My Lovely Dwelling Place

  It’s a Wrap!   Well, it’s a beautiful day in my neighborhood – the first day of autumn per my calendar – my favorite time of year. Changing colors, pumpkin spice everything, jackets and sweaters to cover up fat – I can’t think of anything wrong with it! The end of one season and the beginning of another – it’s like a fresh start – for the world it’s the wrap up of the Summer of Stupid and the initiation of a Feisty Fall… Colossians 4:2-6 is a wrapping up of sorts as well: Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; Praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have been imprisoned; That I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak. Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you ...

  The Gospel Comes to Work   Do you remember the original Rocky movie? Rocky wanted to be a boxer, and he wanted cranky, old Mick to coach him. But Mick wouldn’t because he thought Rocky was a bum. He thought this because Rocky worked for a loan shark and was known to break the thumbs of those who didn’t pay their debts. When rebuked by Mick, Rocky shrugged and said, “It’s a livin’.” And that pretty much sums up how we can feel about work. I once had a favorite co-worker that assured me I could do anything for eight hours. It is not unusual for a buddy at work to tell me they’re “living the dream” in a way that is not convincing when asked how their day is going. I confess to responding to the same query with, “Well, at least they pay me!” But work, for the Christian – whatever it is… so long as it is not contrary to God’s law, like breaking thumbs – is holy.   Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service,...

  Family   How important is the family? In Paul’s letter to the Colossians, he spends the first two chapters reminding the Colossians of the supremacy of Christ including all Jesus has done for us, what we have in Him, and how not to fall for false teaching. In chapter three, Paul discusses what our lives should look like because of all that Jesus has done for us – the application of our doctrine. By the time we get to Colossians 3:18-21, the gospel is at home. Paul’s teaching on the family in Colossians has a parallel in Ephesians 5:22-6:4. There are studies that state fewer people are getting married today, and for those who do 50% of those marriages are likely to end in divorce. Yet children raised without both parents are more likely to be poor and participate in criminal activity. Marriage and family are God’s idea (Genesis 2:24). It’s the first human institution and the best place to raise children. I’ve heard it said that if we can’t do this Christiani...

DAD   July 2, 1982 dawned clear. I don’t remember if it was a hot day, but I do know it had sunny skies and puffy clouds. I don’t remember any headlines or important events. Ronald Reagan was president, and I had been married about six months. It was the day I found out I was pregnant with my first child, and it was the day I lost my dad. I was at work when the call came. Strange coincidence – I was at work when I got the call that my mom had passed away a little over thirty years later. Work is a constant in life, is it not? In this July, I was a nurse’s assistant working on a medical floor. That particular morning, I was distracted about the idea of becoming a mom. I married my then husband after knowing him a mere three months despite warnings from everyone I knew and misgivings on my part. My pride was stronger than my common sense. It is remarkable the roads we willingly go down in exchange for the path that leads to life. I was called to the nurse’s station to...

There are baby squirrels living in our gnarly old pear tree out front. We can watch them from the front window cavort and play. They seem to be content to stay in the safety of the tree’s branches. I have yet to see them on the ground. I’m sure they will venture out in the right time, but for now they are content with the boundaries God has given them. It seems to me during these turbulent times we could use some boundaries. Current events remind me of this passage: Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart (Genesis 6:5-6). Or this one: In those days, there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes (Judges 17:6). Or maybe this one: And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do things which are n...

The Good Word   Back in the day nursing school was rough. Nursing instructors were rougher. Whatever number our class started with in the fall of 1992, there were a lot less of us by the time we graduated in 1994. After each test we would gather by the nursing office door to see who was still in the program. There was a little stress involved in becoming a Florence Nightingale wannabe. I remember, right before graduating, a fellow student telling me she couldn’t wait to vent her frustration to our instructors over all they put us through. I reminded her that she might want their letters of recommendation before she did so. It does feel good to vent – to release all those pent up feelings, accusations, hurts, frustrations – whatever - at any available culprits or victims – depending on who is receiving the venting. But I wonder does it really help? Words are powerful. Jesus said we would be responsible – have to give an account - for every careless word spoken (Matthew...

Peace   Peace is elusive at times. Our current times are not exactly peace promoting! I can confidently state what peace is not. Peace is not unemployment and uncertainty. Peace is not fear that seemingly healthy strangers will make you sick. Peace is not mixed signals from government and irresponsible media. Peace does have a few definitions – it can mean a treaty or truce between warring factions or a personal state of tranquility or quiet. Continuing in Colossians we find these wise words - Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful (3:15). The use of the word “ Let ” to start off this verse seems to tell me that we have control over the carrying out of this verse. It’s something we allow or choose to do. “ Peace of Christ ” is a particular peace. One that only Jesus provides. Through faith in Christ we have peace with God. Having paid the price for our sins and taking upon Himself the wrath of G...

No Fear - Love   The other day I visited the post office. It was a dark and stormy night. What do those statements have in common you say? Well, they could be the opening of a creepy novel. At least they can now in the lovely and weird world of COVID 19. My normally cheerful and chatty postal clerk has turned into a self-protective, fully masked, gloved, and rude germaphobe encased in plexiglass in a darkened post office with red crosses on the floor. Yikes! Stay home, save lives – unless you’re an essential employee – or are still looking for toilet paper, hand sanitizer, Lysol, and Clorox wipes. Now my default setting doesn’t tend toward fear – I lean toward anger – not much better. So, I was irritated by the behavior of my postal clerk – irritated by having to wait to get into the store and finding shelves still empty, irritated when folks swerve out of my way like I’m a card carrying plague bearer, irritated that parks and playgrounds are closed in case folk...