Batter Will Be Lumpy
Saturday mornings are a good time for many who don’t usually cook breakfast to do so. What is the number one choice of most Saturday cookers to cook on Saturday? Pancakes. Kids, as well as adults, love eating pancakes. Pancakes are not only fun to eat, but fun to make. Kids enjoy putting the ingredients in the bowl, mixing and pouring the prepared batter on the griddle. Wait, what about all those lumps? Let’s read the directions on the box one more time. It says, “Batter will be lumpy.” Why is that? The experts believe overbeating the batter will develop gluten which makes pancakes tough. Glutens are found in wheat and cause digestive disorders. Now that doesn’t sound like such a good thing. So those lumps indeed serve an important purpose. And those lumps dissolve away nicely after they are flipped a time or two. Why do I give you all this useless information today? Well, it is good to know that you know all you could possibly ever want to know about lumpy batter. But there is another lesson to be learned from this cooking lesson. In life, every day isn’t a fun easy going Saturday. There are a lot of bumps and lumps mixed in with the smooth and easy. The thing is most of the lumps and bumps serve a very important purpose. These good lumps often bring about knowledge that helps prevent us from making big mistakes that can cause a lot of chaos and disorder in our futures. We learn as the old lumps dissolve and we become new creations. Let’s read the directions. I Corinthians 5:7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover was sacrificed for us
Odonata
Here we are in the middle of May and oh my goodness the odonatas have arrived. Today I believe I will write an ode to the odoanta. Let’s see… I think that I shall never see a bugata as lovely as an odonata. Yes, that’s right the odonata is an insect, affectionately called a bug by many. This bug is beautiful and flies. There are blue ones, red ones, black ones, orange ones, and even purple ones. In Texas many people have developed watching odonatas into an art form called “oding,” There are many legends about the odonata. In the South odonatas are often called ‘snake doctors.” There is a legend that says these insects that most of us call dragonflies find injured snakes and stitch them up so they can be on their way. To most of us that doesn’t sound like such a good thing. They are often given a bad name in Norway and Portugal; that bad name “Eye Poker.” In Indonesia, they are considered a delicacy, caught, fried in oil and eaten. Poor dragonfly! However, in Japan, the dragonfly has a good name and is considered a symbol of strength. It is a symbol of growth as it develops in the water, moves to the air, but stays close to the water as a source of strength. Out of all the dragonfly facts, there is one fact that I like best. The dragonfly reflects light from the sun which gives it such a beautiful color. It is incapable of producing any light on its own. We as Christians should have some things in common with the odonatas. We should reflect the light of the Son always. We are incapable of producing light on our own. Even though some who watch us may give us a bad name, we know who our source of strength is. If we stay close to Him we will continue to grow and develop.
Wild Roses
Many ladies probably received roses last week for Mother’s Day. By now most of those roses have begun to wither. Some have probably been pressed in a book. Some have probably been thrown in the trash. Alas, It is kind of sad to see a rose once so beautiful thrown away. But there is hope anew. This week there are some new roses blooming. You won’t find them in a greenhouse, a flower shop, or in someone’s flower garden. You may have to go a little out of your way to find them. Take a path down in the woods or walk along a creek bank and you will find these flowers possessing a rare simple beauty. I am speaking of wild roses. The botanical term for wild rose is “species rose”, which means just what it says—a species that occurs naturally, with no help from man—a true “wildflower.” They are beautiful and special. Man doesn’t plant them at all. God does. Of course, He is the creator of all roses, whether man plants them or not, but it is kind of special to find a beautiful rose full of God’s natural beauty. In life, there are many things full of beauty that are very temporary. Many times man has a hand in the creation of these beautiful things. In life, there are things full of a different kind of rare natural beauty created totally by God. Sometimes you may have to take a path less traveled to find these beautiful God creations. Our lives here are temporary; we should enjoy every moment. This week why not take the time to look for beauty created by God alone, untouched by man. As we search for God’s beautiful creations, we find God. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13
Motherly Love
