The Grateful Heart: Friends

Yesterday was a long, but good day. I volunteered at the Global Outreach International Mission Conference. My friends, Jan and Linda, volunteered with me. I scheduled us to be there the entire time. I loved being there. I was blessed beyond words. Every hour was precious, but I failed to think about how many hours I would be gone from home.

What I hadn't considered was that the Wonder Dogs would need to go outside. Maggie would need her eye drops. Mamie would want her artificial tears so she could have what Maggie has.  It was my day to close the park. 

My sweet neighbor, Sam, comes to see the Wonder Girls often. They take each other for walks several times a day, but Sam doesn't come after dark. In case you haven't noticed, it's getting dark early these days.

Late yesterday, Jan needed to leave. Linda decided to stay. 

It took at least two people to do our job, so Linda's presence was essential. Her decision to stay was a precious gift.

Nearly an hour after Jan left, I received this text:

"Girls are walked and park is closed. Maggie wanted to go to bed but they are back in the kitchen."

Jan saw my need and met it, and so did Linda.

That's what friends do.

I am blessed beyond words by friends who see needs and meet them, sometimes before I realize I have the need. 

I wish I was as good a friend. 

If you have friends, celebrate that friendship. Spend time together. Help each other. Love. Laugh. Serve. Rejoice.

Cherish your friendship, for our friendships here on earth are just a reminder that there is One friend who sticks closer than a brother, never fails, loves at all times, and has already laid down His life for those who would be His friend.

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down; his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!"         Ecclesiastes 4:9 nasb

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In case you missed any of the past week's posts, here are the links: The Grateful Heart: Predawn Stillness, The Grateful Heart: Orchestration of God, The Grateful Heart: Avoiding Distraction, Maggie: Eye Protection, Maggie: Wanting Eye Drops, and Grateful Heart: Superheroes and Missions Conference.

The most read posts of the past week: (for the first time ever there's a tie) Maggie:Forgiving and Forgetting and Maggie: Being Light.

#friends #closerthanabrother #loveoneanother #JesusChrist #grateful heart

The Grateful Heart: Superheroes and Missions Conference

"Go... and make disciples." Matthew 28:19 nasb

My friend, Missy Lunceford, gave me these beautiful hands, and they've served to remind me of the providing Hand of God, the sacrificing Hands of Christ on the cross, and the praying hands of supplication. 

Today, they are a reminder of the serving hands of the body of Christ. 

The Global Outreach International Mission Conference is today. It's being held at Hope Church and it starts at 2 pm. We'll be there until about 9 pm tonight. Global missionaries from around the world will gather and share their stories. They'll set up booths, tell anyone who will listen about the people groups they serve and the work they are doing. They'll probably invite those who are willing to come alongside them and serve in short-term missions.

The public is invited. In case you're wondering, that means you and me. We'll learn and worship and, of course, have a finger-food meal together this evening. You don't have to be there for the entire conference. Come when you can. Stay as long as you can. It's free. 

This conference is different from what Global has done before. It's more comprehensive. It's deeper. It's bigger. 

There will be great workshops this afternoon. I wish I could attend every one of them. Look at these terrific topics and consider which one you should attend:

 - Pursuing Business as Mission for the Glory of God

- Short Term Trip, Long Term Fruit

- From Passionate to Proficient

- Living the Story of the Bible
- The Mission Mindset

- Artists and the Modern Mission Movement

- Resilience in Mission

- Storytelling and the Modern Mission Movement
- Finishing Strong: Missions for Retirees and Second Careers

- Syrian Refugees: Unprecedented Tragedy, Unprecedented Opportunity

- Engage, a Ministry of AFA

- Eternal Promises Upholding Modern Missionaries

- Orphan Care

- Pastors' Role in Missions

There will be a prayer room and anyone who'd like to have someone pray with them is welcome. If you'd just like to pray alone, the room will be open. Drop off a prayer request. Pray for the missionaries. Join us at the feet of our Lord.

