Ballet Lessons

 As a young girl in Panama, I remember dreaming about taking ballet lessons. A couple of my life-long friends spent years in a dance academy...but not me.  I was never given the chance to join.  So, no ballet dreams come true for me.  I remember going to their recitals, and enjoying every minute of it.  I have to admit that I enjoyed even when they'd mess up...sorry...but it was funny seeing them miss a beat or two, and even tripping over their feet.  Shame on me...sigh...

At any rate, today's devotional reading talked about how in ballet you need to find your focal point in order to be able to perform the famous pirouette (or mad spinning, like I call it) gracefully, without falling on your face.  Like I said, I never did become a ballerina, but I have had my fair share of "mad spinning" in life, and I have ended up with my face on the ground more than once, because I have not stayed focused on the spot that gives me stability and steadiness: The Glorious Face of Our Lord Jesus.

It is incredible how an instant of taking our eyes off of Jesus can cause the floor to move.  This morning alone, I allowed myself a brief few seconds to worry about something happening in a text-message conversation with Dylan, that might very well turn out to be nothing, but at that very moment, I felt myself immediately spiraling down into a dark funnel of worry.  My pulse rate went up, my palms began to sweat, my mind started racing...until I put the phone down and walked away for a while.  I walked away and decided to leave the conversation hanging while I did my devotional reading...and I felt, I literally had a sense of God pointing out to me, how that was the right thing to do at that time.  Had I stayed in the conversation in the current condition of stress I was, the situation would have escalated from nothing to a huge problem without reason or justification for it...other than the fact that I was allowing worry to cause me to lose self-control.

Jesus called me back to Him.  He called me to spend time with Him instead.  He moved me to put my distraction away and to take my sight of the perceived problem and back onto Him...and I felt at peace right away.  How marvelous!  Imagine, it does work!  The Lord is, indeed near...if we come back to Him in prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, the peace that transcends all understanding does guard our minds and hearts in Christ...(Philippians 4: 6-7) How about that...

I think the situation with Dylan is actually nothing...I'm trustingly staying away, carefully watching without getting involved unless needed...and, yes, I never got to take ballet lessons.  I never got to dance at a recital.  I never got to be in a dance team.  But, I have surely tripped over my own feet, and experienced life's many pirouettes...always to be rescued by my Divine Dance Partner...the Only One who can keep me safe in His strong arms.  

Like Pastor Dan says to us at the end of every service on Sundays, may we "dance with Jesus" in the ballroom of life all of our days.  In Christ's Precious Name.  Amen!

The Necessity of Challenges

 "Why are challenges necessary for a successful life?" This was the closing meditation question at the end of my devotional reading this morning.  It is interesting that this question popped up around the time when I have been thinking about earthly v. spiritual success in relation to Dylan's challenging and disappointing basketball season.  

I think the reason challenges are necessary for a successful life has to do with God's goals for our lives...for our time on this earth.  And I believe His main goal is to develop our soul, our character as a spiritual being while in the flesh.  

The battles we fight against our conflicting desires are all aimed at a life blooming with the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5: 22)...a mind filled with whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable...(Philippians 4: 8)...a heart that recognizes that rejoicing in our suffering is not foolishness, but it is the way to produce endurance, and that endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Romans 5:3-5)  

Simply put, without the struggle, we don't grow...our wings don't develop...Monarch butterflies, right?

Just like gold is refined by the fire...it is in the challenges when we find out who we really are, and what we need to change.  It is in our hardship and suffering that we become closer to Our Lord.  It is in the times of darkness, when we seek the Light.  It is in our loneliness that we find His Presence.  It is in our heartache when we feel His Loving Mercy and Compassion.  It is in our loss, when we gain Him. 

Thinking about Dylan and his "challenging" basketball season, through all the frustration and disappointment, I believe that the reason for that was because Our Lord is not interested in making Dylan a successful basketball player.  He wants to make him a successful man of God.

Life is hard, indeed.  There are moments when we are crushed and hurt.  But we pray that our moments of struggle may have a purpose even if we can't see it.  May our suffering produce in us the fruits of what Our Lord so lovingly planted.  May the Holy Spirit guide us through the rough patches along our road.  In the Precious Name of Our Savior, Jesus the Christ, Our Ever Present Help and Companion in our times of trouble.  Amen! 

Success

When you think of "success" what or who do you imagine? 

I don't know about you, but, when I think of someone successful, I imagine people who have been able to do well in life financially, emotionally, romantically, professionally, physically...and all those "ally" ending words... except ... for "spiritually."  At least I don't.

