Thank You

Today, I received a very convicting email from another teacher where I work. I have copied it for you to read below.

These are some thoughts you may want to share with your students regarding the Operation Christmas Child boxes. This afternoon I translated a thank you note from a 7 year-old girl in Burkina Faso who had received a shoebox. Here’s the letter.

“June 5, 2009

I have the great pleasure of hearing from you. My name is Guedraogo Safiatou. I am in an elementary school class in the village of Toba in the department (county) Yaba of the province (state) Mayah. I am the oldest girl of a family of farmers. I have 5 older brothers and 5 younger brothers. I want to take this opportunity to thank you for all the wonderful gifts that you gave us here in Toba. I want to send my greetings to all your family and friends in America. I hope that your friendship will continue forever if God wills it so.

Thank you!

Guedraogo Safiatou”

I got to thinking as I returned the letter back to the elementary office. In saying thank you, Guedraogo had spent about $2 between the cost of paper, stamps and the photo. It doesn’t sound like much to us until one realizes average person’s yearly income in Burkina Faso is about $320. She spent a small fortune or about 0.6% of the average Burkinabe’s income. For one of us to say thank you in an equivalent manner as this little girl, it would be $196 (about 0.6 % of $31,800, the average US worker’s income).

It’s kind of humbling. Would I say thank you if it cost me $196? And how often have I forgotten to say thank you?

“Give thanks in all circumstances!” I Thessalonians 5:17

What an appropriate challenge heading into the Thanksgiving season. Take the time today to thank first our Lord Jesus Christ for what He has done. How often do we forget to tell our Creator thank you for our very life? Today, commit to living thankfully unto the Lord. Also, take the time to show someone else your thanks for what they have done. Let us be a people characterized by thankful hearts!

Fragmented Lives

"Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think - according to the power that works in you - to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen" (Ephesians 3:20-21, HCSB).

This morning, I feel very fragmented. It is Monday again and I have numerous projects scattered around the office and the house that need to be taken care of. Things like writing projects, emails to respond to, messages to prepare, papers to grade, a shower that still needs a new shower pan, a computer that is with the Geek Squad being fixed, food to prepare for Thanksgiving, and well...the list goes on. Not too much different from the list that you have of things that need to be completed.

I am reminded that no matter how many broken pieces that there are right now, that God will use them all together for His glory. He still has a plan. He is still on the throne. He can make all the broken pieces come together into a beautiful story - much like a stained glass window.

Stained glass windows are dark until the light shines on them and through them. Today, let's commit together to let Jesus shine His light through out dark and broken lives. Let's let Him work our lives together into a beautiful masterpiece. Oh Lord, shine through me today to a broken world - let me share with one who desperately needs to know you.

"For we are His creation - created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10, HCSB).

catching my fall

This week, my understanding of God's power has increased through a series of events. All were humbling, some were from the Bible, some from teachings about it, but one is embarrassing!

Tuesday, the girls that I babysit had two neighbors ask them to play in their backyard. As I walked towards the girls, who were playing on a swing, I tried to pet their neighbor's Shetland Terrier. One of the girls called my name, I looked up, and walked onto a covered pool! I fell and was close enough to the edge to not slide into the middle. I think the girls were playing and didn't realize, and I just laughed.

Sometimes, I let sin fog my mind, and then I feel like it is inescapable. It takes time for me to realize that God is the only one who has the power to save me.

This week, as I listened to Tony Rose speak, he said (rephrased): "You are in a race. Your biggest competitor? You." He referred to this verse to show how to find power to run:
"For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as to divide soul, spirit, joints, and marrow; it is a judge of the ideas and thoughts of the heart." – Hebrews 4:12 (HCSB)

Why, this sin that holds on to us can actually help us see our need for God. He, in His incomparable mercy and absolute power, has given us the opportunity to turn to Him and away from sin. When we focus on the sin and do not forgive ourselves, do we truly trust in His incredible power? Hebrews 4:16 (HCSB) explains: "Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time."

Christ is strong enough to fight the sin! I pray that we are quick to turn to Him when we fall.

Other verses: Daniel 6:26-27
Picture from swimmingpoolcovers.blogsavy.com

Thank You For Your Service!

"Fight the good fight for the faith; take hold of eternal life, to which you were called and have made a good confession before many witnesses." 1 Timothy 6:12 (HCSB)

"For you are called to freedom, brothers; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love." Galatians 5:13 (HCSB)

On this day, Veterans Day (the 11th Day of the 11th Month) we pause to thank God for all that have served and sacrificed for the sake of Freedom...Freedom is not Free...many have paid a price we could not pay as we thank and remember all who serve!

As we thank God for those that have served and sacrificed much, let's evaluate our life in Christ, a life of service, and continue to "fight the good fight for the faith....to which you were called" until the Lord returns...

