You're Never Too Old

“You’re never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” C.S. Lewis

Seeing  that quote as a footnote in a friend’s email made me smile. For the past few months, I’d been feeling pretty creaky. And not just in my cartilage-depleted knees. With a milestone birthday approaching, I was really feeling my age. Or was I?

Milestone birthdays have a way of doing that – making you feel old. But when I stopped to evaluate the big picture, I had a realization. I might look old, but I sure don’t feel old.  I’m doing more now than I’ve ever done.

Get Out!!!

The muggy air was so thick the weatherman described it as “air you wear.” I absolutely didn’t feel like going outside, especially since my task that day was to tackle the overgrown weeds in the garden. But my schedule didn’t allow for another day, so out I went. 

And I’m so glad I did. I learned so many valuable lessons that day that I started taking notes so as not to forget. While I was outside up to my elbows in dirt, neighbors passed by, either by car or walking. I looked a mess and felt a little self-conscious, but the lessons learned were well worth it.

One of those lessons was simply the act of going out.

Choose Greatness!

"Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them." Luke 22:24

My usual response when I read that verse is to shake my head and cluck something like this - "Oh those crazy disciples, arguing over who's the greatest - right in the presence of Jesus! Oh the pride! The nerve! The foolishness!"

But this morning, my finger-pointing aimed right at myself. God lovingly convicted me of how I do exactly the same thing. "Aren't I always in your presence?" He asked, "How about when you argue with someone, so convinced that you are right. Or when you judge, so sure you're the better driver, the better mom, the better servant of Mine."

Muhammad Ali boldly declared, "I am the greatest!" But don't we often think the same thing in subtler ways? Every time we think our ways are better, we are subconsciously reinforcing our opinion of our own greatness.

Jesus responded to His disciples (and to us), "But among you it will be different. ... Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves." Luke 22:26-27

"But not here!" Jesus said. Here, in God's kingdom, the greatest is the one who seeks to take after Jesus. After washing His disciples feet, Jesus said, "I have given an example to follow. Do as I have done to you." Jn 13:15 Just the opposite of the world where people clamor to assert their greatness. "Among you it will be different."

Even as Jesus taught and corrected, He encouraged. "Just as my Father has granted Me a Kingdom, I now grant you the right to eat and drink at my table in the Kingdom. And you will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." Luke 22:29-30 

So it's our choice. 
We can can be filled with our own temporary "greatness" for our short time here on earth. 
Or we can be a servant here and then rule with Him for all eternity.









"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: … taking the very nature of a servant.” "Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you." Phil. 2:5-7, Romans 12:4

What's The Rush?

So they hurried off 

and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, 

who was lying in the manger. Luke 2:16

Hurry. It seems that's all we do lately. And so we are encouraged to slow down, be still. I said so myself just a few weeks ago. Shhhh the activity!

And yet there is a time to hurry-
~Zacchaeus, filled with curiosity, hurried ahead to climb a tree so he could see Jesus.
~The father, filled with compassion, ran to welcome his prodigal home.
~Mary and the women, filled with confusion, ran to the disciples - who ran to the empty tomb.
~Philip, filled with the Spirit, ran to the chariot to share the Word with the Ethiopian.

And the shepherds, filled with wonder after their heavenly host encounter, hurried to Bethlehem, ran to see Jesus.

When should we hurry?
~When it is running to Jesus!
~When it is hurrying to show compassion.
~When it is eagerly sharing the Word.

After they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child. 
Then they returned [to their neighborhood, their work, their environment] glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. 

Solomon said, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven." I'm going to boldly add to his list in Eccl. 3:1-8:
There is a time to hurry and a time to be still. 
Oh that we would know the difference!

Do you (like me) ever confuse when to be busy and when to be still?
What do you do about it?

While You Were Waiting...

I’ve read it a hundred times. OK maybe not a hundred, but a lot.

The Book of Acts, one of my favorite books in the Bible, full of drama, history, theology.

Chapter 17, one of my favorite chapters, where Paul delivers a powerful message in Athens.

Our adult Sunday School class is studying it. Paul fled to Athens because those Thessalonian rabble-rousers started to agitate the Bereans. Silas and Timothy stayed behind in Berea until Paul’s other travelmates came back for them.

And there it was:
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. Acts 17:16-17

While Paul was waiting…. The 4 little words screamed for my attention.

