I AM A BLACK SHEEP

Seriously.

I have on some occasions pulled the wool over someone's eyes.

I have been known to count myself when I can't fall asleep.

When asked how I'm doing, there have been times when I've answered, "Not baaaaad."


I even wrote a poem about me:

Mary had a little lamb,
Its fleece was white as snow.
Her sister, Judy, had another lamb,
Whose fleece was black as coal.

Now everywhere that Mary went,
Her lamb was sure to go,
But Judy’s lamb was wont to wander,
And its favorite word was, "NO!"

Mary's lamb was never lost,
And always chose to obey,
But Judy's lamb was an ornery sort,
And always chose its own way.

Mary's lamb was nice and good,
And gladly gave its wool,
But Judy's lamb kicked up a fuss,
Struggling to push and pull.

At the end of the day, Mary's lamb
Was just as sweet as can be,
But Judy's lamb was not so quite,
For you see, her lamb was me.


Yeah, I'm a black sheep.

Every family seems to have one.  That one person who doesn't quite fit into the mold, or toe the line, or obey the rules.  The one person who just kinda gets out of line.

Now mind you, I wasn't a bad girl.

I just had *mess-ups* in my life.

I was born into a wonderful family.  My parents were both believers, same with all four grandparents.  In fact, I was surrounded by a very large extended family, and almost to a person, they were also strong believers.

I myself became a believer at the age of 3, got baptized at 14, and attended church faithfully with my family.  I even graduated from a Christian college.

I had some rather innocuous disobediences growing up – who doesn't? Minor offenses like breaking curfew, or an occasional fib, or some questionable boyfriends.  But overall, I was a good girl.

However, as an adult, I stopped attending church, and fell out of fellowship.


Somewhere along the way, I kinda got lost.

I became a lonely girl.  A confused girl.  

And finally, a girl who was hurt, tired, and wanting to come *home.*


At some point in this journey, I found my way back to the Lord.

I read through the Bible for the first time.  And somewhere in those pages, I was reconciled once again to the Savior who, though I had moved away, had never left me.

It was at this time that God literally "came knocking at my door."

One day, I happened to be standing in the driveway.  At this precise moment, a couple walked by the front of the house.  They stopped...

"Are you going to be selling your home?" asked the wife.  "We've been curious about all the construction going on."

"No, just doing some remodeling," I answered.

At this point, the couple approached and struck up a conversation.  

Turns out that they lived only a few blocks away.  And, in the course of talking, the wife mentioned that she was part of a neighborhood book club, and invited me to try it out if I liked to read.  I chuckled, and confirmed that I was a voracious reader.

So, the wife and I went to get some paper and a pen to exchange information.

I had noticed that her husband's hat had a cross on it, and I casually mentioned it to her.

"Why yes, I'm a Christian," she said.

"Me, too," I said.


Now she invited me to join her Bible Study.

I said I'd think about it.

You know, you'd think that I would jump at the chance to *rejoin the ranks* and gladly begin to attend her Bible Study, and maybe even start going to church again.

But, when you feel like a *black sheep* – it's hard to take that first step toward home.

In fact, in my conversation with her, I had briefly mentioned that I wasn't attending church, and had wandered from the Lord for a while.  She didn't make a big deal out of it, for which I was so grateful.

And then, as she was walking to rejoin her husband and continue on their walk, she quoted this verse:

"'Then I will make up to you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten…'" (Joel 2:25, NASB)


I was really pretty floored.

The New Living Translation says it this way:

"'I will give you back what you lost…'"

And let me tell you, those words were like a balm to my spirit.  Like a life preserver.  Like a cup of water to a thirsty soul.  Like a light shining into the deepest darkness.

Those words gave me hope.

I remember thinking to myself, "Could God really do that?"

I am chagrined to tell you that I still resisted the idea of going to Bible Study.  But, in the end, I did go.  And I cannot begin to tell you how that changed everything.

One little black sheep decided to go home.

And a gracious and loving Father ran to greet me with open arms and a warm embrace.

All these many years later, I still hold that verse very dearly in my heart. For indeed, I have truly found out that God, our Great Redeemer, can give it all back.


Of course, the battle doesn't end there.

Even now, the father of lies does his best to bring up the past.  

He tries to overwhelm me with guilt.

He tries to keep me mired in regret.

He constantly strives to remind me of my *black wool.*

But when this starts to happen, I remember the heart of the One who has been so good to me.

He keeps me looking forward.  He keeps me looking at Him.  

And over and over He washes me with the Truth of His forgiveness, mercy, grace, and love.


So, to all you black sheep out there – or even you guys who are only a little gray – rest assured that you're not alone.

There's a whole herd of us, and we're all ornery and stubborn and prone to wander.

Even those of us who follow the Lord can still find ways to meander off the path, to refuse to yield control – and we can find ourselves caught in the thicket of defiance and disobedience. 

But might I just remind you of something?

There is a Good Shepherd who loves you and wants you to come home.

