KingdomMom.com

Our house is filled with treasured knickknacks and family photos spanning the generations.  I love being surrounded by what’s important to me, and I believe people get to know us better by visiting our homes. One of my favorite displays has been my picture wall.  It lets everyone experience what our family looked like at different stages of their lives.  It has received lots of admiration over the years, and it’s been a place of strategic prayer focus for my children since they were small.  But the frames housing these photos have brought much teasing from our sons.  Who knew shiny gold isn’t in anymore?   (When you’re a mother of boys, you learn to take criticism with a grin!)

The time has come to bring down those photos.  Not because of the teasing.  Not because I want to.  But because the “For Sale” sign just went up in our front yard.  Selling our home after 32 years is a huge step for me.  I’m actually getting through it without the need for human counseling!  The peace of God is my Referee.  The first step in this process is to de-personalize our home to make it more appealing to others.  The goal is to allow prospective buyers to see themselves within these walls.  Evidently, family photos are distracting.  So we’re on a mission to de-clutter!

The time has come for cleaning out closets so they look larger.  Clutter dwarfs a room.  As I contemplated what accumulated paraphernalia needed to go, or stay, I read my daily dose of Oswald Chambers.  I laughed out loud with his statement:  Don’t plan for a rainy day by hoarding.  How did this man know I needed to read this when he wrote it a hundred years ago?  I’m convinced God’s time table is tailor-made to our circumstances, and that He also has a sense of humor.  So as I agonized over what to keep and what to give away, I was convicted.  My unwillingness to part with things just because I might want or need them some day was labeled “hoarding.”  To save things I haven’t used in years when someone else might need it now…that isn’t God’s economy.

The time has come for clearing out bookshelves.  It seems you’re not supposed to hold on to years of accumulated children stories, fictional paperbacks or motivational manuals.  Bookshelves need to be decorative, not functional.  So we lugged seven huge boxes of books to the half-price bookstore.  Got $130 for our rejects.  They even took our 1986 encyclopedias.   Do you know how hard it is to throw away books with inscriptions on the inside cover?  Or to release Bible studies you finished years ago but never looked at again?   It kept ringing in my ears:  I will not hoard.  I will not hoard.

It was all about cleaning out clutter.  Bare walls, empty tables and sparse bookcases reveal we are streamlined to the max!  Our house now looks better than ever.  Instead of feeling sad about what we’ve given away, we really like it!  Getting rid of stuff makes you feel better.  It’s like a weight has been lifted that puts the bounce back in your step.  It actually feels good to strip away and de-clutter.

God used these circumstances to speak to my heart about stripping away distractions in my spiritual life.  I’ve been hanging on to some old mindsets instead of allowing Jesus Christ to transform my thinking.  Having grown up in a legalistic church, I learned to focus more on performance than grace.  I fight that check-list mentality that grades me on whether or not I am a good person.  Even though I love spending time in prayer and in Bible study, I fight the tendency to think God is happy with me when I succeed at that task and angry if I fail.

The time has come to strip away legalism.

Clinging to the traditions of men is another area where I need freedom.  I’ve been convicted about caring more about what people think of me than whether I am grieving the Holy Spirit!  The Bible says, The fear of man is a snare.  It will catch us in a trap and keep us from growing.  I struggle with people-pleasing.  It’s self-preserving to make decisions based on other people’s opinions.  Or to be afraid that your choice will bring criticism.  Jesus came to set me free from that kind of bondage and wants me to walk in confidence that only godly obedience brings.

The time has come to strip away the fear of man.

When circumstances get hard and the way seems impossible, it’s easy to cling to fear and doubt.  To allow myself to become consumed with worry.  If I don’t take my thoughts captive, my mind is cluttered with the “what-ifs” of life.  I must get rid of those paralyzing thoughts that prevent rest for the soul.  The Bible says, Throw off that which hinders or entangles to run the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus.

The time has come to strip away my fears.

