Message in a Bottle

A New Article . . .

2011-12-07T07:56:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been a long time since I've posted here, but I thought I would take a moment to share a link to an article I was asked to write for a wonderful blog.

It's How to Have a Joy-Filled Christmas ~

Check it out at: www.likeabubblingbrook.com

Celebrate Wormanhood

2011-06-17T07:05:00.000-07:00

Published in the May/June 2011 Reflections magazine

All men are worms (Job 25:6). It’s a lowly station, but there’s no denying this Scriptural classification includes you and me. With that in mind, ladies, for the duration of this article, we shall call ourselves wormen, a linguistic blend of women and worm, as we examine lessons from the sisterhood of wiggling worms.

LESSON 1: You are a cherished creation of God.

Everything God makes is good (Genesis 1:31), and most of His creation agrees. Look at Anna the earthworm. She thinks her segments are sweet and her shape is totally tubular. Fluffy is fine for Wanda the woolly bear worm; while Sally silkworm thinks her fibers are fabulous. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For wormen, the most important Beholder is our Creator!

You are the worm in the apple of God’s eye. He keeps you “as the apple of His eye” (Deuteronomy 32:10). The word translated apple means “pupil” or “little man of the eye.” God has His eye on you. He looks beyond your present worminess and sees His lovely Bride. You, precious worman, are the reflection in God’s adoring eye.

LESSON 2: Accept yourself; God does.

God made us one by one. He spoke creation into existence, but reached into dirt with divine fingers to fashion mankind. Since then He has wonderfully “knit” individuals in their mothers’ wombs (Psalm 139:13-14, NIV).

God knew you and I would never be perfect, still He made us. You may not be Wonder Worman, but God made you wonderful! As you mature and grow in God, work in harmony with the talents and passions you discover within. Thank God for your “haves” and don’t focus on “have nots.” Utilize and develop your gifts and abilities to their potential.

Once wormen understand we have unique purposes in God’s Kingdom, we can live more fulfilled, peaceful lives. I’m not talking about ignoring our flaws and limitations, but when it comes to the unchangeable (species, bone structure, artistic ability, etc.), we can choose to make the best of what God has provided. Remember, Jesus loves you, and so should you.

LESSON 3: There’s no comparison.

Most of my growing up years I wanted to be someone else. My older sister was beautiful, talented, and skinny to boot. Then there was Rhonda, the gorgeous cheerleader with the perfect hair and porcelain complexion. Every boy in Lone Oak High would have done back flips down the hallway to get her attention. Oh, to be like the beautiful people . . .

It’s human nature to compare, even as adults, but it’s not wise (2 Corinthians 10:12). God made us to be one-of-a-kinds—originals (Ephesians 2:10). He could have used a heavenly press to shoot people out in identical shapes and sizes in uniform color and flavor, but He likes variety; so He made you.

Live your life to the fullest. You won’t be a happy “you” if you’re trying to be someone else. In the times you feel dissatisfied, remind yourself that you are God’s unique creation. He loves you, is with you, and is for you! If others make you feel lower than a worm’s belly, learn to live above their opinions and under God’s.

LESSON 4: Be your redeemed self.

Spending time and energy trying to be something or someone we’re not can damage relationships with God and others. Be your redeemed self (not your carnal self). See the beauty of God’s handiwork at every stage of development in your life. Thankfully, God isn’t finished working on us; but that doesn’t mean he’s finished with us. You are who you are, and God knows you and loves you unconditionally each step along your journey. You can be real with Him and others—not a fake, plastic worman.

If there are broken things in your life that need healing, allow God access to work in those areas. At the same time, don’t make them your primary focus. Rejoice in what God has already done and His promises for the future. When you mess up, and we all mess up, don’t give up—get up!

Each person has external and internal triggers that can send them spiraling downward if they’re not careful. Jesus came to set captives free, and if you’ve been held captive by past hurts or your own thoughts about yourself, God wants you to truly overcome and walk in victory!

LESSON 5: Indulge in wormatherapy.

Among worms, one might be considered more attractive than another. I’ve never seen a Miss Invertebrate pageant, and confess I am no judge of their cylindrical, non-appendaged beauty. Worm beauty treatments seem a bit far-fetched, but there are some things we wormen can do to feel better about ourselves should we become discouraged.

Encourage yourself in the Word. Receive the Word of God as a personal message from Jesus to you. As the song Beautiful declares: “You are treasured. You are sacred. You are His. You’re beautiful.”

Focus on the eternal. There’s no goodness in any flesh—super-models to maggots (Romans 7:8). Instead of focusing on the outer person, concentrate on beautifying the inner person. Wear things like honor and integrity—virtues that outlast outerwear, including flesh, which will all become worm food should the Lord delay His return

Spend time with God. If you feel unbeautiful, there's nothing like fellowship with a beautiful God to make you feel special--to give you a radiant countenance and joyful smile that beautifies like nothing else. In His presence we exchange all we are for all He is; and we get to wear a bit of His glory, as well. Audrey Hepburn knew this secret, "Happy girls are the prettiest." Being in relationship with Jesus makes people happy, and happy girls are pretty girls--not a hollow pretty, but a true, eternal glorious beauty that comes from God. Since we have to be worms, let's be glow worms and light up our world.

Whipped Cream Sentiments

2011-05-03T07:07:00.000-07:00

The evening sun cast dazzling pink atop an aerial cloud forest

While lower level puffs wore gray

It seemed I should be able

To reach out the window

And scoop handfuls

That would sit in my palms like mounds of whipped cream

Released from God’s unending charger

The forest gave way to a river flowing

Waves rolling

As I and my fellow passengers sailed high above

Short moments passed and the pink that had scattered

Gathered on the horizon

Marching in formation

Preparing to salute the end of another day

Farewell

Goodbye

To the day and my new friends

I will not forget you, dear sisters far away

Who only days ago I did not know

But who are now ingrained in my heart

Part of my eternity

Soon the plane will dip below the cloud line

Where my family waits for my return

I will share with them our experiences

Our tears, laughter, songs and prayers…

And the goodies you so kindly sent

Now tucked inside my travel bag

I will think of you often

When I look to the sky and remember your sweetness

Like sparkling mounds of whipped cream

Objects That Teach

2011-03-01T12:35:00.000-08:00

This article was published in the Winter 2011 edition of the Christian Educator magazine. Thought I'd share it with you. Blessings...

Objects That Teach

Is your classroom filled with glassy-eyed pupils? Do you need help engaging students in discussion and connecting them with lessons? Using objects that teach in the classroom adds some oomph to instruction—and a little oomph can go a long way when it comes to imparting biblical principles to your students.

Seeing is better than just hearing; and “gizmos,” “doodads” and “things” have the ability to convey ideas, morals and concepts where words alone fall short. Concrete, tangible objects can help teachers communicate abstract concepts.

Teachers who introduce the unexpected or unusual arouse curiosity in their students. Questions, even those unspoken, help young people develop critical thinking skills and spiritual discernment. Good teachers don’t just give hungry students “fish” (lessons); they teach them “how to fish” by opening their eyes to the world around them—seeing God in His creation, His Word and the everyday things of life.

FIRST STEPS

To effectively use objects that teach, begin by becoming a student yourself. Ask God to awaken in you a fascination with the world around you—that you would see the lessons in His creation and how to apply them in life and in the classroom. The parables of Jesus are an excellent source of material, as well.

Keep in mind kids love hands-on learning. Experiments and projects transmit physical concepts that can be used to convey spiritual principles. For example, a simple bouncing ball illustrates the ever present force of gravity. Once the natural example is proven, use it to relate the pull of gravity on creation with the pull of the world on the spirit. If possible, give each student their own bouncy ball to help them remember your lesson.

EXAMPLES

Thumbs Up! Of course, we need to be age appropriate when teaching, but some lessons have universal appeal. To teach the importance of walking with Jesus, masking tape and a coin will do the job for almost any age. Lightly tape students’ thumbs down, then have them try to pick up a coin from a table with one finger. After everyone tries, explain that no matter how strong and healthy a finger is, it still needs a thumb—and in this illustration, the thumb represents God.

Plant a Seed! Jesus compared the Kingdom of God to a mustard seed. This parable provides a great teaching opportunity that’s both easy and inexpensive. Round up seeds of any kind. If it’s not planting season, you can get some from the spice or bean aisle at the grocery. These will show your students something very small can grow into something very big and useful…just like them! Include seeds or nuts in your treat; and for a craft, make seed packets out of paper students can decorate and fill. These make fun sounds and will remind them of your lesson with every shake.

It’s in the Genes! A DNA model illustrates God’s divine order. Order begins at the base level of cellular structure and affects so many areas of life, including the roles of husbands and wives—Christ and the Church. A game where students follow patterns (audible or visual), Tinker Toys, or play dough and straws, will get them interacting with this important biblical concept.

Lights Out! A flash light is a wonderful teaching tool. No batteries = no light. No Jesus = no Light. We need the Holy Ghost inside just like that flashlight needs batteries: for our own direction and to bring light into our world. Darken the classroom and make cardboard stepping stones for children to follow with their flashlights, some with batteries and some without. They’ll get the picture.