There was a time when I expected to be on the foreign mission field. That's not how my life turned out, for a variety of reasons that are best left to another time. Instead of going, I've sent the words God has given me literally around the world. I've lost track of the number of countries where Lines from Leanna is read, but every one of those countries is precious to me. Every one represents people hungry for the Word of God and the Hope of a Savior.  They aren't looking for entertainment. They're looking for hope. For truth. 

If you're tempted to tell me I'm a missionary, please don't waste your breath. I'm not. 

It is the ones who have left their homes and their families and the comfortable life in the United States who are missionaries. They've sacrificed in ways we can't begin to understand. Their lives are not easy. They are not so comfortable as we'd like to believe. They are heroes in the faith.

These superhero missionaries are sacrificing for our Savior. As one who is home, I'm deeply grateful for their work and their sacrifice. They are doing what we are not, and, as the body of Christ, we must be willing to support them by listening, by praying, by going to help when we can, by giving. 

I hope you'll come today. It's going to be a great conference. There'll be lots of blessings for those who want them, so join us, even if it's just for a little while. 

It will be worth it.

I look forward to seeing you there.

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In case you missed any of the past week's posts, here are the links: Maggie: Being Light, The Grateful Heart: Predawn Stillness, The Grateful Heart: Orchestration of God, The Grateful Heart: Avoiding Distraction, Maggie: Eye Protection, and Maggie: Wanting Eye Drops.

The most read posts of the past week: (for the first time ever there's a tie) Maggie:Forgiving and Forgetting and Maggie: Being Light.

Here's the link to The Clay Papers, (a collection of stories about pottery class and becoming what the potter intends) available as an e-book for personal use or to send as a gift for only 99 cents. 

Here's the link for The Road to Bethlehem: An Advent Prayer and Devotional Guide, available on Amazon for 99 cents e-book. Paperback $6.00 (Also available to send as an e-gift)

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#globaloutreach #missionconference #missionaries #disciple #JesusChrist

Maggie Speaks Out: Wanting Eye Drops

The ever-amazing Maggie the Wonder Dog is guest blogging again today. In case you haven't met her, she's a six-year old Shih Tzu who can dance like a ballerina, sneak like a spy, and herd cows like a border collie. 
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Sometimes sisters are so dumb. 

My sister, Mamie the Apprentice Wonder Puppy, might know something about how my eye got hurt. Or she might not. (My mama made me write that, because she says I don't know for sure.) Anyway, whether she knows or not, how she's acted about my eye has been just plain dumb.

My eye was scraped bad and it hurt a lot, too. I had to have eye salve and snuggles and to be still in the dark. Mamie didn't care about the eye salve or the being still, but she didn't like me getting all those snuggles. She wanted snuggles for a hurt eye, too. 

Mamie would jump up on my mama and snuggle, too. I didn't mind. Our pack snuggles together a lot. I did mind it when Mamie wanted to sit on top of my hurt eye and snuggle. That was not nice.

When I got my new eye glasses, Mamie wanted some, too. Mama let her try them on. Unfortunately, they were too big, and Mamie decided I could have them all to myself. I was hoping she's snatch them away like she snatched my little yellow duck. No such luck.

After Dr. Black gave me those eye drops, Mamie got unhappy. Mama and I got home and Mamie said, "Where have you two been and why didn't you take me?" 

"We went to see Dr. Black to get my eye checked, Mamie. You wouldn't have liked it."

"Yes, I would have. I like to go for rides. I like Dr. Black. He's cute."

"Mamie, Dr. Black rolled a Q-tip on my eyeball to see if it was dead. You wouldn't have like it."

She had to think about that. She knew about Q-tips because she got one out of the garbage and ate it. She got in trouble with Mama when she did it, too. "That doesn't sound good, Maggie, but I wanted a ride." She stuck out her lower lip and pouted. 

My mama does not like pouting. "Mamie, pouting does not look good on young ladies."

"I am not a young lady. I'm a apprentice wonder puppy and if you would hurry up and teach me some new tricks I could be a wonder dog, too. Just like Maggie."

It was not a good idea to get sassy with Mama. "Mamie, if you would learn the tricks I've taught you, instead of bouncing like Tigger, you would get some new ones."

Just when I thought Mamie was done for because she was getting so sassy, Mama said, "It's time for eye drops." 

Mamie clearly did not know about eye drops because she started jumping up and down and running in circles. "Eye drops! Eye drops!" 

Mama snuggled me in her lap, gave me a kiss, and put two drops of antibiotics in my hurt eye. They do not feel good and I don't like eye drops. Eye salve feels better, but if I am still, Mama will give me a kiss when she's done.

After I got my stinging eye drops and my kiss, I hopped down, hoping never to have eye drops again. Mamie, though, was still chanting, "Eye drops! Eye drops!" 

"Silly puppy. You don't want eye drops."

Mamie did. "Maggie has eye drops and I want them, too." When Mama wouldn't give her eye drops, Mamie started barking and wouldn't quit. Finally, Mama said, "Okay, silly puppy. I will get you some eye drops." (She didn't give her the medicine ones. She had some artificial tears drops in the medicine box.)

She snuggled Mamie, gave her a kiss, and dropped the eye drops in Mamie's eye. She was so happy. She ran around and around. "Eye drops. Eye drops. I have eye drops, too." 

I shook my head. Mamie is so dumb sometimes.

My mama says people are like that sometimes, too. They want more, more, more. If they see someone else with something (like Mamie and my eye drops) they want that, too. 

Here's what's so silly. When people get into this more, more, more mode, they buy stuff they don't need. They waste the money God gave them instead of using their money for helping others, like he told us to do.

Jesus does not like this "more" stuff. He thinks it's dumb. At His house, they use gold for gravel in the streets, but when He came to help us out down here, He had to walk on plain old dirt. He didn't care. Jesus just did what had to be done and didn't whine about it.

Here's what He said: "Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions." (Luke 12:15 nasb)

We're supposed to be content. That means to be happy with whatever God has given you and not whine about wanting more. 

My mama said I'm taking too long and to get to the point, so here's the Wonder Dog Lesson of the Day.

Be content.

If Jesus didn't give you eye drops, don't bark until you get some. 

If you're not a dog, don't just buy, buy, buy. Be happy with what you have and don't always want more. Life is not about having more stuff. Help others instead. 

The end. By Maggie the Wonder Dog.

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In case you missed any of the past week's posts, here are the links: Maggie: Forgiving and Forgetting, Maggie: Being Light, The Grateful Heart: Predawn Stillness, The Grateful Heart: Orchestration of God, The Grateful Heart: Avoiding Distraction, and Maggie: Eye Protection.

The most read posts of the past week: (for the first time ever there's a tie) Maggie:Forgiving and Forgetting and Maggie: Being Light.

Here's the link to The Clay Papers, (a collection of stories about pottery class and becoming what the potter intends) available as an e-book for personal use or to send as a gift for only 99 cents. 

Here's the link for The Road to Bethlehem: An Advent Prayer and Devotional Guide, available on Amazon for 99 cents e-book. Paperback $6.00 (Also available to send as an e-gift)
#greed #disciple #JesusChrist #MaggietheWonderDog #eyedrops

Maggie Speaks Out: Eye Protection

The ever-amazing Maggie the Wonder Dog is guest blogging again today. In case you haven't met her, she's a six-year old Shih Tzu who can dance like a ballerina, sneak like a spy, and herd cows like a border collie. 

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Yes. That's me, wearing glasses. 

I've had a tough two weeks. I had a huge corneal abrasion in my left eye and it hurt bad. Ouch. My mama said it was as big as a pencil eraser. Big. Anyway, my mama had to put eye salve in my eye. It was messy and gooey and kinda yucky, but it did make my eye feel better. It didn't make it well, though. No salve now. I have eye drops every two hours. We are busy around here.

Yesterday, I went back to see Dr. Black. He shined a light in my eye and said my hurt place is better but still not well. Thank you for praying. I hate to say this, but you need to pray some more. You have to keep going until the job is done. Don't quit now! Pray for Maggie the Wonder Dog's eye! Tell everyone.

I still have two hurt places. They're big for corneal abrasions, but not as big as an eraser, so that's good. 

Sometimes, doctors do the most unusual things. Dr. Black said, "This might be dead tissue. I need to check." Couldn't he tell I was alive? No. He took a Q-tip and rolled it over my eyeball! I was shocked. No one has ever rolled a Q-tip over my eyeball before and I hope they never do it again. 

My eye wasn't dead. (I could've told him that without the Q-tip torture.) It was a scar. I do not like scars. That is too much like scare, and scars scare me. So I need you to pray my scar gets well. Please and thank you. (My mama told me to say that.)

Now comes the shocking part. Dr. Black said dogs like me (Shih Tzu's) are prone to eye injuries and I need to be careful not to get hurt again. My mama was already on it.

Yesterday, my mama said, "You girls stay here. I'm walking to the mailbox. Your surprise might be here." When she came back with a box, I thought, "Oh, good. Jerky." It was not jerky. It was glasses. For me. Someone should talk to my mama about treats and surprises. Guinea pig sisters and glasses are not good surprises, even if the sister surprise turned out okay in the end.

It is good that my mama picked a cute style but it is not good to wear glasses. I can hardly hold my head up when I wear them and the wind can't ruffle my eyelashes. 

My mama said, "Maggie, we have to be careful with your little eyes. You don't want another hurt, do you?" I do not. Then, she started singing. She is always singing. 

"Oh, be careful little eyes what you see, for the Father up above is looking down in love, so be careful little eyes what you see." 

My mama told me that some humans have a little trouble protecting their eyes, too. They will look at anything. They will read anything. They will watch anything. Even if it is not nice.

Here's the rule at our house:

 If you don't want to show it to Jesus, you don't need to look at it, either. 

Mama said some people will think I've gone to meddling now, but that's okay. Eyes are very important. What goes in your eyes goes straight to your brain. When it gets in your brain, it goes straight to your heart. I think there's a song about that, too. The eye bone's connected to the brain bone. The brain bone's connected to the heart bone. Well, maybe not. But that's how it works. 

If you don't want something that is not nice getting caught in your heart and having to ask Jesus to get it out, you better not look at it, read it, or watch it. I don't have to tell you what's not nice. You know. If Jesus wouldn't like it, it's not nice.

Here's the Wonder Dog Lesson of the Day:

Protect your eyes.

That's the short version, so we can all remember. If Jesus doesn't like it, you shouldn't either. And wear your glasses. If you can hold your head up off the ground.

The end. By Maggie the Wonder Dog.

ps - Don't forget to pray about my scar! Thanks. Maggie.

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In case you missed any of the past week's posts, here are the links:  Maggie The Wonder Dog and the Hurt Eye, Maggie: Avoiding the Light, Maggie: Sister Love and the Body of Christ, Maggie: Forgiving and Forgetting, Maggie: Being Light, The Grateful Heart: Predawn Stillness, The Grateful Heart: Orchestration of God, and The Grateful Heart: Avoiding Distraction.

The most read posts of the past week: (for the first time ever there's a tie) Maggie:Forgiving and Forgetting and Maggie: Being Light.

Here's the link to The Clay Papers, (a collection of stories about pottery class and becoming what the potter intends) available as an e-book for personal use or to send as a gift for only 99 cents. 

Here's the link for The Road to Bethlehem: An Advent Prayer and Devotional Guide, available on Amazon for 99 cents e-book. Paperback $6.00 (Also available to send as an e-gift)

#MaggietheWonderDog #cornealabrasion #purity #JesusChrist

The Grateful Heart: Avoiding Distractions

                           

Today, I'm grateful for the God-designed job that matched a sometimes distractible young man with a company whose decor is designed to avoid distraction.

That's Ryan's photo ID, made yesterday on the first day of orientation for his new job. He's a software engineer for Square, Inc. 

