YOU HAVE TO STAND UP

Why is it, whenever I have a song stuck in my head, it is always something weird? This week it’s a VeggieTales song. Now, if you know anything at all about VeggieTales you know that they are almost always weird—but I mean that in the nicest way! The tunes are catchy and diverse in styles. The lyrics are silly and so very clever at the same time that kids and grown-ups alike can appreciate them and sing along. I mean, who could ever forget “God is Bigger than the Boogie Man” or “Oh, Where Is My Hairbrush?”; “I Love My Lips” or “The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything”? If you’ve ever watched a VeggieTales video, movie or TV show, you know how entertaining and colorful these characters are—and how they always have a lesson to teach about a Biblical principle or moral dilemma. The mission statement of Big Idea, the company that produces VeggieTales, in fact, is: “To enhance the spiritual and moral fabric of society through creative media.” VeggieTales has progressively made its mark and gained in popularity, not only in church circles, but in the secular world, as well.

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Robbie has quite a few of the VeggieTales music DVDs and we’ve been listening to them this week. One of the songs in particular has been running through my mind the last few days, and I’ve caught myself countless times humming, singing and whistling it to the point of distraction! It’s called “Stand Up.” It’s a nice song, but it’s not really one of my favorites, so I was puzzled for a while as to why I had fixated on it so. The chorus goes:

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Oh, you have to stand! (Stand up, stand up)

For what you believe in, believe in, believe in!

God (He’s the one to back you up)

Will stand with you!

He’ll stand with you!

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I finally realized why that song had stuck, and that reason is what I am writing about this week. I really struggled with it, because I don’t want to write on this topic. I don’t like controversy and I hate being stuck in confrontations, especially among the people that I love. Past experience tells me that nothing stirs more heated debate than talking politics, and I prefer peace and avoiding the anger and hurt feelings that some political conversations bring about when two sides of a hot topic are being argued.

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Don’t get me wrong. I am a woman of strong convictions. I do not hesitate to stand for my convictions and principles when it comes to spiritual matters and I would never back down from an opportunity to speak out for the Lord or share the truth of God’s Word, no matter what the consequences might be. As believers, it is our responsibility and duty to do so. Our faith, our love for Him and our desire to be obedient to Him ought to make this easy for us and a natural thing to do.

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I have equally strong convictions when it comes to political matters, but I have not been quite so vocal in some of those areas. Oh, there are some issues, such as abortion and homosexuality, that I believe are so morally wrong and such an abomination to God and against His Word, that as a Christian I cannot sit back and be silent. But when it comes to getting embroiled in political debates, becoming involved in political activism or even voicing an opinion on the family website, I’ve kind of taken a back seat. Oh, I do my duty and vote, and I’ve made a vow that I would never knowingly vote for someone who is pro-abortion, no matter where they stood on any other issue. Bob and I talk politics all the time, or I’ll join in when it is with others who I know are of like-mind, but when it comes to really being involved in politics, well I’m afraid I’ve been a part of the “silent majority.”

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The events of the last few weeks and months, though, have convinced me that it is time for the “silent majority,” including myself, to be silent no more. It is time to take a stand, to voice our concerns and to move to protect our nation from the efforts that are being made from the inside to strip away our freedoms, corrupt our democracy and take us down a path to socialism, huge government, financial bankruptcy, and even atheism.

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It has upset me greatly that those ordinary people like ourselves who have made the effort already to speak out against the liberal policies that are being forced down our throats have been called “the angry mob,” and “Nazis,” and “racists,” and “unpatriotic, ignorant, nuts.” Whatever happened to free speech, when it was the right of every American to voice his concerns or opinions—or is that a right that is only reserved for liberals? Goodness knows, they have certainly exercised that right over the years time and time again and though we may not have liked what they said, we have defended their right to free speech. Now, though, when the silent majority has finally found its voice, we are being told to sit down and shut up. Hundreds are being locked out of town hall meetings, as just happened a few days ago in our own congressman’s district. The administration has asked that the names of those who are speaking “fishy” about the President’s health plan to be turned in to the White House. What??? Since when has the White House been turned into KGB headquarters?

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Efforts are being made to write into law measures that would strip us of our religious freedoms; that would try to stifle the more conservative media; that would tear down our rights to life itself. The unborn, the old, the disabled are of no benefit to society, in fact are a drain on society, we are told, so why keep them around? It is frightening to see how quickly we are racing toward something we only imagined could happen in works of fiction or in totalitarian states. It almost seems that our country is deliberately and methodically being destroyed from the inside out, and that if something doesn’t change, if true patriots do not take a stand and fight back, we will not even recognize the United States of America in a few years.

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That simple little kids’ song reminded me this week that we have to stand up for what we believe in! I was annoyed that I couldn’t get it out of my head. I don’t want to be stirred from my comfort zone, to face confrontations and take a public stand. I cannot back down from what I know is right, though. God has graciously put us in a country that was founded on Biblical principles and given us the freedoms to hear and share His Word, to live freely as believers and to spread the Gospel throughout the world. It is our responsibility to protect those freedoms as much as we are able so that His work might not be hindered. We, as Christians, are the light and salt in a dark, sinful world. (Matthew 5:13-16) We must be a testimony to the world for Him. We have the same duty as believing Americans to stand for truth and justice and freedom if we want to continue to worship and live freely as we have for the last 233 years.