Fringe Benefits! Some objects could be used for multiple lessons. Muslin cut into prayer shawls could teach:
- the importance of personal prayer time,
- the Shema [Deuteronomy 6:4-9],
- God’s call to holiness represented by fringes [Numbers 15:37-40], and
- the Old Testament names of God often embroidered on the edges. Grab a permanent marker and go for it!

A Rock in a Hard Place! Something as simple as a bag of rocks could be used several ways:
1. Build a memorial to show the importance of remembering God’s words and deeds. Let students write on their own stones—creating personal memorials of special words, promises or things God has done or given them.
2.     Teach on the importance of foundation stones.
3.     Tell them about the Rock in the desert that provided water to the Israelites.
4.     There’s a lesson in the rocks David used to overcome Goliath.
5.     Finish the series with smooth colorful stones—an illustration of polishing “rough edges” and becoming something beautiful in God’s hand.

With a few rocks, the Word and a bit of creativity, you can put something in a young person’s hand and heart—a physical object that reveals spiritual truths. Some may throw their stones in the driveway on the way out of church, but others may cherish them for a lifetime.

There’s almost no limit to what you can use. Look to the seasons and holidays. A nativity set provides great teaching objects—Mary, Joseph, wise men and shepherds exemplify obedience, trust, loyalty, giving, worship and compassion. Meditate on the spiritual lessons in snowflakes, dogwood trees, butterflies, chlorophyll, and more. Be sensitive as you go through your days and the Lord will show you what objects will touch the lives He brings to your classroom.

Five Keys to Public Ministry

2011-01-19T11:22:00.001-08:00

I have received several notes in my inbox from people asking advice about speaking or doing other types of ministry. So I thought I'd share my thoughts in a note for anyone who feels God calling them to step out in a new arena (mostly focused on public ministry, but applicable to all):

#1) Repent...cleanse your heart of any hindrance and ask God to purify your motives...to be in alignment with what He wants to do as you speak, write, sing or otherwise minister. (I do this continually...and especially before I step in front of a group of people who have come expecting spiritual encouragement or teaching from me...a humbling thought and huge responsibility.)

#2) Be prepared (good notes, practice) and prayed up. (Most messages don't come as a result of looking for a message, but as a result of personal prayer, Bible study and experience. Just walk with God each day and listen as He speaks, and you will be surprised at the wonderful things He will give you to share with others.)

#3) Have those in authority over you pray for you before you speak. (I never speak or accept a speaking engagement without having my husband pray with and for me, and I also keep my pastor and pastor's wife informed. They pray for me, too, as well as my ladies prayer group. I post my schedule online and ask friends to join with me in prayer as I speak out. It's important to have good prayer covering and be in agreement with your spiritual leadership if you want to minister with authority and anointing.)

#4) If you're nervous (and believe me, I have been), do it scared...and don't be intimidated to speak what God gives you (although that doesn't mean we don't use wisdom and temper our words in ways the people we are speaking to won't receive the message...the goal isn't to shock or rebuke, but to encourage and equip).

#5) If God calls you...and your spiritual leadership authorizes you...go for it! It doesn't matter your education, your pedigree, or any feelings of inadequacy. WALK IN AGREEMENT WITH GOD'S PLAN AND PURPOSE and see what He will do . . . even through you!

Blessings,

Lori

Hope you had a Joy-FULL Christmas!

2011-01-10T10:22:00.000-08:00

I love Christmas—all the sights, sounds, and smells that make the holiday cheery and bright. I even love the shopping, though I rarely darken the doors of the local malls the rest of the year. Why? Well, when else can you walk into a department store and hear songs about our wonderful God with us, Emmanuel, Jesus Christ the Lord? In the grocery or in the middle of Walmart, glorious hymns and silly seasonal songs mingle with a message that declares joy to the world! The Lord is come! So I don’t let cold cashiers or commercialism
or ridiculous renegade reindeer songs deter my holly jolly celebration of the season. Christmas is supposed to be merry, isn’t it?

Amidst all the hustle and bustle, baking and taking, shopping and mopping, wrapping and flapping, festive music accompanies every holiday activity. To me, Christmas and Christmas carols are like peanut butter and jelly. They just go together. In yuletide songs of yesteryear we find lessons and messages for today. We hear words like joyful and rejoice, but let’s stop for a minute, “selah,” and think about these words. Instead of glossing over joyful, consider for a moment that its meaning is “joy full” or full of joy. It means we have joy all the way to top, to the edge of the cup. We aren’t filled to the rim with grim, but with gladness.

When you hear or read rejoice this holiday, think “re-joy” as in having joy again and again and again! We’ve heard the songs and sayings so many times, it seems we may have lost some of the impact of the true meaning of their words. But remember, my friend, Christmas brings tidings of comfort and joy! That’s greetings of peace and happiness for you and me and all humanity! Across the ages and generations we join the cast of the Christmas story and respond to the message of Genesis 3:15, Isaiah 9:6, and John 3:16—passages of Scripture telling of the Son given to redeem sinful mankind to a holy God. Did you ever notice in Luke 1:47 that Mary rejoiced in God her savior before the conception of the promise? Consider, also, the wise men from the East. They rejoiced with exceeding great joy when they had only seen the star. This was before they saw the babe lying in a manger. They celebrated the sign, the direction God gave prior to the fulfillment of their hopes and efforts made to find and worship the newborn King (Matthew 2:10). As we go through our days, we likely have promises yet unfulfilled in our lives, but Mary and the wise men give us great examples to follow in these times. Rejoice now! We have the promise! We have the Word to show us the way. Hallelujah!

What does Jesus have to say about joy? In John 15:11, He said, “these things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” The joy of Jesus is the joy that remains for us today. He’s given us His Spirit, His comfort, to abide with us as we journey through this weary world. “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth: and with my song will I praise him” (Psalms 28:7). Oh, come, let us adore Him. In Christ, we are joyful and triumphant!

That’s all well and good for us, and I like well and good, by the way, but did you ever wonder what gives Jesus joy? Luke 10:21 tells us that Jesus “rejoiced in His spirit” when His disciples returned from going out in the land ministering in the power and authority of His name. What a wonderful opportunity Christmas brings for us to do the same. Doors are open that are often shut throughout the year. Hearts may be, even if unconsciously so, more open to thoughts of Jesus—the reason for the season. Along with churches of all denominations, secular facilities and organizations join in the Christmas spirit of giving and reaching out to those in need.

More than a basket of goodies, or a utility bill met, Jesus was and still is the best gift ever—the Son given for all mankind—a gift wrapped in swaddling clothes in Bethlehem’s manger and unwrapped on Calvary’s cross. And while we’re talking about joy, think about this: It was the joy set before Him that enabled Jesus to endure the shame and the pain of the cross.

Calvary behind, Jesus now looks forward to another joyous occasion. We read in Jude 1:24 that the One Who is able to keep us from falling anticipates presenting us “faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.” Wow. That’s something we can all be joyful about, don’t you agree? Just thinking about being faultless is more than I can wrap my mind around. Maybe that’s why we read in 1 Corinthians 2:9, “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared
for them that love him.” Oh, how I love Him!

Amidst all the carols and celebrations, there’s no denying that some people experience misery with the memories of Christmases past. Bitter, sweet or bittersweet reflections of previous holidays affect the way we feel about Christmas today. I can understand some of that from my own experiences. Not every Christmas in my past holds sweet memories, and I cry when I unwrap mementos from loved ones now passed—my Dad who died the day before my first child was born and my first husband who preceded me into glory after only
seven years of marriage.

It’s an undeniable fact that holidays magnify emotions—positive and negative. If you or someone you know is struggling to find joy, I encourage you to spend some time thinking about the Lord. Before Mary rejoiced, she first said, “My soul doth magnify the Lord.” Sure, that was easy for her to say, right? She had just received an angelic visitor and the best news ever. But with Mary’s acceptance of the Christ child in her womb, she faced the hardship and ridicule of becoming an unwed mother and the very real possibility of rejection by her betrothed. Her future was precarious, at best. It was a mixed blessing, we might say, yet she chose to be joyful.

Good Christian men (and women), rejoice! We have been redeemed and have the promise of heaven to celebrate. When we magnify the Lord, instead of our emotions and challenges, looking to God’s Word, His character, His faithfulness, His provision, His power, His friendship, His sacrifice, His great love—I believe we can enter, even now, into the joy
of the Lord. If we’re in Christ and He’s in us, joy is part of the equation. It’s a joy that lasts and a joy that gives us strength. It’s the joy of fellowship with God, even in sufferings.If joy seems a long way from where you are right now, I want to encourage you today. If you had joy once, you can “re-joy” again. If you just have a little joy tucked away in a dry corner of your soul, I pray that your joy is renewed as you magnify the Lord with me. He is great! He is mighty! He’s an awesome God! He’s worthy of our praise and He is our exceeding great reward! May the joy of Jesus bubble up in your spirit like a dishwasher loaded with the wrong kind of soap. Have you ever done that? Oh, those bubbles just can’t be contained—they ooze out all over the place!

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas season. That as you shopped, wrapped, baked, decorated and commemorated the birth of Jesus, your heart was truly full to overflowing with the abiding joy of Jesus. And in the new year, may we give joy in return to the Lord by ministering to those around us, reaching out in His name with a helping hand, an encouraging word, an
impacting prayer.

Clutter Control

2010-11-01T19:29:00.000-07:00

Just ran across a link to an article written earlier this year for "Reflections." Enjoy!