For those who don't know, Square is a financial services, merchant services, and mobile payment company based in San Francisco. Ryan will be working in the Atlanta office. 

Square markets (among other things) the "square" banking card readers that are now being used by small businesses and entrepreneurs. The "square" allows processing of debit and credit cards via smart phones and tablets. It has been called a "disruptive innovation" because it is expected to not only disrupt, but also displace, current modes of electronic banking. They also have Square Cash, Square Register, and Square Payroll.

Ryan will be helping engineer the coding/software that makes all this possible.

I had worried that the "big city" and "corporate headquarters" would be distracting for Ryan, this his mind might be drawn away from his sensible self to the lavish life of a major corporation.

I need not have worried. Every need has already been met. 

As we've texted back and forth the last two days, I've been amazed at their corporate headquarters. The building has an almost-industrial decor. It's lean and, to my eye, a little homogenous, though they do have bright red chairs in the lobby to add a pop of color. 

As I looked through the photos this morning, I realized the method in the madness. No pictures on the wall and limited decor "extras" are not likely cost-savings efforts in a $6 billion dollar corporation. The decor avoids distractions for their workers and helps them keep their eye on the goal of accurate financial transactions.

Although I'm not sure the founders of Square realize it, avoiding distraction is a Biblical concept.

When Jesus visited with Mary and Martha, Mary sat at his feet and listened to every word. "But Martha was distracted with all her preparations" (Luke 10:40) When she was distracted, Martha looked at her sister, soaking in every word Jesus spoke, and became irritated. "She needs to quit listening and start working," Martha told Jesus. (This is the Leanna Paraphrase.) What she didn't say, but clearly thought was, "Jesus, it's a lot of work to take good care of you and your disciples. It's too much for me. Send Mary to help." 

Jesus' goal was spending time with Mary and Martha, not eating a fancy dinner. To Jesus, His goal was the only one that mattered. He made it easy to meet the goal. Sit down. Take your eyes off the food and step away from the kitchen. Come to Me. Sit. Focus on Me.

Jesus didn't call Martha to service. He called her to relationship.

Just as Square, Inc. has made conscious decisions in decor that help avoid distractions, we, too, need to make decisions in our lives that limit distractions from the call of Christ and our relationship with Him. Do the places we go, the things we buy, the entertainments we choose bring us closer to Jesus or distract us from Him? 

"Only one thing is necessary," Jesus told Martha. 

Unless service flows out of the relationship, it's simply a distraction.

His goal for us is no different, so let's pare away the distractions and cling to what remains.

The goal, the one thing that's necessary, is our relationship with the Most High God and His Suffering Servant, Ever Loving Son. 

Jesus. Let's keep our focus on Him.

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ps - I got the information about Square, Inc. from their Wiki page, rather than from Ryan. 

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In case you missed any of the past week's posts, here are the links:  Maggie: Avoiding the Light, Maggie: Sister Love and the Body of Christ, Maggie: Forgiving and Forgetting, Maggie: Being Light,  The Grateful Heart: Predawn Stillness, and The Grateful Heart: The Orchestration of God.

The most read posts of the past week: (for the first time ever there's a tie) Maggie:Forgiving and Forgetting and Maggie: Being Light.

Here's the link to The Clay Papers, available as an e-book for personal use or to send as a gift for only 99 cents. 

Here's the link for The Road to Bethlehem: An Advent Prayer and Devotional Guide, available on Amazon for 99 cents e-book. Paperback $6.00 (Also available to send as an e-gift)
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#avoidingdistraction #focus #relationshipwithJesus #disciple #JesusChrist

The Grateful Heart: The Orchestration of God

I had just drifted off to sleep  last night when I got a text from my son, Ryan. He had arrived safely in San Francisco for orientation (at corporate headquarters) to his new job at Square. Over the next couple of hours, we texted back and forth as he shared pictures of his hotel room, funny signs on the street, his meal, and the restaurant where he ate dinner. 

