Joyous Feasts!

I love a good feast.  The other night, a dear and true friend of mine volunteered to make heavy hors d’oevres for the ladies before we went to a concert.  We all agreed since it would be easier on our schedules than trying to go to a restaurant with a large group and little time.  When I walked in the door, I couldn’t believe my eyes.  This gal went above and beyond the call for any hors d’oevres.  In fact, that word, as impressive as it is, pales when you stand it beside the spread of food that my friend put on the counter.  There were meatballs, two fancy kinds of shrimp.  Four hummus dips, an artichoke dip, a pecan encrusted cheeseball, veggies and dips, chips, crackers.  Oh, my!  Forgive me if I drool a bit, but this was over the top.  In the limited amount of time that we had, I managed to scarf down two plates of food, and then we all trudged off to the concert – Anita Renfroe (funniest lady on the planet) and Mandisa.  I was not disappointed by a single moment in the evening.

The meal was so quick, though, that I don’t think that my friend had the opportunity to realize how very pleased we were to be in her home, eating her food!  We ate and ran.  A feast like that is made to be savored with much time and good conversation.  But I wouldn’t have traded it for any restaurant in town.  This gal can put out some good eats, and I’m sure that her husband was more than happy to help her get rid of the leftovers. 

I love the 23^rd Psalm.  There is so much comfort in it.  There’s even a little hidden pleasure tucked away in there.  “He prepares a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.”  I have to suppress a smile here.  I know I’m supposed to be all serious and comforted in my valleys with my running over cups and all, but I really do like the thought that my Lord will bless me right in the face of the enemy himself.  Satan, this roaring lion who wants to devour me, comes at me with great force and constant attack.  He makes me sick.  I’m so done with him.  That is why I get so excited by the blessings of the Lord.  It’s as if I can take my blessings and look the enemy right in the eye and stick out my tongue and do that little tune that every elementary child knows…na na na na na.  If the enemy doesn’t want to see me blessed, he can go away.  He’s just not that smart. 

God enjoys heaping blessings on us.  He is ultimately victorious, so the enemy poses no threat to Almighty God; therefore, with great pomp and circumstance, I can come to the feast that God prepares for me.  I do not need to keep one eye trained on the enemy in fear that he will retaliate in some horrible way.  I accept my feast.  I revel in it.  I savor every single blessing that my Lord gives.  And, thankfully, I am not rushed.  God is so happy to spend time with me in conversation as I enjoy every good thing that He hands me.  The Creator dishes out all manner of wonderful things just for us.  He doesn’t have to be so generous in His blessing.  He could hand us little things like snacks but He chooses to prepare feasts.  And feasts are so much better!

Thank you, Sherry, for your generosity!  I enjoyed your feast!  You have given me a bountiful reminder of the goodness of God. 

Never disappointing--shrimp and grits!

Have you ever ordered a menu item that sounded so amazing only to be left a little disappointed by the whole thing?  Happens to me all the time, but it's never been quite so bad as our recent trip to a great food city.  Wayne and I went to the restaurant of a very famous chef.  I ordered my favorite dish - shrimp and grits.  Any time a menu offers either shrimp and grits or fish tacos, I will most likely be ordering one of the two.  They are my two favorite flavor combos.  I love the blending of spicy with mundane ingredients.  And on this occasion, I was looking forward to the shrimp and grits that a chef with a household name would produce.  I was sadly disappointed.  The shrimp had a grainy, fishy taste, and they were not spiced like I would have thought they would be.  The grits weren't as creamy as cheesy as they could have been.  All in all, it was a bland little production literally leaving a bad taste in my mouth.

On so many occasions throughout my life, I have been around people who had great bitterness in their hearts toward the church.  Pastors and other leaders made promises that they didn't keep.  Maybe their lives did not have integrity, revealing hypocrisy.  Other times, the people themselves were broken and seeking refuge only to be swept aside in favor of new programs or building funds.  I've seen it all too often - people being disappointed by the church.  This is such a sad thing for me.  I understand how this happens.  I have been both hurt and have hurt others, I'm sure.  The dawning truth is that the church is made up of humans.  We are only that: human.  We can never be perfect, and we can never be above making tremendous mistakes that bring pain to others.

