The High Price of Independence

Maybe it is just me, but I get a tear in my eye when I sing the Star Spangled Banner. I stand just a little taller when I say the Pledge of Allegiance. I count myself fortunate to live in these United States of America. Even with all of her faults, I still believe She is the best country in the world.

I think sometimes we fail to realize how very fortunate we are as Americans. I know we neglect, even as we grill our hamburgers and enjoy our day off, to remember the immeasurable cost of this freedom we enjoy. Men and women gave their lives to free us, and men and women freely give their lives even today to maintain that independence.

So, on this Independence Day as I listen to the fireworks that celebrate our freedom, I would like to remember the brave men and women who have fought and died for me and for my family. I want to thank the members of our Armed Services who protect those freedoms at great cost to themselves and their loved ones. I want the mothers and fathers, the husbands and wives, the brothers and sisters, and the children of all those servicemen and women to know that we, your country, thank you for the sacrifices that you make for us. I appreciate you and all that you do. America would not be America were it not for men and women just like you.

On this day of freedom I pray that someday we will all enjoy the ultimate freedom offered to us through Christ Jesus as we celebrate our independence from the bondage of the enemy of our souls and worship together at the foot of our Father!

Happy Independence Day!

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Stubbornness . . . Or Is It Determination?

I have been accused of being a lot of things in my life. Believe it or not, when I was a naive 19 year-old trying to figure out how I was going to make it to Bible school, I was accused of sleeping with the pastor's son who was married and like 43 at the time - ew!! Of all the accusations that have been leveed against me in my lifetime, there is one that I cannot refute. I am stubborn.

I'll give you a "for instance." Since we are trying to be more frugal these days and one of the few things that we can control in the way of our expenditures is gas, we have invested in 2 bike trailers - one for our daughter and one for whatever else we may need to take with us. Now, the first thing you need to know is that we live right off a four lane highway, and in order to get anywhere you have to get on that highway. That being said, I have endured quite a bit of scrutiny over this little venture.

I have had people tell me that I am foolish for taking my daughter out in this trailer on that highway (we stick to the wide shoulder, mind you). We have been the recipients of more than a few dubious looks from those we've told. I would venture to say that most have doubted our ability to actually stick to this little plan of ours.

Well, if you want me to prove to you that I can do something, just express your disbelief in me. It gets my Irish-German blood boiling to think that people do not trust my judgment. One of the many valuable lessons I learned from my dad was how to think through all of the aspects of a situation before developing a resolution. Therefore, we did not enter into this plan lightly. In addition, to imply that I think so little of my child's safety as to put her in harm's way is ludicrous. After all, I am not one of those people who dangle babies out of windows or drive with them on my lap.

So, I am happy to say that we have taken two trips in our new mode of transportation - the most recent was today. Our first jaunt was a mere 11 miles round trip. Today's little adventure wound up being somewhere in the neighborhood of 15-16 miles round trip. It is not easy, but it is satisfying to prove my detractors wrong.

What does all this have to do with Father? I'm glad you asked. Sometimes Father asks us to make choices that to our human eyes seem nonsensical. In fact, there are times when we will make those tough decisions and still doubt ourselves in the midst of the journey. I can tell you that last mile today was one of those doubting times for me.

Instead of throwing in the towel and proving your critics right, endure to the end. Be stubborn, or as I like to refer to it - be determined! When you stand at the finish line of this particular race, you will not regret it.

I love the way that the writer of Hebrews puts it in Hebrews 12:1-3

¹Therfore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ²looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. ³Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

Next time you find yourself defending a decision made after hearing the voice of God, take a lesson from Hebrews. Just run with endurance the race that Father set before you. Let Him deal with those who would scoff at your trust in Him. You will find that Father will not only change you but some of your critics in the process!

PS - Before I go, I want to remind you about the Reader's Choice. It is your opportunity to choose some of the topics we discuss here. I look forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas!

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Reader's Choice

I got a crazy idea this afternoon, and I thought I would share it with you. After all, I am pretty much queen of the crazy ideas lately. I wondered what would happen if I asked you, my readers, to tell me what you want to talk about.

Sometimes it's really easy for us to get bottled up in our own world and forget that other people are out there thinking deep thoughts too. I would like to discuss some of the things you are pondering. So, with that said, let's proceed.

I would like you to submit your topic ideas via the comments section of this post. You can either submit your own idea or second the idea that someone else has submitted. Then, I will blog some of your suggestions.

Now for the fine print . . .

1. Before you submit, please remember the title of this blog. We are "Sounding the Depths of God." I will not discuss off-topic suggestions - like "Hey, did you see that picture of Lindsay Lohan drinking a margarita?"

2. Please keep your suggestions/comments G-rated. I do monitor these, so if you use profanity or lascivious language, you won't see your suggestion listed. Sorry, but this is a family friendly site.

