"By the grace of God I am what I am, and (God's) grace to me was not without effect." (1 Corinthians 15:10)
Early in my ministry career I was a college chaplain and often spoke at youth retreats. On one such occasion I was traveling from Chicago to Seattle with two college students who were to provide music. We were on United Airlines which at that time scheduled flight attendants to work together for an entire month. Somewhere over South Dakota the crew announced that because this was the last day of their working together, they were going to celebrate by holding a talent contest for passengers. The winner would receive a bottle of champagne.
Bob, one of my musician companions, immediately pulled his guitar down from the overhead luggage bin and went to the front of the plane with a handful of other hopefuls. I knew the others had no chance - none - against this extraordinarily talented young man with a flair for performance.
The passengers on our DC-10 were treated to a series of lame jokes and old songs crooned badly - and then Bob. He sang a peppy song he had written using invented words that was a hit at every youth retreat. He engaged his audience at 35,000 feet and soon had them singing his nonsense syllables with gusto. Returning to his seat at the rear of the plane to loud applause, grinning from east to west, Bob proudly displayed his bottle of champagne. "What else could I do?" he said. "I am what I am - an entertainer!"
It's a great mercy to be able to accept the circumstances and opportunities - and limitations - which make up my life in this moment. To receive and work within them, not lamenting that they are not stronger.or other.than they are right now - this is the meaning of living by grace. I am what I am. Greater still is the mercy of hope, the ability to embrace my sample of life while looking forward to what's next. It's not enough to say, "I'm stuck here; I can do no other." Grace is dynamic. Full of hope, I accept with gratitude the circumstances of today, but I live with the promise of tomorrow. I'm becoming what I ought to be.
A young man whose body and speech were severely affected by cerebral palsy spoke at a meeting I attended. "What you see is a handicapped person," he said. "I am what I am. But in here," he continued, pointing to his head, "I'm All-Star second baseman, turning double plays and headed to the Hall of Fame." I was moved. Grace is not without effect.
Mike Halleen
You can contact Mike at mhalleen@att.net to be added to his weekly devotional email list, "Monday Moments."
Monday, 27 July 2009
Wednesday, 22 July 2009
SHE WILL ALWAYS BE THE ONE
One day last week I woke up in a lousy mood. Why? We were out of coffee. I was late paying a MasterCard bill. My favorite clock had just stopped working.
I didn't even think of saying, "Good morning," to my husband Bob. After all, we've been waking up together for 31 years. As usual, we both got out of bed and headed right to our desks.
I checked e-mail and replied to people who were complaining about rainy days as if we were all living through a catastrophic disaster.
One more e-mail remained. It was from a fellow named John. And it turned out to be a breath-stopping shock.
The first time John wrote to me was about a year ago. He was responding to a column I had written about relationship troubles that Bob and I had overcome:
"Hello Saralee,
My wife Donna pointed out an article by you she found moving. It brought her to tears. I'm a grown man who can be very emotional. I was pleasantly surprised that there was a happy ending and everything was fine. Few couples these days enjoy the closeness that you have with your spouse. I am proud to say that I have been with my beloved for 26 years and she's still the one."
When I saw his name on this current e-mail, I was hoping to read more about his loving marriage. He wrote:
"Two days ago my wife fell down a flight of stairs. I lost the only girl I will ever love. She was only 54 and in perfect health."
I stared at his words as my life was overhauled in less than one minute. Thank God.
I could hear Bob in his study. He was in a bad mood because he kept getting cut off during a phone call to our veterinarian. I asked him to come in and read John's e-mail.
As he was reading, his demeanor changed. In slow motion, he went from appearing uptight and annoyed to sadly calm. With a deep sigh he said, "Thank you for having me read this."
I cried as I re-read the rest of John's note: "She was an organ donor and I am told that because of her good health she can help as many as 50 people. It has been nice talking to you about the love with our spouses."