People can always disappoint us, but there is One who will never, ever bring such pain to our lives: God.  God's Word offers blessing.  He promises so many wonderful things, and He does not rescind His promises.  Numbers 23:19 tells us that "God is not a man that He should lie, nor a son of man that He should change His mind.  Does He speak and then not act: Does He promise and not fulfill?"  No.  God will not offer healing to a broken soul and then walk away.  He will always accomplish that which He has spoken.

Any time I meet someone who shows a lack of faith in the Body of Christ, I am happy to point out that as a body, we will fail.  We will disappoint.  But God will never fail you.  He will not disappoint you.  We too often put our faith in the institutions of man, rather than putting our faith in the being of the Almighty God.  Our perspective needs to be adjusted.  We need to find a place of worship--a place that leads us into the presence of God.  From there on, we can gain everything we need from God Himself.  Sure, the programs and aid of a church will always be helpful, but we cannot rely solely on the institution of church to meet our needs.  God is the one who promises and follows through.  He will never leave you wanting.  He will never leave bitterness in your mouth.  He will always satisfy you in a sweet and satiating way.

I will continue to order shrimp and grits, and I will continue to be disappointed, I'm sure. There is only one restaurant that, in my humble opinion, delivers every time: Red Bone Alley in Florence, SC.  Yeah, I know.  It's inland South Carolina.  I can't explain it, either, but it's the best I've ever had.  All other shrimp and grits will always be compared to this one.  And every time I go there, I am guaranteed not to be disappointed!

Goodness and Gumballs!

When I was a little girl, our next door neighbor was a widow and a lonely one at that.  We lived in a dry county, one that did not sell alcohol, but this lady managed to find an honest-to-goodness bootlegger who kept her in supply.  She was a well-to-do lady, and her home was filled with antiques.  She was busy in society - a giver in the community - but she was empty inside.  This lady was my friend.  I was a little girl and she an old lady, but I played in her yard while she gardened.  I helped weed her flower beds and haul baskets of leaves to the curb.  I swung in her trees and kept the conversations going. 

One of the wonderful things about going next door was that she had a mudroom filled with commercial gumball machines, and she kept piles of pennies all around so that we kids could help ourselves to the gumballs.  To this day, I have a special fondness for gumballs.  I would almost rather have that than any other candy store treat.  There was every flavor imaginable!  It was so hard to decide between the grape or the green apple, the cherry or the pineapple!  Every fruity flavor possible!  ...and then there was the cinnamon, a personal favorite, and the mint.  She had it all. 

But there was something in my heart that kept me worried about my older friend.  Besides the fact that she was inebriated nearly all the time, something else just stayed in my mind on behalf of my friend.  As an eight year old girl, I recognized that she was not in relationship with God, and it disturbed me because I loved her so much and couldn't bear the thought that her life may not take her to Heaven.  One day, she saw my little face fill with pain, and she asked me what was wrong.  I told her, "I just don't think you are going to Heaven."  She laughed and said, "Of course I am!  I give a lot of money to the Baptist choir!"  She was serious.  I tried in my own childlike way to tell her that this was not the way of salvation.  You had to know Jesus, not just know about Jesus.  I think that I planted seeds in her heart that day.  She became quiet as we worked, but we didn't talk about it any more.  We moved a few years later, and she died some time after that.  I'm not sure where her heart was, but I look back on that moment, and I'm glad that it happened.  My mother was always talking to her and praying for her, but she heard from a child who loved her, as well. 

My father used to say, "Good people go to Hell every day."  It's true.  So many people are convinced that being good is good enough.  People have the misconception that they can get to Heaven simply by following the teachings of Jesus.  It's not quite enough.  You must follow Jesus.  It all boils down to relationship.  Do you know Jesus?  Have you talked with Him lately?  Have you fed your Spirit with His Word?  In order to have a good friend, you have to spend quality time with that person.  You really can't meet someone once or twice and then walk around telling everyone that said person is your best friend.  Relationships take time and commitment.  Think of Jesus in such terms.

