Diane Mickler's Blog

Our faith begins and ends with Jesus. 

Last week Randy and I had a chance to spend four days with our grand boys in Buford without parents around.  During the time there, we watched some of the traditional Christmas movies including The Polar Express which is one of my all time favorites.  The book and movie are magical for many reasons, but the theme, I believe, is the best analogy  of those of us who miss out on hearing the bells because we don’t believe.

When we arrived for our stay, we heard about how upsetting it was to Reese that the Elf on the Shelf hadn’t moved one day.  Now Reese didn’t believe anymore.  It took a trip to see Santa where the Elf was refilled with the spirit of Christmas to allow Reese to believe again.   The belief is restored, and the bells can be heard.

Isn’t it so like us?  We have those times when we can hear the bells ring loudly and we believe in God, His word, and His plan for us.  Then, He doesn’t come through for us as we think He should, our life doesn’t go as planned, or tragedy strikes, and suddenly, we can’t hear the bells of love and we forget to believe.

Often if we can’t see God or can’t see Him at work, then we just don’t believe He’s there.  The Conductor in the movie had a great point on this when he said,  Seeing is believing, just remember sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we cannot see.  Only when we put aside our doubt and believe can we actually see and allow ourselves to relate to Him.  God can’t be actually seen visibly or adequately explained or proven intellectually.  Only when we believe does His light illuminate our path.

The train in the movie likens itself to the journey of our life. The conductor says, One thing about trains.  It doesn’t matter where they’re going.  The important thing is deciding to get on.  Life is a journey of ups and downs, highs and lows, but when we choose God as our Savior, we have made the decision to “get on” and let Him lead us to our eternal destination.

The joy and hope of this movie reminds me that all of us hope for the peace and delight that the children experienced. Perhaps at Christmas more than any other time, we long to possess that fulfillment and satisfaction deep down in our souls.  The good news is that it is available to each of us.  Just as Santa gave the young boy a bell as a reminder of him, God places in each of our hearts the Holy Spirit as a reminder of the fabulous future which awaits us as Christians.

During this Christmas season, just believe and wait to see all that God can do!

Jesus once again addressed them:  “I am the world’s light.  No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness.  I provide plenty of light in which to live.”     The Message  John 8:12

A few weeks ago I was privileged to hear a very dear friend give a devotional on Light and how important it is in our lives.  One of the points she made that stuck with me states, “In the darkness, we only need enough light to see the next step.  God’s word is that light.”

If you’ve ever walked into a totally dark room with a flashlight or a candle, then you know how it lights your way.  Light doesn’t need to announce its arrival or ask darkness to leave, it just does.  When light walks ahead of you, darkness just rolls back like the tide.  Darkness can’t be where light is.

How often in our lives is having light enough to see the next step just not enough for us?  We want to be able to see the plan laid out in glowing color so we will be able to make the right choices, choose the right path, or say the right thing.  The problem that way of thinking presents, is that it is through our abiding relationship with Jesus that He lights the direction we should take step by step.

During this Advent season, we  should all be mindful of how much brighter this world is because Jesus was born into it.  His light gives us spiritual clarity and understanding .  With Him, we can walk with integrity, confidence, and boldness while He provides instruction and direction for our lives.

On that Holy Night when the world was walking in darkness, a Light came and shone in that darkness to lead those who would see, hear and follow Him to a new and perfect life.  The Holy Spirit works not by overcoming power with brute force, but by subverting power with gentleness and humility.

Now that He has come to give us light, our job is to let our light shine so that others might be drawn to His love.

Because he has focused his love on me, I will deliver him.  I will protect him because he knows my name.  When he calls out to me, I will answer him.  I will be with him in his distress.  I will deliver him and I will honor him.                  Psalm 91:14-15

Years ago the choir at Mt. Bethel held a talent show to benefit the music ministry. There was incredible talent that night (Elvis even made an appearance), but one of the acts in the program had a great song which was amazing then, and it still brings back sweet memories.  The song was, Operator (Get Me Jesus on the Line).  Tennessee Ernie Ford recorded it on one of his albums in 1982, and it brings up a visual image of talking on the phone with Jesus via a direct line.  I find that image so comforting.

In this culture, when the phone rings, the first thing we do is look at our contact list or caller ID to see who’s calling.  If we want to talk to this person, then we answer – if not, we ignore the call. If you think about all the times your calls go to voicemail, it could be quite sobering to think of the person on the other end of the line ignoring your call. I’ve heard people say, “Oh, that’s just whoever – I’ll call them back.” Sometimes they say, “This call is important, I have to take it now.” I began pondering how Jesus must feel when we ignore His calls or prioritize who matters.

The question arises, who in our contact list or life matters and who doesn’t?  Who makes a difference in our life?  Is Jesus’ call one that we would answer or ignore?  How accessible is Jesus to us?