I responded, "Your e-mail made me think about so many stupid things I get upset about. You gave me a huge wake-up call as to what matters in life and what doesn't." When I asked for his permission to write about this lesson, he kindly agreed and said, "I'm sure Donna would be honored."
I am the one honored to be writing about Donna's many legacies. She selflessly has changed the lives of 50 people by giving precious gifts from her body. Through the words of her adoring husband, she leaves behind and continues to teach the profound yet often overlooked lesson: Love is what is most important. I am also hoping she will help many realize, the way I did,
that most everything is small potatoes compared to love, life and death.
And so this morning, it didn't faze me that I was out of computer paper when a deadline was imminent or that we, along with many others, are so hurting for money that we're on food stamps.
In silence, I said, "Thank you, John, for being so open with me about your tender love affair. Thank you for showing me that living in the moment is the path to joy, because all future moments are truly unpredictable. Thank you, Donna, for showing me that giving, in its most gracious and noble form, is done without expecting anything in return. Eternally, you will always be 'the one' - for John - for 50 peoples' lives you will now be an extraordinary part of . . . and for me."
And then I said, "Good morning," to Bob.
By Saralee Perel
Saralee Perel welcomes e-mails at sperel@saraleeperel.com or via her website: www.saraleeperel.com.
Freedom!
Galatians 5:1 "It is for freedom that Christ has set you free, therefore do not be entangled again by the yoke of slavery."
It is for freedom that Christ set you free. That is an interesting comment...freedom so I could be free. Free so I can be free. Why would Christ say something like this?
How many of us are still trapped by religion? How many of us are Christians yet are still bound up by a whole bunch of rules. How many of us live our lives like prisoners? How many of us are entangled by the yoke of slavery?
Christ came to set us free but He also came to give us freedom. The cross is "free". The battle was won at the cross. If you accept Christ as your savior, you are forgiven and you are free. But He came to give us freedom -- "it is for freedom that Christ has set you free.." It is for freedom (the goal) that Christ has set you free (the act). The goal is freedom - that is the resurrection. The power in what Christ did wasn't so much in dying on the cross. The power came in the resurrection.
Too often, the church focuses on the "free" part and ignores the freedom. He came to give us freedom. He came to give us freedom from the chains and yoke of slavery that tie us down. Unfortunately, we live within fences of "religion" that tell us what we can/can't do and a bunch of rules. We don't live passionately or dangerously because we fear what others will think of us. We are free - we'll go to heaven - but we don't enjoy the freedom Christ came to give us.
Brad Evangelista pictured this with a great story. When he was a young kid, he had a paper route. Everyday, he'd mount his Schwin and head off to deliver papers. A block away from his house lived a huge dog that was half wolf, half bear. The dog was huge and the dog hated Brad. Everyday, the dog would see him coming and everyday, he'd sit up on his porch and start barking as Brad approached. As Brad got closer, the dog would explode off the porch and tear towards Brad with blood dripping from his mouth. Right as Brad got to the house the dog would be in full sprint ready to take Brad apart running as fast as his four paws would deliver him toward his lunch. As Brad got to the dog, he'd pull out a paper. Right as the dog was about to eat Brad, he'd screech to halt at the fence that separated him from his meal. As Brad rolled by, he'd take his paper and drag it against the fence all the way down to the corner. This aggravated his adversary and gave Brad a daily victory against the beast.
One day Brad came rolling by and the daily ritual played itself out again -- this time with a shocking turn. As Brad approached, the beast leapt from the porch and charged him. Brad pulled his paper out to aggravate the dog and grinned in anticipation. Right as he approached the fence, his discovered in terror that the fence that separated him from the dog was gone! There was nothing to stop the dog from eating him for lunch. The dog approached faster than ever and Brad knew he was dead meat. He stood up on the seat of the bike and was prepared to kick the dog and swat him with the paper. But right as the dog was about to leave the yard and knock Brad off the bike...he slammed to a stop right where the fence used to be. The dog didn't know the fence was gone and out of habit, he stopped short.
