Fresh Hope

Despite how it might appear (because of my recent blogs and comments), I honestly do enjoy Christmas: the lights and decorations, the parties and food, the gifts and fun. But my personal, spiritual goal is to always do better, be better, not be content merely continuing down a path of traditional thinking without examining that thinking. I try to look for different perspectives, new approaches, during every season of the year.

One concern I have was voiced recently by a friend of mine who is an educator in southwest Missouri. She said (in a comment regarding my post last week -- thanks, Michelle), "I have gotten to where I dread December; this is a very hard month for so many of the kids I work with at school. What the media tells them Christmas should be is so far from their reality. It makes what these young people struggle with during the rest of the year magnified to a good degree."

Those of us who are blessed to have loving families, plenty of food and shoes that fit can watch the barrage of happy movies and good times portrayed everywhere during the holidays and not necessarily feel left out or sad. But, as my friend notes, there is a different reality for an ever-growing number of children (and adults). Because of illness, lost jobs and homes and other reasons for broken dreams, there are more and more families who have needs and hurts so big that a food basket and a few toys, as welcome and well-meaning as those things are, become tiny bandages on huge wounds. We tend to think of poverty as a lack of money, but often poverty means being bereft of hope.

The generosity displayed during the holidays is important and wonderful, but the spirit of giving should continue in creative and meaningful ways. As we have celebrated, once again, the arrival of Jesus, let us strive every day to carry on his ministry on earth, as outlined in Luke 4:18-19, "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."

I hope our eyes and hearts will be opened to what so many of our neighbors are going through, and that by sharing the good news, we can offer fresh hope to hurting people, bringing glad tidings which will last a lifetime and beyond.

Thoughts on the Season

I'm probably going to get a reputation as a "grinch" (or worse!) for my thoughts about Christmas, but many of the traditions and practices of the Church have been on my mind lately, and the way we celebrate Christmas is just one of those things which doesn't seem quite right to me.

When we consider the character and nature of Jesus -- his teachings on poverty and servanthood and simplicity -- a picture develops for me which doesn't line up with most of what is going on during the holidays. Yes, it is the one time of year when the media is looking for "good news" to report, so we do see and hear of wonderful examples of generosity and giving which are associated with this time of year: toy drives, bell-ringers, donations to food banks, etc. That spirit of generosity is awesome and one of the best things about the season.

However, one of my concerns is that we may feel as though we have fulfilled our giving needs with generosity at Christmas time to the extent we may not continue that giving beyond the holidays. With so many people in year-round need, we can't let Christmas be our only time of giving. (Society has also created much of the extra need we see at Christmas. . .regardless of socio-economic standing, we all feel pressure to "do it all" and "have it all" at Christmas. If there was less pressure on kids to go back to school with new clothes, bragging about all the new toys and games they got from Santa, there would be less "need" at Christmas.)

Another concern is how so many of us are stressed out with activities: decorating, entertaining, parties, events. I'm certainly not discouraging fun, but if there's no time to spend with the supposed guest of honor, maybe what we're doing is something other than celebrating the birthday of Jesus. And that's okay, but perhaps we should just call it for what it is and stop getting riled up about Jesus being "the reason for the season."

Many of you may know of the story of Mary and Martha. (see Luke 10:38-42) Martha was getting ready for a party (not a Christmas party, but a party to honor Jesus while he was visiting the Mary/Martha/Lazarus household), and she was "distracted with all her preparations" (can't you just imagine a modern-day Christmas party in the works?) while Mary was seated at the feet of Jesus listening to him teach. When Martha, no doubt as she breathlessly rushed by Jesus with a plate of cookies in her hand, complained about Mary not helping her, Jesus said, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

That "good part" is what nudges the back of mind during the holidays. Are we substituting our own ideas about Christmas for what Jesus considers to be good and true and lasting? It's just something to consider. . .at Christmas and always.

Christmas Is a Commercial

I remember a letter to the editor I wrote one time when I was a teenager. I was quite indignant and angry about the "commercialization of Christmas," and how everyone seemed to be forgetting the real reason for the season.

I thought about that letter this morning, and had to laugh...comparing the holiday season of even just thirty years ago to today would probably be like comparing the lifestyle of the Amish to Miley Cyrus (or Donald Trump, perhaps, for those of you who haven't heard of Miley). Christmas is not only commercialized, I think I would say Christmas IS a commercial. One big, long, bloated, garish commercial encouraging us to spend our way into happiness.

(And yes, by the way, I did say "holiday season," rather than Christmas season. The holiday season includes Thanksgiving, Christmas and the celebration of the beginning of the new year. "Happy Holidays" was previously and should continue to be a perfectly acceptable greeting for everyone, Christians and non-Christians, and I think we should all get over being offended by EITHER phrase!)

I also believe we should maybe even stop saying that Jesus is the reason for the season...we don't know the exact date of his birth, and scripture doesn't set any particular precedent for a celebration regarding it. It's not that I think it's a bad idea to celebrate the birth of Christ - in fact, I think it's a pretty good idea - it's just that I think we're not doing it, for the most part, in an appropriate way. (Christmas has been a manmade holiday pretty much from the start, with a majority of the most beloved traditions coming directly from pagan holidays.)

The truth of it is, there are MANY reasons for the holiday season, and quite frankly, a good chunk of them don't have that much to do with Jesus. It's up to all of us to celebrate the life of Jesus EVERY DAY, not just one day of the year, by living our lives in a manner pleasing to him: loving God, loving others and believing Jesus is who he says he is and that he will do what he says he will do.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not anti-Christmas, but I have to say I am anti-commercial.

Paying It Forward

This past Wednesday was the second annual "Pay It Forward Day" as proposed by a man named David Del Mundo. The pay it forward concept is certainly not a new idea. In recent years, books and movies have been released promoting the idea of going out of the way to do something unexpectedly nice for a stranger, with the notion being that person will then do something nice for someone else, and so on and so on, until maybe even the whole world is changed. This latest proposal has gained quite a lot of momentum. He posted it on the Internet, and the last time I checked, nearly 650,000 people said they would participate.

The idea is to anonymously do things like pay for someone's lunch or coffee or even a tank of gas or to otherwise do something extra-ordinarily nice. Since then, others have issued challenges to commit such so-called "random acts of kindness" every day in the month of December, which has elicited comments that kindness should be a way of life and not something which necessarily needs to have a designated day or month. This is very true, of course. However, often there's a gap between knowing something is the right thing to do and actually doing it. So I like the idea of a month-long challenge, especially to go "above and beyond" what we would normally do.

Most everyone, with a few cranky exceptions, does a fairly decent job of holding doors open for others and not butting to the front of the line. But those are the kinds of things which should be considered minimum requirements in polite society, and don't go nearly far enough. Kindness requires deliberate action. And exceptional acts of kindness, for the vast majority of us who are busily going about our everyday lives, don't always happen automatically.

The other wonderful thing about promoting a month of creative kindness, is that there is power in numbers, which builds a spirit of agreement and unity. I can't think of a better way to celebrate the Christmas season than each of us going out of our way to help someone or giving little gifts of kindness and service each day to people we don't even know. Let's take up the challenge and see if we can make a noticeable impact on our communities. Sounds like fun, doesn't it? It might even become a permanent, daily habit.

The State of Thankfulness

The role of gratitude in a believer's life is crucial, and a thankful attitude is a moment by moment disposition which we are all called to display every day, in every situation. "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful." (Colossians 3:15)

There is a definite link between peace and thankfulness. The ability to cease from complaining and to start living in appreciation for our blessings, brings untold joy and contentment. As Oswald Chambers points out in "My Utmost for His Highest," our state of mind is something we must always guard:

"What we must beware of is not damage to our belief in God, but damage to our Christian disposition or state of mind. . . . Our state of mind is powerful in its effects. It can be the enemy that penetrates right into our soul and distracts our mind from God. There are certain attitudes we should never dare to indulge. If we do, we will find they have distracted us from faith in God. . .

"Beware of 'the cares of this world . . .' (Mark 4:19). They are the very things that produce the wrong attitudes in our soul. It is incredible what enormous power there is in simple things to distract our attention away from God. Refuse to be swamped by the cares of this world."

Thankfulness is a state of mind which must be cultivated and tended to with great diligence. The "weeds" in life -- worry, sadness, sickness, trials, temptations and more -- threaten to creep in and choke out the peace and joy which result from always seeking to find the very best in every person and every situation, without complaint or criticism.

Beyond the food and family gatherings which typically mark the Thanksgiving holiday, let's all strive every day to count each blessing in life, and be grateful for what we have been given, rather than long for and fret over what we do not have. Being thankful is a choice we make, regardless of our circumstances.

Living Simply

During this season of the year, with its seemingly unending stream of activities, and because of my own particular place in life, I feel compelled to once again address the issue of simplicity, something I talk a lot about.

I am still dealing with my late parents' possessions, and now I am also packing up my 94-year-old aunt's things, as she has decided she needs around the clock care and has entered a skilled nursing facility. All of this has me thinking again about what is truly lasting and of value, as I believe our attitude toward material possessions is one of the most important aspects of spiritual growth.