It’s interesting to me that in research 24% of Americans and/or Christians today see God as distant and detached.  Another 21% see Him as distant and angry, while 31% see Him as involved but angry.  It begs the question,”Is it Jesus who is distant or could we be ignoring His call?

When God “calls”, it’s usually because He is seeking to help, not ever hurt.  We all matter to God, and if we call on Him, He never ignores the call whether it be to thank Him, beseech Him, or just talk to Him.

This dates me, but when I went off to college, my Daddy said, “You call us anytime and call collect”.  That phrase meant I could call anytime and not pay for the call – he picked up the bill.  Every time we need Him, God wants us to call collect because we matter.

 

No matter what happens, always be thankful for this is God’s will to you who belong to Christ Jesus.                            I Thessalonians 5:18 

Piglet noticed that even though he had a very small heart, it could hold a rather large amount of gratitude.          Winnie the Pooh

Thanksgiving week is here, and it’s once again time to gather our family and friends around the table to celebrate and give thanks to God for all His blessings to us this past year.  As in 1620 when the Pilgrims gathered with grateful hearts and shared their meal with the Wampanoag Native Americans, we, all these hundreds of years later, gather to do the same.

There are so many blessings that I could list from the past year, but I’ll just say that I am filled with gratitude and that gratitude brings so much joy to my life.  There are big blessings, little blessings and important blessings, but sometimes blessings become so omnipresent that they can escape our notice on a daily basis.  Things like fingers that move, eyes that see, ears that sorta hear, seasons, air, water, friends, family, laughter, health,and so many other things can go unnoticed on a daily basis.

The major difference between the Thanksgiving of today and that in 1620 is that the Pilgrims held God as the center of their thankfulness. Their gratitude filled them with so much joy that their celebration was a reflection of both.  In today’s America we have lost much of that respect, joy and gratitude.  Frances Schaeffer says that “the beginning of man’s rebellion against God was and is the lack of a thankful heart”.  In this world of turmoil, uncertainty, hate, war, and a general lack of respect for God, His word, and His world, Thanksgiving provides a respite from the ordinary day to day and forces us to take a good look at our blessings.  God doesn’t bless us to provide for our own needs, but rather so we can be a blessing to others.

Giving thanks and having a grateful heart shouldn’t be limited to one day a year, but rather, giving thanks should be an ongoing action.

As we celebrate together, be sure to take time to thank God for all His blessings and celebrate the joy that a grateful heart can bring!

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

 

 

Cast all your anxiety on Him for He cares for you.                I Peter 5:7

One of my favorite movies is The Divine Secrets of the YaYa Sisterhood.  It’s such a tender story sprinkled with laughter, love and drama.  I love all the characters of the YaYa’s, but I especially identify with Vivian’s explanation of how she handles worry and problems.  She says, I take a problem and chew on it until all the flavor’s gone, then I stick it in my hair.  

Worry is defined as a state of anxiety or uncertainty over actual or potential problems.  The key word here is potential..  Almost 97% of the things we worry about don’t happen, yet, we tend to dwell on things that haven’t happened, probably couldn’t happen, and will probably never happen. A friend of mine calls this strategy watering your worries because once you enhance the worries, they grow.

I understand worry because it’s hard for me to feel at peace with things unless I have everything worked out, everything on the list crossed off, and know that all those I love are safe and secure.  In short, I water the worry.  

When an elderly man was asked what robbed him of joy in his life, he replied, “Things that never happened.”  This hit home with me because I  keep a journal, and when I look back over the worries of years ago, I find that the most troubling things never happened.  Instead of watering my faith, I watered my worry.

William Ward wrote, “Worry is faith in the negative, trust in the unpleasant, assurance of disaster and belief in defeat.  It’s a magnet that attracts negative conditions.  Faith is a more powerful force that creates positive circumstances.”  In short, faith and worry can’t co exist.

We as mortals can’t possibly run our own lives because we just don’t have what it takes.  We need to stop trying to control every situation, water every worry, and maneuver every possible outcome.  Life can only get better when we decide to stand on God’s promises and let Him take care of us.

Worry is wasting today’s time, and cluttering up tomorrow’s opportunities with yesterday’s troubles.  William Ward

 

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.  Philippians 4:13

Different people use different tactics to help them remember important events, celebrations, or every day chores.  Some people work from a list, some people keep calendars handy, and some people even tie a string around their finger to help them remember.

Randy and I just returned from a weekend get away to San Antonio, and as it would happen, the Air Force Basic Training at Lackland AFB was having its graduation.  As we walked around the city, there were groups of uniformed air force graduates lunching and celebrating with proud parents, spouses, children, and friends.  As we congratulated them, thanked them for their service, and watched the pride they feel, my mind skipped ahead to what lies in their future.  Young men and women who have made the decision to serve their country.