How many poems have been written about a mother’s love? I think the official poem counters lost count on that one about a thousand or so years ago. I know I have written as well as received a few of those poems myself. Mothers do treasure those poems scribbled with crayons, decorated with hearts and flowers. It is the thought that counts. To become a mother and have the opportunity to love your children and have your children love you is truly a gift from God. Of course, all who become mothers don’t go on to become someone’s mom, or mama, or mommy. Yes, mothers give birth, but mommies, moms, and mamas are birthed as they mother their babies loving them in good times and bad, even as their children grow into adults. The commitment mothers make to love their children is for a lifetime. My favorite Mother’s Day story I can recall is of a young girl riding the school “wagon” home from school about 1925. She found a nickel under an oak tree and bought an apple at school. The following Sunday was Mother’s Day. The eight-year-old fully intended to give her mother the apple as a gift, but on the long bumpy ride home, she took first one little bite, then another, and another, until all that was left was the core. She gently wrapped the core in her handkerchief, gave it to her mom as a gift, and asked her to plant the seeds. An apple tree grew. Years later my mother told her mom the truth about the apple she had intended to give. They laughed and ate another apple from the tree. It was the thought that counted most and that grew with much love through the years. The little seeds birthed this story I pass on to you today. Put some thought into you giving and watch it grow. Happy Mother’s Day.
A Sure Thing
Surely on the seashore, you will always find steaming sand, shiny seashells, and sudden sunburn. Along the seashore, there is always water. Waves splash and crash. Along the seashore, there are always people. People come to sit and sun, people come to walk and run. Just as surely as all the people leave each day, they will return once more. Just as surely as the tide leaves each day, it will return once more. In life, most people can’t find a lot of sure things so it is always nice to find one, even if it is as simple as the tide returning to the shore. No matter how far the water goes from the shore, it can be assured the shore will always be there waiting on its return. The Creator of the sea and the shore is like that with all people. No matter how far we go, God is always waiting on us to return to Him. Isaiah 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. II Chronicles 30:9 for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him. God is the sure thing for all people. He is always there. May we run to Him and fill the warmth of His love.
Unofficially Summer
Have you heard? School is out for summer even though it is not officially Summer for a month or so. The kids are excited and don’t care if it is officially summer as long as it is summer vacation! Children experience a feeling of freedom with the very first day out of school that is hard to duplicate any other day of the year as children, or even as adults. It is nice to look at our children and grandchildren experiencing the joyous feeling of freedom and remember summer days from long ago. As adults, we sometimes forget a lot of the joys of childhood. We let them get lost in all the obligations and responsibilities of being officially grown up. We also sometimes forget how free we are in Christ. Our chains are gone, we’ve been set free! This week, I suppose the first unofficial week of summer, why not take a day and remember the joy of being free? God intended for us to grow and mature, but He also intends for us to be joyful and free in Him. Let the children lead you. Be happy. It is unofficially summer! Isaiah 11:6…and a little child shall lead them Also remember these words from Mark Chapter 10. Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
Glitch
Ms. Gulch was on her way to Glenda’s to pick good grapes galore, but a glitch guarded her going. All things work together for the good of those who love the Lord. Ms. Gulch loved the Lord so was the glitch working for her good? A glitch is defined as a small malfunction in a plan, an error, a brief sudden interruption, a hindrance. When we say all things, we usually think of big things, not small things, and not brief hindrances. We think of huge malfunctions that come into our lives such as death, disease, and destruction. We say God is even working all these things for our good. And what was Ms. Gulch’s glitch that hindered her? No death, disease, or destruction. She simply lost her keys, found them where her dog buried them, used them to crank her car that needed a jump start in the pouring rain, and finally had a flat as she pulled out of her driveway. Poor Ms. Gulch! Remember in life there are small glitches that hinder us daily, but we must press on if we want to pick good grapes galore.