How many times had I read the inspired sermon that follows these verses and missed the fact that Paul was alone as he wandered around the city, waiting for his fellow workers to join him to begin ministry in this new locale.

“God’s Waiting Room.” I’ve heard the term, even said the term myself. It’s that period of time spent waiting for our life to begin anew.

“When this happens, then I will…”
“When I get a job, get married, have a baby, then I will …”
“When the chemo is over, then I will…”
“When I discover my gifts, then I will…”

Years ago, I heard Elisabeth Elliot share, “We should wait on the Lord the way a waiter waits on tables.” How does a waiter wait? Serving. How may I help you? What can I do for you?

That’s what Paul did. “Paul was waiting . . . So he …” He was distressed with what he saw (idols everywhere) and “so he reasoned with” whoever was around. He didn’t lament that his companions weren’t with him. He didn’t wait until his team was in place. He saw and he served right where he was.

In my husband’s chiropractic office, we have what some call a Waiting Room. We don’t; we call it a Reception Area. There’s a tv monitor that has streams facts about our amazing bodies. The reading materials are about health or about the Lord. Our intention in that room is that while the patients are waiting, they are being prepared to meet the doctor or meet their Maker (not in the fatal sense of the phrase!)

The “waiting room” can be a place of worry or anxiety, a place of uncertainty not knowing what the future holds. It can be a place of preparation for that future. Or like Paul, it can be a place to (cliché alert) “bloom where you’re planted.”

In the allegory book, Hinds Feet On High Places, the character Much-Afraid is on a journey to her Shepherd. At a lonely severe rugged spot, she meets a tiny flower nestled among the rocks. It’s name: Acceptance-With-Joy. The Shepherd later tells her, “When you wear the weed of impatience in your heart instead of the flower Acceptance-With-Joy, you will always find your enemies get an advantage over you.” Her enemies are our enemies: Resentment, Craven Fear, Bitterness, Pride.

On Sunday, our dear friend Irene was in the Sunday School class. She spent most of last year alone in her apartment, exhausted from the chemo she regularly received. Now that her strength is slowly returning, she eagerly makes the long drive to church each Sunday. I asked her about her time spent waiting. Her answer: “It was so difficult, but I got so close to the Lord during that time, I wouldn’t change it for anything.” Irene faithfully leads our prayer ministry and fills the role of “prayer warrior” more than anyone I know, yet the Lord used that time of weakness and waiting to strengthen her in ways beyond her imagination.

But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired. (Is. 40:31 Amp V.)

Are you in “God’s Waiting Room?”

Do you wait as the Amplified Verse says – with expectation, looking for the Lord, hoping in Him? There lies the key to renewed strength and power, run and not being weary, walk and not becoming tired.

Dear Lord, I pray for those who are waiting. That they may sense Your indwelling power. That they will be strengthened to serve You right where they are. And that in the serving they would become more like You.

i am a Servant

Jimmy is a simple man. In pretty much every way. Occasionally cantankerous, he stands guard over his domain - the church’s kitchen - keeping the younger generation safely outside its borders. He stands at the sanctuary’s entrance, anticipating his opportunity to usher the offering and communion plates. He has few wants and fewer needs. To some, he’s almost invisible, and he prefers it that way.
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On retreat one year, Alice and her senior friends were struggling at the food line. At least, so it seemed to me. Alice’s cane hooked over her arm as she slid the heavy plastic tray along the metal bar. I rushed over to carry their trays.
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Gently, Alice assured me she needed no help from me.
“When we get to the end, Jimmy will be there.”
And sure enough, when the gals got to the end, Jimmy was there ready to carry the trays to their table. He had been doing that for every meal. Where had I been?

The impact of Alice’s statement took me from the dining hall to the pearly gates. When Jimmy gets to the end, he will be there. He is a faithful servant seeking nothing in return, investing his talents in the lives of others. It was to those who had invested their talents that the Master said, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”


“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: … taking the very nature of a servant.” Phil. 2:1-7

Unlike biblical times, we are a servants by choice, not of a harsh master, but of a loving and kind one. In fact, our Master knows what it is to be a servant. He said that He Himself came not to be served, but to serve, and He set an example for us to follow. It is not hard to serve our Lord and Master because of His character.

The great price He paid for us gives us security, freeing us from worry. A servant doesn’t need to worry about where his next house payment is coming from, where his next meal is coming from. The servant knows that the Master has taken care of all that the servant needs, maybe not every desire, but certainly all the needs. A servant is a demanding full-time, life-time job, but with wonderful long-term benefits.