When the things we own are dear to us, other areas of our lives will suffer, because ownership is time-consuming. As we work to acquire more and more, we also must extend great amounts of our time and resources to store and/or maintain what we have. If we are not diligent, it is easy enough to let what we have start defining who we are; we may even think we have value because we own things of value. This, of course, is not the case and is in direct opposition to the teachings and example of Jesus, who apparently had few possessions and certainly didn't seem to care much about what he did own.

In fact, Jesus says in Luke 12:33-34, "Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Letting go of the hold which possessions have on our lives is an important step in realizing and putting into practice the notion that God alone should be a believer's one true desire. The freedom which comes from seeing what surrounds us as being only temporary brings a sense of contentment that allows us to relax and enjoy a lifestyle which is much less hurried and harried and more focused on treasures, such as love, hope and faith, which will not decay with time.

Here's wishing for a happy, simple holiday season for us all.

Having an Anchor

This is a summary of what's been going on in my family's life in the past three weeks:

1. We went on an actual "get-out-of-town" for nine days vacation (which we have not done in several years.) The trip included my husband and I, our daughter (Tracy) and son-in-law (John) and our grandson (Farrand).

2. We returned on November 4 (my grandson's birthday; we got back at about 7 p.m., but managed to get a party thrown together that evening).

3. The next day Tracy and John headed off to Nebraska to spend time with John's grandmother. She had been battling cancer for several years and passed away this week, her funeral was yesterday.

4. Farrand did not go to Nebraska, so Allen and I are taking care of him and trying to keep him up-to-date with his schoolwork. (He is homeschooled; Allen has been managing the lessons.) I'm not sure when Tracy and John will get back.

5. The West Plains High School fall play started at the Avenue Theatre on Thursday and runs through this afternoon. As the Theatre's Executive Director (a job description which is very broad and includes things like running the concession stand and making sure it has adequate supplies), I have been there for every performance, but so has my husband and grandson because usually our daughter helps with events, and, as noted above, she is out of town. (So thankful for Abby Corman, who has also been helping.) Allen sold popcorn on his birthday (yesterday).

6. I am also working on the details of a play I am directing which opens three weeks from yesterday.

7. The Theatre's annual "Assumption Abbey Fruit cake" fund-raiser is now underway. (Allen and I drove over to pick up the cakes on Tuesday afternoon.)

8. On Tuesday morning, I spoke (briefly) at a breakfast fellowship. It started at 7:30. I had planned to be there early (thankfully) because I had a flat tire on the way, and Allen had to rescue me, by bringing me another vehicle...I was only a few minutes late.

9. My 94-year-old aunt was hospitalized for two days and subsequently decided to move to a nursing home. As her only nearby relative, the task of boxing up and dealing with her possessions has fallen to me -- she was never married and has no children. I have to have her apartment cleaned out by the end of November, and am treading lightly, so as not to get rid of anything she still wants.

10. I am continuing to work my part-time hours at the university.

There are probably a few more things I could add (I did manage to only miss one column/blog during all of that), but that's the gist of it.

I have not mentioned all of these things to elicit any "Wow, Terry you are so busy" comments, or to seek a pat on the back. I know there are many of my friends who lead similarly hectic lives in addition to having many complicating factors which I am so blessed to not be dealing with.

I mention these things because I so grateful our family has God as our anchor. I sit here peacefully on a Sunday morning, not stressing about the days and weeks ahead (because they promise to be equally full of activities and perhaps a few surprises), and I know I am only able to find that peace because of the hope I have in God and his promises.

Hebrews 6:19: "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast..."

I sure wouldn't want to be in the boat I'm in without God as my anchor! Peace and blessings to you all.

Restoring Sanity

I'm blogging from the nation's capitol today...don't know how many times I'll get to say that. Our family drove to Washington D.C. to be part of the Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear (and to spend a few days seeing the sights).

I know some see the rally as a publicity/promotional stunt, saying it was too scripted to be authentic. I'll concede it made for great television and no doubt will increase viewership for both "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report," but the event was more than that, I believe. The crowd was huge (accurate numbers are hard to obtain), and only a small fraction could see or hear what was happening on stage, but that did not seem to dampen spirits.

People were remarkably polite, cheerful and the general mood was that all of us were, quite literally, just happy to be there. Many were getting reports via cell phone from friends who were watching the event on TV, and all of us knew we would be watching replays on YouTube, so the few half-hearted attempts to start a "louder!" protest in my section of the crowd died out in moments with everyone laughing and going back to getting reports from the seven-foot-tall guy behind us who said yes, indeed, that really was Ozzy Osbourne. What?!

Allen had sacrificed his attendance to drop off our daughter Tracy, son-in-law John and me at the National Mall. After having waited in line for over half an hour at the Metro station near where we're staying, we had abandoned our first plan of taking the Metro in....the lines were impossibly long and the trains were packed. Amazingly, at the rally, Tracy ended up seeing the people who were in front of us in line at the Metro. (One of them was in full Uncle Sam costume so that made him a little easier to spot.) It had taken them three hours to make the trip which on a good day (we travelled it on Friday) takes a half-hour. They arrived at the Mall just as the rally was ending.

After Tracy, John and I arived, we started working our way toward the stage, but I turned back after awhile to find Allen and our grandson; they eventually parked our vehicle and took the Metro in. Tracy and John continued on and finally ended up near enough to the front to hear and see what was going on. Call what he said what you want, but we were all inspired by Jon Stewart's words when Tracy relayed them.

The transcript is available online many places. I suggest you find it and read at least the end. Here are the last few lines:

"We hear every damned day about how fragile our country is, on the brink of catastrophe, torn by polarizing hate, and how it's a shame that we can't work together to get things done. The truth is, we do! We work together to get things done every damned day! The only place we don't is here (in Washington) or on cable TV!

"But Americans don't live here, or on cable TV. Where we live, our values and principles form the foundation that sustains us while we get things done--not the barriers that prevent us from getting things done.

"Most Americans don't live their lives solely as Democrats, Republicans, liberals or conservatives. Americans live their lives more as people that are just a little bit late for something they have to do. Often something they do not want to do! But they do it. Impossible things, every day, that are only made possible through the little, reasonable compromises we all make."

That's maybe the one main thing I want to remember from this trip. I may get tired of political attack ads and people who don't share my views, but we all DO work together every day, and we DO get things accomplished. We're all in this life together, and maybe sanity (and unity) can be restored after all.

Hold Music

In my position as Executive Director at the Avenue Theatre (our local community theater), I had occasion this week to call a company to order something we're needing, and as I was on hold for several minutes, I was forced to listen to music. The music was obnoxiously loud and sounded like it was coming from an eight-track tape player through a blown speaker. (If you're under 40 or so, ask your parents -- or grandparents -- to describe what that sounds like.) The song playing was an otherwise lovely Christian tune, but, in this case, it was not pleasing to my ears. It was irritating. (Interestingly, while I was calling regarding our lighting system, one of the things this company deals in is sound technology/systems.)

While on hold, and holding the phone away from my ear, I wondered: When was the last time anyone in the company had listened to their hold music? How did something of such poor quality end up as hold music, especially for this business? Why was music necessary at all, since a voice was also making announcements regarding available products and services? (Most of it was unintelligible, but I did hear "vampire costumes," which is neither here nor there, but a little jolting, nonetheless, when heard over the phrase "holy, holy, holy.") I don't know if they chose Christian music because they want to appeal to churches to buy their wares or if someone there thinks it's a good way to "witness to the world." I think it's mostly ineffective on both counts.

The situation did give me a moment for introspection. Does the church world use opportunities to convey the message of Jesus in effective ways, or do we merely sound loud and irritating? Have we really stopped to listen to what is representing us, or do we think any old "religious" thing will do? Are we sending mixed messages, trying to say and do too much all at once?

I would have enjoyed quiet, instrumental music, or even nothing at all, much more than the glaring noise I heard. Perhaps the Body of Christ would do well to stop and think, for a long moment or two, on the concept of peaceful simplicity. (And we also need to make sure we're really listening to our own "hold music.")

A Challenge - Part II

The challenge I issued last week for all of us who watch bad news to give equal time to something inspirational or uplifting was made a bit easier, perhaps, as the whole world has been captivated in recent days with the good news of the rescued miners in Chile. As our family watched the first man emerge to enthusiastic cheers and long embraces, we did not hold back our own tears of relief and joy.

The moment was an epiphany for my seven-year-old grandson who commented, "This is the first time I ever cried from happiness." He identified with the seven-year-old Chilean boy who burst into tears waiting for his father, initially feared dead, who he had not seen for over two months. My grandson shared the emotional pain of a stranger thousands of miles away, putting himself in that other little boy's shoes to realize what it might mean to never be able to see his loved ones again.

As the miners were pulled to safety, one by one, nobody seemed to care that some of them have rather messy personal relationships outside of the mine. In fact, for a few of them, we see conduct which doesn't measure up to the strict moral code which many Christian watchdog groups would like to impose and enforce. In spite of that, thankfully, I haven't heard comments that the mining disaster is God's punishment for anyone; the universal response seems to have been prayers going up on all fronts.