[Clutter Control]

Pastor's Apples

2010-10-18T05:36:00.001-07:00

The following poem was written in honor of Rev. Marvin G. Walker, my pastor, for pastor appreciation 2010. This is not an "I wish you could be this kind of pastor" poem, but a "thank you for exemplifying this kind of pastor" poem.

PASTOR'S APPLES

Apples of gold in silver baskets—
That’s what my words should be
The beauty and light of Jesus
Indwelling, reflecting in me

Guard my thoughts and tongue, dear Lord—
Only life-giving words outspoken
Mercy and truth met together
Restoration for that which is broken

Something New Under the "Son"

2010-04-19T17:09:00.001-07:00

You may have heard the saying, "there's nothing new under the sun." I have news for you...God is still doing new things! (Isaiah 43:19)

It's a new season...planting season... and if we'll take the time to prepare the soil of our hearts, there's no telling what will spring forth in our lives.

First, we may need to "turn over a new leaf." If you haven't started Spring clean-up, dead leaves and debris are likely hanging around your "yard." Clean 'em up and clear 'em out!

"Sow for yourselves righteousness;
Reap in mercy;
Break up your fallow ground,
For it is time to seek the LORD,
Till He comes and rains
righteousness on you"
(Hoseah 10:12).

* Break up the clods,
* Remove the rocks,
* Burn the thistles, and
* Pull up the stumps of things that grew before but are now obstacles in your field.

"Fallow ground" is land that could be productive, but is not usable because it lacks preparation. Be proactive and prepare yourself for fruitfulness.

After working in the "dirt" (1 Corinthians 3:9), we need to break out the Word for a good scrubbing (Ephesians 5:26). Don't forget your fingernails. Stuff can get lodged in places that need some extra attention at times. And check behind your ears, too (where we don't see, but still need maintenance).

"Create in me a clean heart, O God;and renew a right spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10).

What to plant? Well, my friend, God is the Husbandman, the owner of your "land," and He chooses what He wants to plant. Regardless of the seeds sown, here are some cultivation tips to make sure your new crop grows.

* Take on a new attitude (Ephesians 4:23).
* Put on your new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness(Colossians 3:10).
* Live the new life God has for you (Romans 6:4).
* And then sing a new song to Him (Psalm 33:3).

Now it's time to get a breath of fresh air...

"May the God of hope fill you with all
joy and peace as you trust in him,
so that you may overflow with hope
by the power of the Holy
Spirit" (Romans 15:13, NIV).

"Let my teaching fall like rain and my
words descend like dew, like
showers on new grass, like
abundant rain on tender plants.
(Deuteronomy 32:2)

Now let the Son shine on everything, and see what will grow in your life! Cultivate the seeds of promise He's given you. You have a field to tend and dress, and God has a crop to bring forth in its season. Something new under the Son!

My goal for today...

2010-03-05T05:45:00.000-08:00

Breaking through the mundane
Reaching a higher spiritual plane
Letting go of the every day
Seeking Him in a new vibrant way

Living above and not below
Releasing faith in me to grow
To be all that God's called and appointed
With power and authority--His anointed

Speaking, creating on the plane of faith
Equipped, called and chosen by His grace
Believing, obeying, seeking His ways
Following His leading all of my days

Reflecting Holiness in a Darkened World

2010-03-01T19:30:00.000-08:00

The following article was written by request for the January/February 2010 "Pentecostal Herald." Since their new issue is coming out, I thought I would post it here for those who don't have a subscription.

When spiritual perception is distorted like a reflection in a funhouse mirror, the resulting confusion can create an unstable and sometimes crippling mindset. Dizzy in my personal cycle of blunders and bloopers, I’ve wondered if holiness is an unrealistic ideal. Is it reasonable for a perfect God to demand holiness when He knows our human frailty? A loving Father wouldn’t set His children up for failure, always reaching for the unreachable in never ending frustration.

Without vision, divine revelation, God’s people languish in hopelessness and ultimately perish (Proverbs 29:18). Spiritual understanding is our stabilizer. To break the cycle of perceived failures, we must understand this truth: In order to thrive spiritually, we must first learn to accept the limitations of our humanity. This does not discount God’s call to holiness, but factors His grace into the equation.

God’s beautiful gift of grace does not excuse poor choices and lack of effort while we rest on downy comforters of heavenly love. Instead, grace is God’s response to our hopelesness. Grace empowers us to do and be all God had in mind when He made us uniquely for His purpose and pleasure. “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” (2 Timothy 1:9).

Holiness may seem to be an unachievable abstract, but it is a core concept of our faith and part of God’s master plan. The Hebrew word for holiness, kedushah, means “separateness.” We are separate because God called us out of the world. He took what was common, our lives, and united them with Him. Everyday people, places and things are holy when they are separated from the world and dedicated as sacred unto God (Deuteronomy 14:2). We are holy when we are His.

A holy life is not the result of conquered wills, but transformed desires. In ourselves, we cannot generate holiness. Holiness is something we receive from God – His nature and essence that we reflect to the world around us.

A mirror reflects only when light is present. When we look at a mirror, what we see is light hitting its surface sent back to our eyes as an upside-down image that rotates in our minds. As we grow spiritually, we receive deposits from God’s Word and Spirit. Through the lens of our lives His divine character and concepts transpose from the spiritual realm into the natural world around us. God grants forgiveness to us; He asks us to extend forgiveness to others. God is faithful; He expects us to be faithful in our relationships. God is kind; He teaches us to offer kindness to those around us. God is holy and dedicated to us; He wants us to live holy, set-apart lives for Him.

When God made man, He made him in His image, clothed in light (Psalm 104:2). Think about a light bulb. We don’t really notice the glass when a light is turned on, but when the light is off, we see the bare bulb. July 22, 2009, Charles Q. Choi of www.livescience.com reported recent studies prove human bodies emit low levels of light. Choi’s report backs up the Genesis account. God made men as light bearers. Although sin diminished the brilliance of man’s light, and Adam and Eve were no longer covered in glory, God’s original design remains intact.

Jesus, the Light of the world, entered humanity in a stable – God without the glory. Through faith in Him, we will one day be fashioned "like unto His glorious body" (Philippians 3:21). For now, we live connected to the natural and the supernatural, the holy and the common. As followers of Jesus, we are called to light our world, to reflect the moral attributes of God’s holy nature in our words, attitudes and conduct.

God doesn’t ask for anything He hasn’t provided. His call to holiness is not an unrealistic intimidating edict. It is a promise from a holy God to His people. “But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY" (1 Peter 1:15-16 NASB). When we are called and set apart for God, “you shall be holy” is just as sure a promise as “you shall receive the Holy Ghost.”

One word of warning: we must never misappropriate that which has been consecrated as holy. To do so is to commit a grave sin (Daniel 5; 1 Corinthians 3:17). It’s a sobering thought, but keep in mind that when we stand before the Lord in judgment, our works on the earth will continue into eternity. “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still…and he that is holy, let him be holy still (Revelation 22:11).

Throughout Scripture, purity and holiness intertwine. Sören Kierkegaard, a 19th Century Danish theologian said, “Purity of heart is to will one thing.” Holiness is simplicity – one thing, one desire. Only by drawing near to God can we achieve purity and holiness (James 4:8): when we purpose or will “only one thing” – to live in the presence of God. True holiness is the result of being plugged in to an intimate relationship with God 24/7, set apart for Him and granting Him access to every part of our lives.

Through life’s slip-ups and hiccups, God’s grace covers our human failings. He knows our hearts, and that’s a comfort. Achieving a holy walk is not pretending we are flawless, but being what we are, His. God doesn’t want us to live fake lives of contrived perfection. He knows, like every parent, that children don’t just go through life, they grow through life. By God’s grace, as we grow spiritually we will choose to embrace His will over ours, even when we make mistakes. Then we will understand that flawed people can still be holy people

"Don't have a perfectionistic world view. It makes things harder on everyone. Offering acceptance encourages others to be their best." M. Walker

2010-02-05T05:30:00.000-08:00

“Adversity is not optional, but be of good cheer. God has overcome the world.” J. Haney

2010-02-04T06:35:00.001-08:00

Unlocking the Gate to the Path of Peace

2010-01-30T14:09:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for more peace in your life, in your home, in your heart, there’s one sure-fire way to get it. God has given us the key that unlocks the gate to the path of peace. The KJV puts it this way: “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them” (Psalm 119:165). Other versions read:

• “Great peace have they who love Your law; nothing shall offend them or make them stumble” (AMP).

• “You give peace of mind to all who love your Law. Nothing can make them fall” (CEV).

• “Abundant peace have those loving Thy law, And they have no stumbling-block” (YLT).

There’s so much to learn from this verse. In it God reveals a life-changing principle: Gaining and maintaining peace are directly related to loving God’s law. In this passage, according to Gesenius's Lexicon, the word translated love means to desire, to breathe after, to delight and to be inclined to. It implies longing—something that comes from deep within and persistently craves more.

When I first became a follower of Jesus, I devoured the Word, took discipleship classes and went out for coffee with folks just to talk about the Lord and the amazing things I was learning about Him. Over time I attained a certain level of scriptural knowledge, but I think somewhere along the way I came to a place where I subconsciously thought, “Well, I have enough now. I know the basics, and that’ll do. I’m in church at least three times a week. Surely that’s enough to keep me going and growing.” But, oh, the treasures still waiting to be mined in the depths of the Word and in His presence.

