Some Days Are Like That

So today is Sunday. I knew it was going to be a busy day because our pianist is out of town and I’m filling in for her. Then directly after our two services we’re having a rehearsal in preparation for our Easter service in two weeks. Again, I will be filling in for our pianist. Then I woke up late but still in enough time to get ready. My daughter-in-law then informs me that someone got sick in the main bathroom and it’s all over the walls, floor, … etc. I’ll spare you the details. I decide to clean that up before getting ready, only now I have even less time. Then I remember that I also need to post, it’s my turn.

Argh … I have a couple of decisions to make: Gripe & Complain? Praise & Worship? Run away? There are always options available to me … some days it’s not as clear which ones I will choose to choose. I encourage you … and me, today to choose life! Choose worship! Choose God! No matter what your day is like choose God’s ways … and while you’re at it “let’s consider how to encourage each other” to do the same.

They Go To Church


Melissa came to Juneau to have her baby delivered. There is no one to deliver babies in her village in Alaska. She brought her boys, ages five and seven.

After they were settled in with the family where they are staying to wait on the baby. Melissa told the boys they would go to church with this family on Sunday. Five year old Jimmy's eyes got really big and he said in awe, "They go to church in Juneau?!" He was delighted and excited that even here in Juneau he could go to church.

Don't you just love a child's simple delight?

David said in Psalms 122:1, I was glad when they said unto me, "Let us go into the house of the Lord." and in verse 4: That is where the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, to praise the name of the Lord.

Have you had the experience of encountering a fellow believer in a strange place? Do you know that feeling of comraderie; that feeling of shared hope and the communion of love and grace that comes with the fellowship of the saints?

I remember being delighted when we met a fellow believer in a shop in Panama when we were on a cruise. An unexpected encounter like that can fill your heart to overflowing.

Paul writes to Philemon, To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker, to Apphia, our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the church that meets in your home:

Grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. Philemon 1-5

Making God Famous!

Mikala strolled casually into class dropping Tai’s wallet into his lap on her way to her place on the risers. “Thank you. I did not know it was missing.” His happy smile immediately changing to concerned fear as he checked the contents … no money, no house-key. He looked around in consternation, not sure what to do next. Mikala and everyone else in the class had their eyes on him and deep concern filled the room as everyone became aware of his predicament at the same time.

Mikala and Tai went to the office hunting the lost & found and trying to see what else could be done. Just after they left we decided to pray for them. Specifically, we asked God to help them find the money, and in case someone had stolen the money we asked that the person would be unable to stand it, that they would be so convicted that they could not even stand to have the money in their hands and they would just have to confess and turn the money in.

Turns out Tai’s money was supposed to buy a calculator for his cousin. Tai rides the bus to and from school and his house key obviously lets him actually get into his house, his uncle’s house. Tai is here on a school visa, the rest of his family live in Vietnam. He’s a senior at our private Christian school. I had found out recently that his cousin was attending a public high school here in town on a similar visa. Both boys feel that Tai really lucked out at the Christian school because of the treatment that he receives there. The other boy has had a hard time at the public school. Neither of them know anything about Christianity. Their family in Vietnam goes to the temple but they are not religious. Three days ago someone gave Tai his first Bible and it’s in Vietnamese. He was so excited to get it.

Because it was such a beautiful spring day and because we’d already run through our songs we went outside for the rest of the period.

“Tai someone turned in this key at the office. Is it yours?” asked the high school secretary.

“Oh yes, thank you!” Grateful, Tai accepted the key. Mikala started talking to the other students about collecting money to replace the $64 that had been stolen. Everyone was willing and interested in participating.

A few minutes later the secretary returned. The whole choir erupted in hoots and hollers. A lot of rejoicing and backslapping and congratulating went on till the bell rang. Apparently, the same middle school boy that had turned in the key was sitting in class and just began to cry. He came up to the teacher and confessed what he’d done and gave her the money.

Now here’s what’s so cool. Tai knew something about our God because he’s been sitting in chapel and Bible class for over six months. However, there’s been a bit of a language barrier so it’s not been something real and related to him. Then God decides to use these high school students to make His name famous! He sets up a situation that requires prayer, they pray, and then He comes through in a very personal way for a young man who’s already seeing the difference between Christians and non-Christians.

God You Rock! Thank You for giving me an opportunity to participate in making You famous to Tai!

I'm Going To Your House Today
by Barbara Chadwick


Zaccheus wanted to see Jesus but he was too short to see over the crowd so he climbed a sycamore fig tree. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zaccheus, come down immediately. I must go to your house today." So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. Luke 19:5-6

Zaccheus was a wee little man and a wee little man was he
He climbed up into a sycamore tree for the Lord he wanted to see
And as the Savior passed that way he looked up in the tree
And said, "Zaccheus, you come down, for I'm going to your house today
I'm going to your house today."

Remember that Sunday School song? We sang it with hand motions and all the enthusiasm of children.

I wonder what Zaccheus fed Jesus that day?

I was talking to someone recently about a recipe and she said, "You made that dish one time when we went to your house. We had such a good time that day!" It got me to thinking about friends coming to our house. Is there anything sweeter than the fellowship of friends in your home, sharing a meal and sharing life stories?

When we were in seminary we got a telephone call. Some friends said, "We're in the area and decided to come by your house this evening." I put the phone down. The joy and excitement I had felt at hearing my friend's voice turned to despair as I thought, "Oh, my goodness, whatever will I feed them?" It was the end of the month and there was hardly any food left in the pantry. I was close to tears.