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The Bible tells us that all governments and rulers are ordained and established by God for His purposes, whether they follow Him or not. Often nations and their rulers have been used by Him to bring judgment, or to move events according to His will. Colossians 1:16, 17 tells us, "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."

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The Bible also tells us in Romans 13:1-7, “Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience. Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.” (NLT) We are to obey the law and those in authority over us and pay our taxes for, according to this passage, when we do not we are rebelling against God.

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How then do we reconcile this submission to authority and the call to stand up for our freedoms when our government seems to be slip-sliding away out of the control of the people and into a future that does not bode well for our nation as the land of the free and the home of the brave? The first thing to remember is that we are to obey the law. We have every right to speak out, to gather together peacefully, to do everything in our power try to prevent laws from being made that we believe are harmful to our nation, as long as we do not break the law while we are doing so. Romans 12:18, 19 says, “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” We should make our voices heard, but peacefully and respectfully.

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There may come a time when man’s law conflicts with God’s law, as in Daniel 3 when three young men named Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were forced to choose which they would obey. Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of himself of gold and decreed that all fall down and worship it. To disobey meant death in a fiery furnace. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to break God’s commandment and would not worship the idol. You know the rest of the story—they were thrown into the furnace, but the Lord walked with them and they were brought forth alive and unhurt. The Lord honored their obedience to Him and glory was given to God throughout the land.

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Acts 5 gives the account of Peter and the other apostles who preached Jesus in the temple, after being warned by the high priest and Sadducees not to. They were thrown into prison, but when the angel of the Lord freed them from prison, they went right back to proclaiming the Gospel in the temple. Once more they were brought before the authorities. “And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men…and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ” (vs 27-29, 40-42)
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These incidents reveal that there are times we may disregard man’s law when it is in direct disobedience to God’s clear commandments. We are not to worship anyone or anything but God. We are commanded to preach the gospel throughout the world. But the Bible is very clear that we are to exercise civil obedience in most areas, and I would argue that, taking it a step further, as Christians we should maintain a good testimony and be peaceable and respectful in our speech and actions.

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This is certainly not the administration I would have chosen, but we know from God’s Word it is the one He chose for our nation at this time. Whether it is to be the beginning of judgment upon America for the way she has strayed from her early foundations, or the beginning perhaps of a great revival as we hit bottom and have nowhere else to look for help but to Him, remains to be seen. God has His purposes in allowing this and they are right. I do believe, though, that He expects us to stand for righteousness and to speak out. Many times the prophets in the Old Testament stood before the king and spoke the truth and against their rulers sinful actions regardless of the consequences to themselves.

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It is time for us to stand up and be counted, to speak out, to be silent no more if we value this nation with which we have been blessed. My first order of business this week is to write both my senators and the congressman from my district and make my voice heard. If we continue to be the silent majority, we are surely going to lose much of what we hold dear. I owe it to my children and grandchildren to at least make some effort to preserve the freedoms that we have. If our military men and women are willing to put their lives on the line for those freedoms, the very least I can do is pick up a pen or a telephone and take a stand.

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If you, too, want to stand up for what you believe in, whether your views agree with mine or not, you can find the correct contact information for your US senator at www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml#fl or for your congressman at www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm You may also contact the White House itself at www.whitehouse.gov/CONTACT/ or by writing to The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20500; Phone Numbers: Comments: 202-456-1111, Switchboard: 202-456-1414, FAX: 202-456-2461
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Oh, you have to stand! (Stand up, stand up)

For what you believe in, believe in, believe in!

God (He’s the one to back you up)

Will stand with you!

He’ll stand with you!

WEDDED BLISS

Yesterday was our thirty-ninth wedding anniversary! How can that be??? Am I really that old? Well…yes! It’s true; we were young when we married. I was eighteen and Bob was nineteen, but after nearly four decades, three children, eight grandchildren, and a host of blessings, joys, testings and trials over the years, a lot of water has gone under the bridge.

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My grandparents were married forty-six years before my grandpa passed away. I remember breathing a sigh of relief when my parents made it past that point. They celebrated their fifty-third anniversary before my dad went home to be with the Lord. I don’t know how many more years God will give Bob and me together, but I praise Him for the lifetime we have already shared. As Bob likes to say, “It’s been a lo-o-o-o-ng thirty-nine years!”

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I was being facetious, of course, when I called this “Wedded Bliss.” It hasn’t all been bliss along the way. We’ve had our share of struggles. I was about to say, “more than our share of struggles” but, no—they were exactly the obstacles, hardships, trials and sorrows the Lord knew we needed to mold us into the people He wanted us to be. Many of these problems were totally out of our control; some of them were brought about by others; many of them we brought upon ourselves. There have been physical challenges, financial hardships, spiritual slumps, relationship struggles, worries about our kids, job upheaval, people problems, emotional distress, and uncertainty as to the direction we should go at times. Each of these can bring stress into a marriage, and being human beings, there have been times when we have fallen, but somehow, with God’s help, we have survived and faced these things together.