Being a servant means relinquishing control to the Master. In today’s culture where it is almost fashionable to be a “control-freak,” it goes against the very fabric of our society to voluntarily yield to another’s wishes. But 2000 years ago, faced with the daunting charge of birthing and mothering the Son of God, young Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.” She surely had other plans - to be married to a godly carpenter, honorably raising a devout Jewish family, respected in her hometown. However, in identifying herself as a servant, she surrendered control and set aside her desires to satisfy those of her Master.

To be a servant, we don’t need to have all the answers or abilities. In fact, we find God’s strength more glorified when we serve Him in our weakness (2 Cor. 12:9). The old adage goes, “God is not looking for our ability, but our avail-ability.” He wants a willing servant that He can work through.


Check out this list:

the 3 patriarchs - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob; Moses; Joshua; Ruth; Hannah; Samuel; David; Solomon; Elijah; Nehemiah; Job; Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego; Daniel; Mary; Jesus; Paul; Peter; James; Timothy; John...
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This list could be a Who’s Who of important, influential people in the Bible, yet each one was called or called themselves a servant of the Lord. As you embrace the identity of a servant, what might your future hold?

"Speak, for your servant is listening." 1 Samuel 3:10



Break my heart for what breaks Yours

A dear friend, Lynn Mosher, over at Heading Home has been doing a wonderful series, How To Behave Like a Christian, based on Romans 12:9-21. She graciously asked me (and other bloggers) to guest post. So today and next week, I'll be sharing over there. Please check out today's post on "sharing with God's people who are in need" based on Romans 12:13a, and leave Lynn a comment.

“distributing to the needs of the saints,” Rom 12:13a NKJV

My 2 children have traveled the world on various short term mission trips for the last 9 years. This year’s trips have had perhaps the most profound impact of all their trips. After seeing a school in Uganda without a blackboard, my daughter’s team decided rather than simply purchase one, they’d try to raise awareness in their community of friends. The goal was to raise $100. They raised over $1000. Another girl, after seeing the bleeding feet of barefoot children, is working with Tom’s shoe company to donate shoes to children in Haiti. My son wants start a ministry to raise support for impoverished children to attend school. These youth have been called to “distribute to the needs of the saints.”

Since their trips, I have found myself “accidentally meditating.” A lyric from a favorite worship song, Hosanna, is just stuck in my head. “Break my heart for what breaks Yours…” Over 60 years ago, Dr. Bob Pierce prayed similar words: “Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God.” In 1947, as a war correspondent and evangelist, he traveled to China with Youth for Christ, and his heart was broken by the needs of one little girl. Pledging a monthly sponsorship for her, Dr. Bob Pierce began World Vision to help children orphaned in the Korean War. In the decades that followed, World Vision has fulfilled the calling of Romans 12:13a “Share with God’s people who are in need” by providing global relief using clean water as an entry point into communities, following with other activities that create change and ultimately bring transformation through the gospel.

Last Christmas, our family participated in the Advent Conspiracy and substituted gifts for each other with the purchase clean water, sewing machines, a stocked fishing pond and a flock of sheep for those in need overseas. And closer to home, we take part in our church’s homeless ministry that meets the needs of men from a local Christian shelter.

All these ministries seek to meet the needs of those in need. But there are many NON-Christians who also care for the poor, who sacrifice life and limb to live in impoverished nations, who serve in the Peace Corps, the military, the inner cities, Indian reservations, homeless shelters, safe houses for abused…

As my meditation continued on what breaks God’s heart, I began to realize some other things, some personal things that break His heart. I silently but loudly heard His question to me: You can love people around the world, but can you love the person sitting next to you?

What breaks God’s heart? Not just children dying in Africa. I realized that it breaks God’s heart when my attitudes and actions represent the enemy more than they represent Him. While we need to care for the “least of these,” we ought not to do it out of obligation and then have Him say, “I never knew you.” (Matt.25) It grieves God when His people act like they don’t know Him. He’s not as grieved by sinners who act like sinners as He is by Christians who act like sinners. If we meet the physical needs of the poor, but are judgmental, critical, envious, prideful, angry, or filled with false Pharisee holiness, we are not obeying His call to holy living.

