God's idea of beauty

3:36 p.m. Today's project was to arrive early at the "I'll Second That!" clothing swap at our church this morning, to help out in the dressy clothes and shoes section. A crew of women have been selecting and sorting the donated items for months now, and everything looked lovely in the sanctuary as we gathered for a devotional, instructions and to have a fun time of fellowship.

My friend Pat and I had lots of fun visiting with the ladies as they combed through the offerings in our section, and caught up with each other's impending family weddings: her grandaughter next Saturday, my daughter in June. From three gals involved in the DesRossiers-Sharick wedding, I heard that I absolutely must to go to Dress Barn to look for a M.O.B. dress before I make a final decision! Between that store, Steinmart, Macy's, and the online orders I have coming in the mail this week, I think the Lord can surely cause one dress to jump out as "the one!"

We women are always concerned to look our best, ever since civilization began. Pottery from ancient Mycenaean cultures, as well as the debris from Pompeii, paintings in the pyramids and the sculptures of Greece and Rome show ladies totally glammed up! In Genesis 12:14-15, Abram's wife Sarai was so beautiful that Abram lied about their being married so the Egyptians wouldn't kill him to possses her! Esther was described as "lovely and beautiful" (Esther 2:8). Her stunning looks won her the queenship that saved her people from annihilation throughout the Medo-Persian Empire. So my role as a professional beauty consultant is no trivial, laughing matter, thank you! God created beauty, and every one of us is beautiful to Him.

The ultimate beauty treatments in scripture come from the hand of God Himself. Psalm 149:4 says of the Lord,

For the LORD takes pleasure in His people;

He will beautify the humble with salvation.

Just imagine--when we humbly come to Him confessing and repenting of our sins, and asking Jesus Christ to be our Savior, God takes us at our ugliest, and makes a trade with us. He gives us "beauty for ashes" (Isaiah 61:3). We receive, walk and act in beauty, a radiant beauty that comes from the innermost depths of our being. We are now Christ's very own special creation!

We then are free to act in beauty, sharing the love of God with others, speaking of what we know about Whom we know. And God finds us especially lovely as we obey His command in Mark16:15: "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."

The Lord GOD says of those who witness, in both Isaiah 52:7 and quoted in Romans 10:15:

How beautiful upon the mountains

Are the feet of him who brings good news,

Who proclaims peace,

Who brings glad tidings of good things,

Who proclaims salvation,

Who says to Zion,

Your God reighns!

Sisters, while we attend to our outward appearance as appropriate, let us concentrate on being beautiful in the way that God commends, as bearers of the Good News that JESUS LIVES!

First tasks for a new phase

3:47 p.m. Today's project was to begin the modest distribution of my book, Galatians: An Exploration of Faith and Freedom. My goal was to take copies to people who have indicated interest, but next week will work out better for them. Undaunted, I continued to my next stop, State Senator Bill Emmerson's office, to delivere a free copy to my daughter Heather, the book's photographer. We had a few minutes to chat because the front office where she greets and helps constituents was quiet at 9:45.

It was fun signing my very own book as an author, as if I were some famous person, even if the greeting was to my daughter who helped in its creation. Honestly, God is the author of that Bible study, and the glory goes to Him alone!

At the hair salon, I showed my book to the clients and hairdresssers, and one lady took a great interest and began thumbing through it as she sat under the dryer. "I'm going to enjoy this," she commented, and then said, "Let me have one!" The check was written and I had sold a book!

I only have 10 copies, and most of them are already spoken for, to show my gratitude for all off the help I received. One copy will be for my house, of course and Steve is already reading it. I gave one to Heidi's fiance's family earlier this afternooon. 10, 9, 8, 7...they are slipping away!

And that's the whole idea! I can oeder some more, or just wait for the May 31 release date and inform all who are asking for a copy where Galatians can be found, or how to order online. Either way, I have praise for the Lord who saved and taught me, becuse he has truly done great things in my life! Psalm 92:4-5 (NIV) captures my heart's song completely:

For You make me glad by Your deeds, O Lord.

I sing for joy at the works of Your hands.

How great are Your works, O LORD,

How profound Your thoughts!

And if I can convey one iota of the thoughts and love of God towards His people, and His plan of salvation for all of mankind, I will consider myself glad indeed!

Our latest addition is here!

2:37 p.m. Today's project was to welcome our oldest son Sean over for a fun visit this morning, and to welcome our latest addition, or should I say, edition, into the family this afternoon.

The first ten copies of my book, Galatians: An Exploration of Faith and Freedom, arrived today! I am beyond incredulous that a boxful of lifelong dreams is sitting in my house, ready to give to those who helped bring it into existence, like Charlotte and Howard Stevens, Kathy Langtry, Carole Gift Page, Robert and Debbie Snyder and Heather Love.