The dog had freedom but he didn't know it. He remained trapped in the prison of his own making. In his mind, he was forever tied to that yard. Someone came along and removed the barrier that entrapped him but he didn't know freedom was his for the taking (or that Brad was his lunch for the taking!).
It is a great picture for us. Christ has taken down the fences that trap us in the ordinary life. He came that we might have life and have it abundantly. Seize the day!
It is for freedom that Christ set you free. That is an interesting comment...freedom so I could be free. Free so I can be free. Why would Christ say something like this?
How many of us are still trapped by religion? How many of us are Christians yet are still bound up by a whole bunch of rules. How many of us live our lives like prisoners? How many of us are entangled by the yoke of slavery?
Christ came to set us free but He also came to give us freedom. The cross is "free". The battle was won at the cross. If you accept Christ as your savior, you are forgiven and you are free. But He came to give us freedom -- "it is for freedom that Christ has set you free.." It is for freedom (the goal) that Christ has set you free (the act). The goal is freedom - that is the resurrection. The power in what Christ did wasn't so much in dying on the cross. The power came in the resurrection.
Too often, the church focuses on the "free" part and ignores the freedom. He came to give us freedom. He came to give us freedom from the chains and yoke of slavery that tie us down. Unfortunately, we live within fences of "religion" that tell us what we can/can't do and a bunch of rules. We don't live passionately or dangerously because we fear what others will think of us. We are free - we'll go to heaven - but we don't enjoy the freedom Christ came to give us.
Brad Evangelista pictured this with a great story. When he was a young kid, he had a paper route. Everyday, he'd mount his Schwin and head off to deliver papers. A block away from his house lived a huge dog that was half wolf, half bear. The dog was huge and the dog hated Brad. Everyday, the dog would see him coming and everyday, he'd sit up on his porch and start barking as Brad approached. As Brad got closer, the dog would explode off the porch and tear towards Brad with blood dripping from his mouth. Right as Brad got to the house the dog would be in full sprint ready to take Brad apart running as fast as his four paws would deliver him toward his lunch. As Brad got to the dog, he'd pull out a paper. Right as the dog was about to eat Brad, he'd screech to halt at the fence that separated him from his meal. As Brad rolled by, he'd take his paper and drag it against the fence all the way down to the corner. This aggravated his adversary and gave Brad a daily victory against the beast.
One day Brad came rolling by and the daily ritual played itself out again -- this time with a shocking turn. As Brad approached, the beast leapt from the porch and charged him. Brad pulled his paper out to aggravate the dog and grinned in anticipation. Right as he approached the fence, his discovered in terror that the fence that separated him from the dog was gone! There was nothing to stop the dog from eating him for lunch. The dog approached faster than ever and Brad knew he was dead meat. He stood up on the seat of the bike and was prepared to kick the dog and swat him with the paper. But right as the dog was about to leave the yard and knock Brad off the bike...he slammed to a stop right where the fence used to be. The dog didn't know the fence was gone and out of habit, he stopped short.
The dog had freedom but he didn't know it. He remained trapped in the prison of his own making. In his mind, he was forever tied to that yard. Someone came along and removed the barrier that entrapped him but he didn't know freedom was his for the taking (or that Brad was his lunch for the taking!).
It is a great picture for us. Christ has taken down the fences that trap us in the ordinary life. He came that we might have life and have it abundantly. Seize the day!
Adrian Warnock www.adrianwarnock.com
Why Do Bad Things Happen?
Why do bad things happen to good people? Why does a loving God allow death, sickness and other hard things to happen to His people? I have pondered those questions many times and although I am not eloquent in speech or an astute Bible student I have settled those questions in my own mind.
The year 1998 is a year that I will never forget! In January my dear Mother lost her fight with cancer. It was her desire that she die at home and my husband and I honored that request. She breathed her last one afternoon with us at her side. She had been sick for about 2 years and in a way it was a relief to us because she had suffered so long and now she was at rest. But - knowing she was no longer suffering and that she was in a better place didn't soften our sorrow and as we picked up the pieces of our lives we often mentioned to each other how much we missed her.