I had to run to finish my laundry at the wash house. My friend came in and asked why I was in such a hurry. So I told her about my dilemma. As we left with our arms full of folded clothes she said, "Come with me." At her house she started taking things out of her freezer and her pantry. As she worked she talked. You can make this and this and add this. She had it in bags before I could put two words together. She handed it to me and said, "Don't you worry about paying this back." I was speechless.

Our company came. We had a marvelous dinner and wonderful fellowship. I felt overcome with blessings.

I wonder what kind of emotions I would have if Jesus were to call and say, "I'm coming to your house today!" Joy, excitement, nervousness, ... I'm sure that, (being the Martha person that I am,) I would start to sweep and mop and straighten and polish. But I'm equally sure that Jesus would not care about the house. He would look into my eyes and my heart and just want to fellowship with me. I think He would want to talk about how much He loves me. Maybe He would notice that I've grown in some areas in my life, like studying His word and my prayer life.

Then, Oh my goodness, despair at the thought that He might want to talk about some areas of my life that need so much work! I can't seem to get some of those places cleaned up.

I could never do enough cleaning and preparation for Jesus to come. But, you know what? I don't have to. He wants me to give my heart to Him. Just hold it out to Him. He'll straighten and polish it. He'll make it white as snow. (Isaiah 1:18)

Welcome Jesus gladly. Zaccheus did. I did.

The Clock Is Not Workin' !

Daniel 3

¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. ¹⁷ If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. ¹⁸ But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."

I have to say that I love movies where the hero stands up to the bad guy and wins! … Not only does he win, he wins big! In REAL life … the part the movies don’t show you … there is LOTS of training that happens before you can win … at anything. For example you don’t get to be an Olympic quality competitor until you’ve put in a TON of hours practicing and persevering … often with brutal set-backs.

In our SPIRITUAL lives, as well as our mental and physical lives, the same thing is true. And God loves us SO much that He created a way for us to succeed, to win, to conquer. He says … ²Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-3

Gotta say that most of the time I don’t consider it pure joy or anything like joy, but rather I beg to be delivered from it … trials that is. My granddaughter’s response recently more accurately describes my feelings regarding living through waiting or painful times. In the words of my daughter-in-law …

She had been disobedient and so I took away her new little doggie that her G-ma Jo had sent her for Valentine’s Day. I told her she could have it back at 11:15 and showed her where the hands of the clock would be at that time (in about 10 minutes) and about every minute for four minutes she asked me “Is it time yet?” and I would show her where the hands of the clock were and say no. At the end of the four minutes she looked at the clock and screwed up her angelic face and said, “Momma the clock is not workin’!” (disclaimer: time changed to match the picture ... hehe)

In her Bible study on Daniel, Beth Moore says there are three ways we can be saved in times of fiery trials:

1. We can be delivered from the fire and our faith will be built.

2. We can be delivered through the fire and our faith will be refined.

3. We can be delivered by the fire and our faith will be perfected.

Let us resolve together to persevere in our trials “so that when we have done the will of God, we will receive what he has promised.” Hebrews 10:36

Excuses
by Barbara Chadwick


I put a small cardboard heart on the table and taped a regular sized piece of white paper to the table. I said to Levi, "Put your hand here. Can you feel the heart underneath?" He nodded. "O.K. Choose a red crayon and rub it over this area then you will see the outline of the heart!" He said, "I can't do this. I'm just four, you know." Well, he finally did it and was proud of his work.

I wonder if our excuses sound as funny to God as Levi's excuse sounded to me.

"I don't have an education." "I'm too old or too young." "That's not my gift." "I have too many responsibilities." We have all used excuses of one kind or another.

Cecilia Sullins (wife to, Cloyd, a former Executive Director of Alaska Baptist Convention) was a great example to me. Many times I heard her reply to a request, "Yes, I'll be glad to do it." Often times I knew that it was something she did not want to do. But she had a servant's heart and she was faithful to the Lord.

The answer God is most pleased with is, "Yes, Lord. I'll be glad to do it!"

Matthew 25:14-28 tells the parable of the talents. Two servants had been given five and two talents respectively, they had put the money to good use and earned a profit. The Master was pleased with them and said, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of mnanyh things. Come and share your master's happiness."

An Icky No Good Day!

Ever had one of those icky, no-good days? Weeks? Months? Years? When it seems like everyone else is getting what they need, want, etc, but you are left out of all of the good stuff? My grandson had one of those days tonight.

Brenden was not happy and for about one hour he cried out complaining of his situation, his feelings, his perception of the lack of care he was receiving. He’s just 5 ½ months old and it was nearing his bedtime, his fussy time. Nevertheless, every adult in the house was very aware of his needs. His daddy was holding him, rocking him, talking to him, explaining how much better he would feel once he gave in and went to sleep. Even though I’m sure it seemed to Brenden as though no one was listening. His earthly father and his heavenly Father were very aware of what was going on and they were and are both very ready and able to take care of his needs.

In a day and age where everyone said things like, “It doesn’t matter what I do or what other people do, the wicked are blessed and God doesn’t care.” There were a few who encouraged one another. “Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of rememberances was written in His presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored His name.” Malachi 3:16. Truly we are blessed when we fear the Lord, because He remembers us. He literally ‘takes note’ of our attitudes and actions.

I hope that you will be blessed today to know that … “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their cry.” Psalm 34:15.