My hope is this is a trend which continues...that we will all view others who are struggling day by day, living in desperation or even with the consequences of poor choices, not as "bad people who deserve whatever they get," but as hurting individuals who need our love, prayers and support.

In light of that, I issue a second challenge this week: To realize those miners are no better and no worse than any of the rest of us. That we should spare no expense, go to every length, to help free others from feeling trapped and hopeless. Let us remove judgment from the equation when we decide who to help, and let's make a decision to love others, unconditionally. If we could accomplish that, in my mind, I imagine Jesus crying tears of happiness, too.

A Challenge

It is baffling, to say the least, the amount of fear and hate emanating from some Christians. Because Jesus was not a promoter of hate or fear, it does not make sense for his followers to spew out that which is unlovely. Perhaps those who do are spending less time studying the teachings of Jesus than they are absorbing news from other sources.

I understand the desire to not be isolated from the outside world (although there are many well-informed, well-adjusted folks who do try to insulate themselves from bad news, and they appear to be functioning just fine). But what is always needed is a willingness to achieve balance in all things, and in this case, a lot less negative and a whole lot more positive is in order. Less secular, more sacred.

As Christians, we are disciples (students) of Jesus. If time is not spent meditating on his goodness and desiring to learn more about and to practice the Way he proclaimed, then there is a great likelihood that, "the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desire for other things [will] enter in and choke the word, and it [will] become unfruitful." (Mark 4:19) If we allow only negative points of view into our thoughts day after day, eventually a negative view becomes our focus, and that focus can become an obsession. A follower of Jesus should be obsessed only with Jesus, not what the world or any politician or alleged pundit is doing or saying.

So here is a challenge for us all: For every minute spent listening to/reading bad news and negative opinions, let's spend at least an equal amount of time concentrating on something inspirational (I would particularly recommend the New Testament gospels), or even just fun; it wouldn't hurt any of us to lighten up a little.

And for those who share negative information about politics/politicians/government or religion (any religion), especially via email and on social network sites, try sending an equal number of links and comments which have something good to say, something which might make someone's day better, not worse.

Here's a good piece of advice from scripture: "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things." (Philippians 4:19)

I think we all need to step back and ask ourselves: What exactly is the purpose -- what is to be gained -- by concentrating on the negative?

A Dilemma

I'll admit I am not familiar with the teachings of Muhammad, nor do I know much about "Shariah" law. However, I know enough to know I am not interested in living in a country which adheres to Islamic rule or which is governed by imams and Muslim clerics. From reading the Old Testament, I am familiar with the teachings of Moses and Judaic law. I am equally certain I do not want the laws of the land to encompass the particulars of the Jewish faith, especially that of the "orthodox" variety. I'll make a big assumption and suppose that the vast majority of readers will agree with me on these two points.

But here's a question to consider: As a country, do we want the teachings of Jesus to be the basis for our laws? Before you answer, consider the scripture in Acts 4:32. The early followers of Christ "were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them." And Acts 2:44-45, "And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need."

Those first believers, an example for us, held this attitude as a result of following the teachings of Jesus. One such teaching was when he advised a rich man who came to him seeking answers to ". . . sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor . . ." (Luke 18:22). Ministering to the poor is a prevalent theme in what Jesus taught.

This presents a bit of a dilemma, I would think, to those Christians who decry particular political positions and government programs as "redistribution of wealth," or even socialism, but also desire to "take America back," presumably so it can be a Christian nation. As a proponent of the separation of church and state, I'm not promoting the idea of basing our laws on the New Testament, but I will make the observation that a truly Christian nation would look a lot like what many people seem to be frightened of, and it would look considerably different than the present situation. The rich, especially corporations in America, would have a lot less than they do now (but still plenty), and the poor would have a lot more than they do now (enough to live comfortably).

What is it, exactly, we expect of government? An important question for our country. What is it we should expect from ourselves? An important question for believers.

Concentrating on Change

Many of you know I write a weekly column in the West Plains Daily Quill which is what I generally re-post (often with modifications) on this blog. This week, while preparing to submit my column, I encountered a bit of writer's block. As the deadline approached, I stared blankly at the computer screen for a long while, finally asking my husband, "Do you have any ideas for my column?" (He has been the inspiration for several over the years. I'll let you interpret that any way you want, but he honestly has made many good suggestions for topics.)

"Why don't you just start typing?" he suggested. "Have you ever tried it?" He obviously didn't have any ideas, either. I thought how that approach was like trying to make a decision by randomly opening the Bible to point at a verse to find an answer.

As an experiment (and because I was stuck), I did try "just typing," and, of course, the resulting gibberish wasn't even a sentence. (Although it did start out "Now is the time for all . . ." a phrase which might be recognizable to those who have ever taken a typing class, a precursor to what is now called "keyboarding." That sentence fragment had been ingrained in my mind many years ago and prompted a conversation with my husband about Mrs. Orr, who was our typing instructor when he and I were in high school. It was a nice conversation about the "good ole days," but it didn't provide much inspiration.)

After that, and several other side conversations, I was reminded of how easy it is to get side-tracked in any area of life, and I remembered the scripture which says, ". . .if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven." (Matt. 18:19).

In many cases, believers have become distracted. We are called to be united in Christ, but we're not. We should be thinking about the things on which we agree -- serving Jesus, loving others, honoring God -- and yet, we use precious time being preoccupied with petty differences. Denominations. Opinions. Politics. Right. Left. Labels. Do you realize if we could all get in agreement on the larger issues of life, we really would change the world?

It seems as though the Church has tried what amounts to "randomly opening the Bible" or the "fingers tapping mindlessly on a keyboard" approach, and it hasn't worked, hasn't produced anything that makes sense. The time is right for concentration on our calling, for agreement among believers. It will take an intentional, deliberate effort to stay on track, but if we could ever manage to do it, it would be worth every minute.

Prophetic Prospective

End time biblical prophecy is a fascinating and often controversial topic. According to various interpretations of scripture, the world has been in the "last days" for as long as I can remember and certainly much longer. From those who say Jesus has already returned to earth for the second time to those who are still waiting for him to arrive the first time, there are many views.

For the majority of Christians, the general belief is Jesus has been on earth once, and he will return again some day to collect those who believe in him. From denomination to denomination, opinions vary widely as to the specifics of his return, but self-proclaimed prophets have been trying to guess the date of his return for centuries. So far, even though many have predicted with great certainity the exact date, they have all been wrong. (Which is no great surprise because scripture says no one knows of that day and hour except God.)

One thing I do find interesting about this topic is that many believers seem to fear the fulfillment of prophecy. If prophetic words are leading to the return of Jesus, then shouldn't we embrace those teachings? Shouldn't it signal joy, rather than dread? (I remember hearing a preacher talk about "post-millennialists" and "pre-millennialists," regarding those who had different opinions about whether or not we would be around during the coming "tribulation," and his conclusion was he chose to be a "pan-millennialist." He believed everything was going to pan out in the end, so he was not going to worry, which makes sense to me.)

Someday, the world, as we know it, will come to an end. Maybe in my lifetime or yours, maybe not. But something I know for certain is this: The world comes to an end every day for many people who live and die never knowing they were loved because people who should have been showing compassion to them and loving them with the love of Jesus were too busy worrying about the end of the world.

Prophecy does not need be ignored, but it should also be kept in perspective. Jesus said, "Do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. . . ." (Matt. 6:34) Those who live their lives intently focused on end time prophecies miss countless, joyful opportunities to love and serve in the here and now.

Freedom from Fear

Scripture is filled with admonitions against fear. Psalm 112:7, one of my favorites, says, [the righteous] "will not fear evil tidings. . ." Evil tidings is another way of saying "bad news." Believers should not fear what they hear and will not if they walk in obedience.

"The Message" translation of Psalm 112:4-9 says it this way, "Sunrise breaks through the darkness for good people -- God's grace and mercy and justice! The good person is generous and lends lavishly . . . . Unfazed by rumor and gossip, heart ready, trusting in God, Spirit firm, unperturbed, ever blessed, relaxed among enemies, they lavish gifts on the poor -- a generosity that goes on, and on, and on. An honored life! A beautiful life!"

When we place our trust in God and live unselfish lives, free of pettiness, we have no reason to fear rumors, bad news or even our enemies. God is gracious, merciful and just. When we are in constant fear and impart that fear to others, I believe that is one way we cause grief to his Spirit, because, in effect, we are saying we don't trust him to take care of us. (Ephesians 4:29-30, "Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God . . .")

The verses from Psalm 112 show an important connection between giving, steadfast trust and living a blessed, happy life. Unchecked fear becomes all-consuming, stealing not only opportunities to be joyful and generous day to day, but robbing our hope for the future as well. The easiest way to not be afraid of what we hear and read is to stop seeking out and concentrating on rumors and bad news. We also need to quit repeating "evil tidings." Even if some ugly thing we hear happens to have a grain of truth to it, if it does not serve to edify, there is nothing to be gained by sharing it with others.

Life is too short to spend it being agitated and upset, always thinking the worst is about to happen and disaster is around every corner. And simply put, Christians should not live that way because there is a greater hope residing in us; to thrive on distressing thoughts is to walk in disobedience.