Every generation, thankfully, has those who have that heart and pride for their country.  My parents lived through WWII when some of the greatest and bravest men and women died to keep our country free.  We lived through the Viet Nam war, and we lost many friends and relatives who might not have believed whole heartedly in the war, but none the less, fought bravely to defend our country.  The War in Iraq called soldiers to once again step up to defend the freedom we enjoy, and the list goes on even today.

What does it take to remember all the brave soldiers who have served, suffered, and died to protect our country?  Is it only one day a year set aside to honor them, or should they be in our thoughts and prayers every single day?  I would chose the later option.

I can’t even begin to imagine the things those who have fought have seen, heard, and lived both during and after their years of service.  Although most of them don’t share a lot of details, it’s always obvious to me the many ways they must deal with their memories.

I attended a celebration of life service for a Naval officer a few weeks ago, and the tribute moved me to tears.  In total silence, two members of the Naval Honor Guard processed down the aisle in perfect cadence carrying a folded flag.  Once they reached their comrade, the flag was precisely unfurled and held up while Taps was played.  Then, just as meticulously, the flag was folded once again, and the officer knelt before the widow to present the colors.  What a tribute!

Each day these veterans live with their memories of their service to our country.  If they can give all they had to keep our country safe and free, the least we can do is remember each day to remember their sacrifice.

Thank you for your service and sacrifice.

 

 

The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people.  All the believers used to meet in Solomon’s Colonnade. No one else dared join them even though they were highly regarded by the people. Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.  As a result, people brought the sick into the street and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall upon them as he passed by.  Acts 5:12-15

What child hasn’t been fascinated with their shadow at one time or the other?  I guess we’ve all played games where we create different animals, shapes, or fun objects using our shadows.  As teachers, Groundhog Day was the day casting a shadow became a perfect lesson.  Whether we think about it or not, our shadow is always with us, and we can’t separate ourselves from it.

Randy and I had the opportunity to visit the Alamo in San Antonio last week with friends.  There’s such history there, and it’s hard to believe that less than 200 frontiersmen fought there against over 1500 Mexican soldiers to claim this for the Republic of Texas.  The frontiersmen lost the battle, but the inspiration of that battle lives on.  The history is so important to Texans that they have made the Alamo a sacred shrine, and the government has decreed that no building may cast a shadow upon the Alamo.

Casting a shadow is not something we think about unless someone draws our attention to it, but the idea gave me reason to ponder its importance.  Our shadow is a part of us, and maybe we should think about how we cast our shadow  might influence others.  Will it be a positive way or a negative way?  Will it work for good or for bad?

In the scripture above, the shadow refers to Peter and the tremendous influence he had on the lives of others.  He was so influential that people longed just to have him cast a shadow on them.  He cast a shadow for good.

Contrast Peter with Adolph Hitler.  Germany lives even to this day under the negative shadow he cast so many years ago.  He cast a shadow of evil and hatred.

Who can argue the impact the shadow of the cross has had on our world?  The cross is a reminder of God’s love and sacrifice for all of mankind, and its influence is always positive.  Jesus cast a shadow for love, forgiveness and acceptance.

Each day presents a new opportunity to cast a shadow for good.  It affords us an opportunity to leave the world a little bit better than we found it, impart Christian thoughts and habits to our children and grandchildren, be the person God would have us be, love our neighbor, forgive those who have wronged us, and live each day for Jesus.

Frank Lloyd Wright puts it this way, The present is the moving shadow that divides yesterday from tomorrow.  In that lies hope.

We can’t separate ourselves from the shadow we cast.

 

 

 

 

But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate and the hope of salvation as a helmet.  Thessalonians 5:8

My grandmother owned and operated  Ida’s Beauty Shop in my hometown.  She was what we now call a hair stylist.  Ida stayed busy six days a week, but she did have hobbies to fill the the few days she allowed herself away from work.  The piano was one of her favorite ways to pass her off days.

Ida never had any formal musical training, but she could play the piano by ear – if she heard it, she could play it or thought she could.  When one plays by ear, the down side is that lots of times you are just guessing at the notes which results in a lot of do overs. One of her favorite hymns was Whispering Hope, and when she played it, she would sing along.  She liked for us to sit and listen.  I have to admit, it was like listening to a recording where you go forward, then go back, correct mistakes and start again, but she loved an audience and we were mostly patient.

We never made it through the song without a sour note or two, and sometimes all we could hear were the mistakes, but the words were so beautiful and comforting that we learned to ignore the mistakes.

Sometimes hope comes as a whisper when our lives are filled with grief, pain and sorrow.  Many times we can’t hear the whisper of hope because our ears have become deafened to the voice of God.  We mistake His voice for the world’s and we only listen for mistakes.