3. Have fun! Your suggestions do not necessarily have to be serious in nature. Everyone needs a little fun in his life.

So, let the suggestions begin. I'm psyched to see what you can come up with!

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Robbing Peter to Pay Paul

I seriously considered writing a post today, but I wasn't feeling very inspired. I think I just have too many thoughts running around in my head today, and it would take an inordinate amount of effort to capture and tame one of them into a post. So, what is this then, you're asking? I am going to point you in the direction of a few posts that I read today and enjoyed.

The first is on hope, and it just so happens that my husband wrote it. I almost always enjoy his writing (with the exception of a post with a zombie theme), but this post was particularly wonderful, and I expect that you will enjoy it too.

The second is of a political nature, which is not usually my vein but I just love what LaShawn has to say about Barack Obama. I am not a political blogger, but it does burn me up to watch Americans being led like lambs to the slaughter. I mean, seriously, the amount of experience BO has wouldn't qualify him to be hired as a mid-level manager in a privately owned company, but we're supposed to turn over the reins of our country to him. Wake up, people.

On a lighter note, my friend Laura over at Pursuing Holiness wrote a very humorous post this morning entitled "Lessons from mowing my lawn." Click over and have a chuckle.

In any case, I hope you will enjoy these posts as much as I did. Blessings!

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The Disappointment Death Knell

I had an experience recently that really left me befuddled. I had to disappoint a friend. I had a very good reason to do it - Papa would not let me pursue the endeavor in which my friend had asked my assistance. I know it seemed nonsensical to her because the ministry opportunity seemed like a perfect fit for me. However, I prayed about the project for 3 weeks, and Father would not give me permission.

How do you go about explaining to someone that yes, you feel called to lead worship, and yes, this seems like a tremendously perfect opportunity, but no, Father will not let you do it? It seems ridiculous, and when I heard myself trying to explain it, I'm sure I sounded insane.

Part of me just wanted to lead worship to avoid disappointing a friend, but the bigger part of me wants to be obedient and not walk the long way around that mountain again. I had previously turned down a paid opportunity to lead worship for the same reason - Papa said no. This one was harder though. This affected someone I care about on a very personal level.

The complicating factor in this situation is that my friendship with this person is relatively new. She is not necessarily privy to all of my past forays into bungling up God's will. I am praying that Papa will give her understanding, and I am also hoping to have an opportunity to share a little of my history to provide some context for my decision.

I suppose it all comes down to the fact that early in my ministry I was taught that if you do not hear a "no" from Papa, it must be alright to pursue that area of ministry. However, since then, I have walked enough miles on this journey to have learned that if I do not hear a "yes" then it means "no" until further notice. It means I cannot be a lazy listener any more and get the answers that fit my agenda. I have to listen attentively and intently so I can tune in to what He wants whether it meets my requirements or not.

Ultimately, I realize that I would have been robbing myself by saying yes to this ministry, but more importantly, I would have stolen the blessing from the person who is meant to undertake this responsibility and the people to whom he/she will be ministering. I also know that Papa is taking me through a difficult time of dying to my expectations and desires so I can more fully embrace His. And, no matter how much I care about someone, my Father has the final word on every subject.

This was His final word to me on this subject, and I will share it with you. Ephesians 5:15-17 says this:

¹⁵Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

I know that Papa had me say no for a reason, and neither my friend nor I may understand completely at this point. However, I will continue to be obedient because that is being wise instead of unwise. I will try not to be foolish, and I will seek to know Papa's will for me in any given circumstance because that is how I can make best use of my time. And I know that when Father allows me to step out, that adventure will more than make up for any that I feel I have missed.

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Count Your Blessings . . . Even If You Didn't Choose Them

I am sitting at my computer right now - thankful for the air conditioning that is cooling this room. You see, yesterday it quit working, and we were left in the smoldering heat of the Southeast Texas summer, complete with humidity and not a fan in sight.

If I had been God yesterday, I would have waved my finger at that A/C unit and utilized my omniscient and omnipotent powers to correct whatever went wrong. Unfortunately, my godlike abilities extend no farther than cleaning a mean bathroom and making some fairly amazing pies. Instead of my problem being solved immediately, I had to call in reinforcements - namely, my dad.

As usual, he dropped what he was doing and rushed over to rescue his daughter and son-in-law who have about as much knowledge in the field of air conditioning as they do about neuroscience, which is to say, absolutely none! Dad proceeded to check things out and pronounce our A/C sick. We had to call in the professionals. Meanwhile, we spent the night with my mom and dad. Yes, they took us all in - my daughter, my husband, myself, and even our dog, Sarah.