Let's allow the "sunrise to break through the darkness" and live beautiful lives, free of fear.

A Greater Freedom

Christians in America should be the most grateful people on the planet, living as we do in a country which allows us total religious freedom. When we gather in small groups in our homes, it is not because we are forced into hiding and must meet in secret, as millions of others around the world do. When we want to worship with hundreds (even thousands) of others, we can do so as well, while our congregations enjoy tax-free status. We can even turn on our televisions and find religious programs at any time of the day or night. Despite persistent rumors to the contrary, these freedoms are not in danger.

Yet, it seems as though the Church in America is not content to merely enjoy the freedom to follow our own spiritual pursuits, worshiping in the way we choose; it appears that we want to crash the gate which separates church and state and impose our individual desires and beliefs on everyone else. One of the many problems with this concept is that even within the Christian community, from denomination to denomination, there is considerable disagreement as to what that should mean.

One of the other issues, is that while this nation was founded on democratic ideas which, perhaps, favor Godly principles, its laws are not even based on the ten commandments (for example, there are no laws demanding that we honor our parents; we can make all the "graven images" we want; the Sabbath is just another day of the week; coveting our neighbor's property -- keeping up with the "Joneses" -- may even actually be pretty close to the definition of the "American Dream," etc.).

And certainly our country, based on GOVERNING LAWS, does not follow Christian principles. Read the "Sermon on the Mount," a very good summary of the teachings of Jesus (see Matthew 5-7), and decide for yourself if the United States is a "Christian nation." Jesus promotes gentleness, mercy, making peace, being reconciled to our "brothers" and loving our enemies. He speaks against adultery, divorce, storing up treasures and greed, among many other things which are not against the laws of our land.

The other big problem is the Bill of Rights. The very first line of the First Amendment is: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." As Americans, we should appreciate our personal freedom of religion and not deny the same freedom to others, regardless of how much we might disagree with their views. As Christians, we also need to concentrate on getting our own house in order and be less concerned about what everyone else is doing.

As American Christians, we are not called to place patriotism above or ahead of Jesus. Our true freedom comes from a source higher than any government: "For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another." (Galatians 5:13-15)

Freedom in Christ is much greater and more precious than freedom granted by man's laws, and it carries even greater responsibilities. If we continue to lash out at others, we are in danger of destroying ourselves.

Who Is Our Enemy?

Those of you who generally read my West Plains Daily Quill column may have noticed its absence this past Friday. The last couple of weeks have been extra busy for me with a big project and lots of "brain energy" used up in contemplating a big decision, so I took a vacation day and didn't write my column for the paper. It gives me an opportunity to post something here that might not be appropriate for my Quill column.

I have not been closely following the situation about what the Muslim community in New York is proposing for "ground zero," so I don't feel prepared to comment on that specific topic. But I have been considering how we, as Christians, should feel about Muslims, in general. As always, since Jesus is our example, we should only look to him for the answer.

My friend Dick Davidson made an excellent point a few days ago with a post on Facebook: "'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' Matthew 22:39 'And so he asked Jesus who is my neighbor?' Luke 10:29. And Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan. A Samaritan in that day was to a Jew as a Muslim would be to to a Christian today. So who is your neighbor?"

There is a large percentage of the followers of Islam who fall into the category of our "neighbors" in the same sense as Jesus declared the Samaritan to be a good neighbor. They have different religious views and a different cultural background, but they do want to live in peace and co-exist with Christians. I know this is true because I have a family member who married a Muslim, and he has not attempted to harm or convert her Christian family. We are to love those Muslims because they are our "neighbors."

Then, there is a small percentage of Muslims, who can only be called our enemies. They are our enemies because they hate us (Christians/Americans) and want to cause us harm, for a variety of reasons, some religiously-motivated, some not. For that group, we can ask the question, not "Who is my neighbor?" but "Who is my enemy, and how should I treat him?"

Jesus said we are to:
- love our enemies and do good to those who hate us (Luke 6:27)
- bless those who curse us, pray for those who mistreat us (Luke 6:28)
- never pay back evil for evil to anyone (Romans 12:17)
- feed our enemy if he is hungry and give him a drink if he is thirsty (Romans 12:21)
- not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good (Romans 12:22)

It doesn't work to say, "I know I'm supposed to love my enemies, but...[fill in the blank with any excuse you want]." Jesus said those words in a time filled with religious practices which would make most of us drop our jaws in disbelief and also during the time of a Roman occupation so brutal it was almost beyond comprehension. Take for example, the way Jesus died....he know what was in store for him, and yet, he forgave and loved the Romans even before he was crucified.

The bottom line is this: Whether Muslims are our "neighbors" or our enemies, we have no choice but to love them and pray for them. The hate being stirred up by Christians against Muslims is beginning to boil over, and if cooler heads and loving hearts can't prevail, we will bring disaster on ourselves because of a love which has grown cold and minds set on things below, not on things above.

Note: For another perspective about Muslims, I invite you to read a blog post by my friend Ken Brown. http://ozarkuncle-too.blogspot.com/2010/08/most-evil-muslims-gays-or-serpents.html?spref=fb

A Personal History with Jesus

There has been quite a lot of discussion lately, amongst my friends and acquaintances, as to how there seems to be a great deal of difference between what the Bible teaches and the way many Christians behave. For example, if Jesus told us to love, why is there so much hatefulness? If Jesus told us not to judge, why the emphasis on passing judgment? If Jesus told us not to worry, why are so many stressed out? Etc.

Oswald Chambers, in "My Utmost for His Highest," provides an answer to this question. He uses the scripture reference of John 20:11-18. Jesus has just risen from death, and when he encounters his follower Mary, she does not immediately recognize him. Here is what Chambers says:

"It is possible to know all about doctrine and still not know Jesus. A person's soul is in grave danger when the knowledge of doctrine surpasses Jesus, avoiding intimate touch with Him. Why was Mary weeping? Doctrine meant no more to her than the grass under her feet. In fact, any Pharisee could have made a fool of Mary doctrinally, but one thing they could never ridicule was the fact that Jesus had cast seven demons out of her (see Luke 8:2); yet His blessings were nothing to her in comparison with knowing Jesus Himself. '. . . Jesus said to her, "Mary!" ' Once He called Mary by her name she immediately knew that she had a personal history with the One who spoke."

It is not only sad, but detrimental to God's kingdom, when those who claim to believe in Jesus do not follow in his footsteps. Having knowledge of scripture is not the same as knowing Jesus, remembering the demons we have overcome through his grace, recognizing him in others and realizing what he is calling us to do . . . namely, minister life, not criticism and death, to those around us.

II Corinthians 3:4-6 says it well, "Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."

Knowing doctrine, and twisting it around to wound others, is never an acceptable substitute for having a relationship with Jesus and operating according to the wisdom imparted through his Spirit.

God's Will and Our Joy

One of the key components of the prayer Jesus taught his disciples to pray is "Thy will be done." Discovering God's will and putting it into practice in our lives is of utmost importance to believers. It truly is at the heart of what we're trying to figure out in our daily lives. Living in his will is our path to peace, joy and contentment.

The larger issues associated with the will of God are readily apparent; his desire is that we grow in our love for him and for others and that our lives are filled with compassion, mercy and other "fruits of the Spirit."

The finer points of God's will -- in our vocations, our relationships, for example -- are sometimes more difficult to discern. Strictly operating within our own limited human perspective, we often make brash decisions and readily choose a course of action that is not God's will because sometimes his path doesn't seem to be what we would call "enjoyable." Paul's life, as recorded in the book of Acts, is a fairly good example.

Specifically, in chapter 21 we read of some of his friends who are pleading with him not to go to Jerusalem because they are certain it will be bad news for Paul. He says to them, " 'What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready . . . even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.' And since he would not be persuaded, [they] fell silent, remarking, 'The will of the Lord be done!' " (verses 13-14) I think they recognized God at work in Paul's life, but that didn't make it easier, at that moment, for them to deal with possibly losing a friend to those who were seeking to permanently do away with him.

Because of complicating factors, this week a friend of mine felt compelled to pass up an opportunity to move on from a current, unhappy job situation. But he did so with assurance that there was a reason things didn't seem to go his way, and that ultimately, everything would work out. I commented on his maturity in accepting the apparent set-back. He said even though he didn't like it, he believes that's the way it works sometimes; we know something happens for a reason, but we can still be disappointed, as long as we move forward and don't dwell on the disappointment.

God's will is not usually the easiest route (or the path of least resistance), but the joys and benefits of finding and living in his will are worth the struggle to get there.

Measurements

According to the website of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Weights and Measures Division, its job is to promote "uniformity in U.S. weights and measures laws, regulations, and standards to achieve equity between buyers and sellers in the marketplace." We are all in hearty agreement that if we pay for two pounds of grapes, we should get two pounds, not a pound and three-quarters.

Such precise measuring is fine for produce, but we should set aside the scales in our estimation of those around us. Luke 6:37-38 says,"Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon and you will be pardoned. Give and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure -- pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return."

It could not be more clear that we are not to judge others, and we are not to condemn them for their actions. And yet, judgment and condemnation are running rampant within the ranks of Christianity. People are "sized up" at a glance, on a regular basis: they look different, they act funny, their lifestyle is wrong, their worship habits are suspect and the list goes on.