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We go through seasons in our lives. That newlywed, young-married, starting-a-family period is our springtime. Love is in the air! New life is beginning. We are young and energetic, eager to embark on life and this new adventure called marriage, and looking forward to our happily-ever-after. Then comes the summertime. Raising our children; establishing our homes and careers and place in the community; having our day in the sun, so to speak. Along comes autumn, and we walk hand-in-hand, a couple once more as our children have moved on to start their own lives, as comfortable together as a cozy pair of old slippers. And then there is the winter of our lives, when the winds begin to blow and the ground beneath our feet is slippery, but we hold one another up and, warm and secure in a lifetime of togetherness, we face the cold realities of life.

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Quite the rosy picture, isn’t it? Ahh, wouldn’t it be wonderful if life and marriage were really as simple as that! We all know the truth, though – each of these seasons has its own share of struggles and problems. Marriage is not a walk in the park. It takes total commitment, unselfishness, love, faith, trust, respect, an ability to forgive, a sense of humor, and plain old hard work all the way through to make it from “I do” until “death do us part.” Most of all, for the Christian, it means depending on God for the strength and grace to have all these characteristics because, in all honesty, it isn’t always easy.

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There are times when my husband drives me a little crazy. There are many times when I fail him. We’ve had rocky times in our marriage two or three times in the last thirty-nine years. It is difficult for me to admit that, but praise the Lord, He helped us through them, and we have emerged stronger and more in love because of the storms we have walked through together. I know I can depend on Bob. He is always behind me, supporting and encouraging and doing his best for us. Bob knows when he comes home he has a soft place to land, someone who understands and loves him and listens. There is a constancy and trust between us that has grown stronger through the years as we have worked together and weathered whatever life has thrown at us. The card he gave me yesterday probably says it best: “Love is the reassurance that someone who understands you will be there at the end of the day. Love is the security of knowing your good qualities are appreciated and your faults forgiven. Love is the joy of giving your best to another person and receiving much more in return.”

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We are in the autumn of our lives now. I’m not the pretty, young “chick” with the long blonde hair he remembers from that first blind date anymore. What I lack in youth and looks and energy, though, I hope I make up for with a little more wisdom and patience. Bob has not changed much over the years, but perhaps my perception of him has. As I have witnessed his faithfulness to the Lord, me and our family; his strength and determination; and his genuine goodness and generosity, it has made me love him more and more.

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I was teasing him yesterday and happily sharing some of the verses I found in the Bible about wives – and what a treasure a good wife is! Proverbs, especially has a lot to say about wives – and why not? After all, King Solomon, who wrote most of the Proverbs, had 700 wives, so he should know!

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Proverbs 5:18 “Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth.” Bob always calls me “the wife of his youth.” I don’t know if that’s a reminder to himself that he has to love me because God said so, or if it’s to differentiate me from the other wife he has hidden away somewhere! (Just kidding, of course!)

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Proverbs 12:4 “A worthy wife is a crown for her husband.” (Big smile!)

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Proverbs 18:22 “The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord.”

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Proverbs 19:14 “Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth, but only the Lord can give an understanding wife.” (Bob, you are so blessed!)

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Proverbs 31:10-12, 28-29 “Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies. Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: ‘There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!’” (Really, really blessed!)

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And for good measure, a verse from Ecclesiastes, also written by Solomon: “Live happily with the woman you love through all the meaningless days of life that God has given you under the sun. The wife God gives you is your reward for all your earthly toil.” Ecclesiastes 9:9 (So there, Bob – you have your reward!)

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Boy, I love reading those verses! Of course, he could have come back with several more selections from Proverbs – although he graciously refrained.

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Proverbs 21:9 “It’s better to live alone in the corner of an attic than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely home.”

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Proverbs 21:19 “It’s better to live alone in the desert than with a quarrelsome, complaining wife. [!]

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Proverbs 27:15 “A quarrelsome wife is as annoying as constant dripping on a rainy day.”

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We sure haven’t “arrived” at that place where we can say we have the perfect marriage. We still have our spats from time to time. We still act immaturely and selfishly and let our mouths and pride get the best of us. Until the day God takes one of us home, we will have to work at this thing called marriage. It is worth it, though. Marriage is the very first institution God ordained on this earth, and the picture of Christ and His Bride, the church. It is a gift from God to help us through this life. Let us treasure it while we have it. It is not all bliss, to be sure, but it is one of God’s best blessings!

STRESSIN’ THE STRESS TEST

Okay, I am going to sacrifice any semblance of dignity and self-respect and share a funny story with you about something that happened to me this week. Now to see the humor in this, you are going to have to picture it in your mind – and let me warn you, it’s not a pretty picture! It is a funny one, though – or at least I hope so, because if not, I’m confessing this on the worldwide Web for all the world to see for nothing! I can easily laugh at myself, but if everyone else is laughing, too, it had better be worth it!

