Hey Boney

"Hey honey," or at least that is what I thought it said. I was texting my daughter-in-law about something and started the text out with "Hey Honey." I went on to text her the rest of the message. Only later when I picked up my phone to text her again I noticed that my previous message did not say honey at all...but "Hey BONEY." Now my daughter-in-law knows at least two things about me. Number one, I can't spell worth a hoot. In fact, I have her and my daughter edit this blog before I post it. Number two, she knows that I don't see well without my glasses. I am sure when this message arrived on her phone she took one look at it and thought one of two things....Either mom is not wearing her glasses or she is making fun of my pregnant state. Of course the the statement prior is the true one. It seems that this happens to me all the time. I have been known to write messages like, "I love you poodles and poodles." Of course I thought it said oodles and oodles. My last mix up was not one I wrote, but one I read. It came from Kristin, that same boney daughter-in-law. I read, "Only the LORD got me this fart." I laughed out loud, but had no idea what she was trying to say. Well, that was until I put my glasses on. She really wrote, "Only the LORD got me this far!" Aw the "t" was really an exclamation mark. Jeepers! I think I need more than my eyes checked. While I laugh at my own disability I wonder how many times I have made this same mistake concerning other things. You see everyone of us brings to the table a set of ideas, perspectives, and opinions. Unfortunately however, many times those things can be out of focus just a bit. Leaving us to read another person's words or actions through a distorted lens. Oh we think we are accurate in what we see but like a person who has never worn glasses, we believe our vision is 20/20. We might all be surprised at how much clearer things become when we choose to wear some corrective lenses. There was a time in my own life when I judged people according to who I was. Talk about being SELF-centered. It wasn't until God took me through a few opportunities to get close to people who were a lot like me that I began to learn this was not what God had intended when He spoke of discernment. You see many times those people who I loved to "jaw" with about how others were so wrong were the very people who started judging me. According to "them" of course. While a painful experience, I wouldn't trade it for the world. It taught me that I NEVER see the entire picture. Never. I see glimpses of people by what they do, but don't really understand all of the underlying chaos they might be living in. Don't believe for one minute that I am cured from all critical judgment. I am sad to say I am not. There are times when my feet seem to slip off the Rock into the deep cold water of criticism. However, I have given Jesus permission to reach down deep and drag my behind out of a place I freely jumped. Usually these "draggings" consist of a time of feeling soaked to the bone with conviction about my behavior. While I don't use "The Message" as a translation of the Bible I study with, I do love how it interprets Matthew 7:1-5

1 "Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults - unless, of course, you want the same treatment. 2 That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. 3 It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. 4 Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? 5 It's this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.

Let's agree that in the morning before our feet hit the floor that our hearts hit the cross. Remembering that Christ died because not a one of us are perfect. I love you all and am glad we are walking together through life.

Blessed to be His,

Kim!

Movement

The sound of air moving can bring both the feeling of paralyzing fear as well as inexpressible joy. If you think about it people who live in states where tornado's reign as the number one cause of unexpected deaths the sound of air rushing around them in a furious, uneasy pattern brings the fear of what is to come. Questions like, "Will I find shelter in time? How long will it last? Do I have enough provision to last me awhile? Who do I need to take with me down into the shelter?" And I am sure many more questions like this are asked at such a time of desperation. However, to one who stands over someone who has just been pulled from the icy waters of the ocean prays that they will hear the sound of rushing air. The sound of a wife, daughter, husband, child, suck in the ever expectant and yet so unexpected gasp to hang on to life. In both cases it is the movement of air, which brings an outcome. So this is my question this morning, while mostly to myself, I will present it for all of you. Is it the things around you that determine your existence or is it what you take in that will have the most effect? We too often stand out in the middle of a tornado with our voices raised asking the question, "Why God?" Many times we ignore the fact that He has given us a shelter to move into. If you and I stood watching the undeniable force of the turbulence a tornado brings wouldn't we do everything we could to make it to that shelter? Wouldn't we grab our children, loved ones, neighbors and anyone else on the street we found walking aimlessly and beg them to take shelter with us? We would! I know we would! Brothers and sisters there are tornados approaching. Take shelter! Better yet take someone with you, take everyone with you. Everyone who will listen. I can remember as a child falling off of the ledge of a muddy embankment into a very deep body of water. I went down, found the bottom with my feet, and pushed off to try and reach the surface again. A place where air resided. As I came to the surface my parents faces came into view. They looked panic and my dad was stripping off his clothes. It was an odd feeling to gasp air only to know that I would have to find the bottom again in order to push off in hopes that my face would break the surface of the water again. As I started to sink again I could hear my mother yelling...."OH NO...NO Dear God." It was then that I felt the warmth of my earthly father's body embrace my own. As he wrapped his arms around me I could feel the the pressure of water working against his might to pull me to the top. Before I knew it I was sitting on the embankment again with my parents and grandparents stripping off everything that had weighed me down. We had gone fishing and I thought I was big stuff because I wore a tackle sack around my waste. I am sure that the sack with the added weight of my shoes and clothing is what weighed me to the bottom. While I am sure there was no real danger (except in my childlike memory) it was an experience I will never forget. I cannot imagine the panic of a drowning experience both for the victim and their loved ones. That first breath must be the most precious sound. The first breath of renewed life. The sound of life rushing into their bodies. The sound of grace. You and I can experience the same thing when we will allow ourselves to hear the sound of grace as it floods the spirit of one who has just come to know Christ. My prayer for us all...."Lord let us ache for that sound. Let us become addicted to the sound of grace flooding souls around us in such a way that we are willing to risk it all just to hear it once more. Not for the sake of our gratification Lord, but with the realization that there is an even greater celebration in the heavens. A celebration which will strip away every weight. Oh how we love you LORD. Oh how we love you!"

Blessed to be His,

Kim T.