One of the biggest questions I ask myself almost daily is, "Why does the Church love to judge, when our job is only to love?" God is perfectly capable of judging; we are not. Our calling is to practice righteousness (right-doing, right-being) as it applies to our own lives, but we are never to be self-righteous, defined as "smugly moralistic and intolerant of the opinions and behavior of others."

I challenge all of us to consider how we measure and judge those around us. If we are not willing to pardon, we will not be pardoned, and I can only speak for myself, but I know I need God's mercy and grace every day. And I further know he expects me to be merciful, just as he is merciful. Keeping score of how I've been wronged and constantly tracking the way others are behaving is not the nit-picky life a believer should live. How do I measure up in applying God's lavish standards of unconditional love?

Unexpected Opportunities

In Luke chapter 5, is the story of how Simon Peter met Jesus. Jesus was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, teaching, and a crowd was pressing in around him. He got into Simon's boat and asked him to go out into the lake, where he sat down and spoke to the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch." Simon told him he had been fishing all night and hadn't caught anything, but he would do as Jesus said. After letting the net down, he pulled up so many fish the net began to break, and he had to call his partners to help.

I've read this story many times, and there is a lesson in it which is familiar to me. Namely, sometimes we work and strive to achieve our goals, seemingly with no success. Then, Jesus shows up on the scene, and suddenly, when we obey what he says, our goals are achieved, and our lives are changed in a moment. That's a pretty standard interpretation from the teachings I have encountered.

However, as I read this story recently, another thought occurred to me. When Simon and his companions were seized with amazement over what had transpired, Jesus said, "Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men." Then, in verse 11, we read when they brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

If Simon had been asked before he went fishing what his goal was, he might have said to catch enough fish to pay the bills, and afterward, he was likely disappointed and disheartened when his long hours of work were unfruitful. Then, he caught more fish than he could have imagined, but just as suddenly as that success came to him, he had a new realization. As important as the fish were to his livelihood, he sensed there was something even more valuable, more intriguing, in the words Jesus said, and he was willing to leave the comfort of familiar work behind to discover what this new challenge might mean.

As we achieve one goal, another goal will present itself. We should always be open to opportunities in unexpected places because sometimes, what we think we want is not what we truly want, or need, at all.

Consider What You Hear

Comments by friends of mine and a particular video clip which led to the firing of a government appointee, prompted a thought for a follow-up on last week's blog about discipleship. Being a student, or disciple, is not a passive pursuit. In spiritual matters, and other important issues, what we hear, see or read should be questioned, investigated and put in context. Any preacher (or pundit) worth his or her salt will welcome questions and be willing to consider other opinions and thoughts, and all of us should be willing to have thoughts of our own, never blindly believing or mindlessly following anyone.

Yesterday, I overheard someone say, jokingly, "You mean people actually doctor up things on the Internet? Not everything you see on there is real?" We've all been around long enough to know not everything we read is factual, but our human nature is to believe it anyway, especially if what we read is in agreement with what we already tend to think. Even if what we read is "true," there is often at least one more fact that's missing which would change what we think if we only knew it.

It is often difficult to know who to trust and believe, but it is usually easy enough to find out if what someone is saying is trustworthy by doing a little research of our own. What is this person/organization's track record? Could they have an agenda and therefore, find it advantageous to offer partial information? In cases relating to spiritual matters, is what they're saying in line with what we know of the character and nature of Jesus?

Jesus commanded us to love others, and he demonstrated love through compassion, respect, humility, friendship and placing the needs of others ahead of his own. If what is being proclaimed does not line up with at least these basic concepts, there is a distinct possibility that it's not what Jesus had in mind. Jesus did become angry and was, occasionally, confrontational, but upon investigation, we discover his anger was directed at those who were using religion to advance their own agenda...the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the money changers in the temple.

It is important to be mindful of what we say, and it is equally important that we pay close attention to what is being said to us. Whatever we allow to enter our thoughts can easily become part of our beliefs; it is our responsibility to process carefully what we hear.

Discipleship

In what is commonly called the "Great Commission" given by Jesus to his followers, he says to go "make disciples of all the nations . . . teaching them to observe all that I commanded you." (Mark 28:19-20) This wisdom and tradition was to be passed on from generation to generation, so that throughout the ages more would become followers of Christ and would know him through this method.

As straightforward as it seems, unfortunately, when put into practice, the concept has often been misconstrued and misused. We are never told to make converts to our own way of thinking, an outcome which is always a potential hazard when teaching others anything, but in spiritual matters, it is a pitfall which must be avoided at all costs.

From the dangerous extreme of deadly cults built around disturbed personalities to the more subtle thought that creeps in when parishioners mention going to a particular pastor's church (rather than thinking in terms of the Body of Christ), so often the focus can be taken off of the teachings of Jesus and placed on the teachings of another individual.

I like the "The Message" translation of this scripture, "Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life . . .instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you." It places even more emphasis on Jesus and gives a better idea of the concept of discipleship, which doesn't just mean "follower," but also, especially, "student." In a good teacher/student relationship, the teacher shares what he or she knows, but the bulk of the learning is when the student becomes immersed in the topic at hand, outside of the classroom -- reading, researching and studying all that can be discovered about a particular subject.

As disciples of Jesus, we should never cease to learn more about him, more about his character and nature and more about "the Way" of living he taught. Listening to what others have to say about Jesus is only part of our education as believers. Our duty is to delve into his teachings and study scripture, so that we know about him, but also truly know him and maintain our own relationship with him. Then, we are in a position to repeat the cycle and make more disciples, which is the calling for each of us.

What Can We Do?

My blog is usually a re-post of my weekly column in the West Plains Daily Quill, so sometimes it is "local" in nature. This week, I want to share some information about a local project, but I hope it will be a challenge for all of us to think of what has happened in our own lives which has lead us to where we are -- the struggles, the difficulties -- and then think of how we can help those in similar situations. A heartfelt, empathetic desire to demonstrate love and assist others in overcoming their circumstances, is the perfect way to change someone's life forever.

I'm always interested in and inspired by the creative ways people are helping others, and here is something my friend Lisa Meade is doing. After hearing about outreach programs in other parts of the country which provide formal dresses and all the accessories needed for girls who couldn't otherwise afford to attend prom to do so, Lisa decided to do something similar in our area. The result of her desire to help is a wonderful project called "Cinderella's Closet."

They are looking for donations of new and/or gently used prom dresses, shoes, jewelry, evening bags, disposable cameras, hair and nail gift certificates, gift cards for an evening meal, anything a girl can use to have a memorable prom night. (They also need gift certificates for dry cleaning the used dresses.) Items can be dropped off at Bradford Pharmacy in West Plains (ask for Leslie King or Bob Manion) or Air Evac Patient Accounts (ask for Lisa). Lisa's email address is daughter-oftheking@hotmail.com, if wanting more information.

Cinderella's Closet will be open for a couple of days early next year for girls to come and "shop." Everything will be free, and the girls will leave all outfitted for prom.

Lisa shared with me the importance of this project. She says, "I understand first hand how it feels not to be able to 'fit in,' and I know there are girls in our area who feel the same way simply because their families are under financial stress and cannot afford to send them to prom. I wasn't able to attend either of my proms due to financial restrictions in our family, and that is why this means so much to me, personally."

I have friends and family members who have travelled around the world to do mission work, and I admire them for that. But we should not feel as though we fall short if we don't do similar work...there are plenty of opportunities to minister right where we are. What have we learned from what we have experienced -- our trials, our mistakes -- that we can turn into a way to help others?

What is Strength?

Believers are called to display such qualities as meekness, lowliness, humility and kindness. Forcing ideas and beliefs on other people is not how to win them over to any way of thinking, and Jesus understood this. He never tried to bully anyone or pressure people into following him, and yet thousands at a time were drawn to him and his message. He simply stated truth and loved others with an open heart and open arms. Those who heard him wanted to know more, wanted to understand how he could remain calm in the middle of turmoil. That is what people are still wanting today and will always want, to find peace and steadfastness in the midst of a storm.

Our duty, as Christians, is not to add to the confusion and heartache that so many people are feeling, but rather, we should be able to offer them an alternative approach to the pain of the world. Anyone can turn on the television and within moments, find someone shouting loudly (many of them claiming God as a supporter of their rants), trying to convince viewers that a certain way of thinking is the right path, while insulting those who disagree with their opinions. That may be entertaining, at some level, for some people, but it merely adds to the commotion and offers no solutions.

For peace and contentment to prevail, the message which Jesus brought must still be proclaimed today. Condemnation is to be replaced with compassion, and hardened hearts must learn about forgiveness. In light of scripture, we should ask ourselves about our own thinking and attitudes. Colossians 3:12-13 says, "So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you." Other scripture is equally plain in expressing how we are to behave.

While a gentle, forgiving spirit can be perceived as weakness from a worldly point of view, it is, most assuredly, a strength, a powerful force for change. Here's hoping for gentle days ahead; we need all the strength we can get.