Legalism, people-pleasing, and worry will distract me from fixing my eyes on Jesus to pursue Him above all other things.  It’s an intentional choice I make to de-clutter.  If I want to find the freedom Christ came to give, it’s up to me to cooperate in the streamlining process.  I’m convinced that once I’ve removed the clutter, I’ll get a much better view of Jesus.

I’m old enough to remember typing on a manual…before electric machines took over…before computers became keyboards.  I remember fixing mistakes with an ink eraser that often tore holes in the paper, requiring me to rip out and start over again.  I remember using carbon paper to duplicate my work, and the sweat and tears of correcting errors on four or five copies beneath the original.   Talk about stress!  Thank God for technology!

The first time I used an electric typewriter it was as if it had a life of its own, and I was no longer in control of the words on the page.  The lightest touch would produce mistakes, so I hated the new invention.  Then after I got used to the electric, the computer keyboard took over.  They called it word processing!  And something happened to win me over.  It was all about mistake-fixing. To be able to correct errors with a mere touch of a backspace key was delightful!  To print off as many copies as needed or to duplicate originals on copy machines eliminated so much stress!  I loved the new inventions.  Today I wouldn’t trade my computer keyboard for a ton of manuals or electrics.  I don’t want to go back to the old ways.

There’s something else to which I don’t want to go back.  My fear of making life mistakes.  There have been times I’ve been locked in indecision because of that fear.  Do I actually think God can’t fix my mistakes if I step out in faith?  That if I mess up, I will never recover?   I don’t want to live in fear and dread of moving forward because of that unbelief.  I don’t want to stand still and do nothing, missing out on life’s best opportunities.  Oswald Chambers writes that there are times we need to move forward in faith, believing that the Lord will shut doors if we are off course.

That’s what I’m doing these days because it looks like we’re about to move out of our home of 32 years.  The place where my babies grew up.  The place my children’s children call “grandma’s.”  The place of memories.  The place of joys and tears and challenges.  The place I love.  The mere thought of leaving this home used to move me to tears, and I’d dig my heels into the ground every time my husband found a new condo online.  Fear gripped my soul.  But as I’ve prayed for the grace to “let go” of our home if and when the time came, something began to take place inside of me.  It’s been a gradual process.  A few weeks ago we just happened to drive by the Villas of Heritage Hills, and it was all confirmed.  Entering the doorway of that model brought me an immediate sense of peace.  Something said, this is it! Yes, maybe I could do this after all.

Every time fears tries to creep back in, I choose to remember God can fix my mistakes.  I choose to believe that God establishes my thoughts and guides my steps.  I choose to walk in confidence, trusting my Heavenly Father’s love and care over me.  The Holy Spirit reminds me that perfect love casts out all fear, and that selling the home that housed our family for 32 years is part of His plan.  He leads me with a peace that passes understanding.   I can trust if this decision is not in His will, He will disturb my peace.  He will shut the door.   And if I make a mistake, He can fix it.

So if you’re facing indecision, a fork in the road, a lifetime career change, don’t be afraid of making a mistake.  Instead of wringing your hands in fear and trepidation, lift your hands in praise to the Only One who knows the future.  Choose to trust that the Lord will lead you with peace, and that even if you do make a mistake, He is big enough to correct it.

It wasn’t much to look at.  Our little red bangalow was sandwiched so closely between two larger homes that I could literally reach out and touch the house next door from our window.  If shades weren’t pulled down, you could even be part of that family’s festivities.  On a recent visit to Chicago, I was shocked to see that they’d torn down one of those houses.  Yes, there really was a house between us and the apartments above.  I would often yell up to those porches from our tiny backyard, in hopes someone would come out and play.  Our neighbors planted gardens in the prairie across the street, which was also the best site for vigorous games of tag or hide ‘n seek.  It was there my brother got in big trouble for throwing ripened tomato-grenades from his fort.  Railroad tracks loomed high on the hill beside the apartments, so there were no beautifully landscaped lawns on which to romp.  The sound of train whistles still takes me back to the thrill of catching a huge ball of white chalk that would come sailing from the hand of a kind engineer.  Neighborhood kids would yell at the top of their lungs, “Chalk, please, chalk!”  It was the highlight of our day when they would actually toss some from the engine window.  I loved their generosity though I never understood why they possessed such a treasure.  Who needed amusement parks when you had your own neighborhood entertainment center?