Needless to say, our favorite Heating & A/C guy, Tommy Barfield with Precision Air, rushed to our rescue this morning and fixed the problem for a more than fair price. Really, I have to say that Mr. Barfield is amazing, so if you live in Baytown and have A/C problems, he's your man! No, I'm not getting endorsement deals from him, but I think it is only fitting that someone who performs a service well and for a reasonable price deserves to have his name mentioned. And thanks to him we are now sitting in a wonderfully, comfortably cool house.

I said all of that to say that had it been up to me (you know, if I were God), I would have skipped over the middle man and fixed the problem myself. He could have done that, you know. He could have just "healed" our A/C, but that is not how He chose to do it. However, through this inconvenience we were reminded of some of our other blessings.

First, I have amazing parents who did not voice one complaint as we practically moved in to their house yesterday. If you have a kid, you know what I am talking about. We had to be sure we had everything down to extra sheets in case she had an accident and her bath toys because Avari has never bathed anywhere but our house. We tramped in and took over the place for 24 hours with no prior notice. Talk about loving, understanding parents.

Second, we found out that Avari did not have as much of a problem staying away from home as we had expected. Granted, her MiMi and Pop have a room all set up for her complete with a bed almost exactly like hers at home. Nevertheless, the first night away from home can be challenging, especially if you have one like mine who is a stickler for routine and familiarity.

Third, we were reminded that there are still honest, courteous people out there in the world. Sometimes I wonder, because when we are at their mercy, it is easy for them to take advantage of us since we haven't got a clue whether they are being truthful and forthright.

Last, but not least, I was reminded that Papa always knows best how to handle these things. I would have saved some money doing it my way, but I would have lost a lot of perspective. In the end, the lesson is worth the cost, especially since Papa owns the cattle on a thousand hills. And ultimately, He's going to take care of the bill anyway.

Next time you find yourself in less than desirable circumstances, remember that there just may be a lesson to be learned there, and count your blessings even if they are not the ones you would have chosen for yourself!

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Prepare To Be Assimilated

First of all, allow me to mention that my husband has exposed me to inordinately large quantities of Star Trek of late. Thus, the title of this post. However, I am not talking about the Borg, here. I do want to broach the subject of being assimilated into religious Christianity. What does that mean? Well, let's explore it together.

Imagine with me, if you will, that you are a newly born Jesus-lover. You are full of vim and vinegar, ready to take on the world. You are eager to share your new faith with everyone you know. You express your excitement to a fellow believer who has been on this journey quite some time. He smiles knowingly, pats you on the back and thinks to himself, "He'll simmer down a little before long."

You start attending weekly meetings with the local congregation. You express a desire to "witness" to friends but are told that you really need to be "taught" the correct way to go about sharing your faith. So, you join a "new converts" class and the assimilation begins. Your joy is effervescent but seemingly lost on the more experienced believers. Bit by bit you begin to take on their views and are taught the "rules" of being a Jesus-lover. Before long, you look back at the joyful new believer you once were and wonder where all that excitement went. Instead of recapturing it, you succumb to the assimilation and are convinced that "Resistance is Futile."

OK, maybe that sounds a little harsh or extreme. Perhaps your experience was not quite so earth-shattering. And, I know, enough with the Star Trek vernacular. However, I imagine that some part of my little scenario rings true to you. It does to me.

Let me begin my story by saying that I became a Jesus-lover at a very young age. At the age of 5 I began to take seriously my responsibility in the Great Commission. So, I began telling my friends about Jesus. In fact, the first soul I led to the Lord was in the back of a van on the way to a birthday party. I was so excited that I quickly told one of the adults, "I got [so-and-so] saved." Now, I in no way thought I was responsible for the salvation that took place; however, my inability to express the event in the correct terminology was quickly pointed out to me. As a result, my fervor was quashed. It took me a long time to recover from that.

My point is this, whether you are the experienced saint or the newly won sinner, don't lose your passion for Father. I believe in constructive instruction for new believers, but I also know that Papa takes care of the remodeling once the house is sold, if you catch my meaning. Our job is to build relationship with others and try to assist in bringing both parties to the table, but the contract is between God and His child. Too often, those of us who have been assimilated into the religious vein of Christianity lose sight of the wide-eyed innocence of faith in our Father.

Matthew 18:1-4 explains it thus:

¹At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" ² And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them ³ and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

That pretty much says it right there. We need to be humble - not puffed up with pride at our theological knowledge or our expansive understanding of doctrine, which if I might point out, we probably have much less wisdom than we like to think. If we are humble as children, Papa will do as He did for David and "restore to [us] the joy of [His] salvation" (Psalm 51:12). What a relief! We can be joyful again, whew!

It all boils down to this: Do not, under any circumstance, allow a seasoned saint or anyone else to rob you of the joy of His salvation. To go back to my original analogy - you can now disconnect yourself from the collective mentality and begin exploring this tremendous Father-centered relationship with the freedom and wonder of a child. Have I mentioned the copious amounts of Star Trek?

Live long and prosper - and be prepared to beam up!

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