If we truly want to love our neighbor as ourselves, that includes loving the unlovely. “If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Any sinner does that. … In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you." (Matt. 5:48 MSG)

As Christians, we must “share with God’s people who are in need.” And we must do so with the assurance that as we do, we are ministering to Jesus Himself. “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to Me!’ Matt. 25:35-40 NLT

My prayer today is found in the surrounding lyrics of “Hosanna”:

Heal my heart and make it clean

Open up my eyes to the things unseen

Show me how to love like you have loved me

Break my heart for what breaks yours

Everything I am for your kingdoms cause

As I go from nothing to

Eternity

May it be your prayer too!

Help Wanted

When job-hunting, it is always important to research the long and short-term benefits: health and life insurance, retirement plan, vacation, stock ownership. Working for the King of Kings is no exception. What might a Help Wanted ad for a servant in God’s kingdom look like?

• Lifetime, full time position (part time is not an option) available to anyone who applies. No prior experience or skills necessary. Training period offered for all candidates includes working alongside the Employer who takes an individual interest in each of His subjects. Each employee must get to know the Employer personally. The retirement and insurance plans provide coverage for eternity. There are no vacation days, no monetary salary, and no guarantee against hardship or adversity, but endless comfort is available from the Employer and is to be shared with others. Opportunity for advancement: Being faithful in a few things will result in being put in charge of many things and sharing the Employer’s happiness. Ownership sharing plan bestows a royal inheritance as a joint heir with the Employer.

Forget not all His benefits (Ps. 103:2)

Need a new job? Care to apply?

ps - This is a snippet from my chapter titled "i am a servant."

Snow Day Lessons - Part 2

The kids may have had off from school, but there were some awesome lessons to be learned on our recent snow day! Here's a few more:

“I Can Do It Myself”

Paul demonstrated what a true neighbor does - saw my need and answered the problem with no expectation of reciprocity. But immediately I began thinking of how I could repay him for his kindness. He offered to finish shoveling the front walk I was working on. But I said that I was fine. Thanks, but no thanks. In truth, I behaved like a little child trying to be self-sufficient, not wanting to receive a helping hand. He could have done it in half the time, and as his sweet wife, Nancy, told me the next day, he was going stir crazy in the house and was looking for things to do. He actually enjoyed it! And I robbed him of his blessing by rejecting his offer of help.
I remember well the days when my children would say “I do it myself!” when I knew that they weren’t mature enough yet to do the task. As I try to stand in my own feeble strength, the Lord is beckoning me to lean on Him. "For when I am weak [in human strength], then am I [truly] strong (able, powerful in divine strength)." 2 Cor. 12:10 Amp.
Too often, I reject the help of God and other people in a misguided attempt at independence. It’s easier for me to be the 'helper' than the 'helpee'. But when I resist the help that someone offers, I rob them of a blessing. God desires to bless us, but when we try to do it ourselves, we miss out on that divine intervention.

Power in Numbers

Fragile dainty snowflakes, not one like another, easily crushed by the slightest pressure, yet together, they became a formidable force. Swirling, they blind drivers. Accumulating, they grow into massive mounds. Freezing, they create slick and dangerous icy surfaces.
Oh, what we can learn from the snowflake. We, too, are fragile when alone. We are each uniquely different from one another. If we focus on those differences, we remain alone and frail. But if we stand together, we become mighty, powerful to defeat our common foe. Yet...

Not By Might, Not By Power, But By MY Spirit

The front walkway was cleared as much as humanly possible with the shovel, but still was not totally free from snow. But late in the afternoon, half the walk was completely clear. Which half? The half that was in the sun. Half of the front yard is covered by shade. The part of the walk in the shade remained snow-covered.

The light and warmth of the sun can do what no human intervention can do. And the light and warmth of the Son can do what no human intervention can do. As powerful a force when we band together, it pales in comparison to the mighty works of God.

It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over

Beautiful as it is, the pristine snow doesn’t stay pristine for very long. The dirt and grime of feet, vehicles and debris muddle the white landscape.
And as long as we tread on this earth, there will always be cleanup activity. God cleans us up making our scarlet sins as white as snow, and then reveals new areas to work on. Life is a journey, not a destination. the Lord is our pilot, our janitor, our partner, our friend along the way. But He is more than that. He is our source of life and will keep us in this life and the next. Even when it’s over, it’s never over! Praise the Lord!

