When I last visited the chiropractor, he demonstrated for me the reason many people suffer back pain and stiffness. It’s all about posture.
I thought I knew what he was going to say, because I’ve heard it since I was a kid: “Sit up straight.”
But the chiropractor surprised me with a more vivid application. Sitting on the edge of a chair, he curled into himself, drooped his arms and shoulders forward, hunched his back, and dropped his head.
“This is how people sit,” he said. “And this is how they should sit.”
With that, he raised his head, extended his back and lifted both arms as if opening himself up to the world. It was the perfect position of praise.
Even in the physical world, we see a picture of a healthier spiritual posture: open, looking upward, arms wide to receive the blessings of God.
This little display made me wonder how my spirit looks to the Mender of my soul. Am I turned in upon myself, or am I open, looking upward, and praising him for all he’s done?
Perhaps a little more praise and gratitude will improve my gaze and attitude, and give me the strong spiritual backbone that I need.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Sunday, April 4, 2010
The Tomb
Dead.
Dead and gone.
Gone where? Gone?
He is not here, but is risen!
Alive!
John and Peter saw the evidence – grave clothes without a body in them.
Mary saw him alive and thought he was someone else – until he spoke her name.
And later he spoke to all the disciples. They saw the wounds of nail and spear, felt his smile, breathed his peace, and realized he had conquered death.
They would not have risked their reputations for a hoax.
They would not have risked their lives for a fable.
They could not have risked the faith of their Jewish forefathers for anything less than the promised Messiah, the risen savior of all who believe.
Jesus lives and so can we. Death is not the final word. Death does not win!
If.
If we take Jesus at his word.
If we believe him.
Believe and live.
Live!
John 20:1-20, The Holy Bible
Dead and gone.
Gone where? Gone?
He is not here, but is risen!
Alive!
John and Peter saw the evidence – grave clothes without a body in them.
Mary saw him alive and thought he was someone else – until he spoke her name.
And later he spoke to all the disciples. They saw the wounds of nail and spear, felt his smile, breathed his peace, and realized he had conquered death.
They would not have risked their reputations for a hoax.
They would not have risked their lives for a fable.
They could not have risked the faith of their Jewish forefathers for anything less than the promised Messiah, the risen savior of all who believe.
Jesus lives and so can we. Death is not the final word. Death does not win!
If.
If we take Jesus at his word.
If we believe him.
Believe and live.
Live!
John 20:1-20, The Holy Bible
Friday, April 2, 2010
Good Friday. Good-bye.
We call it Good Friday. Is that because we get off work early to pack for a weekend away at the lake or the beach or the mountains if it’s warm enough?
More than 2000 years ago, a handful of Jewish leaders in Roman-occupied Jerusalem considered this a good day because it meant they were getting rid of a troublemaker. “Good riddance,” they might have quipped in Hebrew to the man who had turned their world upside down.
However, Good Friday was intended to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth on a Roman cross. He hung there, the Bible tells us, in our place. He took our mistakes and failures and sins upon himself and paid for them with his very blood. He died there. His friends retrieved his body, wrapped it in linen strips and laid it in a stone tomb.
That day the Passover holiday was upon them and they had to get Jesus out of the way. It was their tradition – not an uncaring ritual, but one that dictated immediate burial of the dead.
So they did.
And that should make it good.
I know that without his death I would die, but I still find it hard to call this day Good Friday. Crucifixion is anything but good. I’d rather call it Black Friday – a day when the Light of Life went out and Satan sang in triumph. But “Black Friday” is taken. It’s the day after Thanksgiving when American retailers raise their profits out of the red pit of loss – another misguided moniker.
Maybe it’s easier for modern man to consider this a good day because we know the rest of the story. But Jesus’ family and followers did not. He was gone. Dead. Buried. They were alone. They didn’t know he was the ultimate Passover Lamb sacrificed in their place. Nor did they know he would live again.
