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Are Christians Like Woodpeckers?

I peered out my window the other day and saw an amazingly huge Woodpecker stabbing at the Crab Apple tree. I watched in awe as he made his rounds, looking for whatever grubs he might find. Somehow, it reminded me of people and how often we, yes, each one of us, look like that bird, seeking whom we might devour. Looking for the holes and grubs in other people’s lives. Trying to feed ourselves and feel better for all the wrong we see in the world.

But then, I saw in my mind’s eye, Jesus. Yes, Jesus. I thought of how I used to think of Him as one who also looked for the flaws and sins in each of our lives. You see, my old-school, Catholic upbringing somehow gave me this picture of Jesus. The One who judges. I guess I heard of Him as judge and thought He was constantly watching and judging and condemning us. So many of the early years of my salvation were spent wondering and worrying and watching everything I did to make sure I was in line with God. Now that’s a lot of work(s)!

I am ever so grateful that God has done a great work in my life in recent years. He has given many lessons to bring me to a true knowledge of Who he is and how he works in our lives. Jesus saves now and judges later. We only need to trust and obey and love to find health and wholeness in our life. And then the real kicker? We offer that same love to those around us. Amazing simplicity!

So the moral of this Woodpecker story? Let’s not allow old ideas to be master of our thoughts and hearts. Let’s not be Woodpeckers in other’s lives, casting judgment, and searching for the grubs. Let’s not use Christianity as an excuse to be the microscope peering into other people’s lives. And certainly, let’s not picture Jesus as One who sits on the throne just waiting for our sin to pop out.

God loves us. Jesus came to save the sinner and forgive past, present, and future sins. All we need to do is follow Him, trusting that He is God. Let Him do the rest.

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love, because He first loved us. 1 John 4:15-19

When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all his angels are with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. The people of every nation will be gathered in front of him. He will separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right but the goats on his left. Matthew 25:31-33

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Just ONE Thing You Need To Know!

By livingabovethenoise

I’ve noticed something in my inbox lately. A multitude of blog posts claiming things like: “6 Things You Need to Know,” “5 Super Simple Habits,” “7 Ideas That Will Rock Your World.” Okay, I get it! Someone out there wrote “5 Best Ways to Boost Your Blog” telling bloggers to catch their reader’s attention by offering simple solutions.

Well, I’d love to hop on the bandwagon, but I just can’t get myself to do it. I just can’t follow the crowd, no matter how many more views I get.

Why?

Because I’ve tried too many of those “better ways!” Oh, they worked for a while, but I got tired. I’m only human. And so are you! Without God and His ways at the core of all we do, we will always burn out.

I blog to share about God, about His great love in sending Jesus to rescue us. You’ll read of His many lessons in faith and character in this crazy world, about how much better our lives will be if we follow Him and not everyone else’s ideas.

Yes, you will read my ideas, my lessons. But my goal is to use those lessons to lead you to God. Not to me. Not to some other method. Just. To. God. I’ll share tips and ideas for life as a wife, mom, friend…but the foundation for them all is and always will be from His Book. He made things to work best when they are done His way.

So, I lied. There is the ONE thing you need to know – the ONE way to a better life…

God!

Simple. Matter of fact. Honest. Beautiful. Sometimes hard to do. But all the time the best choice.

God.

Now that we have that settled, we can talk about all the creative ways to live well!

Blessings as you seek His face and His ways. Daily. Minute by minute. Choice by choice.

Love you all! And so does God!

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones. Proverbs 3:5-8

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:13

Finding Quiet In A Noisy World

By livingabovethenoise

I awoke this morning to my usual world, one where I don’t know where I’ll be living in a year, with ceilings that look like I’m in a doctor’s office, and adjustments all around to life in my fifties. That’s when I again realized the necessity of quiet time in this crazy, noisy, chaotic world.

Now, if I were writing this post from the mountains of Tennessee or on the beach in California or any of my “perfect” places, I might not feel the chaos of the times. But for most of us, calm days are few and far between, and we enter our days running.

I’m in my quiet corner of the world right now, yet, there is noise. There are a hundred things shouting my name, calling me to come hither, that they might steal my joy, my peace.

Get Ready For Battle

And so we must fight. We must wage war on this culture which seeks to steal our peace. We must plan an attack early in our day, lest we get caught in the onslaught of the wave of “hurry” and the avalanche of to-dos.

But how do we do this? What does it look like for a busy woman? Where will we find space away from the crowd or the tumult?

This is where need and self-control come in. Once you discover the much-needed commodity, quiet for the soul, there will be little that can stop you from creating space in your day to get it. Once you realize your need was there all along, you’ll know the minute it rears its little head begging for more. You will have to make it happen, not much different from when you feel hunger or thirst. You will realize your cells are running dry when you feel distant from God, or when you snap too quickly, or when discouragement is draining your energy. But you must find the time.