Susan

Snow Day Lessons - Part 1

Tuesday night, my husband gave me a lesson in Snowblowing 101. It left me more informed, yet less confident of my snowblowing abilities. Tony had to be at the office (you wouldn’t believe who goes out in blizzard conditions for their chiropractic adjustments). So with both kids now away at college and Tony at the office, the snow clearing responsibilities on the homefront were left to me. My usual contribution to snow shoveling is making hot chocolate and chicken soup for the rest of the family laboring away. Now alone I faced the gargantuan task of clearing away the massive snow. Well, not exactly alone. 

Thankfully, God meets us in the mundane.

As I was working away in the middle of the snowstorm, He met me and shared some valuable lessons. So many that it will take more than one post to share. Today and tomorrow, I'll be sharing some snippets of what I learned in the storm.

Don’t Wait

First of all, I ventured out into the snowstorm to clear away the first 6 inches that had fallen. I knew that if I waited until it was 12 - 18 inches high, the job would be much more demanding. Since I am a first class procrastinator, this was a major accomplishment.
If only I would face my temptations, problems and weaknesses the same way, dealing with my issues early before they get deep-rooted.

Be Prepared

Before going out, I put on my warmest, driest ski coat, my waterproof Thinsulate boots, my ski gloves and hat, and my lumbar support belt. Preparing like this left me relatively warm and dry despite the cold and wet environment.
Before facing the storms of life, it pays to be prepared. It’s important to have God’s Word hidden in your heart before the crisis hits, so that when trials come, the Word can be brought to mind. When you need to withdraw some cash from the ATM, you can only do so if you previously made the deposit in the bank. The Lord can bring to mind only what was previously deposited there.

This May Hurt A Little

The branches heavily laden with snow look spectacular, a pristine winter wonderland. However, they present a danger to the tree. A few years ago, our dogwood tree split due to the weight of the snow and later died due to the gaping wound it exposed. My giant azalea and several trees were now in danger. It took a few battering blows to knock off the offending snow. But after the snow was gone, the branches lifted higher now relieved of their burden.
Jesus said that if we lean on Him, our burden is light (Matt. 11:30). He lifts our burdens and removes our pain. But sometimes, like the prodigal son, we need a “blow” to knock us to our senses and return to our Father.

Who’s Your Neighbor?

“That’s what neighbors do,” said Paul, my wonderful neighbor, who just finished snowblowing his driveway and, seeing my struggle, came over to do mine. We were at the 6 inch mark of the 18 inch snowstorm. Snow and tears froze on my eyelashes, my heart bursting with gratitude. Paul secretly came back later and removed another 8 inches.

When a Pharisee asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor,” Jesus responded with the parable of the “good” Samaritan who, with no thought of being repayed, cared for a man who was left bruised and beaten on the side of the road. He sacrificed his time and money to help another in need. Although he was from a very different neighborhood, the Samaritan was the true neighbor who we are to “love as we love ourselves.”




More on Paul and my life lessons tomorrow....

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.”

Susan

Blessed... or stressed?

It's officially Advent, a time of expectation.

What do you expect to be for the next 25 days until Christmas?

Blessed… or stressed?


Too often, particularly at this time of year, there seems to be too much to do and not enough day to do it!

Years ago someone shared with me a quote by Allen Redpath,
“There are enough hours in the day to do what God wants you to do…
...and no more.”


So, if I’m too busy, the question that begs to be answered is,
“What am I doing that God doesn’t want me to do?”


It may be a good thing, even a very good thing, but not a God thing.
Not what He wants me to do, right here, right now.


Oswald Chambers said, “Good is the enemy of best.” How often am I busy doing a good thing and miss the best thing? How often am I distracted like Martha, rather than sitting at the feet of Jesus, like Mary? Martha of Bethany reminds me of Martha Stewart, who’s tag line was “It’s a good thing.” What Martha was doing was a good thing. Jesus and His crew needed to eat, didn’t they? They needed a place to rest, and Martha wanted them to be comfortable, didn’t she?


But Jesus said that Mary chose the better thing. It wasn’t that Mary never served. She did. But not when the better thing to do was sit and listen to her Guest. True hospitality makes the guest feel welcome and important, not impressed by the fashionable surroundings. And when your guest is Jesus, there is nothing more important than listening.

You might respond, “But I HAVE to ________________.” (fill in the blank)

Do you really?


• What would happen if you used lovely paper plates instead of china (like I did at Thanksgiving)?

• What if your children didn’t have to participate in all the sports/arts/music/scouts/etc. activities that they are presented with?

• What if you purposely left a box of decorations in the attic this year?