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So on with the story… I had to go in for some tests this week and among them was a stress test for my heart. I wasn’t happy about it, and, in fact, it had hung over my head for weeks. I’d been through it before and knew what to expect. First, they inject some radioactive stuff into your vein so you glow in the dark. (Okay, I’m kidding about the glow-in-the-dark part. It is really so they can take pictures of your heart.) Then you have to lie perfectly still on a hard, narrow table for at least fifteen minutes while a camera circles your body and takes pictures of your heart in “resting mode.” After that comes the treadmill, and then more pictures once you’ve got the old ticker really pumping. There’s some waiting time involved and a couple other little things, and altogether it takes about four hours.

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First thing I notice is that there are four other women there for the same thing and they’re all in their seventies and eighties. I’m fifty-seven. At this point I am feeling so o-o-o-old. They call me first and I enter the inner sanctum. “Lie down on the table, put your hands over your head, and we’re going to swaddle you so you can’t move. Okay, ready? We’re starting right now! You must lie still and oh, by the way -- don’t even take a deep breath!” The camera starts moving, and of course, the first thing I want to do, the first thing I simply must do, is take a deep breath! I manage to restrain myself, but it is on my mind the whole time. Am I breathing too deeply? Should I breathe at all? Don’t think I can hold my breath for fifteen minutes so I concentrate on short little shallow breaths and then worry about hyper-ventilating. I finally quit worrying about how I am breathing because now I have a worse problem. My ear is tickling. Then my nose itches. There’s a spot on my forehead that itches, too and my foot is going to sleep. It’s driving me crazy, but of course, I dare not move so I suffer through the last eternal five minutes. Finally a timer goes off and I think it’s got to be over, but what?! The technician is chatting on the phone. Get off the phone, lady, and get me out of here!

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I finally stagger out to the waiting room and all four old ladies look at me expectantly and in unison say, “Well?” I just laugh and start telling them about the breathing and tickles and itches. Before I know it, they are calling me back for the dreaded treadmill portion of the test. This is what I’ve really worried about, and for weeks I’d been telling myself, Cindy, you’d better get on the treadmill here at home and get in shape before that stress test! But of course, in my typical procrastinator fashion, I hadn’t, and day after day I’d sat with the computer on my lap. Now here I was, about to face the consequences! They hook me up to a bunch of electrodes, and take my blood pressure, and the first thing I see is that my blood pressure is already high and the test hasn’t even begun yet! White coat syndrome, I’m sure, because it’s been okay normally.

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The treadmill starts. It begins at a fairly easy pace, but it’s programmed to ramp up to a higher speed and sharper incline every three minutes. “Make sure you give us a one minute warning before you quit,” they emphasize, “so that we can give you another dose of this nuclear drug (can’t remember what it’s called) before you stop.” Okay, so far so good. The first three minutes aren’t too bad. Then it shifts into gear. I’m seriously hiking now at a really brisk clip. I might have been okay, except that one of the technicians wants to take my blood pressure again and she’s got me hanging on by one hand while she fumbles around trying to turn the little screw on the blood pressure cuff. It’s turned too tightly and they finally have to go in search of a man to get it turned. In the meantime the other technician is on my other side trying to undo the tape on the IV in the hand that is desperately clinging to the bar on the treadmill. I am so distracted by all this and with just trying to keep up with that doggone conveyor belt, that I suddenly realize the next speed-up is about to begin and it is going to have me running and I know I can’t do that for even one more minute!

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“Time! Time!” I call out in panic.

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“I need 83 more seconds!” the doctor says.

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“I’ll try,” I gasp. Just then the treadmill speeds up. I am running for my life. The technician finally gets the blood pressure she wants and mercifully I can grab the bar with both hands, but I know I am on the verge of disaster.

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“Thirty more seconds!”

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“I can’t! I can’t!” That is hard for me to admit out loud. I seldom back down from a challenge but I know – I can’t!

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“You have to!” the doctor says. “Someone get behind her and push!"

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So, picture this -- for the next thirty seconds I am in the humiliating position of having the petite technician standing behind the treadmill with her hands on my derrière, giving me the push I need! It actually helps, and somehow I survive the test. My pride may be in tatters, but my sense of humor is still intact because all day long I burst into laughter whenever that mental picture pops into my mind.

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Sometimes all we need is a little push. I don’t know if it is my stubborn, pioneer-stock determination or my sinful self-pride that won’t allow me to appear foolish or old or less-than-perfect (which, of course, I am but I don’t want other people to know that!), but it is really difficult for me to confess that I cannot do something on my own or to ask for help. Like the two-year-old who insists, “No! I do it!” I’ll grit my teeth and dig in my heels and struggle on. This can be a problem when your husband is a problem-solver like mine is. There are times when I have to bite my tongue to keep from saying, “No! I want to figure it out on my own! I can do it myself!”