Grateful

As someone who enjoys cold weather and winter, I woke up this morning trying to think of reasons I should be grateful for the summertime heat and humidity. I honestly couldn't think of many. I realize some people would rather sweat profusely under the unrelenting sun instead of warding off the chill of an overcast January day by bundling up in warm clothes. While I am happy for them, that group does not include me. We're all designed with different likes and dislikes, and I have a preference for cool temperatures.

However, even though I may not have specific reasons to be thankful for the heat, the idea of giving thanks in everything does come to mind. I know it is better to choose to be grateful for the sweltering weather, because a thankful attitude is always more productive than complaining (even when the heat index is well over a hundred degrees and my hair refuses to cooperate). Regardless of the weather, no matter what my circumstances are, I certainly do have every reason to be grateful.

I Thessalonians 16-18 urges us to, "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." I know that complaining and looking for the worst in every situation is not God's will for us; gratitude is. (This does not only apply to weather-related issues, obviously. Less complaining all around is definitely called for.)

So, on this hot, sticky, bug-infested, dusty day, I am thankful for a roof over my head, dependable transportation and an automatic washing machine. (I'm always grateful when I do a load of laundry because I remember the wringer washer my mother used when I was a child and how happy she was when we finally got an automatic machine.) I am grateful for jobs I enjoy, wildflowers and ice cubes. I am happy I have a healthy, fun-loving family, including a husband who is hard-working and has a good sense of humor.

Most of all, I am grateful for a God who loves us, who created each of us to be individuals, who gives us the capacity to find enjoyment in our circumstances and who blesses us with contentment and peace when we seek him. Okay, summertime, I've talked myself into it, and I'm going to try my best to love you.

Blessing America

I have, in recent times, given up participating in the political arena, as I believe solutions to society's problems will most successfully be addressed by individuals, by believers, by the Church. (For those of you who have read my recent book, you will understand my position on those issues.) This is not the stand the two major political parties have taken, so I choose not to be a part of either one. But I am concerned about the politicizing of the phrase "God bless America."

Clearly, we all should hope that God does bless America -- what other real hope do we have? -- but why not propose God bless America, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, China, Uganda, Mexico and every other nation on earth? Whether or not governments are properly functioning or we agree with their methods, people every where are hurting, many are living in daily squalor and danger, and they need to be blessed (happy, content, safe).

I Timothy 2:1-2 says, "...I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity." The route to blessing is paved with prayer for leaders, and this does not mean only those who share our opinions.

And to truly ask for God's blessing, we must stop "cursing," (which is to wish that misfortune or evil would befall someone). No matter what we think of our leaders, saying awful things and wishing anyone anything other than well, obviously goes against scripture. In the book of James, chapter 3, we read of the importance of what we say, "...we bless our Lord and Father, and...we curse men, who have been made in the likenss of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way."

Everyone is certainly entitled to his or her own political view, but whatever view that is, the time has come to stop the hateful, hurtful sniping and insults. Do we really believe a holy God is in a position to bless a country which has fallen into the habit of cursing others so freely? Civility must reign. Love must prevail. Fresh water and bitter water don't come from the same fountain.

Being the Church

If you had never been to church before, and only had New Testament scripture to study to determine what a worship service should look like, do you suppose your idea of going to church might be different? (I use the term "going to church" because we all know what this means, even though in the New Testament the word church is not used to mean a building, a place or a denomination; it describes us, believers, the Body of Christ.) There are many ways to honor God and worship him, and no particular system is necessarily right or wrong, but when early followers of Christ met for fellowship, it must have looked different, for the most part, from what many of us have experienced over the years.

A strict schedule of meeting in the same building every Sunday morning and evening and on Wednesday is absent from scripture. As the New Testament church evolved, Christians seemed to have settled into gathering for their main time of group worship "on the first day of the week," Sunday. But there are other examples, too. We read of one occasion (Acts 16:13) where there was a riverside prayer meeting on the Sabbath, which is Saturday. In their enthusiasm, the very first followers of Christ were, "Day to day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house..." (Acts 2:46). Meeting in homes was quite typical; in fact, it was the norm.

The New Testament does give guidelines for Church leadership and how those leaders are to function, but it does not seem to imply the same person was the sole speaker or teacher each time believers assembled -- there was participation by many, which provided diversity and spontaneity. "When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation." (I Cor.14:26) We all have spiritual gifts and perspectives which are meant to be shared with others.

Since there is no specific outline mandating methods for assembling together, there are certainly many ways which must be acceptable. However, settling into a rut where nothing is fresh and new is the main danger in following the same formula week after week. We shouldn't be afraid to break the chains of tradition and find freedom, but more importantly, no matter how we choose to fellowship with one another, we need to remember that "going to church" is secondary to being the church each and every day.

Trying Not to Miss the Point

While we all miss the mark from time to time, it seems especially important to not miss the point. All of us have opinions and views which might not be exactly on target, and we all make mistakes and poor choices from time to time. As followers of Christ, we should make it our goal to be familiar enough with his teachings to realize when we have errored, and then turn aside from that error (or sin), and change our way of thinking.

But consistently choosing behaviors and attitudes that are in direct conflict with what Jesus taught, especially the "big picture" view of scripture, and not making an effort to get beyond those behaviors, seems to be missing the point of being a believer.

Recently, I read several verses in Matthew chapter 12 that illustrate what I mean. Jesus had been healing many of those who were following him, and then warning them not to tell who he was. Verses 17-19 say, "This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: 'Behold, My Servant whom I have chosen; My Beloved in whom My soul is well-pleased; I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel, nor cry out; nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.'"

This image of Jesus is in sharp contrast to many of the extremely vocal, political pundits operating today. These folks have mixed religion and politics and come up with a toxic brew which somehow combines the Gospel's message of love, peace, kindness and harmony with their own doctrine of hate, war, anger and discord. That's disheartening enough, but that they shout their views so loudly and attract such large audiences is the most grievous part.

Yelling and posturing is not an image I can connect with our great example Jesus, who, for the most part, worked quietly behind the scenes, ministering healing and love. I can't help but feel that those who do all of that screaming and who work so intently to rile up, rather than promote unity, are missing the point, entirely. But beyond that, it's one more reminder that when I see others operating in ways I question, I have to turn that questioning toward myself and my struggles, and make sure I'm not missing the point in my own life.

Regaining Community

With increasingly-sophisticated communication technology, the world has gotten "smaller" (or more flat, as some have proposed). As young people look for work in their chosen professions, they feel the pull to leave their hometowns and families to find jobs. Our consumer-driven society has led us to want "what we want, when we want it." We may not drive to California to buy our lettuce year-round, but we buy lettuce year-round which has been delivered to us from California. (Ironically, if you live in California, your lettuce may be coming from some where else. Unless the situation has changed recently, California imports as much lettuce as it exports every year.)

Not all modern advancements or situations are necessarily bad, but these are the kinds of things which have erroded our communities and contributed to society's larger problems. For example, I can't help feeling a sense of responsibility as I see images of oil washing up on the beaches of the Gulf Coast. So many of my habits require large amounts of electricity and other forms of energy, habits which are fueled by the very oil that is ruining the livelihood of thousands of people in the South.

Ironically, one of the most appealing aspects of popular online social-networking sites is a feeling that participants are part of a community. And in a sense, it's true. It has been such a pleasure for me to meet new friends and re-connect and be in touch with people I haven't seen in years via Facebook. In fact, as someone who has anti-social tendencies, it's been the perfect way for me to be part of a community while having few real obligations. And that's why online interaction cannot take the place of daily living in a caring community where everyone looks out for and helps take care of the others living around them. Most of us know about the latest disasters in the rest of the world, but we may not be as likely to know the heartache and needs of our neighbor down the road.

In the second chapter of Acts, we read of the early believers who were "together and had all things in common...and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need ...and breaking bread from house to house." I fear that many of us have lost that very real, solid sense of community.

I'm not advocating giving up Facebook, (I like it too much!), but I have to remind myself not to forget the people right in my own little corner of the world and consider ways to take a cue from the scripture above and make small steps to change the way society works. Supporting locally-owned businesses so our hometown economies thrive, buying locally-grown food to cut down on trucking expense and fuel use, taking time for face-to-face chats and remembering that we are all connected to one another are all ways to start regaining a sense of community. Our small, daily decisions have the potential to make the greatest impact.

Consider the lilies...and the Daisies

I went for a walk on a recent evening, and as I returned home, the rays from the setting sun slipped through the trees and fell across our field filled with wildflowers. A blue-gray haze had already begun to settle around the edge of the tree-rimmed field, in stark contrast to the yellow and white of the blooms which appeared to almost glow from the inside out. The sunlight shone at seemingly impossible angles, making everything it illuminated seem brand-new and perfect. The field which I've seen thousands of times, was suddenly something I did not recognize. It caught me off guard and took my breath away.

It was a moment which stopped me in my tracks and made the majesty and presence of God real beyond words. No amount of trying to explain matters of faith or hearing someone talk about what God has done for them or meant to them can compare to those brief glimpses we occasionally experience which can only be described as heavenly. In an instant like that, all doubts and fears melt away, and all that we strive for in our day-to-day existence, all of the work and worry, fades away in glorious, triumphant realization that nothing matters except God himself, God alone, and he is all we need. When our eyes are opened to that reality, we can see God in every moment, in every person, in every situation, and nothing looks the same.