Then came the very worst day of my life. It was in early December, 1998, in Ocean Springs, MS. I was awakened in the night by the sound of my beloved husband's heart attack. He was lying on the floor at the foot of our bed - breathing his last! This was a man who was - seemingly - in the bloom of health. He was involved in fulfilling a dream - his dream of running across the United States - something he had dreamed about for several years, and there he was lying dead on the floor of our motor home.
Even beginning to explain all the things that went through my mind that early morning --- I don't have the words to describe, even now over 10 years later. My life, my other self, the love of my life lay dead at my feet. God where are you? The blur of the funeral, decisions, where to live, what to do?
God in his mercy helped me through those awful times. My son and daughter came immediately to assist with decisions that had to be made. I was numb. I couldn't think or make good decisions. I am thankful for my family and good friends who helped me through those dark times.
Sadly, I couldn't see any good in my losses. I couldn't see that God in his mercy let my mother go to sleep so she wouldn't suffer anymore. I still don't know why He let my beloved and loving husband die at age 67 but I AM thankful that he didn't live to be an invalid.
Still I struggled, I allowed myself to drift from God - not far - but too far. I muttered things like "why me?". I didn't get an answer, at least not right away.
Fast forward to Christmas 2000. I had moved to Canada by this time to be near my daughter. I had been experiencing severe pain in my right hip and was using a cane to get around. Then one morning I heard a C-R-U-N-C-H and I knew, I just KNEW my hip had broken. 5 years went by in which I endured 10 surgeries on hip and thigh. Surgery #5 resulted in a severe Staph infection in my right thigh and the certainty of losing my leg loomed before me. God in his mercy, didn't let that happen - surgeries 6,7 and 8 resulted in a thorough cleansing of the infection and assured that I would not lose my leg.
Praise God for an excellent doctor and for answering my prayers and those of my friends. As a result of the infection and in the process of the last 2 surgeries, my knee became damaged so that I can no longer walk without a walker but PRAISE GOD I can get around!
It was near Christmas in 2005. I was sitting in my chair talking to a friend on the telephone when my daughter and son-in-law came in my home. They both work and should have been at their jobs so I knew immediately that something had happened. They came to tell me that my youngest son had died. He had been bothered with depression and finally the hopelessness of his life overcame him and he ended his life. What more God? Then I remembered something. God had to sit on his throne in heaven and watch HIS son die on that awful cross. Jesus who lived a sinless life died at Calvary so that you and I can have eternal life. Brothers and sisters - NO ONE knows better than God what it is like to lose a son.
After awhile, as each affliction occurred, I drew closer to God. Once I cried out to God, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" The answer came back to me "You have forsaken me". THAT is when I realized that my walk along the Christian pathway had been only a shadow of what it should have been. Now, each day I am walking closer to God. Each day I study His word
and I invite Him into my heart and thank Him for my blessings. I can see, hear, use my hands and live an almost normal life. I have been blessed with loving children and grandchildren and many friends. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else besides where I am.
Friends it is OK to be sad for a little while. Remember the shortest verse in the Bible? "Jesus wept" (John 11:35). Yes, it is all right to feel sad but then remember that Jesus sees our sorrow and He feels sad, too. Never take your eyes off of Jesus. He is there and He cares.
I have read that when a butterfly comes out of its cocoon it has to struggle and if someone unwisely 'helps' the butterfly will not be whole. God gives us struggles so that we can grow to be the people He wants us to be. Everyone's struggles are different but they are for our good - to make us ready for heaven.
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13)
Wynona Gordon
Saturday, 18 July 2009
Does your telephone control you?
As you probably know the Amish believe in living a simple life - no
electricity, no telephones, no motorized vehicles. Yet in many of their
communities there is a pay phone.
electricity, no telephones, no motorized vehicles. Yet in many of their
communities there is a pay phone.