At the first text, I was happily wide awake. As he invited me in to this significant moment in his life, I was overwhelmed with gratitude for all the seemingly unrelated decisions that made this day possible. 

Education decisions, employment decisions, talent, and perseverance (on both my part and Ryan's) were all weaved together by God's loving hands to bring us to this place.

Many of the decisions along the way seemed insignificant, but, without even one of the decisions we made, his path might have headed in a different direction. There were disappointments that seemed devastating at the time, but God used them to help us along the way. 

It was God's plan, not mine. Today, I can see it was good.

Today, I'm grateful for my precious son and his exciting new job. 

I'm grateful for the technology that keeps us connected half a continent apart. 

I'm even more grateful for the orchestration of events that kept him in the middle of God's plan, even when I couldn't see the plan. 

Most of all, this grateful mother is overwhelmed by the fact that God loves my son more than I ever could, and that He holds Ryan, and his future, in His loving hands.

It's my favorite verse, but never more so than today:

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope.              

                                                                                                               Jeremiah 29:11 nasb

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In case you missed any of the past week's posts, here are the links:  Maggie The Wonder Dog and the Hurt Eye, Maggie: Avoiding the Light, Maggie: Sister Love and the Body of Christ, Maggie: Forgiving and Forgetting, Maggie: Being Light, and The Grateful Heart: Predawn Stillness

The most read posts of the past week: (for the first time ever there's a tie) Maggie:Forgiving and Forgetting and Maggie: Being Light.

Here's the link to The Clay Papers, available as an e-book for personal use or to send as a gift for only 99 cents. 

Here's the link for The Road to Bethlehem: An Advent Prayer and Devotional Guide, available on Amazon for 99 cents e-book. Paperback $6.00 (Also available to send as an e-gift)
#thegratefulheart #Godhasaplan #disciple #JesusChrist

The Grateful Heart: Predawn Stillness

The spring forward/fall back swap-over always confuses me, but I was determined to navigate the change successfully this year. At 5:30 pm yesterday (that pre-change time), I set my clocks back and pretended it was 4:30 pm. It didn't help. I went to bed when I was tired and awakened this morning when I was rested. At 3:44 am.

I love this predawn morning. It's a little like stepping outside into a creation dawn. The distant noise of traffic on the interstate is silenced. The sounds of community are hushed. Man is quiet.

The breathtaking symphony of night song plays in full orchestra.

It's the sound and stillness of God, and I love it.

This is the reason I rise so early most days. 

I can hear God's silence, and it's a beautiful roar. 

As much as I hate the confused biorhythms of the time change, I love it for this one thing... the predawn hour when God fills the air with song.

It gives me a sense of that time when the earth was formless and dark. In that moment before light, the Spirit of God was moving, and creating, and changing His earth. He spoke and called out the light, separated it from the dark, pronounced it good. (Genesis 1:1-4) 

This predawn hour feels a little like the time God's light and His dark mingled in innocence. It's the most peace-filled time of my day.

As we begin a month of Thanksgiving, I'm giving thanks for the beginning of the day, when light and dark mingle and the earth cries out for a return of innocence.

It represents hope to me, a hope that the plans and purity of God could, once more reign. Will reign again.

Today, stop to thank God for the beginning of the day, that predawn hour when He sings in the night and calls us to the deep. Reach out to the deep and allow His plans and His purity to reign in you.

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photo courtesy of freeimages.com

In case you missed any of the past week's posts, here are the links:  Remembering My Way, and Maggie The Wonder Dog and the Hurt Eye, Maggie: Avoiding the Light, Maggie: Sister Love and the Body of Christ, Maggie: Forgiving and Forgetting, Maggie: Being Light.

The most read post of the past week: Remembering My Way.

Here's the link to The Clay Papers, available as an e-book for personal use or to send as a gift for only 99 cents. 

Here's the link for The Road to Bethlehem: An Advent Prayer and Devotional Guide, available on Amazon for 99 cents e-book. Paperback $6.00

#timechange #fallback #dawn #innocence #God #thanksgiving #gratefulheart