My parents bought the house before I was born, so I never knew what it looked like before the remodel.  Hardwood floors throughout were eventually covered with wall-to-wall carpeting.  Interesting how carpet is removed today to reveal the beauty of natural hardwood.  With only two bedrooms for the five of us, my dad added a dormer with two more bedrooms and a second bath.  The steep attic steps became a retreat and playground through my early years.  I still remember my mother climbing up and down attic steps and then down to the basement to do the laundry.  Who needed a fitness center when life made your own stair-stepping machine?

I hated the basement.  The furnace had arms that reached into the ceiling to heat the rooms above.  The monster came on with a commanding roar which sent me scrambling back up to the safety of our little kitchen.  I rarely ventured down there unless someone was by my side.  My mother’s canned tomatoes and peaches were stored in the darkest part of that cellar.  If I was hungry enough, those tasty treats boosted my courage to quickly retrieve them for supper.  A lonely string dangling from a single light bulb at the top of the stairs illuminated the basement with heavy and ominous shadows.  Who needed horror movies when your teasing brother turned off the light and locked the basement door, leaving you alone with the monster?

There was something about the front porch of the bungalow that scared me, too.  There were little cement stoops on each side of the stairs on which you could perch to wait and watch for friends to come by.  But when darkness fell, I was sure the boogeyman had taken my place out there.  I still have dreams about someone trying to break in that front door. It was the time of the Untouchables on t.v. which made me fear my own drive-by shootings.  My dad often worked the night shift, and with my siblings away at school, my mom and I were left alone in the evenings.  Fear consumed me as a child.  My father would walk me through the house, looking through every closet and under every bed before he left for work.  He always made me feel safer when he was there, but I missed his presence during the night.  Who needed the thrill of scary bedtime stories when you had to face the fears of your own reality?

Those walls surrounded my life for nearly 18 years.  Their memory cannot easily be erased from my mind.  They weren’t all scary memories, however, because inside there lived a wonderful godly family who were devoted followers of Jesus Christ.  HE was a living, breathable presence in that home.  It was interesting how my friends noticed the peace and loved coming inside.

I’ve often wondered what I’d learn if those walls could talk.  Would they tell me how foolish I was to have been afraid?  Would they play back the heartfelt prayers of my mother daily calling out her children’s names in prayer?  Would they have recorded my father’s nurturing care over his family?  Would they reveal the angels who stood guard over every door and window?  Would they have noticed the joy and laughter of family dinners and celebrations?  Would they tell us about the expressions of love that were part of this family’s normal routine?  Would they have seen the devotion, the faithfulness, the commitment of parents who trained us up in the way that we should go?  Perfect, no…but endeavoring to say, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Well, the walls don’t have to talk…I already know.

Thanks, Mom, for all the things you’ve done to make me who I am today.

You labored tirelessly to make sure our family experienced cleanliness and full bellies.  I’m sorry for all the times I carelessly tossed a blouse in the hamper because I didn’t feel like hanging it up or left a mess for you to clean up.  The aroma of Sunday’s roast and mashed potatoes still lingers in my senses, but forgive me for the times I stuck my nose up at liver, cabbage rolls and Swedish herring.

She’s up before dawn, preparing breakfast for her family and organizing her day

You were a hero to the widows, as I remember your weekly visits with the “shut-ins” who couldn’t make it out to church each week.  And then there was the little girl in your Sunday School class that you took under your wing, buying her new clothes and shoes when her parents were too poor to care about her welfare.  I didn’t realize how important your ministry was to you then, so I’m sorry I complained when your time was taken away from me.

She’s quick to assist anyone in need, reaching out to help the poor

You were the queen of hospitality, not only for Daddy’s big family, but for all of my girlfriends.  You hosted many a sleep over with a bunch of giggling girls keeping you and Daddy up half the night.  You prepared your famous homemade pizza and the most delicious desserts so all of us would enjoy good times together.  I’m sorry for taking all of your hard work for granted.