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There comes a time, though, when we all come to the end of ourselves and we have to admit we can’t. In this case I had reached my physical limitations, but sometimes we’ve reached the end of our rope emotionally or spiritually and we just have to confess I need help. My pride caused me to feel humiliated that I needed that little extra push, and I would have loved to say, “No, no! I’ll do it!” but in all honesty, I was actually grateful and pleasantly surprised that it made all the difference between success and failure.

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We do not walk this journey of life alone. God, in His great wisdom and love, has given us help along the way. From the very beginning He saw that we needed help, and He provided it. Genesis 2:18 says, “Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” (NLT) That first helper was a spouse, but then came parents, siblings, other family, and friends. Parents are to provide instruction, teaching, and encouragement. “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” (Deuteronomy 6:6, 7) Proverbs 22:6 reminds us to “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 17:17 tells us, “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Proverbs 27:9 encourages us with “Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.”

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Finally, Christ established the Church, and among the great blessings of that fellowship are our brothers and sisters in the Lord. We are admonished over and over in the New Testament to help one another physically, emotionally and spiritually. Romans 12 tells us to “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love… Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.” (vs. 10, 13, 15) Galatians 6 goes on to say, “Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” (vs. 2, 9-10) Hebrews 10:24, 25 says “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works…” I Thessalonians 5: 11, 14 tells us to “comfort yourselves together, and edify one another…encourage the fainthearted, support the weak…”

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Most comforting of all, He promises us His help when we call upon Him! Philippians 4:13 reminds us that “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” He offers strength, rest, and encouragement in Him. “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength” (Isaiah 40:31) “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) “…always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” (I Corinthians 15:58)
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Let’s face it – for some of us it is easier to be the pusher -- the one who encourages and helps and, gives and uplifts. We don’t want to be the pushee, dependent on others and admitting our weaknesses. If the Lord sees that we need all this help and provides it for us, however, then we must see that we would be foolish to not acknowledge it ourselves, swallow our pride and accept it with grateful hearts. We must understand, also, that when we refuse help that is freely and lovingly offered, we are robbing someone else of the blessing of giving and ministering. There is an old saying, No man is an island. We need one another to give and receive that extra little push from time to time.

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I’ve been thinking of that treadmill downstairs. I really do need to get back on and get in better shape for my trip to Ecuador in less than four months. The high altitude of the Andes Mountains, walking through the Inca ruins and out in the countryside – I need to get in shape! I’ll definitely get on the treadmill again – tomorrow!

THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS

Have you ever gone through a period of time when everything seemed to be going so well, when progress was being made or you had experienced some great success, and you were excited over the all the good things that were coming your way—and you thought to yourself, “Oh-oh! We’re in for it now!” You’re holding your breath, just waiting for that other shoe to drop.

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That has happened often in our lives in the spiritual realm. We can be sure when we are seeing fruit for our labor, and victories are being won for the Lord, that Satan is not going to sit meekly on the sidelines and let it go without trying to shoot us down. The Bible tells us that we are in a spiritual battle and …we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12)
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This week we’ve seen several examples of that in our family, although I’ll only mention one for now. We’ve been rejoicing that the work Fernando and Laurie are doing down in Cuenca is finally underway, and that already they are seeing souls being saved, lives being touched and a body of believers encouraged and excited and growing in the Lord. After months of struggling just to get their family settled and being assaulted by one delay, obstacle and problem after another, finally in this last month they have felt that they are accomplishing the work the Lord called them to do in Ecuador. I just said a few days ago to a couple of people when we were discussing their work, “Just watch. Satan isn’t happy about this. He’ll be throwing something else at them very soon!”
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Two days later we found out what it was going to be. They are going to have to move again—for the third time in less than a year. Since the owner of their house lives in the States, they’ve been dealing with his father, Señor Morocho. They came home the other day to find Señor Morocho on their doorstep with the news that his son is planning to sell the house, despite the fact that the Naranjos have a two year lease. Apparently contracts aren’t worth much more than the paper they’re written on down there. Oh, they could take him to court, but Señor Morocho is the one who would have to deal with it, and they’ve been trying to witness to him and don’t want to do anything that would turn him away—and it’s not his fault anyway.
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You can’t imagine how disheartening this was when they first heard it. The first move had been hard—moving a family of seven from the United States to Ecuador—emotionally and physically. The second move had been bizarre—being forced to move out of a brand new house because mold was growing out of the walls in every room. Now, after only eight months in a house which is perfect for the family as far as space is concerned, but in which they had had to invest a lot of time and money in order to make it habitable, they are faced with the prospects of having to start all over again. They had just finished a major repair job in which several of the cement walls throughout the house had to be opened in order to replace leaking pipes—and deal with mold again due to the leaky pipes. Laurie had said to the girls just a few days before, “At last, this house is finally beginning to feel like home, isn’t it, girls?” Now they, too, were upset at the thought of having to move again. And on top of everything, they will be forced to spend a huge amount of time and money and energy now on another move just when they need to be using all their resources on this new church work.
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A snippet of a verse came to me yesterday when I was thinking about this battle they are going through, and I looked it up to read the whole passage. The part of the verse I remembered was “the battle is not yours, but God’s.” To my surprise I found that it is from II Chronicles 20—the very passage Fernando sat down and read with the family that night when they heard this dismaying news. As I read this chapter, there were several things I drew from it that are so encouraging to realize and remember as we go through spiritual battles of our own. I’d like to share them with you:
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II Chronicles 20 gives an account of an alliance of nations (Moab, Ammon and the inhabitants of Mount Seir) marching to war against Judah and King Jehoshaphat. This army was “a great multitude,” we are told, and Jehoshaphat was afraid and called all of Judah together—men, women and even the little children—to fast and pray.

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First of all, they acknowledged God’s power and might. And [Jehoshaphat] said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? (vs 6)

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Secondly, they acknowledged what He had done for them in the past. Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? (vs 7)

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Third, they acknowledge that He is their protector. If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help. (vs 9)

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And finally, they acknowledge that they are helpless without Him. O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee. (vs 12)

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The Lord answered their prayers. First came His promise: Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's. (vs 15) Don’t worry! It’s not your battle, but Mine!

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Then came His instructions: Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you. (vs 17) What?! All they had to do was stand fast, be still and watch Him accomplish it?!

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Jehoshaphat and Judah did three things then before the battle had even begun. First they worshipped the Lord. And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD. (vs 18)

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Second, they went forth believing and trusting God. And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. (vs 20)

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Third, before the battle began, they praised the Lord! And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever. (vs 21) It was while they were singing and praising God that He fought the battle for them, causing the alliance to turn on one another and destroy themselves. And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. (vs 22)

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The results of this battle? Victory, of course, but also afterwards there were blessings far beyond what they could have dreamed. (…they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much. vs 25) There was thanksgiving. (…on the fourth day…they blessed the LORD. vs 26) There was rejoicing. (Then they returned…to Jerusalem with joy; for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies. vs 27-28) God’s name was glorified among the nations. (And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms… vs 29) There was peace and rest in the Lord. (So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him rest round about. vs 30)

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Did you see in each of these points what we can gather for ourselves when it comes to the battles we must face? We begin with prayer, acknowledging that God is our Protector and Defense and that He is great and mighty and powerful. Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world! We recall in prayer what He has done for us in the past and confess that we not only don’t know what to do, but cannot do anything without Him anyway.

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God’s answer to our prayer is “Don’t be afraid! Don’t be dismayed! Don’t worry! Stand fast. Be still and know that I am God. Watch Me fight this battle for it is Mine, not yours!” When we are truly believing and trusting Him, we are free from worry and fear and free, then, to worship and praise Him. The result is victory, for who can stand against Him? And with the victory come blessing, rejoicing, thanksgiving, peace and glory to God!

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Prayer and faith are the key. As the old saying goes, Let go and let God… Be encouraged—we do not go through our battles alone. He marches before us, and in Him, victory is sure. Just stand back and watch Him do it!

WESTWARD (OOPS! I MEAN, NORTHWARD) HO!

As I write this, we are hurtling along I-65 at 70 miles an hour. A lot of pretty scenery is zipping past my window. Thick growths of trees and tall rock-faced walls line either side of the highway. When we first started out this morning, Spanish moss and kudzu clung to some of those trees. We are intrigued, especially by the kudzu, for some of the trees are so heavily covered that they almost look like alien beings from another planet. My favorites, though, are the crepe myrtle trees. Alabama has them everywhere and they are beautiful and fully in bloom.

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Farms dot the rolling hills—some of them large and well-kept, and others old and ramshackle with rusted out cars and broken-down equipment scattered across their yards. We see horses and cattle here and there, and have even viewed a few buffalo. We cross an occasional creek with tree-lined banks and drive over wide rolling rivers on great steel spans. It’s Sunday and as the morning has progressed, we see the parking lots of the churches we pass beginning to fill. Most are little country churches, but a few are large multi-million dollar edifices.

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It’s a bit overcast at the moment, and a haze blurs the views in the distance. The sun was beating down a while ago when we stopped for a quick break, though, and burned the back of my neck as I stood outside the car for a few minutes. Dozens of songbirds filled the air with their calls in that particular place, and the insects in the field next to the car were almost as loud.

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We’ve passed some unusual sights—four or five buzzards feasting on roadkill by the side of the highway; a huge missile on display at a rest area near Huntsville, AL; a burned out patch about a half-mile long where last weekend when we were headed in the other direction, we saw the grass and trees along the road fully ablaze.

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I’m noticing the scenery, and Bob is, too, but he’s also paying attention to the vehicles around him (good thing!) and every once and a while he’ll say things like, “There’s a car from Ontario, Canada” or “Look at the cathedral-style windows on that RV!” More often than not, though, he’s commenting on the reckless driving of someone around us, or a speeder or someone tailgating us. He gets aggravated, and I can’t say that I blame him.

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I always think of the pioneers who traveled across our country in wagons or on horseback when we make a trip like this. We resign ourselves to a long day in the car, or two if it is a longer journey, and like the little kids we used to be, can’t help wondering, Are we there yet? as we squirm in our air-conditioned seats and nibble our way across country to pass the time. Seventy miles an hour? Seven hundred and fifty miles or even a thousand, in a day? Leaving Montgomery before breakfast and arriving back in Hammond in time for supper? Could those pioneers have imagined such things in their wildest dreams?

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What boggles my mind is the fact that I can write this on my laptop as we speed down the highway, or I could watch a movie if I’d like. I can talk on the phone as we travel. Julie called a little while ago from her car as they were on their way to church, to my car as we were just about to cross the state line. Amazing! Why, I can even call Laurie in Ecuador if I want to from anywhere along the highway! Others who travel in grander scale than we do may even have all the comforts of home in their big RV’s—refrigerators, microwaves, TV’s, bathrooms, etc. We’ve come a long way since the pioneer days, but we’ve even come a long way in the last ten or fifteen years.

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The highway stretches like a smooth gray ribbon before us. No rutted trail through tall prairie grass for us to follow on this journey. If we want to stop for a quick bite to eat we pull off and go through a drive-thru, or if time were not a consideration, we could even go in to a nice soft booth and have someone wait on us and bring us a full, piping hot meal. No need to hunt for a rabbit and build a campfire to cook it. A cool drink is at our finger tips in the cooler beside me. Air conditioning, reclining seats, and stereo make the trip comfortable and pleasant. And if our trip is not over at the end of the day, we can find a clean bed and a shower at the next exit.

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Would you say we’re a little spoiled? Compared to how those pioneers traveled, I’d say we certainly have it easier, but I’m not sure if I would say that we’re spoiled. All this modern technology is available to us and a result of man using the intellect and resources that God gave us. When used properly it is fine. There’s nothing wrong with having a pleasant and comfortable trip; with being able to get from Point A to Point B rapidly; with being able to talk with our loved ones on the other side of the country or the world instantly.

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We are spoiled, however, when we cannot leave that comfort zone, or give up our little luxuries and technologies when asked to do so, or for the benefit of someone else. Laurie and Fernando live in a somewhat modern city in Ecuador and, although standards are not up to what you would expect here in the USA, they enjoy many of the conveniences we have here. I often think, though, of missionaries who have to travel by boat down the Amazon River, or fly into remote areas, or who live much like the people they are ministering to in some jungle or desert location. They have sacrificed much to serve the Lord where He led them.

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We’re not all called to be missionaries in remote areas, however. We live in a land of plenty—plenty of the necessities and plenty of the luxuries, as well. We’ve come to expect those things; in fact, we take them for granted. I sometimes feel guilty about how much we have and how easy our lives are, compared to what most of the rest of the world experiences.

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We don’t need to feel guilty about the life God has given us, though. It is by His grace that He has put us in the time and place we are in. It is by His grace that we have the homes and food and water, technologies and medical care, lifestyle and freedom that we have. It is by His grace that we have heard the Good News of the Gospel and that it is freely available here to anyone who will listen. For some reason the Lord has given us more, but we must remember that He tells us in His Word “…For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required…” (Luke 12:48)

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Compared to those who have gone before us, compared to billions around the world today, our journey through life here on earth is smooth and comfortable. Oh, sure, there are bumps and ruts and roadblocks, twists and turns and detours for all of us along the way, but we have it a lot easier than most. We need to pray that God will open our eyes to how we can use what He has given us for His glory. We should not feel guilty, but grateful to Him, and be willing to share His love and the things He has given us with others. Let us not be so spoiled by what we have that we cannot sacrifice if we are called upon to do so. Our destination is just up the road. Enjoy the journey along the way, but make it count for eternity, too!

TRAVELING MERCIES

We're on the road today -- going home from a great week spent at David and Julie's house in Alabama. I won't be able to post my blog until I get home. Hopefully I'll get it up by tomorrow morning, so please check back then, okay? In the meantime, would you please pray for us as we travel? Thanks! Love ya!

B IS FOR BIBLES

I am in Alabama this weekend enjoying a wonderful time with Julie’s family! We drove down Friday and after thirteen hours in the car, it was a thrill to finally pull into their long driveway and see them running across the yard to greet us! It is my first time to visit them in their new home, so it was exciting to see what the Lord has provided for them and how perfectly it fits them! They live out in the country where you can hear the cows mooing across the road and little critters appear now and then in their yard. This morning a fox trotted across their backyard carrying a squirrel in its mouth!

Their house is spacious with plenty of room for them now and later when their adoptions go through. The bedrooms are so huge I laughingly told Julie they could have ten kids and not be crowded in this house! (When I told my mom that, she said, “Bite your tongue! Don’t give them any ideas!”) They are on almost an acre and a half of land, too, so there is plenty of room for the kids to run and play outdoors. What a wonderful place to raise a family!

Yesterday was the Fourth of July and we had a great day together. David cooked hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill at lunch time, Julie made homemade meatball and cheese cannolis for supper (they’re really cannelonis, for those of you who know the difference, but we’ve always called them cannolis), and we had fresh strawberry pies and blueberry cheesecake for desserts later. I had brought new matching patriotic T-shirts for all the kids and Uncle Robbie and Grandpa (or Boppa as they call him), too. Then when it got dark, Julie gave them red, white and blue glow-in-the-dark sticks and we played hide-n-seek in the pitch black with them. The climax came when no one could find Boppa and they all got too spooked to look for him. “He’s going to jump out and scare us when we find him!” the kids declared, all huddled together as they moved in a little clump to keep searching. Grandma joined their huddle and sure, enough, when we finally found him, he jumped out and scared us, and we all screamed like little girls! That was fine for Hannah, since she is a little girl, but the rest of us embarrassed ourselves big-time!

We also celebrated Joshua’s birthday yesterday. It is actually later in the month, but he wanted to do his birthday when Boppa could be here, too. Uncle Robbie gave Joshua a triple Slip-N-Slide for his birthday, and when the birthday gifts were all opened, I pulled out an extra surprise—huge Super Soaker water guns for all the kids, and David and Boppa, too! What better way on a hot, hot, HOT muggy afternoon in Alabama to cool off than to get wet, wet, WET!

Bob pulled off a surprise of his own! Out he marched from the bedroom in his swimming trunks, white skinny legs and all! He’d thrown his trunks into his duffel bag just in case he decided to take a turn on the Slip-N-Slide! I don’t think anyone had more fun in that huge water fight or throwing himself down the length of the Slip-N-Slide than Boppa! I got a big kick out of watching my husband have so much fun. And oh, the wonderful memories that were made yesterday! The kids will always remember this Fourth of July long after Bob and I are gone!

They are really sweet kids. Benjamin is eleven now, Joshua is about to turn nine and Hannah is five. They are so loving, and very well-behaved children, and really a joy to be around. Each one of them has a kind, compassionate heart and they are so good with Uncle Robbie. He’s all excited to be with them, too! Benjamin is his special buddy. Joshua and Hannah had special toys picked out to give to him when we got here—toys that they knew he could do on his own. They all play with him and aren’t afraid to get hugged a little too hard, have their hand squished, or wipe his drooly chin.

They are especially sensitive to the things of the Lord, too. They read their Bibles every day and really know God’s Word. It astounds me sometimes, the thoughtful, mature things that come out of their mouths about spiritual things. Julie and David have instilled in them a love for missions, as well. They get excited about missionaries who come to their church, and they jump right in trying to learn as much about their ministries and fields as they can.

Julie told me about an incident that happened last week when a certain missionary came to their church. It touched my heart, and I thought I would share it with you:

Jeff and Beverly Bellamy from Bristol, TN serve the Lord through Rock of Ages Ministries. From what I understand, they try to reach youth in public schools and prisons in what they call “prison prevention.” Part of their ministry is to give out Bibles to every young person they come in contact with in those schools and prisons. Jeff said he was in a school one day and there were over four hundred students to whom he was speaking. He ran out of Bibles and some of the kids left empty-handed. He had no money to buy more, and he went away just broken-hearted that he could not supply more Bibles. He asked the Lord to show him how he might be able to ask God’s people to help out with this and an idea came to him. He began asking the people in the churches where he spoke to look at the dollar bills in their wallets, and especially notice the serial number on each bill. Each serial number begins with a letter like D or K or I. Some bills start with the letter B, and Jeff asked those fellow believers to consider checking their dollar bills when they get them for serial numbers beginning with a B and then setting aside those bills to buy Bibles for his or other ministries. “B is for Bibles,” he said. “That will help you to remember!”

Benjamin, Joshua and Hannah were so excited by this idea that when they got home they raced for their banks to check their dollar bills. Joshua had been saving up for several months for something special, refusing to spend a penny on anything else, but when several of the thirty dollars he had saved had B’s on them, he didn’t hesitate to put them in a jar for the “B is for Bibles” project. None of Benjamin’s bills had B’s, but every twenty minutes Joshua would pester Benjamin to go check his bills again. Benjamin finally told him, “Joshua! Nothing’s changed! I haven’t earned anything else, and those numbers aren’t going to magically turn into B’s!” Hannah was disappointed that she didn’t have any B bills, either. The next day she asked her mother, if PLEASE could she give some bills that didn’t have a B? “Of course!” her mommy told her, so she gave all her bills, and over the next few days somehow came up with enough change to turn the other 54 cents she had into another dollar. Now the kids are reminding their parents every time they get change at the store or a restaurant to check for B is for Bibles bills, and praying that God will send more B-bills their way so they can give them away!

I love it that my grandchildren cheerfully, generously and sacrificially give to the Lord on their own, without any prompting from their parents. I love it that they have hearts that are easily touched by the spiritual needs of others, and that they can see the value of placing the Word of God in as many hands as possible. I love it that David and Julie are doing such a wonderful job of teaching their children and leading by example. I pray that as they grow up, they will continue to grow in faith, knowledge and compassion, as well.

May we each be like these children—full of faith, loving the Lord and His Word, with compassionate hearts, generous spirits, and mindful of the spiritual needs of others. And hey! Start checking your dollar bills for B’s! I’m sure a missionary you know could use them to buy Bibles! For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? (Romans 10:13, 14)