The Lingering Hug

I met a dear friend yesterday who I hadn't seen in over a year. She was the guest speaker for the Mother's Day service at our church. After the Pastor prayed and left the stage, I thought the service was over, so I went over to her to say, "Hi!" She responded with a big smile and gave me a very long and tight hug. During that time, the Pastor went back on stage and asked the musicians and singers to come back and lead one last song. With the loud music playing, we weren't able to talk much because we couldn't hear each other. But sometimes actions speak louder than words.

In the Bible, a sinful woman learned that Jesus was eating at a certain Pharisee's house. When she found out, she took a bottle of expensive perfume and went to the house. As soon as she saw Jesus, she stood behind Him — not in front like so many pictures portray — and knelt at His feet, weeping. As Jesus' feet were getting wet from her tears, she began to wipe them with her hair. Afterwards, she kissed the feet of Jesus, and poured her expensive perfume on them.

The Pharisee was disgusted at the sight of this sinful woman touching Jesus. But Jesus was compassionate at the sight of a woman whose heart was grieved in repentance.

Here is how Jesus responsed to the Pharisee:

"Do you see this woman?

I came into your house.

You did not give Me any water for My feet,

but she wet My feet with her tears

and wiped them with her hair.

You did not give Me a kiss,

but this woman, from the time I entered,

has not stopped kissing My feet.

You did not put oil on My head,

but she has poured perfume on My feet.

Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven —

as her great love has shown.

But whoever has been forgiven little loves little."

Luke 7:44-47 (NIV)

As children of God, it is important to Him that we daily show our love to Him — by our actions more than our words.

Life Doesn't Get Any Better Than This!

"Praise the Lord!

Oh give thanks to the Lord,

for He is good;

For His lovingkindness is everlasting."

Psalm 106:1 (NASB)

Today is my birthday and Mother's Day all at the same time!

I am very thankful to God for giving me four wonderful sons! We had a great day yesterday as we drove to Red Deer to go shopping.

First, we stopped at an airsoft supply warehouse. My sons are planning on going airsofting next week with a friend on his Uncle's property just outside the city. Chris bought a long-range sniper rifle with various accessories, and Daniel bought a gas-powered handgun. Then Chris offered to buy me an airsoft gun for Mother's Day. It was tempting, believe me, but I politely refused on the grounds that I might use it on them in the house when they become obnoxious. (Oops, did I just contradict myself? I wasn't lying when I said they are wonderful. Honest!)

Then we went to the best Christian Book store ever. There Chris bought me a drawing of a young boy playing with his toy cars in the sand. The artist was in the store displaying her paintings and artwork, and I particularly loved this picture that she had drawn. It brought back so many memories for me of raising my sons. Also, Tim bought me a Christian children's book, as I love to collect them. This one is about Noah and a monkey who, because he struggles with trusting God, resists going into the ark. The story touched my heart because we all, at one time or another, can be like that monkey.

Daniel will be taking me out for Sushi after church today, and Matthew is painting me a picture.

Life doesn't get any better! God is good!

Bye-Bye Gluten!

My second oldest son, Tim, has had increasingly serious allergies and stomach aches over the last several years. I tried to talk him into seeing a doctor sooner, but he is your typical male — stubborn — and he hates going to doctors. Even worse, all the male doctors in our area aren't taking new patients, and my doctor happens to be female. Eventually, I just got fed up with Tim's stubbornness and made an appointment for him to see my doctor anyway.

Well, yesterday, the doctor confirmed my suspicions. Tim most likely has Celiac disease. I had begun to suspect this over the last several months because I recognized the symptoms from babysitting a young girl a few years ago who, in addition to her mother, had been diagnosed with Celiac.

After the doctor's appointment, Tim had to have several blood tests, and he is now being referred to an allergist. If he does have Celiac, we will all eventually have to be tested. I am almost certain that my youngest son, Matthew, and I have the disease too, although our symptoms are not yet as severe as Tim's.