She senses the worth of her work and is in no hurry to call it quits for the day

You prayed for me throughout my life.  I used to hear my name when you were praying behind closed doors. That made me realize how valuable I was to you, being brought before the throne of God in prayer.  You always turned my eyes toward Jesus no matter what I was going through.  Thank you for giving me a godly perspective, but forgive me for rolling my eyes when I wasn’t interested in spiritual matters.

She keeps an eye on everyone in her household and she always faces tomorrow with a smile

You’ve been gone for a few years now, but I still miss your presence in my life.  The support of your prayers for my family is over and now rests on my shoulders.  I realize more and more the impact you had on my life.  I wouldn’t know Jesus if it weren’t for you, Mom.  And I can’t even imagine what life would be without Him. Your words of wisdom are still ringing in my ears…be thankful even when your circumstances are hard…keep your eyes on Jesus when life doesn’t make sense…understand that the things that seem so insurmountable today won’t even matter five years from now. And always wear clean underwear! I did listen and I do remember what you said, but I’m sorry for not letting you see how important these truths were to me then.

When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say, and she always says it kindly

So thank you, Mom, for loving me through thick and thin, and for exhibiting the love of Jesus to me in ways no other human being could do.  My desire is to pass that wealth on to the next generation, so they will also learn the value of walking in the fear of the Lord, living out spiritual truths in the mundane of life.

Her children respect and bless her.  Many women have done wonderful things, but you’ve outclassed them all.  I will give you the praise you deserve.

You did a good job, Mom.  I’m thankful Jesus already welcomed you inside Heaven’s gate with a hearty…Well done, good and faithful servant!

All of your children and grandchildren are serving Jesus, Mom.  Your life has trickled down into theirs.  You made a difference in our lives, and since I know Heaven is full of celebrations, I’m sure you’ll enjoy a Happy Mother’s Day there.  Give Dad a big hug from me!

Family dinners have always been important to us Coopers.  Sharing a meal together at a favorite restaurant often overrides home cooking.  But the whole idea is just for the nine of us to get together to celebrate something…from birthdays to anniversaries to a safe trip home from the Holy Land.

The Bible tells us that God’s people also loved eating together.  They instituted feasts every time they gained a victory, enjoying times of holy fellowship.  These feasts were the means to instruct their children and grandchildren to be aware of God’s goodness.  We are also commanded to tell our stories to the next generation so they will set their hearts on Him.

A couple of weeks ago our family celebrated a miraculous answer to prayer for my husband’s business.   The old saying, “You can’t fight city hall,” reminded us of our human limitations.   Prayer was our only weapon.  Miraculously, what should have been a day of intense legal arguments became a day of God’s favor.   The way the Lord turned a destructive ruling around for the good of our business left us speechless.  The answer came before anyone presented their arguments. It was obvious God was in control, as He overruled the power of the enemy.  We found the proverb to be true:

Good leadership is a channel of water controlled by God; he directs it to whatever ends he chooses.

What a victory this was!  God answered our family’s prayers, so we celebrated over dinner that evening.  All of us together around the table talking and laughing–celebrating the goodness of the Lord.  God had actually turned things around like a boomerang.  We experienced firsthand how the Lord is in the reversal business. 

God turned into good what was meant for evil.

During biblical feasts God’s people ate food and gave gifts to each other.  They really knew how to do it up right!  As I watched thousands of people participate in the Race for the Cure recently, it dawned on me how little I celebrate my own God-victories.  I  listened to stories of women who were rejoicing in life, healing, and more birthdays by walking together in a race.  Why wasn’t I out there with them?

Here I was a cancer survivor who never participated in the Race for the Cure.  My choice was to forget the pain of my cancer experiences, not celebrate.  But God shows us in His Word that a way to remember His goodness is to celebrate with others.  For over 20 years I have personally and quietly thanked God for healing me and letting me live.  But I have not ever planned a literal feast, or even participated in a public race.