He is willing and able to forgive ANYTHING – and He is ready to offer His unmitigated grace, His compassionate mercy, and His boundless love.

He's got a hug waiting.

And a fresh, clean outfit of wool tailored just for YOU!



Baa baa, black sheep,
What color is your fleece?
Praise the Lord, it's white as snow,
And I am clean, in peace.

Yes, indeed, He CAN redeem it all!

FLEE TO THE CROSS AND STAY THERE!

Just me, Sheepie,
hanging out
with the
Lion of Judah!! 

"I do not at all understand the mystery of grace - only that it meets us where we are but does not leave us where it found us." -- Anne Lamont



"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9, ESV)

"For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.  He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west." (Psalm 103:11-12, NLT)

"'Come now, let's settle this,' says the LORD.  'Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow.  Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.'" (Isaiah 1:18, NLT)

"'For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.'" (Jeremiah 31:34, NIV)

"Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your steadfast love; according to the multitude of Your tender mercy and loving-kindness blot out my transgressions.  Wash me thoroughly [and repeatedly] from my iniquity and guilt and cleanse me and make me wholly pure from my sin!   For I am conscious of my transgressions and I acknowledge them; my sin is ever before me.  Against You, You only, have I sinned and done that which is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified in Your sentence and faultless in Your judgment...

Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my guilt and iniquities.  Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me.  Cast me not away from Your presence and take not Your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit." (Psalm 51:1-4, 9-12, AMP)

"Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." (Psalm 51:7, NLT)

"Oh, what a miserable person I am!  Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?  Thank God!  The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 7:24-25, NLT)

"Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt.  I said to myself, 'I will confess my rebellion to the LORD.'  And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone." (Psalm 32:5, NLT)

"...forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward." (Philippians 3:13-14, AMP)

"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1, ESV)

"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36, ESV)

Are you still *blackened* by any sin – big or small – that you've never laid down at the Cross?

Linked with:

SHARING HIS BEAUTY, PLAYDATES WITH GOD, SMALL WONDER, MONDAY'S MUSINGS, MONDAYS AT SOUL SURVIVAL, LIFE GIVING LINKUP, GOOD MORNING MONDAYS, GRATEFUL HEART MONDAY, FIND STABILITY, REFLECT LINKUP, WORDS WITH WINTER, THE ART OF HOMEMAKING, MOM 2 MOM MONDAY, TELL ME A TRUE STORY, TITUS 2 TUESDAY, TESTIMONY TUESDAY, TELL IT TO ME TUESDAYS, WOMEN HELPING WOMEN, UNITE, MAKE A DIFFERENCE MONDAYS, TUESDAY TALK, RA RA LINKUP, A LITTLE R & R WEDNESDAYS, WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAY, COFFEE & CONVERSATION, WAITING ON WEDNESDAY, THREE WORD WEDNESDAY, WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY, COFFEE FOR YOUR HEART, WISE WOMAN, WOMEN WITH INTENTION, TELL HIS STORY, LITTLE THINGS THURSDAY, FROM HOUSE TO HOME, THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY, BELOVED BREWS, EVERYDAY JESUS, GRACE AT HOME, THOUGHTFUL THURSDAYS, SHINE, HEARTS FOR HOME, LOOKING UP LINKUP, LIVE FREE THURSDAY, FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY, LIGHT FRIDAY HIT LIST, FELLOWSHIP FRIDAY, SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS, COUNTING MY BLESSINGS, FAITH & FELLOWSHIP, MAKE MY SATURDAY SWEET, GRACE & TRUTH, DANCE WITH JESUS, SATURDAY SOIREE, STILL SATURDAY, WEEKEND BREW, TGI SATURDAYS, SUNDAY STILLNESS, GIVE ME GRACE, 



BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

THE OUTSTRETCHED ARMS

Yesterday was Easter Sunday.

I trust that everyone had a very blessed day.

And I hope that we all felt the real impact of what Jesus actually accomplished for us on that cross…

…and what He achieved when He walked out of that empty tomb.

I don't know about you, but the Easter story is so familiar that sometimes I wonder if I miss the meaning.  Not really, of course, for I never take salvation for granted.  But sometimes I have to make myself stop – I have to stop my SELF – and truly ponder the effects of that momentous act of sacrifice in my life.

Today I am thinking about Jesus' outstretched arms.

Those bloodied, pain-stricken, weak, disjointed, frail arms.

I picture them in my mind.

Would you take a moment and do that, too?

Maybe just close your eyes and hold your own arms out to the side.  Hold them for a while.  Hold them there until they begin to ache.  And in the moment when you feel like you can no longer hold them up, please do this – whisper to the Lord, "Thank You."


Yes, those outstretched arms.

Weak, yet strong.

Full of love.

How grateful I am for them.


When my sons were little boys, I remember telling them often how much I loved them.  Sometimes they would ask me, "How much, Mommy?"  And then I'd hold my arms out as wide as I could and say, "This big."

