What To Wear?

What to wear? The girls in our family are slightly focused on what to wear to a big family wedding coming up. Dresses are being sewn, fitted, and tried on. But what to wear to a funeral? To my funeral. My focus the past few weeks has been to die to myself and have Christ fully live in me. So you could say I’m choosing what to wear at my funeral celebration. The letter to the Colossians gives me instruction on what is fashionable at one’s funeral.

“You’re done with that old life. It’s like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you’ve stripped off and put in the fire. Now you’re dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it. All the old fashions are now obsolete…Dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you- kindness, compassion, discipline, quiet strength, and humility.”

Colossians 3 - The Message

The best designer label ever! God’s name!

Do the Dance!

I felt a little a lot of resentment bubbling up in my soul, as I listened to my son tell me how he sent his wife off to get a pedicure and manicure for Mother’s Day. I think the younger generation cleverly calls that a mani/pedi. Hey! Wait a minute! She’s your wife! I’m stuck between a husband who says “You’re not my mother,” and sends his mother a Hallmark sentiment and a son who is the gift giver for his toddler children. The voice of resentment told me I deserved more! Then the Holy Spirit brought God’s Word to my heart.  Colossians reads “ For you died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” In many cultures there is a celebration of eternal life at the funeral where people even dance. I thought to myself, “Do the Death Dance Janice!” Or if you would like less morbid and a little more humor– Do the durge! There have been a few more opportunities to dance since last weekend. It’s a good dance. It’s me, hiding in the arms of great dance partner!

First Thing In the Morning

I have been practicing praise when I first open my eyes in the morning. A practice learned from a Bible study,to thank God for the day even before your feet touch the ground. But I woke this morning to a very negative dream. It tried to weigh me down and it took me a while to get my focus. It came from Colossians 3:1-17. I am dead to negative! I am alive with Christ! I am putting away my earthly nature and putting on all sorts of lovely things. Getting dressed in the morning to have a Godly day, not a Janice day! I will sing to God with gratitude in my heart. The invitation is to you too! Join me!

Questions

Sometimes we ask those difficult questions like “Why does God allow Pain and disease?” Those are not easy questions to deal with and when asked, I am always thankful that the Holy Spirit is in me guiding my words and giving me sensitivity for the hurting person asking the questions. I shared with a questioning friend that I even struggle some days when my physical aches become overwhelming. But this morning, sitting in my backyard, with bumblebees and hummingbirds flying around, I choose to turn the tables!

Why does God allow a hummingbird to fly so close to me that can see his beautiful iridescent shade of blue?

Why does God allow the pungent smell of the orange blossoms fill my nose with citrusy perfume?

Why did God give me eyes to see the rich colors of a rose and ears to hear the wind in the nearby redwood trees?

Why did God allow Jesus to die for us?

The answer is love. He loves us and nothing can separate us from His love.

Deconstruction Continued!

I was so excited to be studying the “love chapter”! That great chapter in I Corinthians that helps you dwell on what love really is. When I was younger I looked at it as a “feel good” passage. Reminding me of how good God’s love is. It does. But now that I’m wiser older I know that God wants me to have His love reigning in heart every day and I look at this passage with different eyes. It’s a spiritual loofa! It wants to scrape all the unlovely things out of my soul! I cringe a bit, I swallow my pride and say, “Let the scrubbing begin!” 

Hard to Run

This morning, after a day when the news is filled with pain and suffering, I am thankful for the pain in my hip and the ache in my leg. Even though they are crooked I have hip joints. I have legs! Even though I have never run in a race, let alone a marathon, I can run across the church grass in my wobbly way and be happy for the sting in my muscles. I choose to turn to thankfulness and prayer. 
I am convinced that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8