I was reminded we are told to "consider the lilies," and their magnificent testimony of not "toiling" or "spinning" but merely being. It is a wonderful place when we allow ourselves to simply be in God's presence and drink in all that he is and all that he wants to be in us. When we begin to see God's majesty at every turn and allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by his love and his grace, then we, too, become as the lilies and the wildflowers, inspiring others, not by our work or even our good deeds, but simply because the light has transformed us, making us different than we were. Without a word from us, people will recognize that only God could be responsible for the change and the beauty in us.

The Discipline of Loving One Another

When considering the commandment to love one another, it's easy for us to think of love in terms of the affection we have for spouses, children, family members and friends. The natural attachment we have to our "loved ones" is not the same kind of love we demonstrate to others. Loving outsiders and strangers -- giving them preference, inviting them into our lives and not judging them -- is difficult and can only be achieved when God's love resides in us, and we concentrate on developing and training that love, so that it flows out of us in useful and meaningful ways.

The writings of Oswald Chambers always challenge me to be better and do better, and here is an excerpt from his excellent book, "My Utmost for His Highest" regarding the difficulties of loving others:

"...God loved me not because I was lovable, but because it was His nature to do so. Now He commands me to show the same love to others by saying, '...love one another as I have loved you' (John 15:12). He is saying, 'I will bring a number of people around you whom you cannot respect, but you must exhibit My love to them, just as I have exhibited it to you.' This kind of love is not a patronizing love for the unlovable -- it is His love, and it will not be evidenced in us overnight. Some of us may have tried to force it, but we were soon tired and frustrated."

It is exhausting to try to love difficult people without cultivating the love of God which resides in us. By myself, I have trouble loving those whose opinions differ from my own, and certainly those who are rude, arrogant and hateful are not easy to love. However, we are called to love everyone, and to do so with the knowledge that God has loved each of us beyond measure, even with all of our faults, and we all have at least a few.

Chambers concludes, "Am I prepared to be identified so closely with the Lord Jesus that His life and His sweetness will be continually poured out through me? Neither natural love nor God's divine love will remain and grow in me unless it is nurtured. Love is spontaneous, but it has to be maintained through discipline."

A Simple Supper

For readers who are not in the West Plains area (and for those who live in West Plains but haven't heard about the West Plains Christian Clinic or "WPCC"), I want to give you some background information on this wonderful community project.

According to details supplied by my friend Becky Kiser from the group's website, the WPCC "seeks to improve the quality of life of the medically uninsured people in our community by providing affordable general medical care, preventative medicine and health education, and by making available spiritual counseling to those who seek it. The WPCC seeks to meet the needs of the medically uninsured without regard to race, religion, or creed of those who seek its services."

She notes that the clinic came into being when several members of First United Methodist approached their pastor, the Reverend Mark Mildren, about their desire to volunteer their services for uninsured people. He presented the idea to a planning group last August, and it soon developed into a citywide, ecumenical endeavor. More meetings followed, with the end result being that the clinic is set to open this July.

Volunteers are the backbone of the WPCC. Not only will all of the medical services provided to patients be done by volunteer medical professionals, but all the planning, organizing and paperwork is also done as a labor of love. Many churches are supporting the clinic as part of their Christian vision and mission, and a chaplain will be present when the clinic is open on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month. The space where the clinic is located has been donated and so has the equipment and most of the supplies.

Becky Kiser also tells of the need for "Simple Suppers" which is a way for local folks to help. She says, "On clinic nights, we want to thank our volunteers and take care of them with a Simple Supper, as many will be coming straight from work. We are looking for groups willing to prepare an easy-to-eat meal for about 25 volunteers on a rotating schedule. Some ideas have been bag lunches, sandwiches, one-dish casseroles or pizza. Drinks and paper goods would need to be supplied, too, and be at the clinic by 5:15 p.m."

Isn't it lovely to see believers working together in unity to fulfill the call to love others? I am so glad to live in a place that, even though it has its share of problems like any other, is willing to reach out and help. I hope churches, other community organizations and businesses will come forward to provide a simple meal to one group making a difference. Those interested should contact Reverend Becky Kiser at 1stpresbychurch@centurytel.net or call 256-4247.

Consider It All

After having sat through numerous sermons over the years where someone was going to great lengths to promote one-sided views of various ideas, I realized the Bible can be used to prove, or disprove, almost anything. When fragments of scripture are used, we could even go so far as to say that I Cor. 13:1 tells us, "...do not have love..." while Matt. 10:34 says, "...do not think..." and I John 3:14 says, "...we have passed out..." I have read, in the introduction to a vegetarian cookbook, that the Bible tells us to be vegetarians, based on I Cor. 8:13, "...I will never eat meat again..." Only a small part of the verse was used, and upon further reading, we see each of these examples are taken completely out of context.

It's fairly obvious that the use of incomplete verses is often not a good idea, but even individual chapters and books of the Bible can be used in wrong ways. When we read and study scripture, and embrace its teachings, we must consider the context of the entire Word of God. And the whole Bible, start to finish, is the greatest love story ever written. From the very beginning, when we were created by God so we could have a relationship with him, that theme carries all the way through as we see the great lengths God has gone to throughout history to maintain that relationship.

God does love us, each and every one of us, and I don't believe it is his nature to try to catch anyone on "technicalities," or punish us when we mess up, just because he can. Like any caring parent, he challenges his children to be better people every day, and sometimes, there are hard lessons to be learned, but his love abides through it all. He also wants us to get along with our brothers and sisters and be kind to others, extending to everyone the same mercy and grace he has extended to us.

By using scriptures selectively, our focus can become too narrow, and we can lose sight of the "big picture" view that the Bible is about our relationship with God. Our focus should always be on God's relentless love for us and our unbridled passion for him, which will be demonstrated in the world, not in harsh, judgmental ways, but by being united with other believers and by loving everyone, unconditionally. When we're trying to decide if a particular behavior is a good idea, we should look to God's Word, and consider it all.

The World Has Become More Peaceful

It is easy to become caught up in thinking that everything in the world is getting worse, but there are situations which are actually getting better. My daughter shared the following with me recently, and I feel compelled to pass it along. This is excerpted from the revised and expanded edition of "Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia" by Rob Brezsny.

"In 2005, the Human Security Report presented detailed proof that the world has become dramatically more peaceful since the end of the Cold War. It said that the number of violent conflicts has declined by 40 percent, while acts of genocide have dropped by 80 percent. Weapons sales between countries have diminished 33 percent during the same time, and the number of refugees has fallen by 45 percent. Meanwhile, coups d'etat have decreased 60 percent since 1963, and the number of soldiers killed in battle has declined from an average of 38,000 per war in 1950 to 600 in 2002. . . .

"One of the primary causes of the plunge in violence, according to the Human Security Report, is the unprecedented upsurge of international peace activism, much of it spearheaded by the United Nations. Other factors it cites include the acceleration of democratization and the steep downswing of global poverty.

"The main study was released in 2005, with updates issued in 2007 and 2008. Among the most recent findings: Deaths caused by terrorism have decreased 40 percent; support for al-Qaeda in the Arab world has diminished precipitously; and the number of wars in sub-Saharan Africa was cut in half between 1999 and 2006, while fatalities from those conflicts dropped 98 percent."

It is important to concentrate on the good in the world, rather than making ourselves upset by thinking about evil. And I love to consider the idea of pronoia, thinking that the universe is out to help us. It's much better for our health, if nothing else, than stressing out about everything that "might" go wrong.

Paul writes in Philippians 4:8-9, ". . . whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and see in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you."

Let us find peace by dwelling on peace and continuing to promote peace everywhere. There's a lot of good news out there -- we usually don't even have to look too far to find it.

Bucket Update

Here's an update on my bucket filler/dipper blog from several weeks ago. It's a great story, and I offer a salute to fine teachers everywhere!

In the original post on January 14, I told how my grandson had come home from school saying that some people are bucket-dippers, and some are bucket-fillers. His teacher had said when someone says or does mean things, they're a bucket-dipper; they're trying to empty someone else's bucket so they can fill up their own. But they can't fill up their own bucket that way; it just makes their bucket empty. When someone is a bucket-filler, they do nice things. They try to fill up other people's buckets, but they're really filling up their own bucket, too. Being nice is the way to fill up your bucket.

His teacher is Mrs. Angela Jackson who teaches first grade at Glenwood Elementary School. My grandson continues to talk about "bucket filling," so I asked Mrs. Jackson what she's doing in her classroom, and she gave me the following update:

"We talk quite often about being a 'bucket-filler' or a 'bucket-dipper.' I know some things do not need extrinsic rewards but I decided to reward this behavior in hopes that the students will continue praising each other, helping each other and respecting each other. I have a 'bucket' and 'bucket-filler' tickets. if 'Joe' is reading and 'Sam' tells him 'Good job,' then Joe can get a bucket-filler ticket and write down, 'Sam told me I did a good job reading.' Then Joe places it in the bucket, and on Friday I draw one ticket out and read the winning ticket to the class. Then, both students get a prize, Sam for being a bucket-filler and Joe for filling out the bucket-filler ticket because, in essence, Joe filled Sam's bucket by nominating him.