Do you know how *big* Jesus loved you on the day He died?  Do you understand how much He gave you when He walked out of that tomb?

And do you recognize what those outstretched arms represent?

They are the very picture of grace.

Grace that stretches over all of our lives.  From beginning to end, and into eternity.  Those outstretched arms of Jesus are like protective wings that shield us from death and judgment.

This Easter, I found myself contemplating the impact of grace in my life.

I know that Jesus' sacrificial death bought forgiveness for my sins.  I know that He covered all my sins – even the ones I haven't yet committed.

But as I pictured those outstretched arms, I realized something anew.

Grace goes backwards.

Yes.

Grace covers the sins I commit today, and most certainly covers the sins that I will commit tomorrow.

But it also covers the sins that I committed yesterday.

This is what I felt in a different way this Easter when I pondered the outstretched arms of Jesus.  I saw His grace and forgiveness covering everything that I have ever done in my life.  And that includes my past.

It's almost like grace is retroactive.


I don't know about you guys, but I have a very hard time forgiving myself for the things I've done wrong in the past.  And trust me, I've done some things that I am very "un-proud" of!!

And the memories of those things, if I let them, would open like Pandora's box until I was overwhelmed and consumed with regret, guilt, and shame.

I've had moments when that exact thing has happened.

Times in my life when I've been paralyzed with guilt, unable to move forward.  I've been besieged with doubts about my worth as God's child. I've been weighed down by the remembrance of pain and shame.

And I have forgotten that the forgiveness of God, as expressed through Jesus' death, is much bigger than all of that.

Grace is big enough to go backwards.


Dear friends, are any of you paralyzed with guilt over past sin?  Are you besieged with doubts about your worth as God's child?  Are you weighed down by the remembrance of pain and shame?

Have you forgotten that the forgiveness of God is bigger than all that?

Then come again to the foot of the Cross.

Contemplate the outstretched arms of Jesus.

Weak, yet strong.

Full of love.

And be grateful for them.

Whisper from the very depths of your soul, "Thank You."

Thank Him for opening His heart to save us.

Thank Him for being willing to die a terrible death to redeem us.    Thank Him for His humble self-sacrifice.  Thank Him for enduring the worst sort of torture – including a loss of intimacy with His Father – just for you.

Thank Him for stretching His bloodied, pain-stricken, weak, disjointed, frail arms out on a cross.

Know that His forgiveness spans your whole lifetime.  From one end to the other, and into eternity.  There is no end, and no beginning, to the infinite forgiveness of salvation.

Grace is like an umbrella – a shelter of protection that reaches out into the future, covers the present, and washes away the past.

This is what Jesus meant when He proclaimed:

"IT is finished."


(Most interesting sidenote:  – The Greek word for the phrase, "It is finished" is tetelestai, which is an accounting term that means "paid in full." These words, found only in the Gospel of John, are the most important and poignant words spoken by Jesus.  When He uttered those words, He was declaring the debt owed by mankind to His Father – the debt of sin – was wiped away completely and forever.)



Yes indeed, Jesus paid it all.

And when we look at Him and say:

"How much do you love me?"

See His outstretched arms and hear Him say:

"This big."

Oh, how we are blessed!

 There you saw
how the LORD your God carried you,
as a father carries his child,
all the way you went.

I have made you
and I will carry you,
I will sustain you
 and I will rescue you.

"Then the LORD passed by in front of [Moses] and proclaimed, 'The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin…'" (Exodus 34:6-7, NASB)

"The LORD is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love." (Psalm 145:8, NLT)

"He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.  For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.  He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west." (Psalm 103:10-12, NLT)

"'And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.'" (Hebrews 8:12, NLT)

"'I…am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.'" (Isaiah 43:25, NIV)

"Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people?  You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love.  Once again you will have compassion on us.  You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean!  You will show us your faithfulness and unfailing love…" (Micah 7:18-20, NLT)

"'Come now, let's settle this,' says the LORD.  'Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow.  Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.'" (Isaiah 1:18, NLT)

"It is because of the Lord's mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not." 
(Lamentations 3:22, AMP)

"Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning." (Lamentations 3:23, NLT)

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people…" 
(Titus 2:11, ESV)

"...when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.  This is a trustworthy statement…" 
(Titus 3:4-8, NASB)

"Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." (John 1:16-17, NIV)

"And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.  Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.   

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.  Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever!  Amen." (Ephesians 3:18-21, NLT)


Yes, amen!



What do the outstretched arms of Jesus mean to you?