Is God An “Add-On” Item To Your Day?

My husband and I went to a “Christian” marriage counselor/psychologist years ago. I questioned the depth of his faith because in his counseling— God was an “add-on” (like in Amazon’s cart when you want free shipping but the product is low cost, so it must be “added on” to a larger item). He treated God as if He was an “add-on” to his therapy, someOne to give a little power to the message. Let’s not do that with God! Let’s give Him the pre-eminence He deserves.

We can only do this by giving Him our personal time. Offer Him a tithe of the first fruits of your day. Let Him fill you with His wisdom, strength, counsel, and love before you begin in this crazy life we each must live. You may have children who need you from sun-up to sun-down, husbands who need to talk. You have work to do, meals to make, and clothes to wash. You have birthday cards to write, houses to clean, and lessons to teach. And that is why quiet time with your Lord is so very critical.

You need Him and He desires for you to place Him where he belongs in your life. Center front, first love, ever present, constant in your minute-by-minute life.

But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Submit therefore to God….Draw near to God and He will draw near to you…. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. James 4:6-8, 10

Make Space For God

You will have to figure out how to keep God center-front, but do figure it out!

Steal fifteen minutes while you’re nursing a baby.
Grab five minutes after your shower.
Hold onto those precious moments when your husband has the kids busy.
Even one verse to meditate on while you shower is time with your Father.
Simply pray for wisdom and listen to His voice while you wash the dishes or brush your teeth.

Create space in your day (preferably your morning) to make a quiet, purposeful, listening time with your God. No doubt it will make your day run smoother, brighten your outlook, give calm to the hurry, and deliver you from fear of the unknown. But do take time. Time to listen. Time to think. Time that gives God space to speak to you, time for you to listen.

God wants us dependent on His grace, love, wisdom, strength, and so much more!

Find His Truth for any lie. Feel the comfort in His arms.

Discover rest.

I will praise the name of God with song and magnify Him with thanksgiving.

And it will please the LORD better than an ox or a young bull with horns and hoofs.

The humble have seen it and are glad; you who seek God, let your heart revive.

For the LORD hears the needy and does not despise His who are prisoners.

Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and everything that moves in them.

Psalm 69:30-34

Adapt – My Word For The New Year

By livingabovethenoise

I’m in a group of bloggers and we’re writing about our “Word for the Year.” I’ve been wondering what to write as I venture into this new year, so this got me thinking. Hang in there as I explain how a simple movie changed my perspective and gave me my word.

Lesson Learned From “Pete’s Christmas”

We watched a *”really good” movie at Christmas-time called, “Pete’s Christmas”. Yes, it was silly at times, but overall, the writer/producer got to the heart of human nature and our need to be cared about. The storyline deals with Pete, who “messes up” Christmas but then is given numerous chances to re-live the day until he gets it right. *caveat: “really good” means one thing to one person and another to the next, so excuse me if we differ! :o)

Pete tries and tries, from his own perspective, to “do Christmas right” only to mess up again. But slowly, as the story moves on, he learns to see through the eyes of his friends and family, thus learning to make Christmas perfect by loving them right where they need to be loved. Ah…such a great message….and one I keep pondering as the days pass by.

How to Live “Perfectly”

You want to know the real lesson I got from “Pete’s Christmas”? Every one of us gets to re-live a day, to make it “perfect” every day when we wake up. God gives us a new day, a new week, or month or year in which to live “perfectly” by loving those around us with the everlasting love the Father had for us. That Love that wrapped His arms around a tree and gave up His freedom to love us perfectly!

ADAPT – My Word For This Year.

Why did I choose this word? Because in ALL my searching for the perfect life, I’ve missed the main point of the Gospel. That the only “perfect” is found in Christ. I’ve struggled and worked, wondered and hoped, fought and cried when things haven’t gone my way. But God….only He could bring me to the place of adapting to His story for my life.

I must let go of my story, just the way I thought it would go, and adapt to His plan, His ways, His method of loving me. He loves me enough to NOT let me get everything I want, or have relationships be the way I want, or have my story look the way I thought was perfect! Now, that is true, tough, unending love. Love from the ONE who knows me more than I know myself. He knows just what I need to learn to lean on Him, to depend on Him, to die to myself so I can love others in the same way He loved me!

And so I adapt. I’m learning what this all-encompassing word means every day. Praise God for His good lessons. May we kneel together as we seek to find His will for our lives!

Love to each of you & Happy New Year!

1 Corinthians 2 – And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. (vs. 1-5)

…but just as it is written,“THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” (vs. 9)

But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that He will instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. (vs. 14-16)

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