Oh well, I guess this means bye-bye gluten and all the foods I love so dearly. No more home-made bread!

I will just have to forget the wonderful taste of it, and, instead, rely on the Living Bread.

"I am the living bread that came from heaven.

Anyone who eats this bread will live forever;

and this bread,

which I will offer so the world may live,

is my flesh."

John 6:51 (NLT)

Flowers Will Fade, But God's Word Stands Forever

I was born on Mother's Day, and this year my birthday falls on Mother's Day again. My husband Brian will be gone, but yesterday he was home, so he took me out for dinner and bought me a card and a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

What woman doesn't love the romantic gift of flowers from the man she loves? What sick person's spirit isn't uplifted with the beauty and fragrance of flowers? And what mother's heart isn't touched by a freshly picked bouquet of wildflowers from her young child?

However, like everything else in this world that withers, the grass and flowers will fade. But there is one thing that lasts forever and brings beauty and life to our hearts, souls, and minds like nothing this world can offer — the Word of God.

"The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the Word of our God stands forever."

Isaiah 40:8 (NLT)

The Word of God stands forever, and not one word of it is to be changed, ignored, or considered obsolete.

Choose: God's Favour Or Man's Favour

This is my youngest son's favourite Bible because he has loves art. When he was a young boy, he used to draw on the backs of bulletins while sitting in church. Later, as he grew older, he would take blank pieces of paper hidden in a black portfolio and draw on them while listening to the sermons. I never discouraged him, and the older people who would sit behind us always appreciated his drawings. I guess his drawings caught their eye.

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People whom God has placed in leadership positions will be judged more strictly than the people they lead. The greater a person's influence, the worse his/her punishment will be. The Bible states:

"Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, 

because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly."

James 3:1 (NLT)

Because leaders have a greater influence on a large number of people, they, by permitting or encouraging ungodly principles, have the ability to lead more people astray. For this reason, they will be judged more strictly. Any leader (especially those who claim to be Christians) who permits or encourages behaviours and beliefs that are strongly against God's Word and His character will incur great judgement for themselves.

Yesterday, the leader of a certain country made a terrible mistake in the eyes of God. He made a mockery of God in all His holiness, and he did it in front the whole world.

Yesterday, this leader may have made humanistic history, and, sadly, he may have also increased the number of his votes, but he will definitely incur the judgment of God for seeking man's favour instead of God's favour. And I would much rather have God's favour.

One Sexual Sin Isn't Worse Than The Others

My stomach churns when I hear a Christian or Pastor who, while discussing sexual sin, singles out the sin of homosexuality and fails to mention the others. This is nothing less than hypocrisy. Premarital sex, adultery, pornography, and dressing provocatively are sexual sins that are just as bad as homosexuality. One is not worse than the others.

The Bible clearly states that we are to run from sexual sin because no other sin affects the body as sexual sin does. This verse doesn't single out the sexual sin of homosexuality. All sexual sins are wrong in God's eyes and do harm to one's body.

"Run from sexual sin!

No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does.

For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body."

1 Corinthians 6:18 (NLT)

The Bible says that anyone who looks at a woman with lust in his heart has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

"But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust

has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

Matthew 5:28 (NLT)

I am always very leery of Christians who think homosexuality is worse than other sexual sins. I can't help but wonder why they think this. Is it because they are hiding a sexual sin of their own? A homosexual is no worse a sinner than a man or woman who spends time on the Internet in the privacy and dark of his/her room looking at pornography, or a woman who gets up in the morning and chooses to wear a low-cut top or sexually provocative clothes.

All sexual sins are harmful to us and we are commanded to run from them.

Lazy Cat Days

"Despite their desires,

the lazy will come to ruin,

for their hands refuse to work."

Proverbs 21:25 (NLT)

Laziness accomplishes nothing. In fact, laziness eventually destroys us. We all need to work to maintain our mental, physical, and emotional well-being. We may have dreams and desires, but they will never come to pass if will lay around and do nothing to accomplish them.

This video says it all: