Easy?

I may have mentioned before, I have returned to martial arts after being away from it for over 30 years.  I started over again, from a white belt. 

Although my class is mostly teenagers and adults, when we test for our next belt everyone tests together.  That means there is me, one other adult and about 50 children testing.

Little children.

Last night before my test, I noticed a parent drilling her son on the 10 student commitments.  He was struggling to remember a few and you could hear some impatience in her voice as she tried to assist him in remembering. 

What I found interesting was, at the end of the test today, our head instructor offered a prize of a bracelet to whatever parent could quote the ten commitments.  They are things like, "Always do my best, be humble, be trustworthy," etc.

The same young mother stood up proudly to give it a shot and made mistake after mistake, just as her son did.  When she finished we all applauded her, but I could see some of the embarrassment on her face.

Clearly she thought she had this memorized easily and was surprised at her own mistakes. 

I hope she could see the rare glimpse into the life of her child in that moment, I hope it makes her realize it wasn't as easy as she thought.  Maybe it will make her more encouraging to her son and less critical.

It's one thing to sit on the sidelines and think we know and could do better, it's another to actually try.

Made me think of Jesus' words in Matthew 7

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?  How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." Matthew 7:1-5 (NIV)

In this Moment

Groundhog Day is next Tuesday.  It seems as if we just had the holidays in 2015 coming up and now we are almost saying goodbye to January 2016, wondering how many days of winter we have left.

Maybe it's the older I get, but time certainly does seem to go by quickly.  This past month is a blur to me. 

But in thinking about that,  I'm sure a month from now I will not remember the details of this day.  I may not even remember typing these words.

So how can I be sure I have made the most of every opportunity when I look back on this month?

I occurred to me, it is by living in the moment.  By recognizing all we have is NOW.  As long as we practice making right choices in the moment, we can be sure when one day blurs into the next we are living as we should.

As Paul exhorts us, 

"Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise,  making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." Eph 5:15-16 (NIV)

Kindness

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control." Gal 5:22-23 (NIV)

That verse jumps out at me today. 

When did I last just do something kind for someone else?

Kindness is listed as a fruit of the Spirit, meaning we should be kind simply because we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us.  That means we have the ability to be kind, and to show that kindness to others.

I often get frustrated when I see how the world behaves.  That easily happens, however, our kindness can help others find salvation.  Our kind acts can help others see Jesus in us.

Let's pray today and ask the Holy Spirit to show us some little acts of kindness we can do in the lives of those around us.

Who knows what can happen?

 "God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?" Romans 2:3 (NIV)

Treasures

I find it interesting how much we focus on rewards in this life.  There is an expectation that things "should" go a certain way.  Especially when we are living our lives as we should before the Lord.

Yet James said, "Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him." James 1:12

The crown of life.  That's easy to read over isn't it?

Do we realize that the greatest of God's gifts to us awaits us in the next?  Eternal life.  That to have life in Jesus means this world will soon fade and we will step into eternity with him?

How much do we hold onto the things in this life?  What are we willing to let go of in order to focus more on what really matters?  What do we do with our time, talents and treasures?  Where do we invest ourselves?

If we are looking only this life, the answer to these questions will be rather different, but if we are looking at investing in the Kingdom...

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." -Matthew 6:19-21(NIV)

Hope For The Future

This coming Saturday's forecast, "Mostly sunny, 59".

Apologies to my friends up north!  But after getting hit with icy rain and snow with a little power loss rolled into the mix this past weekend, I am loving the fact that (Lord willing) we will be riding just one week later. 

And Sunday is said to hit 63!

The warmer temperatures all week will most likely erase all traces of snow and ice.  I'm well aware that some had it far worse then we did, the storm is like that, it hits some hard while only grazing others.

And life is like that too. 

I'm sure that as we take our motorcycles out  into the sunshine, this past weekend will quickly fade into memory.  As you can tell, I am placing my hope in the accuracy of the weather service.

Reading 2 Corinthians today,

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.  We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;  persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.  We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.  For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken."Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself.  All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Cor 4 7-18 (NIV)

Just like the memory of this storm will pass (even for those of you up north... it'll just take longer!) the life we live here on earth will soon fade away.  One day, each of us will step into an unimaginable place of glory, and see the amazing light of our Savior when we see him face to face.

Until that day comes, we have that hope.

A Prayer of Praise

Reading 1 Chronicles 29:10-13 (NIV)

"David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying,

"Praise be to you, Lord,

    the God of our father Israel,

    from everlasting to everlasting.

Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power

    and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,

    for everything in heaven and earth is yours.

Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;

    you are exalted as head over all.

Wealth and honor come from you;

    you are the ruler of all things.

In your hands are strength and power

    to exalt and give strength to all.

Now, our God, we give you thanks,

    and praise your glorious name.

 I wonder sometimes do we truly understand that?  Everything comes from God and belongs to God.

Everything is his, all of it.  Often we forget that as Christians even our own bodies are not our own.

 "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;  you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV)

Let's try something today.  Before making our requests known to God, let us pray David's prayer out loud, slowly and meaningfully.

I wonder if that will change the prayers that follow it...?

--

"Let no one come to you without feeling better and happier when they leave"
Mother Teresa

Light

Yesterday, due to the ice storm, we lost power from 3:40pm to 10pm.

Since we have a gas stove, we were still able to cook dinner.  A gas fireplace kept the house warm, and candles provided enough light. 

Essentially, we did not go without anything we needed. 

Yet, when the power kicked on I could not help but feel grateful for its return.  I appreciated that power so much because I felt the the absence of its presence.  Especially the return of the light.  Candle light is ok, but it does not shine as bright as a lightbulb.

It is possible to live this life without Jesus, to go about our tasks, thinking we have enough light to see.  But when he comes into our lives, we see things in the brilliance of his light.  We see things that are impossible to see without him.  We understand his word in a way we never have before.

And this is the light that promises never to leave us.

"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12(NIV)

"You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light." Psalm 18:28 (NIV)