Deep Roots

On New Year's Eve day we took our daughter's family on a train ride from the Ft. Worth Stockyards south along the Trinity River. The views of the skyline were wonderful as well as the Trinity and its banks. One particular tree got my attention. I am always reminded when I see a single tree by water that a wise and righteous man who meditates on God's teachings is like a well-watered, healthy tree. The deep roots can withstand powerful winds. There have been a few of those powerful winds even to tornadic forces in Ft. Worth in recent years.

We know that a tree that gets stress from its environment develops deep roots in order to be strong enough to withstand powers that might uproot it. As humans, things that challenge us build our character and strength to persevere. We then have hope, and with hope all things are possible.

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...just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,
continue to live in him,
rooted and built up in him...
Colossians 2:6-7

Display of Light

These photos were all taken on Christmas Day as we just passed the border into Nebraska. The country scenes with a glorious sky and snow on the ground really made me homesick for the pastoral scenes of the midwest. But it is not like we are hard up for beautiful skies in Texas. God displays his sweeping craftsmanship through the heavenly displays of such choices as painted sunsets, snowy skies, cloud imaginations, life-giving rains falling to the earth, awesome streaks of lightning, and starry nights. What a sky palette He has!

We can make lots of things, and co-create with what God has set in our minds. But we can only make those things from materials that God has provided in creation for us. It is like a joke I heard recently about God and a man arguing about making something from dirt. The man was being prideful, and confident he could make something as well, until God told him to go get his own dirt. Yep, no chemical or physical reaction, no invention, no new planet or solar system in God's world. He himself set it all into motion and order. Lest we get all proud and cocky about our discoveries, they were only 'new' news to us.
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The heavens tell of the glory of God. The skies display his marvelous craftsmanship.
Psalm 19:1

Which Pain?

I have heard that we all suffer one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. I regretted that I was not in good enough shape last January to embark upon a ski trip after a 25 year gap. I have worked hard to change exercise and eating and will be going again next week. I will have different results because I was willing to choose the pain of discipline.

I am sure during the recent trip to Nebraska that I would not have had the courage to slide down the hill with my grandson in front of me, or go headfirst with my granddaughter on my back, had I not felt confident in my strength. I had a wonderful time because I was able to participate fully in the outdoor activities. The commitment and follow through with diet and exercise made the difference in being prepared to throw myself fully into the fun, and literally down a hill on a little disc of plastic. It was outrageous fun and heavenly joy.

Today I learned some new things about some dietary issues that will require a narrow road. I also revisited a nutritional issue that I ignored, but am now ready to deal with again. I am willing to try harder things because I have caused my body harm by wanting an easier way to get rid of the problem. I was led, I believe by the Holy Spirit, to two different people who gave me some encouraging possibilities and am ready to choose the pain of discipline. My mother has the same nutritional complications, and we are able to encourage each other to stay the course. She is excited as well to take on the discipline because we want to be healthier. We have things to do, and want to enjoy our lives being as healthy as we can be.
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No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening~~it is painful! But afterward there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
Hebrews 12:11

Looking Back

I took this picture of the sunset on Christmas evening while we were traveling to Nebraska. The sunset is reflected in the mirror and onto the side of the car. It came out much better than I thought it would.

Isn't that the way it is with so many times in our past? It came out much better than we thought it would? When I look back at the times in my life when I was in crisis, I began to learn that a crisis is an invitation to make a decision. A crisis usually has the gift of choosing a life road or one that leads instead to staying in captivity and under a stronghold. It usually means total surrender to God to do it a different way. Then putting on the tennis shoes to get moving into a new, healthier direction is how we respond to God's leading. It has been that way for me in walks of abuse, addiction, cancer, and assorted woundings and broken hearts that life sends to all of us.

Some of my favorite verses on the subject of how things work out...

Acknowledge Him in all ways and He will direct your path.

All things work together for good for those that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.

I have plans to give you hope and a future.

I couldn't see what you had done from beginning to end.

I'm prepared to give an answer for my hope.
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Why do I continue to have hope? Because I have learned that God is trustworthy. Ask Him...stay or go, do or don't do, speak or be quiet. I bet He has an answer! Yes, No, Wait, Rest, Prepare...not always just two choices.

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For you see, looking back, I can see how God was there all along, on every byway, shortcut, long way around. There is no place I can go that He is not reflected in the rear view mirror, or waiting for me around the next corner, and present in the gift of every breath and heartbeat. I am not abandoned. Looking back or looking forward, my adoption is signed, sealed, and delivered. My traveling companion never sleeps.

The Spirit Man

I took this photograph on the way home from the Nebraska. At the time I was intrigued by it because it seemed as though God had blown the clouds into a form to resonate with the Holy Spirit wind that also lives in me. I would wait on posting the picture until God showed me in His time the message to accompany it.

Yesterday I heard a powerful message about the authority we have in our spirit over our flesh. It is an interesting concept that I must concur with after consulting the related scriptures. Consider:

You know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize. So run to win! All those who compete in the games use self-control so they can win a crown. That crown is an earthly thing that lasts only a short time, but our crown will never be destroyed. So I do not run without a goal. I fight like a boxer who is hitting something~~not just the air. I treat my body hard and make it my slave so that I myself will not be disqualified after I have preached to others. 1 Cor. 24-27
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I might argue that discipline is Good Orderly Direction...G O D. The indwelling of the SPIRIT strengthens us to resolve to have authority over our flesh. Easy?? No, at least not for me. Consider the new year resolutions centering around food and exercise that we so often make. In fact, excesses of all kinds are confessed. How long do those resolutions last? However, that self-control word used above in scripture is one of the fruits of the SPIRIT...you know, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, SELF-CONTROL. (Galations 5:22-23) Did you get that? It is a fruit of the SPIRIT.

As I ready myself to go skiing again I am convinced that the discipline of exercise and strengthening my core muscles will make the experience much more enjoyable because I have made my body submit to exercise and good eating. We have spiritual muscles that must be engaged in order to run the race. It is not a race of works, but a cooperation with the power of the Spirit to walk out the subjectiveness of the flesh to the Spirit. It is about loving ourselves enough to choose to engage that God-given power. It is a race that can only be run effectively with the acknowledgement and help of the Lord. I want that crown for running the race well so that I will have it to toss at the feet of Jesus when I see him face to face at the finish line.