As we pass through the seasons and events of our lives, we often experience an ebb and flow in our hunger for the Word. For me, for right now, and perhaps for you, too, it feels like it’s time for the tide to turn, rise and fill the beach once again. Something keeps pressing into my spirit and I can’t shake the thought that if I’m lacking in peace, perhaps the root of the problem is a lack of love for His Word.

Of course, understanding the Word is critical, but more than simply gaining knowledge, Psalm 119:165 talks about loving the law in its entirety. The word law in this passage not only includes Mosaic law and prophetic teaching, but also custom and manner. In our New Testament relationships with God, we are not required to keep Old Testament rites or ceremonial laws, but we are mandated by Jesus Christ to keep the moral law—and then some.

When Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount, He upped the constraints of the moral law. He said we should no longer live eye for an eye, but we should instead turn the other cheek. He taught that if we are compelled to walk one mile, we should offer to walk two. There’s an above-and-beyond principle at work, and the cool thing is God applies this principle in His dealings with you and me. He gives us above and beyond anything we could ever offer Him.

To have peace in our lives, we must love, long for and incline ourselves to instruction and to the customs and manner of living outlined in the Word beginning with all those “be” attitudes Jesus gave that follow after the heart and principles of godly living. When we do this we will reap two outstanding benefits.

First, we will have no means or occasion of stumbling. According to Strong’s Concordance that’s what “nothing shall offend thee” means. When we love the law, we will lack the methods, resources, time or opportunity to stumble. We won’t slip, hesitate or blunder as we walk through the days of our lives, and we will face no stumbling blocks, hurdles or barriers.

That inspires me to investigate further. It seems God must have one of His awesome spiritual principles buried in this passage, and the more I dig into it, the more excited I get. Let’s look at the second benefit. According to Strong’s, the Hebrew word translated peace also means completeness, soundness, and welfare. A further breakdown of the word includes things like safety, health, prosperity, quiet, tranquility, contentment, friendship, peace of human relationships, and peace with God in covenant relationship. OK. I’m signing up right now. I want all that like yesterday.

But wait! There’s more! We don’t just get all that excellent, wonderful stuff—it all comes SUPER-SIZED—in great measure! According to Gesenius’s Lexicon the root word for great means one continuous thing. A continuous outpouring of all that good stuff sounds mighty fine to me, yes, indeed. Strong’s expounds further saying great also means abundant, stronger, and enough. Wow. Think about that. My peace—my great peace—is in abundant supply! It is not just strong, it is stronger—stronger than the influence of things that might take that peace from me and greater in strength than the things I wrestle in my flesh, mind and spirit. The peace God gives me is enough. Enough for what? Enough for anything and everything that comes my way. There is simply an abundance of God’s great peace available for those who love His law.

It’s possible to obey without loving, but that is not the way of peace. We will live in peace when we love, when we breathe after, when we desire, delight and incline to God’s ways over our ways. We have access to the path of peace when we understand this key concept: Peace is God’s rich reward for those who hunger after His Word. I pray God’s peace be with you, my friend, or as I’ve heard my teenager say, “Peace out!”

Chūz - "Choose Ye This Choice"

2009-12-22T06:48:00.000-08:00

Some people don’t like to make decisions. Just waiting for them to order in a restaurant can be a test of patience. Others make snap judgments—quick commitments they don’t follow through with. At different times, perhaps, we fall into both of these categories, but taking the middle-of-the-road approach is usually the better choice.

Of course, following Jesus is the best, most important choice of all. For a young person, any person really, looking forward to the rest of your life serving God can seem an overwhelming, impossible goal. We know we’re human and how much we mess up—in our thought lives alone. How are we ever going to make it on the narrow way?

Have you ever heard the question, “How do you eat an elephant?” The answer is one bite at a time. You take a first bite (after it’s been properly seasoned and prepared). Then you take a second bite, then a third, then a fourth…

And how do you complete a journey of 1,000 miles? It begins with that first step, then the second, then the third, then the fourth…

You get the picture.

You can do what seems impossible if you will just make the decision to take the first step, the first bite, and keep going from there—like that little grey bunny marching with his drum that keeps going and going and going.

Choice. You have it and I have it. The question is, what will we do with it? Our lives are made up of choices and consequences. I know I’m probably going to fall flat on my face again before Jesus calls me home. I’ll disappoint people, mostly myself, but you know what I want to make my life’s mantra? “Choose ye this choice.”

You know the verse, Joshua 24:15—“Choose ye this day whom ye will serve…as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” The thing is, serving God, even life in general, is more than a daily choice. It’s a choice-by-choice kind of thing. Life is one great chain of interconnected decisions. Every decision isn’t critical, but I long to make every choice God-honoring. I want to choose the best choice every choice. “Choose ye this choice” means the next “this”—the next decision I make.

It’s our choice to be sweet when someone gets us riled up and we are burning to just get them told. It’s our choice to give our best effort at work, school or home when it would be so much easier to just do the bare minimum and get by. It’s our choice, every choice, to live a life that chooses God’s ways over ours and over the pull of the world. The really awesome thing is that as we make God-honoring choices, God gives so much back to us in return. Psalm 37:4 says God gives us the desires of our hearts as we delight ourselves in Him. The payback is sweeter than anything we could imagine. God Himself is our reward. He has chosen to love us, and pleasing Him brings a peace, joy and completeness nothing in this world can compete with.

We don’t have to get overwhelmed by the mountain of choices ahead. Just face each one as it comes and make your next choice God-honoring. Before long you will have such a strong foundation underneath you and a habit of good decision making developed that when you face the real challenges of life, you’ll already be set up for success…through the succession of best choices you have already made. And when you mess up, shake the dust off, ask for and receive God's forgiveness and then set your mind for the next choice. God designed you for success, now walk in it, one choice at a time.

“Are we looking for grass (immediate satisfaction) or praying for rain (long-term solution)?” D. Ward

2009-11-18T10:15:00.000-08:00

“Sometimes God adds to our lives through subtraction.” M. Walker

2009-11-17T10:14:00.000-08:00

“The principle of virtue is a necessary ingredient to bring the promise of God to pass.” J. Sciscoe

2009-11-16T10:14:00.000-08:00

“For God to take us to the next level, we have to swallow the next level of His lordship in our lives.” G. Jeffers

2009-11-15T10:12:00.000-08:00

“We don’t truly learn love until we are confronted with hate.” R. Faubert

2009-11-14T10:11:00.000-08:00

“The best thing to do in the midst of a desperate situation is to go and help someone else.” N. Grandquist

2009-11-13T10:09:00.000-08:00

“God’s voice can break great trees, and He can break things in our lives, splintering them and revealing what is underneath.” P. Dourjalian

2009-11-10T06:54:00.000-08:00

“When Noah’s sons protected his dignity, they safeguarded their own future parental authority.” W. Herring

2009-11-09T07:02:00.000-08:00

“Christianity is based on facts and history, not just someone’s ideas.” S. Dyrdul

2009-11-08T07:03:00.000-08:00

“If we say no to God we will miss out on divine appointments.” D. Linville

2009-11-07T07:03:00.000-08:00

“The depth of our joy is determined by how well we know our God.” D. Sanders

2009-11-06T07:04:00.000-08:00

“Actively participate when you hear the voice of God.” V. Xavier

2009-11-05T07:05:00.000-08:00

“Once you submit, God accelerates His plan. He wants to fulfill our destiny, but beyond the way we are able and have always done it.” J. Sciscoe

2009-11-04T07:05:00.000-08:00

“We can’t hide our failures if we want reconciliation with God.” J. Burns

2009-11-03T07:07:00.000-08:00

“Every path we are on has a destination. We can’t get on I-75 and go to Chicago.” M. Walker

2009-11-02T06:33:00.001-08:00

“God will heal what we’ll reveal.” C. Walker

2009-10-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

“God picks from the back.” R.W.

2009-10-27T08:01:00.000-07:00

Bonus today...sharing a song...

2009-10-26T09:05:00.000-07:00

How I praise Thee, precious Savior,
That Thy love laid hold of me;
Thou hast saved and cleansed and filled me
That I might Thy channel be.

Channels only, blessed Master,
But with all Thy wondrous pow'r
Flowing thro' us,
Thou canst use us
Ev'ry day and ev'ry hour.