Linked with:

SHARING HIS BEAUTY, PLAYDATES WITH GOD, SMALL WONDER, MONDAY'S MUSINGS, MONDAYS AT SOUL SURVIVAL, GOOD MORNING MONDAYS, MOTIVATE & REJUVENATE MONDAYS, MAKE A DIFFERENCE MONDAYS, TELL ME A TRUE STORY, SOLI DEO GLORIA, TESTIMONY TUESDAY, UNITE, TITUS 2 TUESDAYS, TUESDAY TALK, TELL IT TO ME TUESDAYS, A LITTLE R & R WEDNESDAYS, WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAYS, TELL HIS STORY, TEACHING WHAT IS GOOD, COFFEE & CONVERSATION, SO MUCH AT HOME, WOMAN TO WOMAN WEDNESDAY, WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY, THREE WORD WEDNESDAY, COFFEE FOR YOUR HEART, WISE WOMAN, WOMEN WITH INTENTION WEDNESDAYS, LIFE GIVING LINKUP, FROM HOUSE TO HOME, THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY, LITTLE THINGS THURSDAYS, BELOVED BREWS, EVERYDAY JESUS, GRACE AT HOME, THOUGHTFUL THURSDAYS, SHINE, LIVE FREE THURSDAY, MAKE MY SATURDAY SWEET, LIGHT FRIDAY HIT LIST, A GROUP LOOK, FELLOWSHIP FRIDAYS, FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY, FELLOWSHIP FRIDAY, GRACE & TRUTH, SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS, COUNTING MY BLESSINGS, FAITH & FELLOWSHIP, FAITH FILLED FRIDAY, STILL SATURDAY, SATURDAY SOIREE, WEEKEND BREW, SUNDAY STILLNESS, GIVE ME GRACE



BLOG = “Blessedly Leaning On God!”

BAGGAGE CLAIM

Ever ridden on a train?

I have, and I love it!

Once when I was growing up, my family went to visit my dad's aunt in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.  She owned a home with several acres right on the lake.

It was a wonderful time – perhaps as close to living like Huck Finn as I'll ever get!  Days full of fishing and boating and waterskiing and Frisbee-tossing and walking and reading and joy.

But, the best part was the ride home.

We took the train!!

The distance from Illinois to California meant that we stayed overnight in a cabin on the train.  Goodness, what an adventure!  I loved eating in the dining car, and walking around while we were moving.  I loved looking out the window at miles and miles of scenery passing by.

I spent most of the night on my mom's lower bunk – (she has terrible claustrophobia!) – and there was something magical about the steady motion of the train and the reassuring clack-clack of the wheels on the rails.

Years later, I took my own boys on a long 10-hour excursion to Northern California.  I'm happy to say that they loved the experience as much as I did.

There's an interesting *pace* that occurs while traveling on a train. Things slow down, and we are more apt to join in conversation with fellow travelers.  And, of course, we get to see some beautiful things that cannot be seen from the interstate.

Trains are wonderful.


I got to thinking about trains when I read a recent post by a dear friend.  You can check it out here.

She got me thinking about trains, yes.  But she got me thinking even more about baggage.

The emotional, spiritual, mental kind.

The kind of baggage that we tote around – sometimes every day, sometimes for years.

About how we can become weighed down by this unnecessary baggage.

Ugh.

I know I've got some Samsonite that I've lugged around on my life's journey.  

Don't you?


Here's some of what I'm talking about:


1)  The Trunk of Bitterness

You know what those old-fashioned trunks looked like.  They were big and ungainly, and were used for storage.  And they were most often made of very, very hard materials so they stood the test of time.

Which made them great if you used a literal trunk for traveling.

But the trunk of bitterness is never a good thing to bring along for the ride.

I'm not a person with a short temper, nor do I think that anger is a particular sin tendency in me.  But, bitterness?  Oh boy, I am capable of holding a grudge – for a long, long time.

If I've been hurt or betrayed or disappointed or rejected, I might not even let you know.  But believe me, I'll take those feelings and stuff them into my trunk, thinking they'll never see the light of day.

I'll store them for years sometimes, hidden deep in that hardy ol' trunk. Bigger and bigger they grow in the darkness.  I might even forget what I've put in there.  But, it doesn't matter.  For bitterness stands the test of time.  

And you know what else happens?

Let me tell you, if you've ever opened one of those old trunks at an antique store, you'll know what I'm talking about.

The awful smell of mustiness, and mildew, and rotting things.

That's what happens to bitterness inside of us.

It just makes us stinky.


2)  The Suitcase of Guilt

I don't travel often, but when I do, I try not to check in any baggage.  It just makes it so much easier.  A long time ago, I made the mistake of packing some very important things in my suitcase when I went to Hawaii.  You know what's coming next, don't you?  Yup, the suitcase was lost for several days. Fortunately, it did arrive finally – but that doesn't always happen.  And in the meantime, I had to re-stock many necessities – (as if the trip wasn't expensive enough!!)

So, call me Mrs. Carry-On now.

But, here's the problem.  When you try to travel with only one carry-on suitcase, you end up trying to stuff EVERY thing into it.  I have been known to sit on my suitcase while "The Hub" valiantly tries to close the zipper.

Then I lug it through the terminal, making my arms and shoulders ache.  I have to stop a bunch and catch my breath.  Then I try to lift it over my head to stuff it into the overhead compartment.  Then I have to *rinse and repeat* the whole routine when I land.

Opening my suitcase is often an exercise in avoiding the eruption that explodes upon releasing the zipper-contained pressure-packed pile of clothing and shoes and toiletries.

Guilt is like that.

It's an emotion that we like to stuff.  For it is truly painful to deal with guilt. It makes our hearts ache.  It makes it near impossible to lift our heads.  It slows us down, and it cramps our forward movement.  We are often doomed to repeat the same old cycle of re-dredging past circumstances and mistakes and sins – until they often explode in our face.

Guilt is a barely zippered up, over-stuffed burden.


3)  The Garment Bag of Pride

Mostly "The Hub" is the one who uses a garment bag.  Although, to be fair, my stuff usually hops a ride!

The thing with garment bags is that we use them to keep things looking nice and fresh and unwrinkled.

We use them for our really *good* stuff.

Sigh.  

It's the same with pride.  Pride is something that we hold on to because it's all about making us look good.  We like taking out the flashy stuff and parading it around in front of others – (after all, isn't that one of the temptations of social media??)  We like to think that people will never know about the other luggage stuffed with wrinkly and balled-up clothing – (our true lives and selves).

Oh yes, look at my *fancy dress*.  Beautiful.

My expensive *silk pants*.  Yes, lovely.

That *pure white, crisply ironed blouse*.  Not a flaw, never.

It's the *me* we so desperately want the world to see.  But, the reality is that on the inside, we're really just a pair of dirty, threadbare, sinfully-smelly old sneakers.

Pride loves the garment bag.  Reality is in the suitcase.


4)  The Tote of Fear

I love totes.  In fact, I just might have a tote addiction.  I come by it honestly – my mom has always collected totes!  I'm a sucker for those convenient little bags.  They come in such a variety of colors and sizes.  I never seem to have enough.

(Insert inner dialogue here):

"Oh, this one's perfect for my makeup.  This one will carry my books to Bible Study.  Gotta have that one for my writing supplies.  Well, I could put my brushes and hair dryer and curling iron into that one, yes!"

Totes are especially tempting because they're everywhere now!  The grocery store, the drugstore, the health food store, the bookstore, the mall.  And believe me, they beckon me to keep adding…

Totes are harmless little bags, right?

Maybe.

But the tote of fear is no joke.  Not harmless, not lightweight, not worth collecting.

The thing with fear is that it's everywhere.  We can buy into it at a moment's notice.  I don't watch the news or subscribe to a newspaper.  But every time I log onto my computer, I am confronted with my homepage and thumbnails of what's happening in the world.

And it's scary.

But that's the world at large.  Even in my own corner of the world, there's endless stuff that's scary.  Relationships, finances, health.  I find myself addicted to fear.  Worry is the "harmless" little bag that I tote around.

But the thing with fear is that it's insidious.  It's everywhere.

And it constantly beckons me to keep adding…


5)  The Duffel Bag of Doubt

Duffel bags.

Duffel bags are the perfect baggage for camping.  Flexible, stuffable, sturdy, and dirty-worthy.  We've got a whole family in various colors and sizes. One for cooking supplies.  One for important stuff like matches, lighter fluid, rope, flashlights, hatchet – you name it.  One for the tent, tarp, rainfly, stakes, and rope.  We've got more.

Duffel bags are handy.

But what about doubt?  

Doubt is flexible – adapting our questioning to the spiritual season we might be in.  It's stuffable – we can cram a lot of doubt deep in our souls.  It's sturdy – doubts can become entrenched and able to withstand much-needed scrutiny.  And doubt is dirty-worthy – muddying up our faith with needless dust and grime and soil.

You see, we might think that doubt is harmless.

We might think that the duffel bag of doubt is the perfect baggage for our faith journey.  It's handy to have doubts, right?  They help keep us from blind faith, right?  

Don't get me wrong.  I'm not questioning the value of questioning.  For we are counseled to search the Scriptures and seek after God.  But healthy doubt should always lead us to a closer walk with the Lord, to a greater insight into truth, to a firmer stance of faith.

The other kind of doubt comes from the devil.

After all, our first fall from grace came when he planted the seed of doubt into our souls.  

"Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.  And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?"  (Genesis 3:1, NASB)

Doubt begins here – with this thought.  "Did God really say…?"

Mindless faith, no.  Faith without intellect, of course not.  Faith without reason and study, surely not.

But doubt without God is rotten fruit.


You know, on reflection, there is a lot of needless baggage that I lug around.  Trunks, suitcases, and garment bags.  Totes and duffel bags. You've got them, too.  Maybe yours are full of other junk...

But God doesn't want that for us.  He doesn't want us to hold on to stuff that slows us down, or hinders our walk, or dirties our souls, or poisons our minds.  

He does not want us burdened.


So, let's leave those useless bags that weigh us down at the Station of God's Forgiveness and Grace. 