• What if you bought fewer gifts this year?

• What if you used dollar store gift bags rather than wrapping each gift?
• What if you committed some time each day to be spent just listening to Jesus?


Ask yourself, “Is what I am spending my time on a good thing? or the best thing?”

Lord, help me sift through the many demands on my time and determine which is the best thing You want for me. Help me to not feel guilty or disappointed, but to enjoy the satisfaction of being in Your presence.






Susan

You Can Be a Scholar Athlete !

On Sunday, we attended a banquet honoring the scholar athletes in NJ. Each high school selects one student who has excelled in academics and sports to receive the Scholar Athlete award, and AJ received it for his high school. (btw - i'm so proud!!)



At the dinner, several speakers mentioned not only the achievements of the students but the sacrifices made by parents and the influence of coaches and teachers as well.



I couldn't help but see the parallels to the Christian life.

SCHOLAR:
Study to show thyself approved. 1 Tim. 2:15

We are called to be students of the Word. The Bereans were commended because they examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true Act. 17:11

We may not be the most intellectual, the most brilliant, the most studious student of the Word. We don't have to be. But with our humble understanding, we need to go to the Word, and not just for its teaching (although that is how we grow and learn), but to hear from its Author. When you speak, you use words. When He speaks, He uses His Word.

ATHLETE:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Heb. 12:1

Let us run with perseverance: The Christian life is a race. We are to run the race in such a way that we win the prize (1 Cor. 12:9). We are to press on ... forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize. (Phil. 3:12-14) Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore, do not run like a man running aimlessly. Do not fight like a man beating the air. (1 Cor. 9:26)

We are running a marathon, not a sprint. My son is a long-distance runner, so he rarely competes in any sprints. He's got endurance, but just isn't speedy. In the Olympics, they call the 100m winner the "fastest man alive". Maybe that's true in the short run, but how fast will he finish in the long run? And in what condition will he be when a long race is over? We are called to persevere for the long run.

Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles: My son badly sprained his ankle a few weeks ago. It was his first injury ever to prevent him from participating in a sport. And Mr. Goofball sustained this injury while fooling around trying pole-vaulting (NOT his sport!!) How can someone so smart do something so stupid? Ooops, how often do I do something I know I shouldn't! Or not do something I know I should! We ought to stick to the race that God has planned for us and not yield to the temptations that distract us from His purpose.

Yesterday, AJ ran in his first track meet since his injury. He hadn't been training as usual, so the coach just put him in the short 100m race. Amazingly, he won! Which illustrates that when we need an extra burst of power in a difficult situation, He provides!

We are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses: At the banquet were parents, siblings, teachers and coaches, all of whom had logged countless hours cheering on the sidelines, providing taxi services to practices, purchasing equipment & uniforms, investing themselves in the lives of their young athletes. As we run our race, we are encouraged by those around us and by those who have gone before us setting an example for us to follow. And we are called to be encouragers to others on their journey as well. Comfort others with the comfort we ourselves have received from God (2 Cor. 1:4)

So now - Congratualtions to you on your Scholar Athlete Award!

Susan

Are you a Secret Service Agent?

My adult Sunday School class has been discussing spiritual gifting and serving the Lord. This week's lesson was about serving in the mundane. When we are involved in serving the Lord, do we seek attention or admiration for ourselves? Jesus said that we are to let our light shine before men, so that may see your good deeds and praise who? Not you! ... so that they may praise your Father in heaven! We were challenged to perform secret acts of service, so that we would experience the joy of serving the Lord for the sheer joy of serving, expecting no reward, acclaim, attention or even appreciation. "And whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.." Col. 3:23

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As class was ending, Brad brought up a great illustration. In the CIA and other clandestine government organizations, many deeds that benefit our country are done completely in secret. Rewards for a job well done are presented secretly. No publicity. No one knows the risks taken, dangers faced, sacrifices made on our behalf. These men and women perform acts of service knowing that their actions are for the benefit of those who will never know about them, and thus will never be able to express their appreciation.

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Compare that to the Academy Awards on Sunday night. People spending thousands of dollars to dress up and parade in front of an admiring crowd. What did these celebrities do to earn such acclaim?

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Jesus said that if we receive a reward here on earth, that's all we get. But if we serve without seeking any reward, our reward in heaven will be great and will be eternal. That's the prize I desire! How about you? Won't you join me as a Secret Service agent of the kingdom of heaven?

Susan