"Channels Only" by Mary E. Maxwell

“Give God your best, whatever it is.” S. Sistrunk

2009-10-26T07:57:00.000-07:00

“The ‘narrow way’ is between Genesis and Revelation.” D. Herring

2009-10-25T07:58:00.000-07:00

“The world says, ‘Put down your cross.’ The Word says, ‘Pick it up.’” J. Burns

2009-10-24T07:59:00.000-07:00

“If you want to be irresistible to God, be humble. God resists the proud.” M. Showalter

2009-10-23T07:59:00.000-07:00

“Just because Jesus is in your boat doesn’t mean you won’t have storms on your sea.” M. Williams

2009-10-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

“Jesus explained the parables to those who sat at His feet.” B. Favel

2009-10-20T04:02:00.000-07:00

“Don’t pray for peace, but glorious victory.” P. Treadway

2009-10-14T08:03:00.000-07:00

“We can give without loving, but we can’t love without giving.” M. Walker

2009-10-12T05:15:00.001-07:00

“Forever includes today.” R. Kloepper

2009-10-10T20:04:00.000-07:00

“If you are led by impatience, you are not being led by the Spirit.” R. Joyner

2009-10-08T20:00:00.001-07:00

“Religion did nothing for the man in the ditch, compassion did.” J. Broyles

2009-10-08T05:24:00.000-07:00

I am all about encouraging and affirming; however, those messages don't alway come in rose-colored wrappers. Click on the link to hear David Wilkerson's stirring message on sharing God's passion and burden for others: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGMG_PVaJoI

“There is always something good in everyone that needs to be built up and used for God.” N. Grandquist

2009-10-07T19:06:00.000-07:00

“Don’t die before you die. Don’t trade living for existence.” T. Shock

2009-10-05T17:01:00.000-07:00

“Faith is not denying the problem but seeing the healing.” T. Ozias

2009-10-02T17:00:00.000-07:00

“God is not time-based, but purpose-based, and He will take whatever time He needs to accomplish His purposes.” R. Faubert

2009-10-01T16:59:00.000-07:00

“Spiritual dry spells train our wills to do what’s right.” M. Walker

2009-09-29T16:56:00.000-07:00

"Don't abide what you have to hide." L. Wagner (ok, I confess...I snuck this one in myself)

2009-09-28T08:24:00.000-07:00

“After we are ‘in tune’ with the Spirit, God has a place for us in His orchestra.” M. Cayten

2009-09-26T19:24:00.000-07:00

Prayerlessness: A Crime Against Humanity?

2009-06-22T06:07:00.001-07:00

When I attended BOTT, an annual prayer conference in Louisiana, one phrase sunk into my soul like a sinker flying off the end of Vesta Mangun's fishing line--falling, falling, falling into the waters of my thoughts and emotions until it just settled into the sand and became part of my lake. What was that phrase? "Prayerlessness is the greatest crime against humanity."

Selah.

What difference do my prayers make? Your prayers? I believe the greatest difference of all is the difference they make in us.

Can we impact our world for Jesus if we haven't invited Jesus to impact our lives? To change us? To be more like Him? To be healed and whole so that we can offer health and completeness to others? (We are complete in Him, Colossians 2:10.)

It's only in His presence we become more like Him. More Christlike. And isn't that what Christians are supposed to be? Christlike?

This past March I was privileged to speak to a group of young people in Iowa on the subject, "Pickled in His Presence." A pickle isn't born a pickle. It started out as a cucumber and has to go through a process to become a pickle. The major part of that process is to sit in pickle juice. As it does, it takes on the flavor and characteristics of its environment.

As we live in an environment of prayer, a continual connection with God, He changes us over time to be like Him. He can change us from a plain old cucumber to a zesty pickle and preserve a perishable veggie into something with an incredibly long shelf life.

Our prayers firstly and continually change us so we can be equipped to "Go ye therefore" and change our world. We must maintain our connection with God and choose to walk after the Spirit (not our own thoughts and desires) so He can use us, so we can hear His voice as He directs us to "speak here" or "do this there" or just "be still."

And that's an awesome thing, because following an awesome God is like totally awesome! Read the first part of Psalm 37 and you'll see that when we follow after God, He takes good care of us. When we delight in Him, He gives us the deepest desires of our hearts--not the things we think we want. We may not really know what our very deepest desires are until He's brought them to pass and we can look back and say, "God really knew what He was doing." And the cool thing about walking with God is He changes our desires along the way--elevating the good while His Spirit peels away layers of self-centerdness and self-preservation.

Prayer transforms our human natures. (Jesus wasn't into self-preservation, by the way). To maintain the change God makes in our lives, we must maintain our connection with the Changemaker. Take a pickle out of the jar for a bit, and what do you get? A shriveled up, inedible spear. Reminds me of that verse that says what good is salt if it's not salty anymore? Might as well throw it out!

I believe in spiritual warfare prayer. The Bible says Christians have authority in spiritual places unseen and our prayers can pull down strongholds and activate change...if...

Check out Psalm 28:9 in the NIV:
If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law,
even his prayers are detestable.

Ouch! I want my prayers to be heard, not a stench in the nostrils of God. When we walk with God, He writes His ways in our hearts (Proverbs 7:1-3, Hebrews 8:10). If we ignore His Word, we aren't walking in communion with Him and we won't have what we need to be effective in any attempt to reach our world. We won't have the building material to make a house of straw. Prayer is good building material. It's like those round parts of the Tinker Toys that connects the sticks together so we can make something. Without prayer, we would just have a pile of sticks.

To operate in the power and authority God has given us in spiritual places and to impact the lives of those we come in contact with, we must maintain and protect the intimate communion we have with God through our daily attitudes, conduct and prayer life. I heard someone recently say, "Prayer is the tip of the spear." A dull spear isn't a very effective weapon.

A spear...hey, pickles come in spears, too. So, my friends, walk in the Spirit and go ye therefore and Pickle Your World!

The Day the Geranium Died

2009-05-16T17:56:00.000-07:00

This past Mother's Day I shared the following story at a banquet hosted by the Armenian Congregational Church in Southfield. It was originally written between 1992-1994. It has a bit of an Armenian flavor to it. Enjoy.

For three glorious weeks each summer I escape. No longer Lori-the-mom, Lori-the-wife, Lori-the-Girls-Club-Leader, I become Lori-the-spoiled-daughter-in-law. The much anticipated weeks of rest and relaxation begin with a 14-hour drive from Michigan to the door of what my family lovingly calls the Camp House (Kemp Doon in Armenian). As we tumble out of the van, Mom and Dad Kalajian greet us with hugs and kisses and we immediately assume a pace of life that would be comfortable for a middle-aged snail on the cool side of a rock.

My father-in-law purchased the Camp House over forty years ago and each summer its rooms fill with happy vacationers on retreat from the routine of life. And what a retreat! The place could easily make the cover of a lawn and garden magazine—a gorgeous oasis just a short walk from the Atlantic Ocean at the beginning of Cape Cod’s hook.

Hydrangea bushes flank the whitewashed arbor entrance, standing guard along the picket fence: beautiful, blue hydrangea bushes so pregnant with bloom their stems bow to the ground. The house, a two-story white wooden home with gabled windows and dark shutters, sits on the left side of an oversized lot walled on the right property line by towering pines that meet untamed woods behind. Massive rhododendrons, easily 15-feet tall, line the front portion of the left fence then dwindle to a smattering of blackberry bushes and other plants until the grounds incline and the fence ends at the vegetable garden behind the house.

Mounds of variegated hostas and flowers in every color, shape and size, slope down from the back of the grounds to the apple tree. A bed of flowering bushes dotted with pink and yellow blooms lies in front of the pine trees and is separated from a lovely rose garden by a busy bird bath. Next to the roses, a second white-washed arbor covered in vines and blooms is topped by a spinning whirligig. The crowning glory of the landscaped paradise, a bubbling, tiered fountain, stands majestically in the middle of a circular bed of exotic flowers.

It almost goes without saying—the picture just wouldn’t be complete—without a huge covered porch wrapping around the front and side of the house dripping with baskets of flowers. One morning, after a tremendous breakfast (you know Armenians like to eat and my mother-in-law is a phenomenal cook), we were enjoying a cup of coffee on the porch relaxing in the hospitality of its glider and several rocking chairs. Only a couple of minutes passed and a very upset little bird began yelling at us from a nearby tree. Not speaking bird language, we didn’t understand her squawking reprimand. We brushed it off, finished our coffee and made our way to the beach.

We had a wonderful afternoon making sandcastles, taking walks along the shore and climbing on the jetties. Almost everyone braved the frigid Atlantic waters for a swim, except this Kentucky girl who just can’t take that cold water. We polished off my mother-in-law’s picnic lunch of fresh lamajun, pickles, fruit and gooey homemade cookies warmed by the summer sun. When the shadows slipped over the bluff darkening the sand and chilling the air, we packed up our blankets, baskets and babies and climbed the 130-plus stairs up the side of the cliff. We walked back to the house slowly, filled with that good kind of tired.

I was one of the first ones in and out of the shower with my little girl. With a towel still on my head I plopped down with Noelle on the metal glider to wait for her daddy to take her so I could set the table for dinner. From the glider, my favorite spot, I smelled good things already sizzling on the grill. I sunk into the cushions and let out a contented sigh.

In a flash a little bird darted from one of the potted geraniums hanging along the edge of the porch and flew to a nearby tree. It looked like the same little bird that had thrown its tantrum earlier in the day and my curiosity got the best of me. Just what was going on with this crazy bird? I wondered. Reluctantly pushing off the glider, I peaked inside the hanging plant and found the source of the bird’s frustration. Two fuzzy chicks called that geranium home.

The poor mother bird had no warning her quiet nesting spot would be invaded by noisy vacationers. Yet there we were. And there were her babies demanding to be fed and cared for.

That the chicks survived until this point seemed miraculous in itself. I wondered how many times my mother-in-law had dumped a kettle full of water and plant food on them unknowingly, but the nest was on the outside of the porch and probably didn’t get a direct hit.

