Maggie's Turn: Maggie the Wonder Dog Has An Adventure

Thursdays are super fun days because that's the day I go to play day at the vet's. Lots of my friends go there too and we get to play and play all day long! That's the way it always happens. Fun, fun, fun!  Woof!

Yesterday I went to play day just like I always do, but yesterday was not like always! We had some excitement, and it was very surprising. Of course, I am a Wonder Dog, and I always do what I'm supposed to do. (My mama says I shouldn't have said that, but I'm leaving it because I usually do) I was supposed to play and that's what I did. 

I didn't get to see everything that happened, but I checked it out and here's what I found out. There was a woman who got radared by the police. I don't really know what radared is, but she got a bad grade on her radar test and the very nice policeman wanted her to stop and talk about it. She said, "No! I am not talking about anything!" And she jumped out of her car and ran off. I am just a Wonder Dog and we don't get radar tests, but I know that was not a good thing that she did. My policeman, Mr. Anderson, is very nice, and we always stop and talk to him. It might hurt his feelings if we didn't stop to say hi. My mama says you should always be nice to the policemen because they have a very hard job and have to talk to a lot of people who are not very nice. I guess that lady's mama never told her that. 

Anyway, that woman was running away and decided she needed to change clothes. This was very silly but she ran in to someone's house and she didn't know them! They didn't know her either and they didn't like it for her to run in their house!  They didn't like it for her to take her clothes off, either! Let me tell you, even Wonder Dogs know you should keep your clothes on, especially if you are running in a stranger's house! What was she thinking?

That taking your clothes off at a stranger's house business didn't go too well for her, so she started running some more. She must like running more than my mama does. I guess she heard about how much fun we have at play day, because she ran all the way to play day. She ran right in the front door, but we were not having play day in there, so she ran right out the side door.  Miss Renae and Miss Tanya did not like that one little bit. They do not like clothes-stripping strangers running through the office, even if they have their clothes back on. They called the police, which was a good thing, because the nice policeman still wanted to talk to her about her bad grade on the radar test. They went outside and were waving their arms so the policeman could see them. They looked so pretty waving! They flagged the policeman down!  Hooray for Miss Renae and Miss Tanya!  They are heroes!

I don't know if they ever got to talk to that lady or not, but she has probably stopped running by now. Somebody needs to give her some lessons for the next time she has a radar test. I just know she could get a better grade if she tried, and she wouldn't have to get so upset and run so much. 

Wonder Dogs go to obedience school, so we know to stop when our mamas and papas tell us to stop. My mama says it is very important to do what our parents say. She says that humans teach their children to obey their parents and to obey the policeman and that it helps them to obey God better. Even Wonder Dogs know to do what God says!  She says humans have trouble with that, and sometimes her breed, the Christians, have a  little trouble with that, too. Maybe it would help if they went to obedience school like I did! 

Wonder Dogs do best with short commands. We learned that at obedience school. Here 's the one for today. 

OBEY THE POLICE. OBEY GOD. 

Well, that seems like two commands. I better shorten it. 

OBEY THE ONE IN CHARGE

In case you didn't realize it, the One who's always in charge is God. Be SURE you obey Him!  Can someone let that running lady know about the obeying rule? It seems like nobody's told her yet, and I don't want her to scare Miss Renae and Miss Tanya any more! That's about enough for today. I hope my mama lets me talk to you again! I know lots of things that can help you stay out of trouble. If you have a radar test, don't panic. Just remember what I've told you and you will be fine. 

The end. From Maggie the Wonder Dog. 

Bahamian Blogging #7: The Smiling Student

He was funny and cute and full of energy. When the opportunity to perform for us was announced, he was the first one to our makeshift stage (really just a clearing in the front of the room).  He had a beautiful, enormous smile as he began to sing one of my favorite show tunes. "Summertime, and the living is easy..." Indeed, after this very difficult winter we've had, summer does promise a much easier time, and I'm longing to see the new season that will bring a little lighter work load on my farm. My thoughts were all about my own upcoming summertime in rural Mississippi.

I loved his music, enjoyed all the memories associated with the song, and anticipated that new season as he sang. Much as I hate to admit it, I had not one thought about that sweet young man's upcoming summertime. If there was even a hint of trouble or personal concern in his musical delivery, I completely missed it.  His enthusiasm never wavered. 

