I hear a lot of great stuff where I go to church, and the idea of sharing it thrills me.
Then I get nervous.
Maybe you wouldn’t like it as I do. Maybe you would resent it. Maybe you would click off. Maybe you would unsubscribe.
But then I back away and realize some of it really is excellent and who knows but that you might just love it as I do.
So here goes: something I heard a year ago, posted once, but just wanted to share again. Enjoy.
The Arkansas Gospel
Let me make this clear.
You don’t go to Heaven because God loves you, nor because you love Him.
You don’t go to Heaven because you amend your sinful ways or clean up your act.
Turning over a new leaf is rehabilitation, but it is not salvation.
Education is not the answer.
Reformation is not the answer.
Legislation is not the answer.
Jesus is the answer.
We go to Heaven because Jesus saves us through His work on the Cross.
Don’t be separated from God any longer.
Give your sinful life to Jesus at the Cross, bury it in baptism, and be born again of the Spirit of God.
That is how you enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
That reminded me of a story I heard once: “He IS Out to Get You!”
Leaving West Memphis . . .
A woman was driving alone, one night, on a long trip. Having just left a convenience store and taken the on ramp back to the Interstate, she felt not so lonely because some guy had held the door for her as he’d left the store. She noticed he also on-ramped when she did—a friendly face for the journey.
As she traveled, though, she thought she noticed his car following her too close. When she increased her speed a bit to make some distance, his car also increased its speed.
Tensing, and persuading herself it was coincidence, she began weaving through traffic, checking her rear view mirror.
That car followed her every move.
She upped her speed to 80, which she usually never did, and the car was still right behind her.
She could think of nothing to do but exit again, where there was civilization, and force that driver to change plans.
It was a long five miles to the exit.
Carefully, she scooted through traffic into the right lane at the last minute, without signaling, almost missed the exit, and looked up to realize that car loomed closer than ever.
There was no choice, now, but to tear into a gas station parking area, laying on the horn, screech to a stop, throw open the door, and, in desperation, flee into the building, sobbing.
Simultaneously, the driver of the other car also slammed on his brakes, and threw open his door with an angry grimace, running directly to her car, tore open the back door, and grabbed a ski-masked man from the floorboard, beating him until he collapsed.
And you don’t know it, but you’ve got trouble in your back seat.
We’ve “known” each other a long time, but never met. She loves on new-born babies as they enter this harsh world, with total gentleness, I’m sure breaking the shock for the little ones she holds so dear.
She loves on grown ups the same way.
Which explains why she would be so kind as to invite me to guest post at her place.
A couple of years ago, I read Katharine’s series on friendship. This blog series triggered some major self-reflection and prayer. It arrived at a time when I was struggling with too many commitments to too many people, and was finding myself utterly drained, and struggling with guilt that I could not be everything to everyone.
I have always surrounded myself with a lot of people, wherever I go. As an extrovert, I tend to befriend nearly everyone I meet. I have since found that I also have a strong introverted side, so I crave time alone. I need balance to maintain my sanity, but I had no center of gravity.
To be honest, I could see that I had an inordinate desire to be loved and liked by everyone, to be worthy of being called a friend by everyone. Essentially, I wanted to be popular. So, I over-extended in every direction. I allowed myself to be pushed and pulled from all sides. It didn’t matter how good my intentions were–I was beginning to drown.
Something had to change.
I had to stop, examine myself, and explore a better way for me to balance friendships with a limited amount of time. I found that what matters is choosing carefully where to spend my non-refundable time.
So, I questioned and re-ordered my priorities. I didn’t want to cut anyone off completely, just to make sure that the right people topped my list. It was a painful process.
I wasn’t really sure what to do, or how to do it. Katharine’s series supplied the springboard I needed to dive into the Word of God, learn from Jesus, and change. If anyone had innumerable demands on his time from innumerable directions, it was the Son of God. How did he order his friendships? Who did he give the bulk of his time to?
His timing was perfect in drawing me to Katharine’s corner of the Internet.
When I came to the conclusion of the series, I was struck by the outline of how Jesus’ friendships were structured. I really began to apply what I had read to my life, and this is what I learned.
Jesus, while on this earth, befriended thousands…
Jesus had a wide circle of acquaintance, numbering in the thousands. Mine is more in the hundreds, but I definitely have a wide circle. When you really think about it, we are all connected to more people than we realize, and that is a good thing.