I shared my find with the rest of the family and all watering and feeding immediately stopped. We made sure the mother bird had undisturbed time each day to tend her young ones. We peeked through the front windows watching her drop food in the open beaks of her hungry babies, and when she flew away we would sneak on the front porch for a closer look.

There’s something touching about watching a weak young life grow strong. Each day brings new development and strength—and an anticipation of the day they’ll achieve what they were born to do—spread their wings and fly, fly, fly!

As the fledglings grew, the vibrant red geranium withered. Green, moist leaves became brown and brittle. Flowers dropped one by one to the porch and the ground below. The geranium lost its life, but the little birds lived.

There are so many life situations that parallel this story. I thought of my little girl who will continue the cycle of life with her children after I’m gone. I thought of Mom and Dad Kalajian and how much they had worked to provide this beautiful refuge for their family—now and as a heritage to remember them by long after their passings.

And, of course, I thought of Jesus who gave His life for me so I could live. If I can only spread my wings and fly for Him—becoming what He created me to be—honoring the sacrifice He made when He died for me.

The day the geranium died was not a sad day. Little birds flew away to make their own nests elsewhere—hopefully, for their sakes, not on someone’s front porch. The wilted geranium will be pruned and stored in the basement over the winter, and next spring it will be hung back out on the porch, watered and fed. The sun will shine new life into its faded existence—and it will flower again.

The Bare Necessities of Life: Friends and Chocolate

2009-01-30T06:16:00.000-08:00

NOTE: This magazine-length article is a bit longer than my regular post, originally published in Reflections January 2009. Enjoy!

Most of us lead hectic lives. It just seems to be the way the world is spinning these days. And when life gets crazy, we often have difficulty developing and maintaining close friendships.

This is dangerous, ladies. Neglecting our inherent need to socialize could be harmful to our health, almost as damaging as life without chocolate.

Face it, what else makes a woman feel better when she is cycling through her hormones? Chocolate and a good talk with a sweet sister. Which brings me to my point: friends are like chocolate. You can live without them, but who really wants to?

Friends are the chocolate chips in the cookie of life. Like chocolate, friends give us pleasure. They share the good times and the bad. “Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend…” [Proverbs 27:9]. I once heard someone say, “The only thing better than a good friend, is a good friend with chocolate.”

Of course, chocolate doesn’t excite all as much as it does most. You may be a chip gal, or a new-pair-of-shoes lady; however, scientists discovered that phenylethyamine, also known as the “love drug,” is released in our brains when we eat chocolate. This is the very same chemical that gives us that feeling of being in love. And consuming chocolate takes a lot less effort than a romance, though overindulgence can result in similar mood swings.

Chocolate comes in different flavors: white, dark and traditional. It is also used to cover nuts and raisins…apply these analogies to your friends however you wish, but don’t blame me if they get upset with you. Regardless of the richness, texture or hue, all chocolate, like all friendships, serve their purposes in life. From acquaintances to comrades, associates to sidekicks, attendants to benefactors, companions to confidantes, the Lord brings people into our lives to share its times and seasons.

True friendships are among the many wonderful blessings of those who belong to the Body of Christ. As believers, we find ourselves filling many different roles in the lives of others, a reciprocal arrangement that benefits our lives, as well. The same friend we celebrated with last week, may lend us a shoulder to cry on tomorrow. The person we counseled on a family matter, may be the one who has the right advice for our ministry situation. As the old proverb goes, “one hand washes the other.”

Throughout the year my husband battled cancer, my sisters in the Lord came to my rescue. While I was consumed with the demands of attending him, my church family supported me. They worked out a schedule and brought meals to my home. My laundry washed, my groceries bought, my son diapered, and my daughter’s hair brushed—different women pulled together to pull me through a very difficult season of life. As I served in my church the years prior to the trauma, I never dreamed I would find myself and my family dependant on others in such a dramatic way.

No one knows with certainty the troubles and challenges that lay ahead—another good reason to invest in the lives of others. For the joy of relationships, yes, but in addition, we can not anticipate when we may need to make an emergency withdrawal. If no deposits have been made into our friendship accounts, where will we draw from?

I learned the most about true friendship when in desperate personal need others befriended me:

• A real friend knows when to keep her mouth closed and her arms opened (think of Job’s friends).
• A real friend knows when to say “I love you” instead of “you should…”
• And a real friend knows when you need a pat on the back or a swift kick to the backside. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend…” [Proverbs 27:6].

I have needed both pats and kicks, and I have given both to others. This is real life, ladies, and we have to be real with each other if we’re really going to make it. “If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!” [Ecclesiastes 4:10NIV].

Beyond tantalizing our taste buds, chocolate washes endorphins and serotonin over our brains. Endorphins lessen pain and decrease stress while serotonin works as an antidepressant. The relationships God brings into our lives absolutely provide these powerful coping mechanisms. Sharing life with friends lessens pain, decreases stress and helps shift perspective from selfishness to selflessness—an outlook that fights depression with great results, better than most chemicals on the market, and without negative side effects.

We all go through lonely seasons, sometimes while surrounded by people. If your heart is lonely, I encourage you to take your focus off looking for a friend. Instead, look for a way to serve others, and God will bring friends into your life.

A friend is defined as someone you know and trust, someone you have affection for and who provides cooperation or assistance. The Latin, Greek and English histories of the word all go back to the word love, to be a friend is to love. Applying this to Proverbs 18:24, we could read the verse “A man that hath friends (love) must shew himself friendly (loving).”

Have you ever noticed the Lord used the feminine gender to define love’s attributes? Take a look at the famous love chapter. “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things” [1 Corinthians 13:4-7].

First, try this exercise. Reread the passage, and wherever you see the word “charity,” substitute the word “friendship.” If you are struggling in a relationship, you could use this as a template for prayer. “Lord, help me love my friend by showing kindness to her, help me believe the best in her, help me not be easily provoked or oversensitive to her, and so on.”

Secondly, did you note the phrase “seeketh not her own?” I never caught that in previous readings, but come to think of it, I don’t know any men named Charity. Perhaps the Lord assigned the feminine gender because a woman’s love can be very emotion driven. God knows we are sensitive to our environments, again like chocolate. According to the atmosphere, chocolate can melt or freeze into brittle bars. But if you let chocolate sit in room temperature awhile, it will come back to its regular solid form.

In the times we feel unloving or unfriendly, we would do well to take those emotions to the Word and let them sit there until they get back to where they need to be. I read somewhere, “I am a woman of many moods, and they all require chocolate.” True friendship is to love. Love covers [Proverbs 17:9]. Love gives [John 15:13]. A friend is a gift from God, a gift to unwrap and enjoy over time, a gift to share with others.

2 Chronicles 7:14-15

2009-01-16T13:31:00.000-08:00

I was asked by a respected leader to "read carefully and prayerfully" 2 Chronicles 7:14-15. I meditated on the passage a couple of days, and decided to share my thoughts here. I hope you are encouraged as you read.

THE BACKDROP
Solomon and the Israelites just spent seven days dedicating the new temple – with prolific sacrifices, music, etc. On the eighth day all the people joined together in a solemn assembly.

THE WORD
The Lord came to Solomon the night following the assembly [v. 13] saying...if I (God)sent famine, pestilence or drought, AND ("and" added in place of the semicolon) [v. 14] IF My (God's) people (His own people – the people on whom His Name is called) will:

1) humble themselves (isn’t pride the root of all sin?)
2) pray (spiritually commune with God)
3) seek My (God's) face (not His hands...what He can do...but Him)
4) turn from their wicked ways (you and me making personal choices to change)...

...then I (God) will hear their prayers (our prayers to remove pestilence, famine and drought?), and will forgive their sins, and heal their land.

REVELATION
One night, praying at the altar, I don’t even recall what I was praying about, the Lord spoke a clear and surprising word to me. He said, “You are the land.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“You know, the land…What did I make Adam from?”

“The dust of the earth,” I thought.

“You are land,” He said.

It clicked. I got it. I’ve been involved with the National Day of Prayer for several years, and 2 Chronicles 7:14 is a key verse used in the organization. I’ve sung songs about it, organized events around it, prayed it, etc., but in a moment, God gave me revelation.

Adam was made from the dust of the earth, and we are his offspring. We are dust—land. And if we will follow the instructions in this pivotal verse, we will see the PERSONAL healing God wants to bring into our “lands”…our hearts…our minds…our bodies…our emotions.

When our “lands” are healed (you and me), we will impact the communities in which we live. When we are His, we ARE salt and light, and God will use us to bring this same restorative message into the lives of others, who will in turn receive their healing and the affect will ripple into the entire world.

We pray for healing for our nation…our country, but when God speaks of nations, He speaks of people. It won’t matter if abortion is the law of the land if the people of the land reject the evil practice. People found a way to commit this heinous crime even when it was illegal, but with a true healing in the lives of individuals, our nation could see a huge decline in the slaughter of innocent babies.

The fight to uphold the sanctity of marriage (laughably promoted by a church with a divorce rate equal to the world’s), will be preserved when hearts are healed, delivered from selfishness and relationships restored.

And the list goes on…

PROMISE
Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place [v.15].