Charlotte not only endorsed my book as a Christian school director, but she and Howard, like Robert and Debbie, invited Steve over so I would have hours alone to write. Author Carole Gift Page provided invaluable suggestions for giving Galatians a personal, yet doctrinally sound approach and lent her endorsement. Kathy Langtry proofread every word and saved hours of corrections for the editors and me. My Mrs. Heather Love of HeatherAllisonLove Photography is the professional behind the author portrait. (One of her photos graces this blog, and yet another welcomes women to my Mary Kay website). I am so blessed by the talents and high standards of my production partners!

In I Corinthians 3:9 Paul says to the church, in regard to all who preach the Gospel, "we are God's fellow workers," and that is how I feel about the Bible study workbook we have built together!

As I look back on the original writing of the Galatians study in 1987, the human being who made it possible for me to stay home with my children, homeschool Sean, attend and teach Bible studies, is my husband Steve. He got up at 3:30 a.m. to commute to Orange County and worked at least 50 hours a week to provide our needs. God gave him the strength, willingness, talent and work ethic that caused him to work without missing a day for years at a time! Steve exemplified Ecclesiastes 9:10: "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might." As a married couple, we truly have been molded into a God-ordained partnership for almost 30 years. I love Ecclesiastes 3:9, "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor." (One reward, of course, is the creation of offspring whose sayings and doings bring Galatians to life)!

My fervent prayer is that believers will be strengthened in the doctrine of salvation by grace, and prepared to defend the Gospel; and that those who do not yet know Christ may find in Galatians the way to "believe to the saving of the soul" (Hebrews 10:39b).

Grey, grey, gone away!

4:46 p.m. Today's project was seek the Lord in getting over the disappointments of the morning--lapsed life insurance policies and pest trouble in the garden-- and get to work. We need to receive our Wyoming rent check sooner in the month, sidestepping the mail. Our rent check is the only income we have between the 1st and the 27 of each month when Steve's Social Security check comes, and the first of the month pension income is taken up by mortgage payments. Makes for quite a strain!

I've been following my own counsel that I taught the ladies in our "Daily Diligence" class on home economy last night: skip grocery shopping and make meals from the freezer and pantry!

Last week, I found out that our property management company can deposit checks for landlords if they have a bank in Cheyenne. None of the banks we use have a branch there, but Wells Fargo does. So, after a very positive phone conversation with a young man at our local branch, we set out for the bank. Juan came out to greet us shortly after we were seated at the front desk.

Steve couldn't remember his social security number, but I supplied that with a brief comment, "He has mild Alzheimer's." Apparently that made no difference, because the manager wasn't called over...Steve was able to put in a PIN for his ATM/debit card, and sign his name, albeit strangely, and we were soon on our way home. I called Brenda in Cheyenne, gave her the bank account information, and praise the Lord, she'll be making a deposit between the 8th and 10th of this month. We have had to wait as long as the 18th by mail, even though rent is collected on the 1st. So this is a major improvement!

The Apostle Paul made a statement in Philippians 4:11-12 to those believers who had been supporting him, concerning the ups and downs of a Christian's life in this world. I reflect on these verses regularly, so I might be able to make the same bold statement, no matter what my health, finance, or personal condition is:

Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:

I know how to be abased and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

As I reflect on the times when we had all five kids at home on one income, then recall that when they grew up, I finished my teaching credential requirements and resumed my career, I see both extremes of income. I can look back on wonderful vacations and celebrations, as well as times when I had to make dog food from scratch--in the Lord, it's the same! Jesus has never abandoned me; furthermore, He showed me how to create, manage and keep a joyful household atmosphere despite downturns in our family's economy. The Holy Spirit gave me minute-by-minute instruction in leading the children to the Lord, showing them ways of blessing others in the neighborhood, and befriending those whom others looked down on. As adults today, they don't remember much about what they didn't have, but definitely look back on great times in the Lord! And their upbeat, giving ways remain in each of them to this day.

Jesus remarked about those who were fasting that I can relate to when we go without, in Matthew 6:16-18:

Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

So He has, and so He does!

Open the blinds!

2:03 p.m. Today's project was to write about "Daily Diligence," for our women's ministry Heart to Home, tonight at Calvary Chapel Moreno Valley. I have taught women biblical and economical homemaking principles for years, beginning with the Willing Hearts, Willing Hands ministry we founded in the 1990's at Harvest Christian Fellowship. It was tempting to find old notes, but I wanted tonight's lesson to be a fresh work of the Holy Spirit.

Returning home after two late morning appointments, I was able to get my notes prepared, both for the devotional I'll open class with and the "Daily Diligence" material itself. I am really praising God, because the morning did not start auspiciously.

I woke up an hour too early, quite agitated over the way either a mole or a gopher has been killing our big, beautiful broccoli plants that were already producing. Poison is out of the question for an organic garden; and the battery-operated "Mole Mover" that kept our garden safe last year by sending vibrations underground clearly wasn't working, despite having new batteries and sending out a feeble blink. Last night Steve and I bought a solar-powered version, but it needs two days of sunlight to power up the solar cells before you can turn in on. We are down to three plants out of the original nine! If it seems trivial, think of a farmer losing one-third of his crop--it would be devastating! Our garden has provided food for us, and those plants represent an investment of time and treasure. I can identify with the sower of seed in Jesus' parable of the sower in Luke 8:5, who lost some when "the birds of the air devoured it."