It got me to thinking about a particular day in November when cancer was removed from my body, not only once but twice.  You see, in the pain of a second bout with cancer, I forgot it it had been exactly five years to the day since my first surgery.  For a while, I pondered the significance of two mastectomies happening on the same day five years apart, but it slipped my mind as the years went by.  I should have been throwing a party every November 5th to declare God’s goodness to me.  But I failed to rejoice with a Feast of Remembrance.

What will I do with all this revelation about remembering God’s goodness?  First of all, I plan to walk in the Race for the Cure next year.  I plan to tell my story.  And I am determined to celebrate my healing come this November 5, 2010, which will mark the 20th anniversary of living cancer free!

Do you have any God-victories, any reversal of edicts that were meant to destroy you?  Think about establishing your own annual feast of celebration.  Make a plan to commemorate all that God has done.  He longs for you to let others know, whether it’s been a reversal of something bad or just expressing gratitude for His perpetual faithfulness.  We all have a reason to be glad!  So throw a party, come on, come on, celebrate!  (FYI, tonight is another Cooper Family Dinner.  It’s time to celebrate an incredible Holy Land experience, another reason for family fun and fellowship, and I believe God will be pleased with the festivities!)

Sometimes things just don’t make sense.  Take for instance the effects of a long snowy winter season.  Our house was loaded with icicles.  The neighbors’ homes were icicle free.  We’re not quite sure of the reason, but my husband was panicking at the sight of these lethal weapons hanging from our roof  line.  After searching the internet, he discovered that it cost one homeowner $25,000 to repair icicle damage to his home.  Human size icicles resembling cave-ish stalectites growing in the corners of your roof are not the norm.  But…my grandkids loved them.  In fact, they’ve stored some of the smaller replicas in our freezer.  Go figure.  Kids always have a way of turning human disasters into play.  Maybe there’s a message there for us adults.

But to make matters even more confusing, along with the icicles, we’ve had an unusual invasion of ants in our kitchen.  It’s winter.  Ants belong in picnics on the grass and in the residue of sugary lemonade on the counter.  My ants don’t like sugar or picnics.  They like warm houses.  I thought ants hibernated.  Guess not.  My biggest battle with ants has always been in the winter.  Sometimes it takes three or four professional applications before we get them under control.  But the ants always return.  Go figure.  Unlike the icicles, my grandkids don’t like ants.  In fact, our four-year old grandson is extremely fearful of the tiny creatures.  Not only is he aware of a good friend who’s allergic to them, but he had his own bout with ants last summer.  He was bitten by them while playing in the yard and still remembers the painful itch they caused.  In his estimation, all ants are bad.  I tend to agree.  So we didn’t mention that Grandma’s kitchen was invaded with ants, and he never asked why the stuff that belonged inside cabinets was displayed on tables and counters like a flea market.  Maybe that’s another message for us adults.

Icicles and ants don’t belong in the same sentence.  They just don’t go together.  Unless you live at our house.

This got me to thinking about the unusual things in life that don’t make sense, things that just don’t go together.  It’s like algebra.  A + B = C.  Or does it?  Winter Icicles + Summer Ants = Makes No Sense!

The prophet, Habakkuk, boldly asked the Lord why evil seemed to go on unpunished and unchecked by a just and holy God.  Those two things don’t seem to go together either.  I love the Lord’s answer, “Though it linger, wait for it…the righteous will live by faith.”

For some reason God wants our trust in those seasons when nothing make sense…when icicles and ants plague our homes.  He loves our declarations of faith when the bottom falls out.  When there seems to be no reason to believe, that’s the time to take a stand.  Be intentional in your declarations of faith no matter what your circumstances.  I know it’s not easy but it sure is worthwhile. 

Proverbs 28:14 says, Blessed is the one who fears the Lord at all times regardless of their circumstances.  

My verse for 2010 comes from Luke 1:45, “Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished.” 

Some of those things still linger in time as I wait for their fulfillment.  But I’m learning to declare my trust even when things don’t make sense.  Jesus said, Let not your hearts be troubled but trust in God and trust also in Me.  The icicles have now melted and the ants have migrated for the time being to another source of warmth.  But I hear God saying to me through my silly confusing circumstances:  trust in Me no matter what.