Many things in this world drown out God’s voice but none so strong as our own voice of negativity and self doubt.  We make it hard for God to get  a word in edgewise.  It’s often hard to discern God’s whisper of hope above the voices of the world, of conformity, or of condemnation.

We need to remember that God’s whisper is different from the world’s.  His voice conveys joy, peace, grace, wisdom, love, and truth.  If we listen for the whisper of hope, we will never feel defeated because God’s voice trumps the world’s.  If God can stop a storm on  the Sea of Galilee with three words, “Peace Be Still”, then surely he can calm the storms in our lives.

The words of Whispering Hope are based on scripture from Hebrews and Thessalonians.  Written in 1868 by Setimus Winner, it illustrates the point that not listening to God’s whisper is not a new problem.  We need to concentrate on the whispers rather than the mistakes.

Soft as the voice of an angel; breathing a lesson unheard; hope with a gentle persuasion; whispers her comforting word.   Wait til the darkness is over;  Wait til the tempest is done; hope for the sunshine tomorrow; after the shower is gone.      Whispering Hope, oh how welcome His voice; Making my heart, in its sorrow rejoice.

I delight to do Your will, O my God…Your law is written within my heart.        Psalm 40:8

Recently during a rare cooking event, I sliced not only the vegetables, but also my finger.  While debating whether or not stitches were needed, I decided to wrap it up and go find a butterfly bandage.  Interestingly, I found this super duper bandage that promised to heal the cut and the surrounding skin.  The only rule is you can’t peek for three days.

It’s funny how telling me don’t peek is a sure way to make me obsessed with peeking just to see how things are coming along.  So, after a day, I decided it would be to my advantage to peek just to make sure the cut was healing properly.  The only problem was that once you loosen the bandage to peek, you can’t get it back on properly, so you must start the process again.  I could have saved so much time and trouble if I had just followed the directions.

Isn’t that so like us?  We want to give problems to God, trust Him with our life, feel assured that He will never leave us, leave our lives in His hands, and walk away.  However, just like me and my finger, we get impatient, and we want to peek just to see how things are going.  We just can’t follow His directions.

There are times in life where not peeking into God’s will seems just too difficult, too slow, and too unrewarding.  We think our ideas will produce results quicker and that the results will be more to our liking.  However, in the end, we find that His plan is better and that it always will be.

It will always be best to yield to God’s will, do things His way, and believe  that He will always give us His best.  If we will just trust and don’t peek, we will learn to settle for nothing less than God’s will.

After following the directions, my finger healed just fine.  There’s not  a sign of the awful cut.  It would have been so much easier and faster not to peek.

My goal is, no peeking today just thankfulness for whatever God has in store.

 

 

For in Him you have been enriched in every way, in all speech and in all knowledge.  1 Corinthians 1:5

It’s always fun to play the rebate game with products on the market today.  A rebate is a partial refund given to someone who has already paid full price for an item as an incentive to buy the product. In other words, the company gives back to you.  It can be a lot of trouble, but why not collect a reward for your purchase?

There is a rebate going on in the Christian’s life as well.  Jesus has already paid the entire price for our salvation, and in return, how we would go about offering  a rebate to Him?  Do we ever think about what we owe Him?  Do we ever consider how to give back a part of what He has done for us in some way?

Fortunately, there are ways to give back, and I can think of a few ways in which we could begin. First, everyone has some basic talent no matter how large or how small.  What if we took that talent and turned it into service?  Maybe a visit to a shut in, maybe an offer to bring a meal to someone in need, maybe a volunteer opportunity, and the list goes on.

Secondly, we could offer a rebate in the form of love.  Instead of always thinking of ourselves first, we might think of trying to do what’s best for others instead of ourselves.  In other words, put others first by making time for them.

There is a story told of a man who gave of his time visiting in nursing homes.  One of the patients that he visited was blind and often sleeping during his visits, so he would just sit and hold the patient’s hand.  One day when he came to visit, there was a young girl in the room.  She rose, greeted him, and asked, “Are you the man who visits and holds my Dad’s hand?”  He replied that he indeed was that visitor.  The daughter smiled as she replied, “Oh, he loves your visits.  He tells me that Jesus comes and holds his hand every week.”

Thirdly, remember the Power that we as Christians are given.  When the spirit of the world tells us to be afraid, we should remember God tells us to move forward.  Joseph Stalin used propaganda as a powerful way to control Russians in the pre and post World War II era.  These people betrayed their friends, loved ones, and morality in order to escape the purging that they had been told would come if they didn’t listen and obey.  The world uses this same method today to tell us that we, as Christians should be afraid.

When the spirit of the world speaks fear and anxiousness, we need to respond with the Spirit of Power that God gives us.  At that point, we can turn fear and anxiousness into courage.

There is a wonderful rebate waiting for us if we only have the courage to move forward in being the hands and feet of Jesus.