When asked about this apparent discrepancy one elder explained, 'If the
telephone were in our home it would control us. As long as it is out here we
control it.'
He went on to say, 'Most people drop everything they are doing the instant
the telephone rings and run to answer it. In their lives the telephone takes
precedent over everything. Of course mobile phones have only made this
addiction far worse. The pay telephone, on the other hand, is our servant.
It is there if we need it but we do not allow it to intrude into our lives.'
Keep on Loving
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
I love the Bible! The fact is, we either become totally committed to the Bible and its complete message or we will find ourselves isolating our Christian faith to small parts of our lives. Alternatively we replace biblical truth with legalistic nonsense.
This short passage provides some excellent insights on how to manage interpersonal relationships. Put another way, it gives good advice on how to make life work better and function well. Here are some of the highlights from this chapter:
Firstly, we express love in conscious and deliberate ways. The advice here is to live proactively, not hoping for the best but taking the initiative. We gladly take the obligation of loving others upon ourselves.
Secondly, we learn to live with a commitment to seizing spontaneous moments. Every day becomes an adventure of how we can genuinely express unselfish love.
Finally, the last verse states that we must learn to see the best in others. In other words, life works best for Christ-followers when they approach it with constructive and optimistic hearts. What good thing can happen today?
A pastor by the name of George Crane tells of a woman who sought his advice as she was about to divorce her husband of many years. She had grown to hate him. Crane suggested an ingenious plan: "Go home and act as though you really love him. Tell him how much he means to you. Make him believe that you really love him. When you have convinced him of your undying love you can then drop the bomb and tell him you want a divorce". When she did not return for further advice the minister contacted her about her plans for divorce. Her response was: "I'll never divorce him. I have discovered that I love him too much".
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
I love the Bible! The fact is, we either become totally committed to the Bible and its complete message or we will find ourselves isolating our Christian faith to small parts of our lives. Alternatively we replace biblical truth with legalistic nonsense.
This short passage provides some excellent insights on how to manage interpersonal relationships. Put another way, it gives good advice on how to make life work better and function well. Here are some of the highlights from this chapter:
Firstly, we express love in conscious and deliberate ways. The advice here is to live proactively, not hoping for the best but taking the initiative. We gladly take the obligation of loving others upon ourselves.
Secondly, we learn to live with a commitment to seizing spontaneous moments. Every day becomes an adventure of how we can genuinely express unselfish love.
Finally, the last verse states that we must learn to see the best in others. In other words, life works best for Christ-followers when they approach it with constructive and optimistic hearts. What good thing can happen today?
A pastor by the name of George Crane tells of a woman who sought his advice as she was about to divorce her husband of many years. She had grown to hate him. Crane suggested an ingenious plan: "Go home and act as though you really love him. Tell him how much he means to you. Make him believe that you really love him. When you have convinced him of your undying love you can then drop the bomb and tell him you want a divorce". When she did not return for further advice the minister contacted her about her plans for divorce. Her response was: "I'll never divorce him. I have discovered that I love him too much".
I hope this little devotional will challenge you to keep on loving!!
Paul Alexander (Assemblies of God National Leadership Team)
A Radiant Glow
At 13 years of age, my parents and I visited an ophthalmologist.
As I sat in the examining chair, my face firmly on the chin rest and pupils dilated, the doctor looked into my eyes, shining a bright light.
"She did inherit it," he said with coldness. "You need to be prepared. There is no cure for this retinal disease."
My father carried the Retinitis Pigmentosa gene causing a deterioration of the retina which, in most cases, results in blindness. Although my brother's retinas seemed to be fine, I'd inherited the gene.
Fifteen years after my initial diagnosis, my father began to lose his eyesight and so did I. He was 55 years old, but I was only 28. In a matter of two years, we had both lost our sight completely.