One thing I noticed each morning as I entered my office with my coffee to begin my daily Bible reading, is that I'd open the blinds, see another broccoli plant on the ground, and begin my day in a down mood. Before long, however, the Word, prayer, and journalling about much more important needs would snap me out of it, glory to God. The Lord uses that dedicated time to love and encourage me, directing me to a new thought or concept each morning, even after 31 years as a believer. He is so faithful!

But this morning, having awakened in a grim mood, despite the praise song the Lord sent me to soothe my soul, I simply turned on the light in the room and didn't open the blinds. (As if that would change the "facts on the ground" outside!) I had had it, and did not want to lose my focus.

Our morning went smoothly. When I came home, I felt prayed up and bolstered by the Bible studies I'd heard on the radio, so I walked into my office, opened the blinds and found, praise the Lord, our three broccoli plants standing! It was solely the Lord, because our gopher-abatement implements sure aren't working. I love the way God reminds Job that He is the master of all living creatures, in Chapter 39. In verse 26-27 He asks Job,

Does the hawk fly by your wisdom,

And spread its wings toward the south?

Does the eagle mount up at your command,

And make its nest on high?

When Jesus arose from the storm-tossed boat and "rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, 'Peace, be still!' " in Mark 4:39, the disciples "feared exceedingly, and said to one another, 'Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him !' "

Who, indeed? The Creator of the Universe, God the Son, my beloved Lord Jesus Christ! And not one of my problems, whether on the ground or under the ground, is too big for Him!

La la la la la la la, I can't hear you!

2:57 p.m. Today's project was to take care of business here at home, specifically to upgrade my AAA membership to 100 miles of towing, since both my son Steven and I drive a lot of miles. We drive identical cars, the 2005 Jeep Liberty. I admit that I've been quite smug about following the maintenance schedule, because I've undoubtedly avoided some major repairs by doing so. I've been pretty diligent! Until this weekend...I opened up mail from the DMV, while saying to Steve and whoever else may have been around, "What! I just heard the bank's computer account info on the phone, and I paid that registration!" So upon close inspection, I read "Amount due, "$0.00." Then I began a rant about the waste of taxpayer money on pointless notices, but stopped upon glancing upward to the heading:

NOTICE OF INCOMPLETE RENEWAL

"What is it now?!" I'm thinking. Then I saw a grey area and the light came on--my darling Jeep needs a smog certificate. I have to get it smogged! That calls for an admission that it's not brand new any more, sniff, sniff. Several friends recommended one particular place for a reasonable price, so I'll check them out this week.

Things would have gone a lot smoother if I had taken the time to read the first renewal letter in its entirety. Instead, I focused on the amount to pay and tossed the rest of the notice! So often, we just don't take the time to pay close attention to what we hear or see, do we?

Last night at Home Fellowship, we studied Jesus' institution of the Lord's Supper in the Gospel of Mark Chapter 14:22-25:

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread and broke it, and gave it to them and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And He said to them, "This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many. Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."

The question asked by our Bible study leader was this: "Do you think the disciples knew what Jesus was talking about here?" The general consensus was no, for assorted reasons. (I thought to myself, "They didn't have the Apostle Paul there to explain it to them like we do!") What I expressed to the group is that no matter how many times Jesus predicted His death, despite their witnessing his Transfiguration, and being taught the Gospel daily by the Master, they just didn't take it in--perhaps they were too amazed by His miracles and overwhelmed by the crowds to even pay attention. Or, they put the bad news of their beloved Jesus' impending death out of their minds. I can relate to any or all of the above reasons we don't grasp important information!

Illness or fear can also block our listening ability. After the study last night, I went into the kitchen to retrieve the bowl I'd brought salad in, while Steve remained at the table where we'd been seated. One of the group members came up to me and asked what was the matter with Steve, because when she had politely asked how he was, she'd had to ask him three times with little if any response. I told her "He has Alzheimer's." She wasn't offended, just now knew what to expect.

When Steve and I discussed it at home later, he explained to me in a very agitated manner, "I didn't know who she was!" (Lauree is there mostly every week, like we are). I said, "You don't have to know someone's name to know that they're part of our Home Fellowship and just making conversation. She belongs there just like we do." He kept saying, "I didn't know her name!" It turns out that he doesn't know the name of our leader, either, I discovered. It was a lot for me to take in, even affecting me physically. I asked for prayer from my Facebook friends, and over 20 people responded without even knowing what the issue was--how blessed I am! "Pray for one another," James 5:16b says,"that you may be healed."

Prayers were answered, because today we have both been paying attention, especially to one another's words and needs--and we are so much the better for it!

- Perfect Time -