Jesus Coming Soon?

As a guest in a wonderful Christ-centered and love-filled home this week, I had a conversation that was as delicious as the grilled salmon. Rod has studied the issue and thinks that the Second Coming of Jesus may come in the next few years. Although none of us knows the date or hour, the idea that He may return in our lifetime is so exciting to me.

Rod, Elaine and I challenged each other with the question, "If you knew Jesus was coming in the next two years, how would you live your life differently?"

Wow. How do you answer that question?

We certainly would be less complacent, wouldn't we? My dinner companions and I decided to live each day to make a difference. It's easier said than done, but gives me a new sense of purpose. There are many people that need to hear about Jesus before He arrives!

Are you using your gifts?

"God never wastes anything. He would not give you abilities, interests, talents, gifts, personality and life experiences unless he intended to use them for his glory."
-- Rick Warren

Inadequacy

Do you ever feel inadequate? I sure do. Although I try to concentrate my life on the obvious gifts God gave me, I still have to get places (no sense of direction) and eat (can't cook). A sense of embarrassment keeps me from listing all the other things I can't do.

When I focus on the things I can do (talk, listen, encourage), it helps me focus and be more productive. That feeling of inadequacy though, reminds me to surrender and pray. For instance, someone asked me to do something recently that made me feel uncomfortable. It wasn't anything immoral, illegal or out of bounds, just not something in my experiencce that sounded like a fun way to spend time. What made me feel inadequate was that I didn't have the words to explain in a kind way why I didn't want to do this.

Fortunately, God has put friends (and a smart mom) in my life who talk me through situations like this and give me wise counsel. They then remind me that we don't have to be adequate... we only have to serve the One who is.

Independence

July 4th--This year, I look at the birth of our nation through a different lens. First, in the past year, I've watched the HBO series, "John Adams." You can buy it or rent it now, and I recommend it. Sometimes it's easier to learn history when you visualize it. Seeing our American story, you appreciate the sacrifices our founding parents made to create this great democracy.

Second, I am working with a man from Australia, who loves his country, but after 20 years here, decided to take his citizenship test. Seeing how hard he has studied and how proud he was to pass the test remind me of the gift I received by simply being born here.

Sure, our country has its challenges. But look at the amazing opportunities, the tremendous resources and the terrific people. We are blessed to be Christians first and Americans second. Let's celebrate the gift of democracy and the freedoms to speak, assemble and worship.

God bless America!

Renaissance

"We need a renaissance of wonder. We need to renew, in our hearts and in our souls, the deathless dream, the eternal poetry, the perennial sense that life is miracle and magic."
-- E. Merrill Root

We do need a renaissance, a renewal, a revival in our cities, our nation and our world. I'm thankful the experts are saying our economy is in recovery. Let's pray for spiritual awakening to provide hope to the depressed, help to the downtrodden and comfort to the hurting.

Persevere

There is a sense of exhilaration that comes from facing head-on the hard truths and saying, "We will never give up. We will never capitulate. It might take a long time, but we will find a way to prevail."

- Jim Collins, from his book, Good to Great

Happy Mother's Day

Moms are a special breed. Most hold down two or more jobs, including the one of managing a household, and they get little recognition for having the most important work in the universe: raising the next generation with faith, integrity, hope and manners.

I am blessed to have a nearly perfect mother and mother-in-law. My mother is such a good cook she probably thought I'd learn my way around a kitchen by osmosis. So it's a good thing my mother-in-law taught my husband to cook. He has banned me from the kitchen.

The mother I met this week whose only little boy was shot to death by her then-husband had tears in her eyes when she admitted Mother's Day is hard for her. My heart breaks for her.

I must look like a mother, because every year, people start wishing me Happy Mother's Day around the first of May. Some of us are mothers of canines and some of us are mothers without children, but we all had a mother. That's why I can rationalize that we all celebrate tomorrow. We can celebrate the blessing that God created: someone who loves us almost as He does, without conditions and without reservation.