Summer, don’t go!

Posted on November 10, 2013 by Margaret

Although I wore flip-flops today, the comments of others made me realize I was pushing the season. In just a few days socks and shoes will be the norm, and my beloved flip-flops will have to go back into storage. It’s just one of the many mini-mournings of a summer person looking toward winter. Though the colored leaves have been stunning this year, in a short time they, too, will have put their summer fashions into storage.

Winter people are quick to mention the positives of their favorite season to us summer folk: the beauty of fresh snow, fires in the fireplace, soups on the stove, roasts in the oven, and 3 major holidays. We could argue over the seasons for quite a while and never come up with a clear winner.

But what does God think about our discussing which weather-season is best? Is he ok with that debate?

Actually, no.

So what does he want us to allow into our minds that comes out in conversation? What thoughts are above all others? Scripture tells us to put everything through a grid of 8 subjects. If we can honestly say a debate about the seasons falls under one of them, we can go for it. Here they are:

Truth
Honor
Righteousness
Purity
Beauty
Excellence
Worthiness
Praiseworthiness

Could a discussion of favorite seasons fall under #5? Of course we couldn’t make a case for one season being more beautiful than another. Maybe a better leaning would be toward gratitude for seasonal variety or a discussion about the great creativity of the Almighty. We might even recognize him for the faithfulness he demonstrates in causing the 4 seasons to come and go with such flawless consistency.

The above list of 8 is given in one short Bible verse, Philippians 4:8. The Message translation gives us the same list in a slightly different way:

“You’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.”

Whining about the waning of summer and the gloom of packing away my flip-flops doesn’t fall under the list in either translation. Although debating which season is best probably isn’t sinful, it sure isn’t taking the conversational high road, and that includes conversation inside our heads.

Despite the fact that we live in a fallen world, God has surrounded us with unnumbered items from that list of 8. When I ignore those to yammer away about things that aren’t on the list, I’ve missed an opportunity to please God and do life his way.

So, as I slip my flip-flops into their storage bin (without complaining), I should tell God how lovely his summer season has been, that I’ve noticed his extra-vibrant fall colors, and that I’m looking forward to the beauties of the winter he sends, no matter what the weather report will say.

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously.” (Matthew 6:33)

A Proud Day

Posted on October 31, 2013 by Margaret

The Disney cartoon “Dumbo” about a baby elephant is actually a story of mother-love. When Mrs. Jumbo receives a stork-delivered bundle, the elephant matrons admire little Jumbo Junior saying, “This is a proud, proud day!”

The plot line goes downhill from there as they discover the little guy has massive, flag-like ears, which is when the older elephants nickname him Dumbo. But his mother continues in passionate love for her offspring, and every day is a proud, proud day for her. When Dumbo figures out how to use his oversized ears to fly, his mother is nearly bursting with pride.

Children bring big bundles of happiness to their parents, and when they accomplish something wonderful or make an excellent decision, we parents get a thrill just watching from the sidelines.

It was a “proud, proud day” for me this week because of something my daughter Birgitta did. She was officially sworn in with 10 others in a courtroom ceremony, all of whom have been through 6 weeks of intensive training. Their preparation has been done through the local C.A.S.A. program, which stands for Court Appointed Special Advocate.

Beginning next week, these 11 volunteers will walk alongside one child in the foster care system, becoming a friend and a familiar face through the different stages of that youngster’s time away from his or her parents. This might mean visits to the home, testimony to a judge concerning the child’s welfare, interviews of relevant parties, courtroom observations, time spent paired with a social worker, and other moments when they’ll partner with “their” child.

None of it will be easy, because each “case” is a sad one, and some involve the physical suffering of children. Trying not to get overwhelmed with the enormity of the needs will be part of the challenge for each C.A.S.A. volunteer, and several of them dropped out of the program even before the training period was over.

Families were invited to witness the swearing-in ceremony this week, after which a celebration was hosted by their teacher. And as I listened to two judges challenge the new Special Advocates and thank them for their willingness to serve, it was a proud, proud day.

Today Birgitta was assigned her first case. Of course she’s nervous, wanting badly to do a good job, despite never having done anything like this before. But Scripture says, “God blesses those who work for peace.” (Matthew 5:9) I admire her greatly in her willingness to step out and do something that will be very difficult. She doesn’t have to do it but simply wants to…. with a passion.

It defies logic, and for that reason, I know it is God who has called her to “fly” into this task, and my prayer for her is:

“May the God of peace…. equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him.” (Hebrews 13:20)

Surgery at Midnight

Posted on October 29, 2013 by Margaret

I’m no nurse, but last night I got to assist in a surgical procedure that began at 11:50 pm when my cell phone rang. It was Louisa, calling from downstairs. “Mom! I found a tick in my leg, and it’s sucking my blood!”

“I’ll be right down,” I said, leaving the computer and heading for the stairs. Sure enough, a small but industrious tick had chewed its way so deep into her skin its head wasn’t visible at all.

“We can’t just pull it out,” she said. “If the head detaches and stays under my skin, it’ll just keep sucking!”

As she stood on one leg with the other one propped up, I ran for my glasses, a tweezers, a paper napkin, and the salt shaker. “I’ve heard that salt kills ‘em,” I said. But after 10 minutes of stinging salt poultices on Louisa’s open wound, the tick was still flailing all 6 limbs, continuing to burrow deeper into my daughter.

“What about burning him?” Louisa said. “I’ve heard that works.” But in discussing how to accomplish that without burning her leg, we decided to Google for other suggestions.

Every site we checked favored a slow, steady pull with tweezers. “Get a tweezer-grip as close to the tick’s head as possible; then be careful not to twist, angle, turn, or do anything but pull it straight out.”

In order to be successful, we had to follow those instructions exactly.

The same thing holds true in the parts of our lives unrelated to tick removal. It’s especially important in our relationship with God and the instructions he gives us. As a matter of fact, he tells us that if we show disdain for his instruction, we’re fools. (Proverbs 1:7)

God instructs us on how to live well. By that I don’t mean how to become well-off financially but rather how to live with a rich supernatural peace to our core, no matter what life dishes out. Once we’ve trusted God with our lives, our very next thought ought to be, “What are your instructions for me, so I can be at my best?”

Scripture is full of them, and interestingly, God’s instruction is often paired with his correction. “Poverty and shame come to those who don’t care about instruction; honor belongs to those who heed correction.” (Proverbs 13:18)

That tells us we all need instruction and also gives the reason; right after we “get educated,” we’ll realize we need God’s correction, too. Once we catch onto this, our lives will operate like a smooth-running piston: instruction – correction – instruction – correction – instruction – correction, always moving closer to righteousness.

Last night, after Louisa and I learned exactly what to do about her tick, she followed instructions precisely, and sure enough. After a strong, straight, steady pull, out he came…. head and all.