120 who believed in Him, followed Him (Acts 1:15):
I have four children who love me and follow my every move everyday, all day. They believe in me and trust me. My doula clients and childbirth education students also have a level of trust they put in me. They hire me to influence them, so they put a lot of stock in what I have to say. In this sphere, I make a difference–for good or ill, remains to be seen.
72 who did ministry for Him (Luke 10:1 & 17):
I have many friends who are willing to minister with me, or to me. This is the wide circle of people I would run errands for, help with their children, and who would gladly return the favor, but we don’t necessarily spend a lot of time together.
At the time, this was where I felt the biggest stretch. I had a hard time saying “No.” If I didn’t have something in my calendar, I didn’t feel justified in turning anyone down, even if I was in desperate need of a quiet day of down-time. I have since learned that it’s okay to say “No,” even if I don’t have a “real” reason. It’s still hard for me, but I have found that people usually understand.
12 whom He discipled, whom He called “friends” (Mark 3:14):
Jesus had twelve disciples, to whom he actually applied the term “friends.” They were always together, sharing life. Sometimes fighting and bickering, but always together in the end (except for Judas).
In the past, I was trying to stuff everyone I met into this category. After a couple of years of practicing the art of saying “No,” I think I finally understand what this level of friendship entails, and I have made changes accordingly. If I named names, I would probably have about fifteen or so in this group, and these are the ones that are worth saying “Yes” to.
3 whom He granted more insight and understanding (Mark 5:37, 9:2, 14:33):
Jesus had three people–Peter, James, and John–with whom he shared things that he did not even share with the others he called friends. He spent more time with them, and asked more of them than anyone else.
I probably have five of these. I call these my “iron-sharpens-iron” friends. They are the ones who love me enough to call me out, or encourage me in ways no one else can.
In the past, I felt guilty if I spent more time with one or two than any other in my close circle. Now, I don’t worry about it so much, because I never see Jesus expressing guilt for singling out his three closest confidants.
The one whom He loved, who leaned upon Him at meals, to whom He entrusted His last revelation (John 13:33, 21:7, 20, Revelation 1:1-2):
Jesus had his close three friends, but out of those three, he had brotherly intimacy with only one. Just one person to whom he opened up completely. Besides my husband, I have two people I would consider myself to be this close to.
They are my “besties,” and I no longer feel guilty for keeping this circle closed.
Probably, the most important thing I have learned is this: Even the perfect Son of God couldn’t please everyone, or even all of his closest friends. Who am I to think that I, in my fallen state, can be anyone’s Everything? So, rather than be a friend to none, I choose to follow George Washington’s advice:
“Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence.”
What have you learned about friendships in this life?
Grace & Peace,
Tiffany
Tiffany blogs at The Faery Inn, where she shares her Fellow Inn-mates’ lives with anyone who cares to escape into amazing escapades. She is the happy wife of one super-understanding man, a home-schooling mother of four, a childbirth doula, and a childbirth instructor, in a breath-taking land of delirious mountains and devastating losses. I’ve reblogged her heartfelt posts from time to time and often wished to make it official. The happy event of my 30,000th visitor, (which she just happened to be) gave me the excuse I needed to invite her on over. Tiffany also is my most frequent commenter for 2013, which I also intended to celebrate, so here she is! A beacon in her honesty and constant in her loyalty, she has agreed to grace our day with the above, beautiful work. Go visit herand thank her for this lovely piece!
I’m serious, here.
Do you live in a slum built around and with the contents of a huge landfill?
Read on.
In our country living near garbage is considered dangerous, toxic, and illegal. Especially if you have children, it is wrong to attempt such a life.
In other countries, though, life with garbage is the only method of survival. No one cares if that is where you choose to live. Therefore, since sometimes people throw away great stuff, it can be a means of income, recycling and selling one man’s trash, which can become your treasure.
Many people have been stuck inside all day for many days.
Many people and their children have been stuck inside all day for many days.
Results?
CABIN FEVER
The symptoms can look like a dread disease and fool even the wisest of moms:
Lethargy
Depression
Loss of appetite
It’s enough to make a mom lay a hand on the forehead or neck of a child and check for fever, but in the case of cabin fever, there is no fever.