Let's depart from the Depot of Bitterness, Guilt, Pride, Fear, and Doubt.

The choice is up to us.

The ticket is right there, waiting for us at Will Call.  We just have to pick it up and use it to board the Glory Train to the life that only the Holy Spirit can bring!

All Aboard?

Yes!!

Choo Choo…

Pack up your troubles
in your old kit bag,
Don't let your joy and laughter
hear the snag,
What's the use of worrying,
It was never worthwhile...
So pack up your troubles
leave them all behind,
and smile, smile, smile.

(My paraphrase of an old World War I song)

"...I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us." 
(Philippians 3:13-14, NLT)

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up.  And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.  We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith." (Hebrews 12:1-2, NLT)

"God has told his people, 'Here is a place of rest; let the weary rest here.  This is a place of quiet rest.'"(Isaiah 28:12, NLT)

"'For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish.'" (Jeremiah 31:25, NLT)

"Then Jesus said, 'Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you.  Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.'" 
(Matthew 11:28-30, NLT)

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1, NIV)



What baggage are you holding on to?  Are you ready to leave it behind?!




Linked with:

SHARING HIS BEAUTY, PLAYDATES WITH GOD, UNFORCED RHYTHMS, MONDAY'S MUSINGS, MONDAYS AT SOUL SURVIVAL, SALT & LIGHT, ALL THINGS BRIGHT & BEAUTIFUL, SOLI DEO GLORIA, TELL ME A TRUE STORY, UNITE, TITUS 2 TUESDAYS, TESTIMONY TUESDAY, WOMEN TEACHING WOMEN, WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAYS, CAPTURE YOUR JOURNEY, WINSOME WEDNESDAY, WHIMSICAL WEDNESDAYS, WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY, WHAT YOU WISH WEDNESDAY, TELL HIS STORY, COFFEE FOR YOUR HEART, WISE WOMAN, SO MUCH AT HOME, A LITTLE R & R WEDNESDAYS, THRIVING THURSDAY, THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY, EVERYDAY JESUS, HEARTS FOR HOME, GRACE AT HOME, THOUGHTFUL THURSDAYS, FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY, FELLOWSHIP FRIDAYS, MAKE MY SATURDAY SWEET, THE FRIDAY FIVE, SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS, FAITH FILLED FRIDAY, ESSENTIAL FRIDAYS, FAITH & FELLOWSHIP, COUNTING MY BLESSINGS, WEEKEND BREW, STILL SATURDAY, SATURDAY SOIREE, RECOMMENDATION SATURDAY, SUNDAY STILLNESS, GIVE ME GRACE



BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!

WATER DAMAGE

Sometimes really bad things can happen to really good people.  

But sometimes, really stupid things can happen to halfway decent people.

Case in point.

So, I'm up in the middle of the night last night.  This time the insomnia was the *I-fell-asleep-just-fine-but-woke-up-and-couldn't-go-back-to-sleep* kind. I lay there pondering the imponderables, and then I decided that maybe if I ate something I'd get sleepy.

Seems to work just fine at Thanksgiving.

So, I got up to fix a bowl of Cream of Wheat.  Don't ask me why that appealed.  Perhaps a warm bowl of grain product sounded sleep-inducing. (No milk in the house).

I was just bringing the bowl over to the coffee table, just setting it down on the coffee table…in the dark…when the "dumbs" hit.  I knocked over a FULL and LARGE cup of lemon water.  It was one of those plastic protein drink cups with a *drinkee spout thing*.

I could hear the liquid gurgling out…fast.

Quickly turning on the light, I was chagrined to see a huge puddle of water spreading on the carpet.  But, more than that, I was horrified to see the other place the water was going.

Directly into my little plastic tote, full of my devotional books.

Yes, the ones that I’ve been studying all year.

The ones that I guard with my life.  The ones that are NOT dog-eared, NOT written in or highlighted, NOT bent, NOT spine-cracked.  The ones that are as pristine as the day I bought them.

I take pretty good care of my books.  Good *librarian* care.

I could have cried.

I would have if I had not had to race to the kitchen to retrieve the entire roll of paper towels to start my cleanup.

I started with the devotionals.

What a mess.

Pages were now water-warped and crinkled.  I fanned the pages to make sure that none were sticking together.  I laid them out as carefully as I could to let them dry out overnight.  

I tackled the carpet last.

When I finally sat down to eat my Cream of Wheat, it was cold.  I didn't have the energy to re-heat it, so I ate it like Goldilocks with Mama Bear's bowl of porridge.

Thinking to myself.

Thinking how a dumb move can ruin a lot of things…fast.

Thinking how stupid mistakes can set a domino effect of consequences into motion.


Sin can be like that.

It can be hugely evil, yes.  Ugly and awful.  But sometimes it can be just plain stupid.

We humans are prone to acting without thinking, leaping without looking.  We are prone to pleasing ourselves without pondering the aftermath.

Mistakes can make a mess.  They can create sticky situations.