I had no way of knowing, but that smiling student's father was gravely ill. In less than twenty-four hours, his father would be dead. The summertime he faces is not likely to bring easy living, and is dramatically different than the one I anticipate. 

I wish I'd known, and offered hope and comfort in the same measure he offered smiles and songs. I'm left wondering how many of the big smiles that greet me every day are hiding enormous burdens and overwhelming grief. How much pain do I overlook because I fail to see past the enthusiasm and the toothy grins? How much pain do you overlook?

As you anticipate the coming week, join me in praying for this smiling student and his family during their time of grief and loss. Join me, too, in making an effort to look past the smiles for the hurt and pain hidden deep inside. Perhaps, by seeing a little more clearly, we can offer the Balm of Gilead to those who need it most and show it the least. 

Tough Stuff

I'm a big fan of my Ford F150 truck.  It's a 1997 and works just fine.  I've never had a problem with it, and I don't need a new one because this one is very nearly perfect.  I believe in buying American, and I'm all for Henry Ford and the car company he founded.

With all that said, I noticed some Ford commercials today and I have been wondering about something ever since.  Who makes up these slogans?  Why do we buy in to them?

Here's the first one that caught my attention today:  BUILT FORD TOUGH.  Really. All I could think about was, if they think a truck is tough, they should meet a single mom trying to work, make a happy home, raise two or three children, and teach them about Jesus while she figures out how she's going to pay the bills every month and still get them through college.  The mama who does without so her children can have a roof over their heads and food in their stomachs is tough.  You want to build a tough truck, build one MAMA TOUGH.

Tough is the child at St. Jude fighting for his life while caring doctors and nurses poke, prod, and do all manner of painful things that would be inhumane anywhere else, but are accepted and even expected in an attempt to kill the cells devouring that little precious one from the inside out.  Tough is the child that misses a year in school with his friends while he is sicker than most people will ever know, yet still has a happy smile.  That's tough, and it's tougher than any pile of metal could ever be.

Here's another slogan that bothered me today:  WE OWN WORK.  What does that mean?  Really, I worked pretty hard this week, and I didn't see Ford anywhere around.  There were several times when my schedule was so busy a hardworking Ford person might have been really handy.

It's not that I'm against Ford.  They make fine trucks, and they made mine.  I'm not against public relations.  I'm not against slogans.  Today, though, I'm just wondering where we get these silly ideas, why we seem to respond to them, and what in the world has happened to our critical thinking skills?

Here's my challenge for today.  The next time you see an ad for anything, ask yourself if that is hype or reality.  Engage your mind instead of mindlessly accepting all you see.

And one more thing.  The next time you hear about tough, I hope you remember the Toughest One of all, who carried the sin of the world to Calvary, paid the price with His life, and rose again to set us free.  Now THAT'S TOUGH!

Blessed are the hungry (Luke 6:21a)

Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied... (Luke 6:21a NASB)

We know that there are hungry people in our world and that there are still people who die from starvation. Is their hunger satisfied? Not in this lifetime. According to Matthew Henry's commentary, however, Jesus is speaking of the hope of eternity. You may be hungry here, but one day your hunger will be satisfied. 

In some ways, satisfying hunger depends on that for which you hunger. The Gospel of Matthew says it this way: "Blessed are you who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for you shall be satisfied." If what you crave is righteousness, your attention will be directed toward obtaining that righteousness. When your goal in life becomes to obtain righteousness, you will seek until you find it in the One who IS our righteousness. 

In this business of seeking and finding, generally speaking, we find that for which we seek. Seek evil, and it's easy to find. Seek righteousness, Jesus said, and you will find it. The finding, however, is also dependent upon the fervor (or hunger) of your search. 

What is it for which you hunger? How great is the fervor or hunger that drives your search?

Pray today that we and our loved ones will have such a hunger for righteousness that we will not stop seeking until our hunger is satisfied in Christ alone. 

Blessed are the Poor (Luke 6:20)

And turning His gaze toward His disciples, He began to say, "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. (Luke 6:20 NASB)

The Message version has an interesting paraphrase of this verse:

"You are blessed when you have lost it all.  God's kingdom is there for the finding."