People who have achieved a higher level in their walk with God do not pop into my mind as the illustration of "successful."  And, I know that is totally wrong on my part.  If there is a success story is that one in which a soul who was lost is now found.  But, I think, the problem is that "success" as the world defines is has to do with misplaced glory.  

"I just want Dylan to feel successful! I want him to taste victory!" I said emphatically to Dan a few days ago after another VERY/EXTREMELY frustrating and disappointing basketball game.  He has had a really rough season this year due mostly to less than stellar coaching...plus some physical limitations that are impossible to overcome, such as the fact that Dylan is shorter than most of the other players.  But he loves the game.  He has dreams of continuing to play through High School and even college...I don't know how realistic those dreams are for him, though...and it breaks my heart.

Then, that same day, I read a devotional that talked about success, which was pretty much a slap on the face to me.  the reading stated: "earthly success is much different from success in God's eyes.  He values the compassion that moves us to rescue disadvantaged and hurting people...with God's help, we can align our values with His and devote ourselves to loving Him and others, which is the most significant achievement there is."  

I realized then, that what I have been wanting for Dylan is not the type of success that I should be encouraging or desiring.  I need to be concerned with his spiritual life, and with how God defines success, instead of the things of this world.  I need to nurture Dylan's compassionate heart and his love of people...his sensibility...his sense of empathy...his heart and his soul.  The world takes care of creating in us a lust for the material and the physical.  As his mother, I need to take care of the longings of the spirit.  I need to guide him on how all the glory belongs to God, not to us...so he doesn't misplace it...as we often do.

Today, as the basketball season is coming to a close, we contemplate how it might be his last...and how we need to be OK with that.  We think about the good that basketball has brought into our lives, and we leave it in God's hands...where all our dreams belong.  He has a perfect plan for us...even if different from what we first imagined.  

May the Holy Spirit show us the way we should go, so we taste the victory in Our Lord...the only real success we need to care about.  In the Precious Name of the One Who Overcomes so we can be overcomers ourselves.  Amen!

Surviving on Hugs and Prayers

 We are called to Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6: 2 And never is that command more important than when there is a heavy burden to bear...like dealing with grief. 

This verse came to mind when I heard the voice of a dearest friend whispering in my ear: "I'm surviving on hugs and prayers."

Unimaginable loss can be devastating to the human heart and soul.  Believers in Christ, however, are given a way to manage such unbearable and crushing devastation by remaining connected.  My friend's expression: surviving on hugs and prayers, clearly demonstrate this principle.  Jesus has given us the ability to sustain one another through our connections to one another...and to Himself.  

The "hug" part of this fellowship combo reflects the necessity of our connection with our brothers and sisters in Christ...at a physical/presential level.  

Think about it...one can't give or receive a hug from the distance.  In the times of the Covid-19 pandemic, the phrase "virtual hugs" became famous.  We know, however, those can't really replace the real thing.  A hug involves being wrapped around the flesh and bones of one-another...and the deep comfort that comes through that gesture cannot be replicated virtually or from the distance.  There is something almost supernatural in an embrace.  I would never forget the feelings of safety and love I experienced every time my Dad gave me a hug.  As an adult, each time I visited Panama, he was always the first face I saw when the airport doors would slide open.  And his outstretched arms were always the first ones to greet me back home.  Today, my eyes inevitably scan the space looking for him every time I go down there...even though he's been gone for almost 10 years.  The lack of his hugs have left a great void in my life...but fortunately, I have the blessing of other hugs that have stepped in to try to fill it.

The prayer aspect of the combo reflects the connection with the Divine.  

Prayer is our immediate connection with Our Lord and Savior, and it is how our brothers and sisters have an opportunity to intercede for us before Our God.  We enlist our prayer warriors in our times of need, suffering, hardship, as well as in our time of rejoicing and jubilation.  Together we lift our petitions and praises to a God who listens and answers, and who is in there, with us, when two or three gather together in His Name (Matthew 18: 20).  In prayer, we join forces and witness how true it is that The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit (Psalm 34: 18).  

We do survive on hugs and prayers.  That is the foundation of our faith: remaining connected to one another and to the Divine.  There isn't any other way to go through this life.  

May the Holy Spirit light up our path and guide us to staying connected in the Body of Christ to others and to Himself, so we may endure the heavy burdens we encounter on our way.  In the Precious Name of Jesus.  Amen!