Spiritually speaking, there are many choices before us.  You can follow a multitude of pathways to search for your soul's enlightenment.  It's like a child with a penny, facing 20 gumball machines!  The choices are immense, but spiritually speaking, only one choice is correct.  You must choose to follow Jesus Christ.  He is the way, the truth and the life, and no one can get to God unless they enter through personal relationship. (ref. John 14:6) Don't spend your life wondering about your eternity!  You can be secure in Christ.  Salvation is free...there are piles of "pennies" for your use!  You just have to reach out and receive the freedom that is found in Jesus. 

Toboggan Kind of Love

Recently, Wayne and I visited with some friends of ours, and we had breakfast together.  The mother of Wayne’s dear friend is a sweet German lady whom we call “Oma.”  Oma is one of the most precious people I have ever seen.  She has gardening skills that any green thumb would envy.  She cooks such wonderful food.  And she loves her grandchildren and cares for them so beautifully.  The problem for me is that I can’t communicate with Oma.  She only speaks German, and I can only muster together a few German words.  Still, I watch her and understand the love that she has for her family is great.

We have had the pleasure of eating Oma’s breakfasts both here in the States and abroad in Germany.  She is a master at making jams.  Everything she puts on the table is over the top delicious.  When we were just with them, Oma served soft boiled eggs.  Each little egg had it’s own special egg cup, it’s own tiny spoon and its own carefully knitted hat to keep it warm.  I’m not joking.  It was the cutest thing I have ever seen.  Oma had made little toboggans for her eggs.  There was so much love for her family in that act.  No one has ever made tiny toboggans for my eggs!  I find myself slightly jealous! I would love to be on the receiving end of such sweet adoration.

In Matthew 23, Jesus is speaking to the crowds of people, to the Sadducees and Pharisees and to His Disciples.  His heart had been grieved by the teacher’s of the law, and He made the statement, “How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.” (vs.37) The compassion of God is so potent in this statement.  He’s saying how much He would love to bring them in close, to care for them and protect them, but they just weren’t willing to receive all that He had for them. 

I think that this is the heart of God over each of us.  He wants to hold us close to His heart.  He wants to protect us and keep us warm.  He wants to meet all of our needs.  There is usually just one problem:  we don’t receive.  What is it that keeps us from receiving the powerful love of God?  What has us convinced that total submission is a bad thing?  I have been in charge of my own life, and I have messed things up tremendously…and on more than one occasion!  I don’t want that kind of responsibility any more.  I am more than happy to give myself over to God completely.  “Submission” takes an ugly fall these days.  This is a word that has almost reached a 4-letter status, but the truth is that submitting our lives to God brings such great benefit.  Who wouldn’t want to be loved and coddled by Father God? 

I may never get tiny toboggans for my eggs, but I know that I will always be knit closely to the heart of God.  He loves me. He guards me.  He brings me close to His side and keeps me.  For this, I am grateful.

Don't Get Chopped!

There is a show on the Food Network called “Chopped” that is pretty fascinating.  The hour begins with 4 different chefs, and they go through 3 separate rounds of cooking challenges.  Each time a chef is eliminated, and the winner is the one left standing, as it were.  The remarkable thing about the show, though, is the contents of the basket.  For example, a basket might contain a fish head, licorice rope, oyster crackers and a bottle of coffee liquer.  No one in the room has ever even considered putting any of those ingredients together at all, yet they have 20 minutes to come up with an appetizer.  This is the sort of challenge that is presented, and, quite frankly, I am amazed that a single chef can come up with anything at all that resembles food as we know it. 

I have watched quite a few of these Chopped challenges, and I find that the ones who win are the ones who maintain their cool and just start cooking.  The ones who are hyper or who begin to fret over the ingredients are the ones who either can’t complete the dish or just can’t seem to make flavors come together.  