Tonight and tomorrow imagine what it would have been like to have everything you believed in destroyed. Imagine finding the answer to life only to have it ripped from your fingers and nailed to a cross. Imagine turning your back on the stone-cold tomb and walking away wondering if you would be next.
Imagine.
More than 2000 years ago, a handful of Jewish leaders in Roman-occupied Jerusalem considered this a good day because it meant they were getting rid of a troublemaker. “Good riddance,” they might have quipped in Hebrew to the man who had turned their world upside down.
However, Good Friday was intended to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth on a Roman cross. He hung there, the Bible tells us, in our place. He took our mistakes and failures and sins upon himself and paid for them with his very blood. He died there. His friends retrieved his body, wrapped it in linen strips and laid it in a stone tomb.
That day the Passover holiday was upon them and they had to get Jesus out of the way. It was their tradition – not an uncaring ritual, but one that dictated immediate burial of the dead.
So they did.
And that should make it good.
I know that without his death I would die, but I still find it hard to call this day Good Friday. Crucifixion is anything but good. I’d rather call it Black Friday – a day when the Light of Life went out and Satan sang in triumph. But “Black Friday” is taken. It’s the day after Thanksgiving when American retailers raise their profits out of the red pit of loss – another misguided moniker.
Maybe it’s easier for modern man to consider this a good day because we know the rest of the story. But Jesus’ family and followers did not. He was gone. Dead. Buried. They were alone. They didn’t know he was the ultimate Passover Lamb sacrificed in their place. Nor did they know he would live again.
Tonight and tomorrow imagine what it would have been like to have everything you believed in destroyed. Imagine finding the answer to life only to have it ripped from your fingers and nailed to a cross. Imagine turning your back on the stone-cold tomb and walking away wondering if you would be next.
Imagine.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
A must-read book for moms
Few people would deny that we live in a shaky world. From earthquakes and tsunamis, to soul-rattling emotional tremors, our families face unsettling circumstances on every side. We need a strong foundation and author Judy Scharfenberg couldn’t agree more. In her new book, Secure Families in a Shaky World, she outlines six simple action steps for building and maintaining that foundation.
Scharfenberg encourages mothers of all ages through her delightful candor as she shares from a lifetime of experience. As a Christian speaker, wife, mother, grandmother and retired school librarian, she knows what it means to be busy, hurried, pressed and overwhelmed. But she also knows how important it is to hold the family together – especially today – and she doesn’t mind sharing what works and what won’t.
From personal success stories, recipes and meal planning tips, to a simple how-to for exercise or prayer, Scharfenberg weaves her tapestry of health and hope with timeless scriptures that speak to the need of the moment.
Do you need joy in the middle of your day? In Chapter 4, Scharfenberg shares her Checklist for Joy. Here are just a few items from that list, things that even the busiest mom can handle:
· Mend a quarrel; apologize; ask for forgiveness.
· Seek out a forgotten friend.
· Hug someone tightly and whisper, “I love you.”
· Make or bake something for someone anonymously.
· Listen. Smile.
· Speak kindly to a stranger.
· Turn off the TV and talk (my personal favorite!).
· Encourage an older person.
This book is a must-read for women seeking spiritual and physical health and balance in their homes from one who truly understands that you are “the heartbeat of your family.”
Secure Families in a Shaky World can be purchased through Amazon, Christianbooks.com, and Pleasantwordbooks.com.
Scharfenberg encourages mothers of all ages through her delightful candor as she shares from a lifetime of experience. As a Christian speaker, wife, mother, grandmother and retired school librarian, she knows what it means to be busy, hurried, pressed and overwhelmed. But she also knows how important it is to hold the family together – especially today – and she doesn’t mind sharing what works and what won’t.
From personal success stories, recipes and meal planning tips, to a simple how-to for exercise or prayer, Scharfenberg weaves her tapestry of health and hope with timeless scriptures that speak to the need of the moment.