Better than Christmas Snow

Today's devotion in Our Daily Bread is called "The Wonder of Creation." I really enjoyed it...I love devotional readings that touch on the topic of God's creation. But my favorite part was the reflection question at the end. It asked: "When has something in God’s creation brought you joy?: My eyes immediately went to the big window in front of me and the sight of the thick snowfall outside made me giddy.  "I guess I don't have to search in memory lane to answer this one, huh?" I thought.  Today, I am blissfully enjoying God's creation in the form of white precipitation.  

And, it's not that I love snow.  I really don't.  I only like snow at Christmas time.  BUT...to tell you the truth, this snow storm now, is way better than Christmas snow to me.  The reason is, thanks to this snow, I have had 2 unexpected days off to spend here at home with my peeps. I sooooo needed that.  

I love it how God has used His creative power to give me what I needed the most: a moment to slow down. 

Snow is still inconvenient.  I still can't drive on it, especially when there is a layer of ice underneath.  Grey skies still depress me.  I still hate having to clean after the dog every time he goes outside.  I still dislike cold weather with a passion.  But today, I am most grateful for this aspect of God's creation...because it has brought me great joy.  The Lord knows what we need, indeed...and, in His mysterious and unique ways, He always provides.

I also loved the closing prayer in today's Daily Bread reading, so I will reproduce it here as a reminder to always be thankful: Thank You, God, for the wonder of Your creation and the privilege to learn about You through it. May we remember Your Hand is behind every thing we see in nature, and that Your Nature is Glorious! In Christ's Precious Name. Amen!

Touched by an Angel

 Last Sunday our dear Pastor Dan preached on Psalm 91, which is one of my favorite. Even though it is one of my favorite Psalms...and I have read it and re-read it many times over the years...the Word was truly fresh and new.  At that moment, while Pastor Dan was reading the portion of the Psalm he was going to preach on...it was as if I've never heard it before, especially this part:

If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”

and you make the Most High your dwelling,

no harm will overtake you,

no disaster will come near your tent.

For he will command his angels concerning you

to guard you in all your ways;

they will lift you up in their hands,

so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. Psalm 91: 9-12

I just want to cry reading these blessed words again this morning. Even now, they become alive in my soul and feel new in my heart again.  I hang on to them for dear life, and claim the promises it contains...particularly when it says that The Lord "will command his angels concerning" me... what a precious promise.  In the House of the Lord nobody is unprotected.  He watches over us as we make Him our Refuge and Strength...and He sends His angels.  There is such beauty and comfort in this promise, it's as if we are reminded to breathe.  After holding our breath for so long, we are invited to come into the protection of His dwelling, and exhale...

Pastor Dan mentioned how his late, first wife had an encounter with what might have been an angel who saved her from being run over by a car in New York City when she was in her twenties.  He mentioned how she'd talk about that encounter all through her life...recalling the intensity of the angel's blue eyes.  I've heard of such situations, when a devastating accident is prevented by a stranger who is there, but then vanishes to never been found again.  There are also those who hear an audible voice, not a thought, a voice, that guides them, when there's nobody else around speaking.  

I've never experience anything like that myself.  The closest to anything so amazing is Dan getting warnings in dreams or premonition-type feelings when we are about to do something stupid.  Those "gut feelings" have kept us from making several foolish mistakes, that's for sure.  But not me...I have never experienced anything like that myself.  Perhaps, I have, but I have been too distracted to notice...I live my life in such a hurry, filled with so much stress and worry, that I miss quite a bit.  Probably the only way I would realize it is if I get the angel to reveal it to me, like in that show from the 90s, "Touched by an Angel."  It was a nice show, but I remember not liking the part where they would always say: "Hi, I'm an angel sent by God."  I don't know why, but that moment on the show was always kind of like a let down for me...

Anyway, I guess the reason I wasn't too thrilled with the angelic revelation in the show was because I've always thought that most angels are NOT supernatural.  At any given moment, we are all someone else's angel too.  As we obey the Holy Spirit's nudging, we are acting as God's earth angels in the lives of others.  A kind word, the giving of our time, a message, our company, our shared tears, our share laughter, our generosity, our compassion, our love, all of these and many more offerings we present to those around us constitute angelic gestures designed by Our Lord for the benefit of His children.  And, I am happy to say, I have been the blessed receiver of these angelic gestures throughout my life...for which I would always be most thankful.  

I guess, now that I think about it...I have been touched by an angel after all...countless of times...and the revelation is in His Word, as He invites us to take shelter in His dwelling and rest in the knowledge that He and His angels will guard our ways. And all I can say to that is: Praised be the Lord. In the Precious Name of Jesus, Our Refuge and Strength! Amen!