Fortunately, that is what forgiveness is all about.

Cleaning up the mess.


I'm thinking about last night.  And I'm thinking how my careless mistake created a mess I needed to clean up.  But also, my mistake damaged my devotionals.

Just like life.  

Sinful mistakes, dumb sinful mistakes, can tarnish the Holy Spirit within us.  They can thwart God's purposes.  They can ruin things.  And though the mess can be cleaned up, the aftermath lingers on.

But God is all about the aftermath.

He is the only One who can forgive our sins, ease guilt, restore relationships, rectify mistakes, conquer consequences, and clean up the mess.

I'm eternally grateful He does.


Yes, my devotionals will always be *damaged* now.  But they are still filled with words telling me about the wonders of God.

Dumb choices can leave some damage.  But we can still be filled with words to tell about the wonders of God. 

Friends, our stories may have left us with scars – but our scars are our story.

And God wants us to tell our stories.

Because He wants us to tell people about His ending.  The *happily-ever-after* ending where we are forgiven and redeemed.


Dumb and stupid sin happens.

Messy life occurs.

But thank the Lord, we have Someone who will rescue us from ourselves.  We have Someone who will clean us up with forgiveness. We have Someone who died for us so we'd never have to face the aftermath of the afterlife.


We have a Savior.

"Lord, please hand me some paper towels."

He reached down from heaven and rescued me...
...he drew me out of deep waters. 

"'Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.'" (John 7:38, NIV)

"'But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.'" 
(John 4:14, NLT)

"And he also said, 'It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega--the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life.'" (Revelation 21:6, NLT)

"Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb." (Revelation 22:1, NLT)



How has God cleaned up a *messy mistake* in your life?


Linked today with:

Joan at SHARING HIS BEAUTY
Michelle at HEAR IT ON SUNDAY, USE IT ON MONDAY
Hazel at TELL ME A TRUE STORY
Darlene at TITUS 2SDAY
Jen at UNITE
Rachel at WHIMSICAL WEDNESDAYS
Tracy at WINSOME WEDNESDAY
Shari at WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY
Laura at FAITH FILLED FRIDAY
Wanda at THE FRIDAY FIVE
Mel at ESSENTIAL FRIDAYS
Gail at TGIF
Charlotte at SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS
Sandy at STILL SATURDAY
Barbie at WEEKEND BREW
Janis at SUNDAY STILLNESS


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

A BEAGLE'S *BANDANNA* BANNER DAY

So, the other day it was Spa Day for Marty.

Truth be told, there isn't too much spa treatment involved.

A beagle does not need to be groomed, trimmed, or styled.

He just needs to be cleaned.

But, we like to call it Spa Day because…well, because it makes Marty feel special.

Many dogs – (most dogs??) – are terrified of the vet.  The dog that I grew up with, Bo, a dachshund, started shaking the minute he got into the car.

Not Marty.

He LOVES the vet.

Which is surprising to me, considering the experiences he's had there.  When he was just two months old, before he was ours, he spent about 10 days there battling the deadly Parvo disease.  That involved all sorts of *sick*, and lots of needles and IV treatments.  Then, shortly after that, he was back for treatment for parasites.

Then, of course, there was that whole neutering escapade.

You'd think that THAT would have made him never want to go to the vet's office again…not EVER.  But no, not so.  Marty still loves going to the vet's because…

…well, because he's Marty.

One of the friendliest, sweetest, most gregarious animals I have ever known in my life.

Marty is a people person.

And the vet's office has lots of people – lots of people that know and love him.

It's pretty funny.  I've had to take him to Spa Day a few times myself.  The vet's office is about 10 minutes away from where my son lives.  At first, Marty is just pretty excited about going on a car ride.

But as we begin to approach the parking lot for the vet's office, Marty becomes more and more concentrated on our surroundings.  He often sits up in the passenger seat.  And, as soon as I get into the left-hand turn lane, he KNOWS where we are.

And he can hardly contain himself.

The moment I put my car into "park," that dog is beside himself with glee.  (Maybe it's more accurate to say he's beside ME with glee…like in my lap).

Once inside, he pulls on his leash, he jumps up to say hello, he sniffs and chuffles every square inch of the waiting room.  Occasionally, though we have thoughtfully pre-peed him in the bushes outside, he does a little *marking* on the desk or floor.

Hey, he's a dog, and it's always fun to let other dogs know you've...ahem...
"been there."

Right?!

With barely a nod to my presence, scarcely a sniff good-bye, Marty is off. Around the corner – see ya later!

So, after a long day, the time comes to go pick him up.

I love this part.

I pay the bill, and they go get him.  I can hear him coming long before I see him.  No, he isn't barking or anything – remember, Marty is a "silent" beagle.  He's only barked like 10 times in his life…

But, I can hear his newly-trimmed toenails (and fingernails) clicking on the tiles.  And then, the best moment of all, Marty appears around the corner.

He rushes over to greet me.