Do you need joy in the middle of your day? In Chapter 4, Scharfenberg shares her Checklist for Joy. Here are just a few items from that list, things that even the busiest mom can handle:
· Mend a quarrel; apologize; ask for forgiveness.
· Seek out a forgotten friend.
· Hug someone tightly and whisper, “I love you.”
· Make or bake something for someone anonymously.
· Listen. Smile.
· Speak kindly to a stranger.
· Turn off the TV and talk (my personal favorite!).
· Encourage an older person.
This book is a must-read for women seeking spiritual and physical health and balance in their homes from one who truly understands that you are “the heartbeat of your family.”
Secure Families in a Shaky World can be purchased through Amazon, Christianbooks.com, and Pleasantwordbooks.com.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Storing the Light
We installed a solar porch light last month. On sunny days, it stores enough light to cast a moon-like glow beneath the pergola at night, lighting a pathway to our front door.
However, if the day is overcast, rainy or foggy, the solar cell collects nothing and remains dark the following night.
It’s just like me.
If I’m not collecting the hope and wisdom and comfort of God from His word, darkness washes in around me during the night of my struggles. It’s Son Light I need – and the more I store up, the brighter my own light shines.
Darkness is the absence of light. But even the smallest glow flickers against the blackest void. It cannot be hidden – it shines. And no matter how feeble it may be, it offers life to those who are searching for a spark of hope.
How about you? Is your soul cell charged with the Son Light of God? Open His word today and fill up with His life-giving light.
Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house (Matt. 5:15 NIV).
However, if the day is overcast, rainy or foggy, the solar cell collects nothing and remains dark the following night.
It’s just like me.
If I’m not collecting the hope and wisdom and comfort of God from His word, darkness washes in around me during the night of my struggles. It’s Son Light I need – and the more I store up, the brighter my own light shines.
Darkness is the absence of light. But even the smallest glow flickers against the blackest void. It cannot be hidden – it shines. And no matter how feeble it may be, it offers life to those who are searching for a spark of hope.
How about you? Is your soul cell charged with the Son Light of God? Open His word today and fill up with His life-giving light.
Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house (Matt. 5:15 NIV).
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Do You Hear It?
Oscar Hammerstein II said the hills were alive with the sound of music. Where I live, that music plays against verdant pastures and brilliantly green hillsides. Angus cow-calf pairs dot the scene like quarter notes on a musical score. Each cow has a calf at her side, and she paces her stride to match its own faltering steps.
The calves are so fresh and new that they shine like onyx in the morning sun, dark against the grass their mothers graze. There is a tenderness in it all, in the grass, in the animals – a moment set against the rush of time when nothing matters but the protection and nurturing of a young life.
I drive through this landscape every morning on my way to school. And in the late afternoon I return on the same road to see long shadows thrown across the pastures by the grazing cattle.
Yesterday it was warmer; the temperature had climbed into the high 60s, and the cows had turned their eyes away from the sun, their backs to the west. As I slowed to watch them, I wondered what there was of God out in that pasture. I knew there was something there, something He would say to me if I paused in my hurry home, and searched for His message.
The cow closest to the fence line along the road stood at an odd angle, sideways to the sunlight. Her shadow stretched wide across the grass, and several feet away lay her resting calf, tucked exactly within the edges of her cool shade, sheltered from the heat of the day.
She knew.
She knew exactly how to stand to shade her calf, and she stayed there until the glare of the sun had passed.
“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1 NIV).
Our God knows, too. He knows exactly what we need, and He is there to let us rest in the shadow of His comfort.
And if we still our hearts, we may even hear the music of His love around us.
The calves are so fresh and new that they shine like onyx in the morning sun, dark against the grass their mothers graze. There is a tenderness in it all, in the grass, in the animals – a moment set against the rush of time when nothing matters but the protection and nurturing of a young life.
I drive through this landscape every morning on my way to school. And in the late afternoon I return on the same road to see long shadows thrown across the pastures by the grazing cattle.