The Greek word translated here as "poor" is ptōchos and is, perhaps, better translated as destitute and reduced to begging. That doesn't seem like a blessed situation in our affluent society, but, according to Jesus, it is.  How can that be? When we have lost all the "stuff" that distracts us, it is easier to get our eyes on God, from whom all blessings flow. When it becomes obvious to us that we are powerless to solve our problems or meet our own needs, we are more likely to turn to a Higher Power and request help from the Almighty. Any situation that drives us to Jesus is, in fact, a blessing. 

What if we are not financially poverty-stricken? Where is our blessing? The blessing of poverty of spirit is still available when our focus is on eternal rather than temporal things. When we see our position and possessions as gifts from God and not as evidence of our own greatness, we move closer to poverty of spirit. When we hold our "things" with open hands that allow God to do with our finances and possessions as He wills, without limits, we have moved into the blessing zone. 

Poverty of spirit, however, requires that we also see others in a different light. Not everyone who finds themselves in the condition of reduced means is there because of laziness, irresponsibility, or poor choices. Many who are poor have great spiritual wealth. We would do well to see them and their situation through the eyes of Christ and to BE the hands and feet of Jesus in helping to meet their needs. 

Today, pray for the poverty of spirit, despite our circumstances, that drives us and our loved ones to seek the Kingdom of God. Pray, too, for a willingness to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those in need. 

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Here's the link to last night's Bahamian blog: http://leannahollis.blogspot.com/2014/03/sister-zina-and-blood-song.html

Bahamian Blogging # 6: Sister Zina and the Blood Song

At FBC Nassau, the schedule was set and recorded in the worship booklet. When two of the C-Force musicians were invited to play for the special music time, I wondered if Sister Zina would be unhappy that she was "bumped" by the appearance of professional musicians. I had assumed her selection would be shifted to another week, but I'm so glad it wasn't.

Sister Zina Robins was an incredible singer who sang what I still think of as a "blood song", but was in fact an old Andre Crouch song, "The Blood Will Never Lose it's Power."  She added a bit to the song, and one of the phrases she added was, "The blood that covers me, the blood that covers my children, will never lose it's power."  I glanced at my son sitting next to me, and started to cry. The blood that covers that wonderful young man, the one human I love more than any other, can be trusted. It will never lose it's power to cleanse or to save.

When Ryan was a little boy, we used to sing the old hymn "Nothing but the Blood of Jesus". I'd sing, "What can wash away my sin?" and Ryan would sing, "Nothing but the blood of Jesus!" "What can make me whole again?" He would sing his reply, "Nothing but the blood of Jesus!"

Sister Zina reminded me of those sweet days, but her powerful delivery did more than that. It reminded me once again of the faithful, never failing power of the Blood of the Lamb. 

As we continue through this Lenten season, keep the power of the Blood in the forefront of your mind. Never forget that it is by His blood we are cleansed, by His stripes we are healed. That blood will never, never ever, lose its power. 

Plugged in to the Divine (Luke 6:19)

And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all. (Luke 6:19 KJV)

This power-packed verse tells us something wonderful. There was a reason everyone wanted to touch Jesus, to be "fastened" to Him.  It was obvious to them that virtue (manifested as healing power) was emanating from Him and they wanted to directly connect to it. In a sense, their touching was a kind of spiritual "plug-in" to the divine power of Jesus. 

A truly amazing thing happened next. They were all healed. Every single one of them was healed. Some were healed of unclean spirits, some were healed of a variety of diseases, and some were healed of those frightful maladies we never want to admit to having, like bitterness and unforgiveness. Whatever their need, they wanted His help with it, and Jesus provided exactly what they needed. 

Healed. 

Isn't that a beautiful word?  No matter your problems, and no matter your need, Jesus can intervene in your situation and in the lives of your loved ones to bring healing and wholeness. The healing of the multitude came only after they reached out to fasten themselves to Jesus. Do you want to be healed? Reach out to Jesus and allow Him to demonstrate His power and virtue in your life. 

Pray today that we and our loved ones would have a desire to connect to Jesus and allow Him to bring healing in whatever way is needed.