Marty might not be too good at good-bye, but he's a superstar champ at HELLO!

Boy, does he smell good.  And his little beagle hair is all fluffy.  Well, perhaps fuzzy is a better way to describe it.

But the best thing of all?

Marty is wearing a bandanna.

Sometime last year, the vet's office started giving their dogs bandannas after their baths (this last Spa Day, Marty's was red).  I think it's an adorable idea.

I'm sure that Marty knows he's got that thing on.  And he's proud of it.  He has a certain bounce in his step, a certain joy in his trot that he didn't have when he first came in.

Yup, Marty knows he's special – and he knows he's clean.

I'm thinking about this tonight.

Marty teaches me a great many things about God, and this is no exception.

What does it feel like to be clean?

I think sometimes I take for granted the great work, the impossible work that Jesus did for me on the cross.  He took every single filthy thing I've ever done, or that I ever will do, and He crucified it.  He washed it clean.

The dirt and grime and stain of sin – the blot that I could not remove – He bore it all.

And washed me clean.

Honestly, I think that should change how I live – every single day.  It should give me a certain bounce in my step, a certain joy in my trot.

It should make me feel beside myself – I should be barely able to contain my glee.

I know I. AM. CLEAN.

Once and for all clean.  Eternally clean.  Deep down where it counts clean.  


You know, maybe today I'll wear my red bandanna – and I'll wear it proud.

Because yes, indeed, I am special to the Master of the Universe!



"Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin." (Psalm 51:2, NLT)

"For on this day shall atonement be made for you to cleanse you. You shall be clean before the LORD from all your sins."  (Leviticus 16:30, ESV)

"Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." (Psalm 51:7, NIV)

"I will cleanse them of their sins against me and forgive all their sins of rebellion." (Jeremiah 33:8, NLT)

"I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses..." (Ezekiel 36:25, ESV)

"When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, 'Lord, are you going to wash my feet?'  Jesus replied, 'You don't understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.'  'No,' Peter protested, 'you will never ever wash my feet!'  Jesus replied, 'Unless I wash you, you won't belong to me.' Simon Peter exclaimed, 'Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!'" (John 13:6-9, NLT)

Are We There Yet??? 

I Am Special 

What does it feel like to you to be *deep-down Jesus* clean?

Linked today with:

Joan at SHARING HIS BEAUTY

Michelle at HEAR IT ON SUNDAY, USE IT ON MONDAY

Tracy at WINSOME WEDNESDAY
Pamela at A SHELTERING TREE
Bonnie at  FAITH BARISTA
Charlotte at SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

"FAN THE FLAME" FRIDAY - Guilty

Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.

This is a weekly post that will be "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)

Just a word and a phrase, a sentence or a question...just a little something to "fan the flame" of your creativity!


Today's word: guilty

What are some typical ways we deal with guilty feelings?

Why is it tempting to ignore a guilty conscience?

What is the difference between productive guilty feelings and harmful guilty feelings?

What does it mean to you to be declared, "NOT GUILTY"?

(These questions were prompted by my Bible Study this week in the book of Ezra)


Let me know what you think!!


"This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7)


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

BIBLE PICK 'EMS - The Defense Rests

The judge peered down at me.

"Do you have anything to say in your defense?"

What could I say? I was guilty of every sin that had been brought against me.

My Adversary was good…very good.

He had used witnesses against me…He had used Scripture against me. And he had used truth – I couldn’t deny one word of his accusations. I was guilty…

"No, Your Honor. The defense rests."

"Then I suggest you begin your closing arguments."

I had no closing arguments. How can you argue, when you know you're guilty of every wrongdoing, every errant act, every thoughtless word – I had SINNED!

I was about to stand up and plead guilty, when a note was passed to me. It read: "Someone is here to speak for you."

I turned and looked into the softest eyes of the strongest face I have ever seen.

And He began to speak for me.

He used His own witness…He used Scripture. And He used truth. He finished with a simple, yet profound, statement:

"So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1)

"Agreed," said the judge, as he pounded his gavel. "Not guilty."

I thought of this little courtroom drama when I read this week's "Bible Pick 'Ems." It comes from the book of I John:

"My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous." (1 John 2:1)

John offers reassurance to us when we're feeling guilty and condemned. We know we have sinned. And Satan wastes no time in pointing fingers at us.

"For the accuser of our brothers and sisters…[is] the one who accuses them before our God day and night." (Revelation 12:10)

He is good…very good.

But don't give up hope!!

We have the best defense attorney in the universe!

And He is pleading our case!

Jesus is our Advocate, our Defender – and He speaks His truth. He has already suffered the penalty in our place. We can't be tried for a case that no longer exists.

"Who then will condemn us? No one – for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God's right hand, pleading for us." (Romans 8:34)

“He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.” (Hebrews 7:25)

So, don't be afraid to ask Jesus to plead your case – He has already won it!!

What is the biggest "case" that Jesus has won for you?

Linked today with Charlotte at SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS

BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"