Yesterday, I was thinking about a friend of mine.  I’ve been praying for her for many years now.  She is such a sweet lady, but she has been battling the same issue for so long now.  While I was praying for her, I was wishing that I could be near her so I could help her to understand that God wages war for her.  The enemy has convinced my friend that she can never win her battle.  He has told her that she is defeated, and she leans toward believing these lies because her struggles are real, and she can’t see the end of them.  But when I pray, I am more and more convinced that she will, indeed, be victorious. 

Satan lacks the power or the authority to defeat you.  I cannot stress the truth of this statement enough.  He simply does not have what it takes to overcome a child of God.  He can, however, convince you that you are defeated.  His lack of power and authority make him wily.  He comes at us through our own minds, lying to us, telling us that we are nothing, that we will lose the war over the situations in our lives.  But, this is the truth:  God is more powerful and has more authority.  Always.  God will always be stronger.  If you belong to God and have submitted your life to His care, He will always be victorious on your behalf.  It’s not about whether we can make sense of the things in our lives; rather, it’s about the fact that the God of all creation wages war for us.

Romans 8:31 says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”  This is a rhetorical question…the answer is obvious:  NO ONE!  Do not believe the lies that the enemy whispers in your ear.  You can make it!  Your battles are not too difficult for God to handle.

I know that sometimes I, myself, am handed a “basket” of difficulties, but if I remain calm and listen only to the voice of God, I cannot be shaken.  This is the attitude of a champion.  Don’t be flustered by the enemy in your life.  Don’t be overcome by Satan’s powerless attempts to defeat you.   After all, you have the Creator of all that exists in your corner.  No thing at all is too difficult for Him. 

Bibimbop! Don't Stop! Bibimbop!

We just love eating with our friends! We recently had a meal with a young family who is very special to us.  The wife is Korean, and she is a wonderful cook!  Our favorite things that she makes are her spring rolls and her bibimbop.  So...two nights ago, we had the great pleasure of having just that.  They prepared food for us in their home, and three families got together for a wonderful evening.  I imagine that I probably need to explain bibimbop for the very Americans among us.... Bibimbop starts with a layer of rice.  Onto that, we place a selection of sauteed vegetables, including zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, spinach, young green soybean shoots, young green leaves that come from pea plants or other plants such as sesame, onions, etc.  The possibilities in veggie are endless!  A layer of bulgoki, or Korean BBQ, comes next followed by a fried egg.  Onto all of this, we put a beef stock and red pepper paste and then drizzle with sesame oil.  It sounds insane, but the flavor is so wonderful!  If you know me, you know that I very rarely mix food - or even allow food to touch - but this is my exception!  I go to town, chopping up the egg, mixing all of the ingredients together.  It just makes me happy.  The blending of spice, soy, sesame...it can't be matched.  No singular flavor overtakes the mouth, they all work together to create the flavor of bibimbop.

I like to think of the many nations that make up the Body of Christ as being similar to my bowl of bibimbop.  We each have our own unique flavors, if you will.  We each have definite tastes in worship, evangelism, outreach, but we can all come together to make one unique flavor in the presence of God.  Ephesians 4:4-5 tells us that "there is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to one hope when you were called - one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."  There is no singular people group whose flavor takes dominance on God's palette.  He savors the blend of each of us in our uniqueness, one with the other, to enjoy the sweetness of our collective praise.  The only stipulation?  That we do, in fact, praise Him with our lives.

I rather like the idea of being an ingredient in a feast.  There's much less responsibility to be the feast!  We each have a definite and important role to play in God's Kingdom, but not one of these roles stands alone in completing the task of the Kingdom. We work together as one Body, in one Spirit.  If we each fulfill our purpose, God's glory will be revealed.  If one portion of us refuses to take part, the entire flavor suffers.... if my bibimbop didn't have the egg, I wouldn't like it so much.  If the BBQ were missing, I might not even want to eat it.  If there were no sesame oil, it would just be bland.  However, altogether, the flavor is complete. 

I encourage you to find your role in your local Body.  Find the place where you can fit in and take part.  God is so very pleased when we participate in the collective purposes that He has laid out for our communities, our nations, our world.