What I love about this verse is that God responds to humility and obedience with an ever “present tense” promise. He said His eyes would be open (not opened – a one-time deal), and his ears attent (not attend – attending as something begun and completed). He’s saying to me that He will continually be looking and listening – alert to our requests…when we posture ourselves in humility before Him and look into His holy countenance…when we reject sin in all its forms (even laziness, apathy, judgmentalism, etc.) and turn to God, He turns attentively to us and our requests. What an amazing God we serve.

Christmas Potpourri

2008-12-09T07:26:00.001-08:00

I love Christmas--the sights, the sounds, the smells. We're decking the halls, the walls, and the alls, as we do every year, accompanied by carols of old. I get rather nostalgic at Christmas. I cry when I take out special ornaments: gifts from loved ones passed, remembering baby's first Christmas and trips taken over the years.

The highlight of my decorating is an outdoor nativity. Not a cheesy plastic light-up one that blows over in the wind: beautiful three-foot resin figures of Joseph and Mary watching over Jesus resting in a manger. A few years ago my husband built a stable for the little family, and we shine a spotlight on it as the centerpiece of our front lawn. We've never won the subdivision decorating contest, but it makes us happy.

Thinking today about the holiday and its wonderful smells brought to mind some research I recently completed. One of the characters in my novel made potpourri for her sister's wedding. You know potpourri...that fragrant flowery hodgepodge people set out in crystal bowls or smooth wooden cradles. You probably even know the word potpourri is French, but do you know the literal translation of the word is "rotten pot?" It's true!

Potpourri is made of a conglomeration of different things: some pretty, some plain, all assembled to bring delightful fragrance into our lives. I found the process of making potpourri interesting and (no surprise if you know me) the natural process of creating the mix an analogy of the way God often works in our lives. I won't expound on every point, but ask you to consider how each step in the process applies to your life situations and spiritual development. So put on your spiritual thinking cap and read on.

Cultivating

One common factor among all the elements used to make potpourri is their origin: all come from living plants--God's creation. Nothing makes itself. Every component is part of God's plan. Before any work begins assembling the mix, lengthy steps are first taken to cultivate, grow, harvest and prepare the elements.

For the purpose of this missive, let's look at rose potpourri. To grow nice roses, the maker spends hours in the hot sun tending plants and running the risk of pricked fingers and dirt (maybe even manure) under fingernails. Pests must be kept under control. Every rose grower knows which bugs are prone to attack their plants and takes steps to ward off destructive insects.

After planting, fertilizing, and pruning, blooms are harvested and preserved. Those maintaining their shape after drying look lovely in the final arrangement, but no buds or petals are wasted.

Drudgery

Although one of potpourri's main ingredients is fragrant flowers, many of the components aren't quite as attractive or sweet smelling on their own. They all, however, serve their purposes: retaining the scent of the oil being prepared by the maker. In addition to flowers, other items such as juniper wood shavings, pine cones, rose hips, cinnamon bark, and orris root are collected. Some components, like orris root, require more effort to gather. This root comes from iris plants and must be excavated from the soil. It's a bit more work than snipping a flower, but the contribution to the pot is worth the effort. Orris root absorbs and retains essential oil in ways flower petals cannot and is a valuable fixative or base ingredient.

Like the commonplace components of potpourri, the common days and experiences of life are the base of reality, the primary ingredient that holds the fragrant memories of special times long after they have passed.

Hot Water

To scent potpourri, the maker prepares rose oil that smells wonderful and is also used as a healing agent. Before the sun rises, an abundance of roses are harvested by hand then put through a cooking process that pulls oil from the petals. The oil floats, then is skimmed off the top. Pounds of rose petals, up to 60,000 roses, are used to make only one ounce of the precious essential oil.

This labor intensive process requires plentiful resources. The yield may seem small, but it is potent. God uses difficulties, times of heat and pressure, to create fragrant, healing oil in our lives.

Shelving & Shaking

After all the ingredients are prepared, they are placed inside an airtight container where they must remain for several weeks. In this closed environment, separate from any outside influence, the elements are shelved and left to mingle and decay.

From time to time, the maker shakes the containers, mixing the contents to assure even distribution of the oil. If a container were to be opened prematurely, the results would be less than pleasing, releasing a rotten smell instead of something lovely. It would be a shame to discard all this work prematurely when just a little more time is required to make something beautiful.

The maker waits until the time is right, when everything is ready, then opens the lid, and sets out the aromatic mix that fills the senses of those around, a sweet smelling blend that perfumes their world.

Just Beautiful!

Like the process of making potpourri, God is at work in our lives. If you're setting out bowls of potpourri this Christmas, or just reminiscing as we so often do during the holidays, tuck this little illustration in your heart. Remember that no matter the season or situations we face, God is with us, making something beautiful. The perfect mix of flowery days, common experiences and trials are being amalgamated into a fragrant potpourri that will bring a sweet smell into the lives of others and create a fragrant offering unto the Lord.

If it seems you're always in hot water...well, that's one way to make sure you're keeping things clean, and the oil will eventually rise to the top if you keep your petals in the kettle. If it seems you're in the middle of a rotten pot, remember that God makes all things beautiful in His time [Ecclesiastes 3:11]. And if you're on the shelf or in the middle of a shaking, remember God knows the perfect timing for your situation. Just as He set the time for His entrance into Bethlehem and prepares to return again, God orders our days and circumstances.

Merry Christmas!

Facing the Rapids

2008-10-28T10:58:00.000-07:00

Today, as I prayed for our nation, I felt distressed. I likened the turmoil we currently face politically, socially, economically, morally and spiritually to a rushing stream. I felt our great country drifting down turbulent waters, scrambling, without finding even a protruding branch to grab onto for safety.

And in that instant, when in prayer I gazed at the banks looking for something to hold onto, the Lord impressed me with this thought.

"The stream is in my hand."

Peace rushed in where concern swirled moments before, and I laughed out loud. First, because it's amazing God cares enough to meet a simple human being in a time of prayer. Second, because it's so true. His plan has been established since the beginning of time and He measured the oceans in the palm of His hand.

Intercede for godly leadership, work to support good candidates, vote, then leave it in God's hands. It's a good plan and a safe place to be.

Breaking Away

2008-09-08T11:02:00.000-07:00

The following poem was written several years ago while on the eighth floor of the Karmanos Cancer Center. My husband, afflicted with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, lay in the hospital bed. I sat looking out the window at the people walking by, busy with their lives, running here and there.

I watched a bird pump hard to lift off the ground then rise in flight, and this poem came to me as I watched it soar above the ground. I hope it is a blessing to you.

"Breaking Away"
March 14, 1997

Breaking away from the earth
Soaring high above
Looking down on the world that's kept me bound
As I fly on the wings of God's love

The effort exerted to break free
Is the most difficult part of the flight
But then I glide on invisible currents
That lift me from height to height

Carry me, Oh Wind of God
High above this land
That I might see a new perspective
And understand your plan

Then return me safely back to Earth
To use the lessons learned
And share the visions You impart
With those who wait for Your return

Castles of Sand and Stone

2008-07-10T16:34:00.000-07:00

Thank you for indulging me in a poetic muse...the result of two trips: one to a Cape Cod beach and a second to Switzerland's Chateau de Chillon made famous by Lord Byron's poem, The Prison of Chillon.

Ocean greeted coast with noisy kisses
then dashed away, a shy lover
withdrawing from sandy cheek
into a crowd of waves and priestly rocks
escaping into the blue horizon

Low tide’s receding waves sculpted the shore—
damp dunes and sparkling pools
plumed with festive sprays of seaweed
and a garland of my footprints
draped indifferently across the sand

Meandering, humming, I drifted
wandering the shoreline expanse
until a collapsing sand castle
invited me to linger,
to remember a castle far away

A massive citadel by the sea
robed in ancient stone
capped in peaks and towers
she gazed across a shining glass lake
to majestic, snow-topped alps

Haunted by lives that once filled her halls
her rooms remembered
the births, banquets, battles and blood:
the price paid for her incarnation
the wars waged to keep her

Where royalty once dwelt
now a tourist booth stands
Cross the moat on her drawbridge
Gain entrance inside her once-guarded gates—
for a sum of Swiss francs

Centuries have come and gone at her doors:
years compiled of days
days made up of moments
filled with the living and passing of life
its joys and its sorrows

One castle made of sand
One of stone
The glory of each eroded
by time and circumstance
centuries and purpose

Song spilled out once more
Words replayed in mind
as Truth resounded in spirit
The tune I breathed on the beach I walked
I once sang in castle walls

Kings and kingdoms all pass away…
Kings and kingdoms all pass away…
And yet, God’s kingdom remains
How insignificant man’s trials and triumphs
How magnificent omniscient God.

And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. [Revelation 19:6]

Learning to be a Princess

2008-05-01T22:10:00.000-07:00

Growing up, I didn’t know I was a princess. I was 21 years old before I discovered the truth – I am a member of the royal family.

All those long years, I felt unloved and unwanted which severely affected my self-esteem. I entered adulthood with skewed perceptions: believing I wasn’t anyone special – just one of the middle children in a poor, rural family. Part of a nondescript amalgamation forged in the crucible of a young woman’s unwanted pregnancy that dissipated in a bad divorce when I was eleven years old.

The new “moms” and “dads” the years brought into my life (and there were several)—they didn’t know I was a princess either. They couldn’t have, or they would have treated me differently, I’m sure. If they’d only known a King’s daughter was in their care, perhaps a different story might have played out.