The word "veteran" is listed below from "dictionary.com"...as we read the meanings listed, let us take hold of each opportunity to thank God, honor His servants, and allow this day to cause us all to be found faithful in the good fight for which the Lord took hold of us as believers. Let us look around and share Jesus, as His servant witness, to someone that needs the Lord. Jesus is our ultimate example of a Veteran-Servant of all Servants! Will you join the few, the called, the forgiven and share Jesus with others? Praying for all veterans as we all strive to be servants for the Lord...here we are Lord, send Us!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_c-dgz9Ykvo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WKAVJ3ifv8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzBMM37oB6U

(from dictionary.com)

"Veteran"

–noun
1. a person who has had long service or experience in an occupation, office, or the like: a veteran of the police force; a veteran of many sports competitions.
2. a person who has served in a military force, esp. one who has fought in a war: a veteran.
–adjective
3. (of soldiers) having had service or experience in warfare: veteran troops.
4. experienced through long service or practice; having served for a long period: a veteran member of Congress.
5. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of veterans.

Why Christ

This past weekend, my husband and I visited hs his home church where the special music was a Southern Gospel song. The words basically talked about visiting the tomb of Buddha and finding him there. Move on to the tomb of Mohommed and see his body. Yet when you get the tomb of Christ, he has risen and death has died. As I was reading yesterday morning in 2 Corinthians 1:20, Paul writes "For all the promises of God find their Yes in [Christ]". Many times when we talk about Christianity, it can be easy to get caught up in discussing secondary issues concerning certain Scripture verses, moral living, worship preferences and more. Today, take time to read God's Word in search of His promises and know that because of Jesus Christ, the answer to these promises is YES! The foundation to everything we believe is knowing that the grave was defeated, the tomb is in fact empty. Because of this good news, we can claim the promises of God in Christ. Thank you Lord for Jesus Christ, whose death and resurrection is what moves us from death to life.

Focus on the Foundation

"According to God's grace that was given to me, as a skilled master builder I have laid a foundation, and another builds on it. But each one must be careful how he builds on it, because no one can lay any other foundation than what has been laid - that is, Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:10-11).

Most of my friends know that I have a background in interior design so just one of the ways that I de-stress is by watching HGTV. I love to see how they rebuild bathrooms - they rip the whole room apart and go back to the foundation. They are always careful to get to the root of the problem and not just patch a leak.

All that HGTV may be paying off this week since our master bedroom shower has to be redone. That leak that we have been patching for years has finally gotten to the point that it requires major attention. Nothing like spending the weekend with contractors, removing carpeting, and looking at ways to fix the shower, tile, carpeting, etc. (Who was it that thought placing the shower next to the master closet was a good idea anyway?) It will all be fine...even if I have to live with concrete floors and one shower until after the Thanksgiving crew is gone. : )

The point of all this is that the foundation is critical. In our lives, it is Jesus Christ. It is the basics of discipleship that get us in trouble. As I work with women, I am continually amazed that what gets them confused is not the issues of culture, but the issues of continuing to focus on and live out the basics. The culture has thrown us all for a loop; however, the only way to navigate it with success is to continue with the foundation - daily prayer and bible study, keeping the relationship of the Lord in tact which spills over into the relationships we have with others. I contend that it is the basic foundational truths that we are overlooking that are leading us astray.

Today, let's make a commitment to concentrate on the basics. When we keep the foundatioal truths of Christ in order, it will take care of the rest. It may be messy for awhile, but it is worth it in the end.

Labor & Delivery

That handsome little baby boy is our precious pride & joy. Whenever I look on him I am completely delighted. The truth of the matter is that I have never worked harder for one thing in my life! 24 hours of labor & 3 and a half hours of pushing, not to mention 9 months of pregnancy (which was highly enjoyable minus the 12 weeks of morning sickness and the last 2 weeks of utter discomfort, so worth it though)! Two things occur to me as a result of having Micah. One, the Gospel is SO amazing. Who could fathom giving their only son for anyone much less for a wretched sinner. Two, channeling the words of Jesus in John 4...every man and woman MUST be BORN again in order to receive life eternal through the death & resurrection of Jesus Christ! How we ought to LABOR to share Christ, to see Christ formed in as many as would come to Jesus and be saved. It won't be an easy labor of love...it may be 24 hours, 24 days, 24 months, or 24 years before we see the fruit of our labor, but imagine the great joy of watching a lost soul be delivered from sin, death, & the wrath of God. This is a greater joy, because I'll tell you what I want to see that son of mine be BORN again...that day will be greater than the first birth because it will mean life in Christ forever. Don't grow weary...labor over souls and watch them be delivered.