparrows are smarter than we are. I don't think sparrows wonder if we love them, or that we deliberately drop food for them. They just enjoy the feast we provide. If only our faith was that simple. If only we could jealously guard the salvation given to us by our loving heavenly Father. No questions, no worries, no moments of doubt. Somewhere within the angelic choir singing praise to God in the highest, is an angel who's duty it is to make sure that someone drops a bun, or spills some fries. That angel will make sure that a Tyson feed truck hits a bump and drops scoops of chicken feed along the road. What's good for the chicken is even better for the sparrow. If He does this for Sparrows, think of what He does for us. Somewhere, someplace will do an act of kindness and wonder why they did it. Someone will be given a thought to give a blanket to the homeless shelter, or work in a soup kitchen, or even give coins in a Salvation Army kettle. It may seem like only a french fry or a scrap to the one giving it, but to the one receiving, it is love.
I know my sparrows will be back. I know they will have somehow made it through the winter with or without my help because they have a God who cares for them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)