I know.
That’s because the cause is not a germ or virus, but just a lack of exercise, whether physical or mental or spiritual.
However, there is a cure. Yay!
So here’s how you cure spirit, mind, and body:
Be thankful. You can make it fun:
Make a box with a slot in the top and decorate it. Write things you are thankful for in the box, all day long, or as a ritual every morning, and slip them into the box. OR
Write your “thankful things” on long strips of brightly-colored paper and use the strips to make a paper chain you hang all around your living room.
Hide little prizes (wrapped cookie, quarter, or small toy such as a ball, nail decal sheet, etc.) in messy places and teach them to clean the place a bit and find the prizes, for which they then say, “I’m so thankful I cleaned under my bed (in the toy box, on the shelf, in the dresser drawer, etc.) because I found this prize! Thanks, Mom!”
Play games. Games can be themed on the snow days:
Have a picnic in the hot sun. Place a blanket and sun umbrella on the floor and turn on many lights, even a heat lamp or sun lamp, if you have them (be careful!), and even use a fan for a slight breeze. Play sunshiny music. Fix regular picnic food, whatever that means for you all. Have a picnic!
Cut out really huge paper snowflakes by folding shiny wrapping paper into a six-sided wedge shape (you know, as for doilies, tutorial links below) and cutting out large chunks of it to leave a lacy snowflake design when unfolded. Or do small ones as in this photo, and pin to sheer curtains or tape to windows, etc.
Build marshmallow snowmen using peanut butter for glue. Build marshmallow snow forts. Have marshmallow-blowing contests across the top of the kitchen table, etc.
Exercise. Good mental and emotional health depends on good bodily health and exercise is often the missing ingredient when children are cooped up and acting “feverish”. You’ll have to lead a bit more in this one, but:
Flip through all the ring tones available on your cell phone and dance or march to the music.
Race each other at cleaning a personal space with a prize to the winner. This rewards those who keep the personal spaces tidy to begin with.
Rearrange the house. Make them help. Try moving the couch or the bed to another side or in the middle. Also discuss why you like or don’t like the changes. Rearrange it back if you don’t like it.
Pretend. If you have lights and water, etc., try pretending you don’t. This will REALLY lengthen your paper chain, above. Pretend you have to:
Use a candle or flashlight in every dark place; don’t turn on the lights when it gets dark, just for one evening.
Heat water for washing dishes on the stove and wash them by hand, for one day.
Carry water from an outdoor spigot to flush the toilet, for a day. The rules are: after you use the toilet, you have to fetch a bucket of water for the next person. No excuses.
Last, but not least, get some sun and fresh air. Require they go outdoors at least for fifteen minutes and expose face and hands to the sun. It will do wonders. Explain how they need the sun on their skin to feel healthy and how much this will help with their sluggish feelings. Then prepare to be amazed.
Okay. I hope I got your day going. Just think: Spring is right around the corner. Yay!
The Caney River, taken facing south near the Frank Phillips Rd. overpass. Taken in Bartlesville, Oklahoma (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I’m supposed to have posted about my favorite nearby charity.
I was totally shocked to discover my favorite charity does business a half day’s drive away from me, in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.
That’s an unassuming place.
It’s an unassuming mission: providing surgery and prosthesis for Christians injured during persecution. Among other facets.
It just kills me to realize fellow brothers and sisters in Christ have been killed and maimed for their faith, left widowed, jobless, or homeless by the attacks of the violent.
But honestly, I think what bothers me most is finding persecution happening more and more, here, where I live, finding folks with stories that have been squelched, who do not even realize they are losing what we once had.
And here is just a tiny glimpse at what they deal with, daily:
An Afghan news service quoted Mr. Hanafi as saying, “Numerous Afghans have become Christians in India. This is an offense to Islamic laws, and according to the Quran, they need to be executed.” (from their website)
No, that’s not really a glimpse of what they deal with; not like the photos they send you if you ask for their literature. A photo of a little girl with her arm cut off, or of individual glass communion cups melted in a church torching will make you think. Will make you pray.
Will make you give.
The Voice of the Martyrs
P.O. Box 443
Bartlesville, OK 74005
The symptoms can look like a dread disease and fool even the wisest of moms:
Play games. Games can be themed on the snow days:
Home's Cool! 