I focused on the effects of my own darkness. My world crumbled as the black curtain fell, destroying the dreams my husband and I had for us and for our three little boys. But when I turned to God for hope and strength, He responded by opening my eyes to a new revelation.
My father had given me not just the RP gene, but the example of determination and tenacity as well.
We were all living in Bolivia in 1964 when he defied the family's opposition to move to America. He and mom worked tirelessly to satisfy the requirements imposed by the U.S. Immigration Department to enter the country and establish residency.
Once in the states, he overcame humiliation, intense loneliness, helplessness and uncertainty. He endured ridicule due to his lack of fluency in English, but he pressed on. And he managed to gather enough money for the basics -- rent a small apartment, buy modest furniture from thrift stores and put a down payment on a car. Nine months later, he sent airline tickets for my mom, my brother and me.
Decades later, as an American citizen, I look back at what he'd shown me. He taught me the determination to move forward when facing adversity. He set an example proving that humility is crucial to success. He demonstrated the commitment to family and the importance of setting priorities.
His journey taught me valuable lessons for my own path in the darkness. Much like a baby takes its first steps holding tight to his father's hand, my dad held onto God as he stepped from the comfort of our hometown in Bolivia to the unknown in a foreign land.
I did the same as I stepped into the unfamiliarity of a sightless world. Holding onto God's hand, I gained confidence and learned the language of gratitude. With profound appreciation for my father's example, I learned how he had applied a powerful blend of faith and tenacity -- the same blend I used to fulfill my own role as a wife, mom, Sunday school teacher, Spanish court interpreter, inspirational speaker and writer.
What I inherited from my father helped me to see my life with a more radiant and meaningful glow.
by Janet Perez Eckles
As I sat in the examining chair, my face firmly on the chin rest and pupils dilated, the doctor looked into my eyes, shining a bright light.
"She did inherit it," he said with coldness. "You need to be prepared. There is no cure for this retinal disease."
My father carried the Retinitis Pigmentosa gene causing a deterioration of the retina which, in most cases, results in blindness. Although my brother's retinas seemed to be fine, I'd inherited the gene.
Fifteen years after my initial diagnosis, my father began to lose his eyesight and so did I. He was 55 years old, but I was only 28. In a matter of two years, we had both lost our sight completely.
I focused on the effects of my own darkness. My world crumbled as the black curtain fell, destroying the dreams my husband and I had for us and for our three little boys. But when I turned to God for hope and strength, He responded by opening my eyes to a new revelation.
My father had given me not just the RP gene, but the example of determination and tenacity as well.
We were all living in Bolivia in 1964 when he defied the family's opposition to move to America. He and mom worked tirelessly to satisfy the requirements imposed by the U.S. Immigration Department to enter the country and establish residency.
Once in the states, he overcame humiliation, intense loneliness, helplessness and uncertainty. He endured ridicule due to his lack of fluency in English, but he pressed on. And he managed to gather enough money for the basics -- rent a small apartment, buy modest furniture from thrift stores and put a down payment on a car. Nine months later, he sent airline tickets for my mom, my brother and me.
Decades later, as an American citizen, I look back at what he'd shown me. He taught me the determination to move forward when facing adversity. He set an example proving that humility is crucial to success. He demonstrated the commitment to family and the importance of setting priorities.
His journey taught me valuable lessons for my own path in the darkness. Much like a baby takes its first steps holding tight to his father's hand, my dad held onto God as he stepped from the comfort of our hometown in Bolivia to the unknown in a foreign land.
I did the same as I stepped into the unfamiliarity of a sightless world. Holding onto God's hand, I gained confidence and learned the language of gratitude. With profound appreciation for my father's example, I learned how he had applied a powerful blend of faith and tenacity -- the same blend I used to fulfill my own role as a wife, mom, Sunday school teacher, Spanish court interpreter, inspirational speaker and writer.
What I inherited from my father helped me to see my life with a more radiant and meaningful glow.
by Janet Perez Eckles
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