Smaller Menu, Greater Quality

I get overwhelmed with too many choices.  I like for my options to be kept to a minimum; otherwise, it will take me far too long to decide.  This is why going to restaurants that offer spiral-bound menus is not the best idea for me.  Many family restaurant chains do just that...they hand you a small book to peruse in order to determine what food you'll be eating.  The other day, I went to a restaurant owned by a friend, and I absolutely loved the menu!  There were about 5 appetizers, 4 main courses and a couple of desserts.  You can't get much simpler than that.  Sure, I didn't have much to choose from, but what I had was a list of quality ingredients that offered maximum flavor. The place was filled, and people were waiting.  They weren't coming for the vast selection of menu items...they were coming for the excellent choices made available to them.  Wayne had the prime rib with horseradish, and I had a ginger and parmesan encrusted sea bass which rivaled any piece of fish I have ever put in my mouth.  Very simply, done right. 

In recent weeks, we've been involved with several people who have been facing certain issues in their lives that involve choices.  I am amazed that people can sit in front of me and tell me how a particular sin was beyond their doing...how they could not help themselves.  I've heard how their struggles are more difficult to overcome and how I can't possibly understand what it's like to be in their shoes.  While I agree that addictive behavior is more difficult to stop, choices are still just that--choices.  By very nature, sin is a choice that is made.  It doesn't happen to us.  It isn't something beyond our control.  If we didn't have the ability to control our lives, then such acts wouldn't be sin; they would be merely unfortunate circumstances.  However, all sin involves choice.  Period. 

Last year, we had the opportunity to take part in a missions school where one of the speakers was Loren Cunningham, founder of Youth With a Mission.  On the very first day, Mr. Cunningham told us a story that had helped to shape him throughout his life.  He told of a barge that was doing work along the top side of Niagara Falls.  This was in the early 1900's.  If you've been to Niagara, you've probably seen the Scow wedged perilously against rocks along the upper edge of the Falls.  The story is that the crew was dredging on the American side.  The day had ended, and two men remained on board for the evening.  Somehow, the ties that were keeping the barge in place managed to undo, and the barge began to drift.  Before the men even knew what was happening, they were headed to the brink of the waterfall.  People on the shoreline began to call out to God and pray for the men on board.  As people gathered to see what was happening, the miraculous occurred: the barge found the only possible rock that could keep it from tumbling over, and the men were valiantly saved.  Mr. Cunningham told us that he had gathered several lessons from this early on.  1) remain anchored/tied to a secure place.  We can all understand this one.  We should stay firmly rooted in God and God alone.  2) don't for one second let your attention be diverted. The men might possibly have been able to do something about their situation if they had noticed immediately what was about to happen.  They were just relaxing, and didn't even notice that they were adrift until it was too late. It is all too easy for us to become "adrift" in our spiritual lives.  We can so easily lose focus that we get off track - often to the extent of losing course entirely.  We need to be aware and maintain focus on God and His purposes.  3) allow others to pray for your, to be in your life with accountability.  The people on the shorelines saw what was happening.  There was nothing that they could do.  Any attempt to step into the situation would have cost many lives. They did what they could, though.  They prayed, and they prayed with all their might for the 2 men on the Scow.  Sometimes, when we are personally involved in spiritually dangerous situations, we don't have the proper perspective even to know how to pray for ourselves.  If we allow others to have a place of spiritual accountability in our lives, they can pray for us effectively.  Do not for one moment think that you can handle all of your sinful choices and their consequences on your own.  Find people who are not condemning, who can pray with you and stand beside you in your peril. 


Philippians 4:8 says, "Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, if there is any praise, think about these things."  I have learned that if I remain focused on the things that are of God, I am less likely to make choices that offend His very character.  Since I know God and have made Him the Lord of my life, He lives in me.  If I am making choices that are contrary to His nature, I am grieving His spirit.  But when I make the definite choice to meditate on the Word of God, to praise Him throughout the day, to be in conversation with Him as I go about my life, I am not as vulnerable to making poor, ungodly choices.  Sin is not a series of mistakes.  It is a series of choices.