I Thessalonians 2:18 Therefore we
wanted to come to you--even I, Paul, time and again--but Satan hindered us
The Greatest Right
A story that tells of how great a love a mother has for a child can be found in II Kings Chapter 3. A mother so loved her child that when another woman laid claim to the child she was willing to give up her motherly rights so that the child she had given life to might live. “Of all of the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother.” Lin Yutang The quote alone surely was enough to make Lin Yutang’s mother proud that she had given him life. Yutang, a Nobel Prize-nominated author and inventor of the Chinese typewriter said this long before January 22nd, 1973 when women in this country were given the legal right to choose not to give life. Rowe vs. Wade gave women a man-made right that took everyone’s opportunity away for a God-given right to life. Does man have that right? Whether you have a close, distant, or nonexistent relationship with your mother; remember she chose life and you are here! Thank God for that and thank your mother for that. It is a great right and privilege to be a mother. It is also a great privilege
Jubilee
Numbers are important to us. When we go to the gas pump, the numbers become really important. Fifty years ago no one would probably have imagined we would be paying three dollars for a gallon of gas today, Fifty is an important number. It is the halfway point of many things in life. Some consider it the half way point of life itself. In the Old Testament the fiftieth year was declared to be the Year of Jubilee, a year in which people were delivered, liberated, and able to start all over. Debts were considered paid in full. Slaves were set free.
In the New Testament, there were fifty days from Jesus' resurrection to the Day of Pentecost. There was great rejoicing, Jubilee, brought by the Holy Ghost.
In Math fifty is called a harshad number. It is the smallest number that can be written as the sum of two squares in two distinct ways. The word "Harshad" comes from the word, sanskrit, meaning "great joy".
The next time you look at the number fifty and only see a 5 and an 0, remember what the number represents-Jubilee, deliverance, freedom, and great joy, available to each of us through the Holy Ghost.
Called Blessed
How do you define a mother? A mother is usually defined as one who gives life. A mother gives life to a child, forming a bond which hopefully is never broken. In a perfect world, a mother is always there to laugh when you laugh and cry when you cry. She hopes your hopes and dreams your dreams with you. She never gives up on you and never stops praying for you... However, in this imperfect world bonds are sometimes broken. When bonds are broken some are left with broken hearts. But we have a great God who steps in and places people in our lives to be who we need them to be just when we need them most. New bonds are formed. A mother doesn’t have to give one life to be a mother. A mother is someone you can depend on to care for you. She laughs when you laugh. She cries when you cry. She shares your hopes and dreams with you. She never gives up on you and never stops praying for you. If you have such a person in your life, be grateful today and tell her that you love her. You are blessed and so is she.
Verbs and Nouns
While receiving an education, at some point in time, we study verbs and nouns. Verbs are words that show action. Nouns are words which show existence. A few words serve as both, not simply existing, but also showing action. Early on we learn we must follow rules. If we don’t follow a rule the teacher may rule that we write the rule on the board 100 times. If we break the rule, “do not talk”, we may be asked to stand behind a stand in front of the class and give a talk on why we shouldn’t talk when others are talking. We take tests and test our knowledge. When the teacher asks why we didn’t know the answer, we answer, that we guess we just took a guess. Seasons change and we are seasoned for higher education. We finally graduate and become graduates. As you graduate, I wish your wishes come true. I hope you will always be hope for someone else. I pray you will be blessed and you will be a blessing. Always strive not to merely exist, but to also show action.
Covenant Agreements
On Memorial Day mementos such as flags serve as reminders of covenant agreements others made to bravely serve this country. We see mementos and remember those who died. It would be nice if each flag was a reminder of a promise that there will be no more death from war. However, today men and women still graciously agree to serve this country and sadly some still die.
In Genesis, we find the very first covenant agreement. The rainbow which sealed this covenant serves as a memento, a reminder to God, of the agreement He made with man. When God sees a rainbow, He remembers those who died and His promise not to destroy the world by water again. Does God need the rainbow to remind Him? Man should be reminded God once destroyed a sinful world and graciously saved one man and his family so mankind could continue to exist. Today, remember mementos are not only reminders of those who have died, but also reminders of promises from God. Someday there will be no sorrow or pain. Someday there will be no more death.
Insignificant?