"I have had some students fill out lots of tickets just hoping they will get a prize, but I can tell which ones are sincere and which ones aren't. It has definitely made a difference in my classroom. In case your readers want to know, the book is called 'Have You Filled a Bucket Today? A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids' by Carol McCloud."

Even though our system of education definitely needs fixing, whatever problems there are, the problems have not been created by the many wonderful teachers doing an excellent job every day in classrooms all around the country. Teacher's Appreciation Week is May 3-7, but you don't have to wait until then to tell a teacher how grateful you are for all they do. Thanks Mrs. Jackson!

Mistaken for Jesus

My friend Terry Jackson recently shared a story with me, and, as I had a really busy week at work, I have asked her if I could share it on my blog. It is from an unattributed source and edited slightly for length and content.

A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a convention in Chicago. They had assured their wives they would be home for dinner on Friday night. But they were cutting it close on time, and in their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of the salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly-missed boarding.

All but one. He paused, took a deep breath, and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned. He waved good-bye to his buddies and called his wife to explain why he was taking a later flight. Then he returned to where the apples were all over the floor. He was glad he did. The young girl was blind. She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, as she helplessly groped for her spilled produce. The crowd swirled about her, no one stopping to help.

The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside. When he had finished, he pulled out forty dollars and said to the girl, "Here, please take this for the damage we did. Are you okay?" She nodded through her tears. He added, "I hope we didn't spoil your day."

As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered girl called out to him, "Mister." He paused and turned to look back. She continued, "Are you Jesus?" He stopped in mid-stride, before saying, "no" and slowly making his way to catch the later flight. The question burned and bounced about in his soul. Do people mistake us for Jesus? That's our destiny, is it not? To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference between him and his followers as they live and interact with a desperate world that is, like the apples, battered and bruised, and often, like the blind girl run over in the rush of everyday tasks, unable to see to his love, life and grace unless we show them.

A Prayer for Easter

The Book of John conveys so beautifully the divine nature of Jesus. It tells believers how we are to live in relationship with Jesus and how we are to demonstrate to others the love he gives us. It is full of challenges and promises, and it shows how the world could be transformed, not by what we do, but by what we believe. It contains what are perhaps my favorite verses in all of scripture, John 6:28-29. ". . .What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?" Jesus answered . . . 'This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.'"

Simple. Uncomplicated. We're not asked to jump through hoops or be argumentative. We are asked to believe in Jesus, in who he is and in what he says. If I were to choose my favorite book of the Bible, John would be it, even though it is heart-breaking for me to read, especially the last few chapters, which tell of Jesus as he is living his last few days on earth. He has poured out his heart and soul to revolutionize and change the world, and it seems that even his closest friends and followers do not understand him. The prayer he prays in chapter 17 is, I believe, as close as we can get to a summary of his mission.

I recommend during this time of year when we celebrate the life of Jesus that everyone read John 17. It speaks of knowing God and glorifying him. It tells of the joy we are to have and of sanctification and truth. It conveys wonderful words of love, and it calls believers to unity. Jesus prays, in verse 23, ". . . that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved me."

My prayer for Easter is that believers will put aside petty differences and concentrate on what we have in common. That the word-wrangling and sniping would stop, and we would find common ground with our brothers and sisters, so the world can see what love is. That we would seek not what divides but that which unites. Many will say the divisions are too deep, and I am naive to think unity is possible. But I will accept any label you want to pin on me, because my prayer is the same prayer Jesus prayed. Let's be the answer to his prayer this Easter.

Standing Up for Righteousness?

We hear a lot these days about "standing up for righteousness." I've been thinking about this phenomenon and wondering how, in its most common context, this has come to be the main focus of so many Christians. How have a relatively few things -- abortion, gay marriage, prayer in school and others -- become such pivotal issues which elicit so much anger and shouting?

This is not about which "side" of any issue I'm on (and I'm certainly not telling anyone else which side to take), but my question is: How do we study the teachings of Jesus, within the entire context of the New Testament, and decide that certain things deserve to be the objects of our passionate rage while other things do not? How, when we are clearly told not to judge others, has judging others become the main task of so many? Even if we somehow feel entitled to tell others that what they are doing is wrong, how do we pick and choose? Why not try to get laws passed against gossip, pride, greed, strife, lying, being unmerciful or a number of other behaviors which are clearly listed as sins?

If we follow the example of Jesus, as we are commanded, we see that when a woman who was about to be stoned for adultery (a sin -- should we re-instate laws against it?) was brought before him, he did not join in with the crowd to condemn her. Rather, he uttered one of the most-quoted, perhaps least-heeded, concepts in the Bible, "Let him without sin among you, cast the first stone." There must be a lot of us who are sin-free these days, because rocks are flying around every where we turn.

Jesus tended to be far more angry at the religious folks who had done things like turn a "house of prayer" into a "robbers' den." He had a long list of "woe to you" items directed at those who do such things as put burdens on other people which they, themselves, are not prepared to take on and who "do all their deeds to be noticed by men." (see Matthew 23)

To the extent that we should not tolerate sin in our own lives, we definitely need to stand up for righteousness. When it comes to the way we treat others, Jesus said, in John 15:12, "This is my commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you." Let's consider his example when deciding who and what to condemn.

"Senior Shower"

After my post last week regarding hoarding and simplifying life, one of my friends suggested a program where our "gently used" household items can be put to good use if we are getting rid of extra stuff. (While this is a program for the West Plains area, if you live somewhere else, you can check with your local Division of Family Services to see if there is something similar in your area.) Kathleen Aid has shared the following:

"Life is difficult after high school, especially for foster teens who do not have support from parents. To that end, members of the WPHS/MSU Associates Program are collecting items for graduating foster teens. Every item donated can help them start a new life after high school. These items will be distributed through Chaffe Foster Care Independence Program.

"Items needed include: toiletries, cleaning supplies, kitchenware, cookware, bedding, mattresses, irons, ironing boards, furniture, home décor, TVs and home appliances. Collections will be made through May 21, 2010. Donations can be dropped off at West Plains High School room 106 on Wednesdays and Fridays or other arrangements can be made by contacting Adam Chen at 274-2478, Jeremiah George at 293-7976, or Kathleen Aid at 256-6150. Please help these foster teens by donating new or gently used items!"

As I have become more familiar with the plight of foster kids through my volunteer work with the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program, I see these young people as survivors, inspite of the hopelessness they feel at the prospect of having no control over their own lives. The majority are in the care of the State because they have been neglected or abused, and they long to lead a "normal" life; the olders ones want to be typical teenagers with the usual concerns of being young.

Instead, their childhood innocence has often been stolen, or they're forced to be the "grown up" in what remains of a fractured family; their lives are usually nothing approaching normal, even in the best of foster situations. The ones who "age out" of the system definitely need every bit of help we, as communities and individuals, can give. I urge you to use this opportunity as a way to show God's love by supporting this wonderful program and also to learn more about the CASA organization which provides crucial support for children in foster care.

The National CASA website is casaforchildren.org. You can go there to learn more about CASA and whether or not it is available in your area. For information about CASA in the West Plains area, visit the website 37thcasa.net.

Hoarding

Recently, there has been a spate of television shows spotlighting the plight of hoarders, who, according to the currently popular definition, are people who have no control over their urges to keep adding to their material possessions. Their homes become full to overflowing to such an extent that usually there is not even room enough to walk or move without stepping on something. Piles of clothing (many times still with price tags, never worn); dishes stacked everywhere (often unwashed); trash and goodness-knows-what-else (pets in cages in one recent episode) crowding out the families and ruining their lives.

I think one explanation for the popularity of these shows is that we can watch them, and say to ourselves, "Wow, that person really has too much stuff. I would never let that happen to me." And most of us probably won't let our belongings overwhelm us to such an extreme extent, but that doesn't mean we're not letting unnecessary things have too much control in our lives. Whether it's material possessions, emotional baggage or any number of problems, a hoarder's attitude of hanging on to too much can often creep in before we realize it. Clutter, resentment, unforgiveness, fear, worry -- whatever it is for each of us -- unproductive things and thoughts are lurking, waiting to crowd out love, peace, joy and harmony.

Another aspect of hoarders, as seen on TV, is the agitation they display when someone tries to intervene and help them rid their lives of disorder. They are not interested in giving up their stuff because they are attached to it or they perceve they will need it some day. This is one of the most tragic parts of the hoarding mentality. What we have is meant to be shared with others. In particular, material blessings and spiritual gifts are given to us so the world can be enriched, not so we can grow more wealthy and self-satisfied.

I'm reminded of the scripture in Luke chapter 12 where Jesus is teaching the importance of storing up treasures in Heaven, not on earth. In verse 15 he says, ". . . not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions." What we have does not define us. It is what we give away that matters most.(One of my husband's favorite quotes is by Winston Churchill, "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.)

When we see people who are overwhelmeed by material possessions, the question to ask ourselves, is not "What is wrong with that person?" The question is: What am I hoarding?