Yesterday it was warmer; the temperature had climbed into the high 60s, and the cows had turned their eyes away from the sun, their backs to the west. As I slowed to watch them, I wondered what there was of God out in that pasture. I knew there was something there, something He would say to me if I paused in my hurry home, and searched for His message.
The cow closest to the fence line along the road stood at an odd angle, sideways to the sunlight. Her shadow stretched wide across the grass, and several feet away lay her resting calf, tucked exactly within the edges of her cool shade, sheltered from the heat of the day.
She knew.
She knew exactly how to stand to shade her calf, and she stayed there until the glare of the sun had passed.
“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1 NIV).
Our God knows, too. He knows exactly what we need, and He is there to let us rest in the shadow of His comfort.
And if we still our hearts, we may even hear the music of His love around us.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Your Oxygen
On my return flight from Colorado this past holiday season, I listened to the familiar emergency survival instructions as the plane taxied out to the runway.
If the cabin lost pressure, the stewardess said, an oxygen mask would release from the overhead compartment directly above each passenger. Using a demonstration mask, she showed us how to slip the elastic band over the back of our heads, secure the mask over nose and mouth, and breathe normally.
Then she cautioned that in the event of such an emergency, we were to put on our own masks before we tried to help the person seated next to us – even if that person was a child.
At first, this seemed like a harsh statement, but it soon made sense. How could I help anyone else if I were about to lose consciousness myself?
This practical, life-saving advice applies to other areas of our lives, as well, yet too often we fail to consider its logic. Instead, we offer advice to our friends in difficult situations when we don’t have a solid grip on our own challenges. We try to give them answers, when we’re not even certain of the questions.
It all comes down to preparation. Are we prepared? Are we grounded in the Word of God? Do we know where our lifeline is – our emotional and spiritual oxygen mask – in case of depressurization?
Sadly, many of us don’t. We don’t spend time every day reading the promises and assurances of God. We don’t fill ourselves with the confidence of His faithfulness. Therefore, when the air gets thin, we start to panic. What good will we be to anyone else in that condition, much less to ourselves?
Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 19:19). Do you really love yourself in the way God wants you to, or do you ignore His grace and belittle yourself for not measuring up? Do you love yourself enough to get the spiritual nourishment you need?
Start today by opening God’s word and taking a deep breath of His life-giving wisdom. Be prepared so you’ll be able to help others near you who may be gasping for air.
If the cabin lost pressure, the stewardess said, an oxygen mask would release from the overhead compartment directly above each passenger. Using a demonstration mask, she showed us how to slip the elastic band over the back of our heads, secure the mask over nose and mouth, and breathe normally.
Then she cautioned that in the event of such an emergency, we were to put on our own masks before we tried to help the person seated next to us – even if that person was a child.
At first, this seemed like a harsh statement, but it soon made sense. How could I help anyone else if I were about to lose consciousness myself?
This practical, life-saving advice applies to other areas of our lives, as well, yet too often we fail to consider its logic. Instead, we offer advice to our friends in difficult situations when we don’t have a solid grip on our own challenges. We try to give them answers, when we’re not even certain of the questions.
It all comes down to preparation. Are we prepared? Are we grounded in the Word of God? Do we know where our lifeline is – our emotional and spiritual oxygen mask – in case of depressurization?
Sadly, many of us don’t. We don’t spend time every day reading the promises and assurances of God. We don’t fill ourselves with the confidence of His faithfulness. Therefore, when the air gets thin, we start to panic. What good will we be to anyone else in that condition, much less to ourselves?
Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 19:19). Do you really love yourself in the way God wants you to, or do you ignore His grace and belittle yourself for not measuring up? Do you love yourself enough to get the spiritual nourishment you need?
Start today by opening God’s word and taking a deep breath of His life-giving wisdom. Be prepared so you’ll be able to help others near you who may be gasping for air.
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