My age has more than doubled since the fateful day of my discovery. I write of the event on the evening of my 43rd birthday – a happy day spent with my husband, children and friends, concluded around a laughter-filled table with a cupcake-shaped balloon floating over my head. Sitting in the restaurant, my thoughts wondered back to earlier times.

Even though I hadn’t known Him yet, I realized the King had always watched over me. He saw my times of loneliness. He watched when I suffered disappointments and pain. He knew my desperation and observed my fearful flailing when I was a young child drowning – suffocating beneath lake waters before strong hands pulled me from certain death. And then the frantic splashing and beating against life itself as I grew up and began drowning in seas of different sorts.

But all that changed one fall day in 1987.

I always loved my Daddy. We didn’t spend a lot of time together, he often hid out in his workshop and wore its fragrance of sawdust and oil. Bobby Eudell was a good, kind man joined with my mother to bring a new life into the world. March 6 I was born a member of the Yates family, but when I was 21, I discovered my Father, the One who gave me life, was the King of all.

And He wanted me. He still does. Really. He says my life has value and purpose…and not just in the things I do for Him…but because I am His.

Even after learning I was a princess, I still fought the feelings I’d grown up with: undesired and undesirable. A lifetime of programming refused to give way to a new paradigm without time and adjustment. Twenty-two years later, I give thanks to God for gently aligning my malformed thought life to my life’s reality. He took what was (the past that shaped me) and changed it into what is (my present and future with Him).

The seasons and events of my youth are still part of who I am – a backdrop providing high contrast to the joy God has given me in recent years. I liken my past to a black velvet display in a jeweler’s showroom that highlights the brilliance of dazzling gemstones. Diamonds that formed beneath the soil, were mined, polished and shaped, then set and displayed. A diamond's many different facets, created by the pressure of the earth upon dark coal, remind me of how God uses our different life situations to create planes in our lives that reflect new qualities revealed or learned through the living of each experience.

One family night, my kids borrowed a DVD from the library. We plugged into our TV Guardian-filtered player and watched “Princess Diaries” – a cute movie for the most part. The heroin lifted from an obscure nerdiness transformed over time into a beautiful, competent ruler. Under the tutelage of the queen, awkwardness gave way to elegance. Indecisiveness yielded to bold decision-making birthed in compassion and the realization that her position provided the opportunity for her to make a difference in the lives of those in her realm. Beyond learning she was a princess, she learned to be a princess, living out her calling to her kingdom for her time and purpose.

If the Lord should mercifully give me another 22 years on this earth, I pray I will be kingdom-minded as well, living out in my time His purpose for my life. On a deeper level, I desire to see my focus shift from serving Him to simply being His. It’s the result of an intimate relationship that brings true fruitfulness and new life.

I am a princess. I am His.

Are you MAD?

2008-02-05T15:40:00.000-08:00

I hope you are!

Thursday evenings in January I had the privilege of participating in Nightwatch prayer. Joining Christians from the Midwest and Southwest via conference call, a group of people united to intercede for our nation from midnight - 6:00 a.m. EST.

One of the nights I was on the prayer line, I realized I was feeling angry . . . angry at the way I and others have been robbed by spiritual deception and oppression. Angry that so many abortions have taken place in our land. Angry that truth is mocked and rebellion uplifted as the "American way."

As I thought about these things, the word mad came to mind, and with it an acronym: Making A Difference.

It's ok to get mad, as long as we use that "MADness" to Make A Difference, and we can:

* through prayer
* through our lifestyle choices
(personal consecration to purity that draws us close to God and
witnesses to others)
* through involvement in our churches, schools and communities, etc.

So, if you're mad, like me, I hope you'll choose to make a difference in your circle of influence. And we can all make a difference through prayer.

For more information on how you can get involved in prayer, visit my National Day of Prayer blog at www.ndpdetroitmetro.blogspot.com

Have a Joy Full Christmas

2007-12-20T06:34:00.000-08:00

Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel has come to thee . . .
During the holidays we read and hear words like "joyful" and "rejoice" on cards and in carols. These words have been replaying in my mind over the last few days, but in different forms. Instead of “joyful,” I’ve been meditating on "joy full" – as in being full of joy. When I hear or read “rejoice,” I think "re - joy" – as in having joy again.

Tidings of comfort and joy . . .
Before receiving the baby Jesus in her womb, Mary responded to Gabriel, "My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior." [Luke 1:47]

Joyful, all ye nations rise . . .
When the wise men from the East saw the star directing them to Jesus, they “rejoiced with exceeding great joy.” [Matthew 2:10]

Joy to the world, the Lord is come . . .
Jesus said in John 15:11, "these things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." The joy of Jesus is the joy that remains for us today.

The weary world rejoices . . .
God is with us, our Emmanuel. “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.” [Psalms 28:7]

Joyful and triumphant . . .
Have you ever wondered, “What gives Jesus joy?” Scripture shares in Luke 10:21 that Jesus was joyful when His disciples returned from going out in the land ministering in the power and authority of His name.

As we shop, wrap, bake and commemorate the birth of Jesus this Christmas season, I write these things unto you that your joy may be full . . . full of the abiding joy of Jesus. And may we give joy in return to the Lord by ministering to those around us -- reaching out in His name with a helping hand, an encouraging word, an impacting prayer.

* * *
Good Christian men rejoice . . .
Holidays magnify emotions – positive and negative. If you or someone you know is struggling to find joy, I encourage you to spend some time thinking about the Lord. Before Mary rejoiced, she said, “My soul doth magnify the Lord.” Sure, easy for her to say, right? She just had an angelic visitor and the best news ever. But with Mary’s acceptance of the Christ child in her womb, she faced the hardship, rejection and ridicule of becoming an unwed mother in her day. It was a mixed blessing, we might say, yet she chose to be joyful.

When we magnify the Lord, looking to God’s Word, His character, His faithfulness, His provision, His power, His friendship, His sacrifice, His great love . . . I believe we will find the joy of the Lord. God is our strength and shield. Our hearts safely trust in Him and we are helped; therefore, we can greatly rejoice.

If you had joy once, you can “re-joy” again. If you just have a little joy tucked away in the corner of your soul, I pray that your joy may be full as you magnify the Lord with me. He is great! He is mighty! He’s an awesome God! He’s worthy of our praise and He is our exceeding great reward!

Have a joy-full Christmas!

Fireflies, Glow Worms and Smudged Jelly Jars

2007-12-04T18:57:00.000-08:00

Ruminating. That's what I've been doing all day. Thinking about the concept "Message in a Bottle."

The theme for this new project, We . . . are like fragile . . . jars . . . containing . . . great treasure [2 Corinthians 4:7 NLT], is preceded in Scripture with these words from verse 6 identifying the treasure:

For God . . . made His light shine in our hearts . . .

The treasure is God in us!

Did you ever spend a summer evening catching fireflies? Years ago my sisters and I crept around the yard scooping up what we called "lightning bugs." After each hunt, we sat on the porch steps entertained by the activity in our homemade lanterns.

We were looking at the jars, but our focus was not on the glass in our hands. No, our eyes were fixed on the contents. We watched the bugs ~ crawling, flickering, fluttering ~ mesmerized by the light show they created in the dark Kentucky nights.

I want God's light to shine through me just like the fireflies flashing behind the glass in those old jelly jars. The Light's in my heart. Verse 6 said so!

A dear Christian lady reminded me this morning that what we begin in the Spirit, we cannot finish in the flesh, and I wholeheartedly agree. I've come to understand that I will never be all I can be spiritually until I fully accept my humanity: my strengths and my shortcomings, my gifts and my guffaws, my talents and my torments.

I will fail. I will disappoint others. I will disappoint myself more than anyone else. But I have a great hope! Smudged and marred, maybe even cracked or chipped, my "vessel" still carries a pure message ~ the gospel message of salvation through Jesus Christ. When I notice my "container" needs some maintenance, I pray I will have the humility and strength to turn to God for cleansing and repairs. The world around me will see more of God in me when I submit to His restorative work in my life.

Thank God for the words of verse 1 of this same chapter [2 Corinthians 4] that give me the confidence I need, regardless of my limitations, to pursue my dreams for Affirming Faith: Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.

I could easily get discouraged if I focused on my failures. Why would anyone listen to me? Why would God want to use me?

And on days when the adrenalin is running high and my snowball is successfully rolling downhill gaining size and momentum, it would be just as easy to tilt in the opposite direction. Crediting my own hard work and abilities instead of acknowledging God's grace and goodness would be a big mistake. Finding the right balance between "I can do all things through Christ" [Philippians 4:13] and "apart from me you can do nothing" [John 15:5] is key.

Looking through the pages of the old church song books, we find many hymnwriters refer to human beings as "worms." That's not a popular concept in our "it's all about me" society.

Mankind is the highest life form, loaded with potential and value and created in the very image of God, but in comparison to the Lord, the worm metaphor is a fair appraisal of the human condition. I know I've experienced days when I felt lower than Walt's nightcrawlers, but I recently heard a speaker say, "We're all worms. Be a GLOW WORM!"

And as my Daddy used to sing in mellow baritone accompanied by finger picking on his acoustic guitar, "Glow, little glow worm . . . glimmer, glimmer!"