The U.S. penny, once called a pence, and minor (for minor or insignificant coin), was first minted around 1787. Here are a few penny quotes and facts someone found who counted a few pennies last week. A penny for your thoughts, pennies make dollars, a penny saved is a penny earned, and one you probably haven’t heard - when you have only two pennies left in the world, buy a loaf of bread with one, and a lily with the other. In today’s economy, we couldn’t buy a loaf of bread, a piece of bread, not even a crust of bread with one penny. And lilies, I haven’t priced any lately, but a penny for a lily, I think not. More pennies have been pressed than any other coin in the US. If you ever have the opportunity to sort and roll hundreds of dollars worth of change, you will know that is a fact. Did you know when you look at approximately a gazillion pennies they all pretty much look the same and each one seems a little more insignificant than the last? Did you also know when you get a gazillion insignificant pennies together they can make an impact on someone’s world somewhere? They can buy a lot of loaves of bread and I guess a lot of lilies. As I looked at Lincoln’s profile over and over, I thought about pennies; saved, earned, shiny, nasty, rolling on the floor, and finally flying out our doors to reach the world. Thanks for supporting the recent change drive. The change will be significant.
A Time to Embrace
Mothers are a special lot; they know when a tummy aches, or when a fever gets too hot… So begins a poem someone wrote about mothers. The words, all true, come from living the life of a real-life mother for a lot of years. Did you know mothers will do things for you that no one else will ever do? When you are an infant, mothers will sit all night to make sure you are breathing. When you are a child, did you know mothers have been known to do your homework when you aren’t looking? When you are a teenager, mothers will stop giving hugs even though their arms ache to hold you. When you are all grown up, did you know mothers will still support you any way they can? They will clean your house, keep your children, and pick berries in a thicket in the summer heat to make you a pie on your birthday. They will bravely throw rocks at the vicious dog that just chased your cat up a tree while you are working. They will even climb into a creek and get rocks you want to landscape your yard with. Mothers continue to love you just as much as the first time they held you in their arms even when the time comes that you hold your own babies in your arms. They embrace and cease to embrace, and have even been known to cast and gather a few stones. Yes, mothers are a special lot. Now is the time to embrace them. Ecclesiastes 3:5A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing
Graciously Graced with God’s Grace
In a Sunday school class, a lesson centered on the fact that we are saved by grace through faith. Most of the children understood that faith means believing, but didn’t understand the meaning of the word grace. God graciously graced the teacher with a demonstration. A mom brought cupcakes to share with the class She graciously offered the cupcakes to the children. However, they weren’t forced to take them. It was their choice. If they had faith to believe the cupcakes were something that would be beneficial, fill them they could take one. But if they chose not to take the cupcake freely offered, they could remain empty, unsaved from their hunger. After the explanation, one little girl said; “Now I understand.” Words we use and understand every day, such as ‘God’s grace’ isn’t something nonbelievers always know the meaning of. Helping adults who have not yet experienced God’s grace to understand it requires giving of ourselves Our lives should be a demonstration of grace. that prompts others to say “Now I understand.”
Remember Jesus
Memorial Day is a day set aside to remember men and women who have died in military service to this country. As people gather to remember and memorialize, there will be many tears shed for loved ones who are no longer here. Many will have the comfort of knowing that their loved ones are with Jesus. Even though they lost their lives, they now live with Him. In II Timothy, Paul wrote words to comfort Timothy. He told him to remember Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. The words were not only meant to remind Timothy of the actual event of Jesus being resurrected. Paul wasn't simply saying, "Remember the day they found the empty tomb,” but he wanted Timothy to remember Jesus Christ Himself. Paul wanted Timothy to know: He is alive. There is hope. It is worth every single trial you are going through. In verse11, Paul goes on to tell Timothy, if we die to ourselves, if we died with Him, if we follow Him and serve Him, one day we will be alive with Him. Remember Jesus today. One day every trial, every tear, every battle we have fought will be remembered and He will say, " Well done my good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord.
II Timothy 2:8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised for the dead according to my gospel; 11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him.