Painful situations are all around me.  They are separate and different yet interestingly connected.

AN EARTHQUAKE

One touch of the remote can erase the devastation in Haiti from my conscious mind.  It’s almost too much to take in as I sit in my comfortable family room in front of the fireplace.  How the people cope with such destruction is beyond my ability to understand.  Separated from loved ones, not knowing whether they are dead or alive, would be overwhelming.  A lost boy crying for his mom; parents deliriously searching for missing children.  Laughter ringing out in the middle of mourning.  Miraculously someone is discovered alive who has been buried under the rubble for two weeks.  Does it ease or add to the pain when someone else is recovered…and yours is not?  I can’t even imagine how you cope with such loss.  Does my little donation really make a difference?   Can I pray long and hard enough to help bring comfort and solutions for Haiti?  Only God can cause good to come from this…even though the news is filled with unbelievable pictures of hopelessness.

AN ADOPTION

A young couple is called to the hospital to take home their adopted baby only to find the tables have turned.  A young mom’s change of heart and mind sends them home with empty arms….again.  How do they cope?  How do they trust when disappointment erases all hope?  How do they put one foot in front of the other to walk away from the child they’ve been preparing for?  How do they go on when their hearts are breaking?  I pray for their strength and thank God that He alone will work this all out for good some way…even though they can’t see how right now.

A SIGNATURE

For two years I’ve watched a godly family in the process of adopting a child from Haiti.  All they needed was a signature, but the pen never touched the paper.  It seemed so simple.  But authorities and institutions seemed like the Pharaoh of old who refused to let the people go.  An earthquake brings more unanswered questions, fears, and frustrations.  What the Bible says is true.  Hope deferred makes the heart sick.  How much sicker can you feel when you board an airplane thinking you’re about to retrieve your adoptive child only to find empty promises on the other end.  We know that God goes before them and holds all things together…even though they face another major setback in the process.

How do you cope with the kind of loss and disappointment described above?  For those who are hurting, all I could think of was what the Word of God says in Habakkuk,

“EVEN THOUGH there are no grapes on the vine or cattle in the stall or food in the fields, I will rejoice in the Lord.”

What does it mean to rejoice in times like this?  In the original Hebrew, this word is interpreted as “jumping for joy in triumph.”  What a challenge for the disheartened!  Even though the pain around them is overwhelming, I pray that they will be able to declare Him Lord over their circumstances.  That they would be able to say even though disappointed, devastated and nearly destroyed, I choose to trust and praise the God who controls it all, to jump for joy in my heart because God is at work in my circumstances.  Now that’s trust!  I pray I will be able to do the same in my own painful circumstances.

The prophet was able to declare his joy while facing his own personal devastation,

“Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, the Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery and my invincible army.

He makes my feet like hinds’ feet and will make me to walk, not to stand still in terror, but to walk and make spiritual progress

upon my high placesof trouble, suffering or responsibility.”

In our even though situations of life, can we do the same?  Can we rejoice in the Lord?  Can we declare Him to be our Personal Bravery and Invincible Army?  The Bible tells us it’s possible to walk on high places of trouble and suffering and responsibility with the feet of a deer.  Surefooted.  Balanced.  Ankles not turning.  On the Rock.  It’s possible when we first choose to “jump for joy in triumph“ in the even thoughs of life.

As a former business major, I was drilled on the proper way to write a letter.  From salutation through closing, all the parts had to be lined up in proper sequence on the page.  It’s ironic how the days of computer emails and iphone texts have overtaken proper etiquette.  Today the rule is to communicate quickly and abbreviate massively.

The New Testament is filled with letters to the churches, and Paul always greeted his readers with a lengthy salutation.  Much more than a Gentlemen or Dear Sir, his salutation really got your attention. Like he writes in 1 Corinthians, “To the Church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy...”  Kind of gets to the point with a powerful punch right from the onset!  Can you imagine trying to text that to a friend!

The term salutation is derived from its root, salute. To salute someone is more than a greeting.  It is often an expression of honor and submission.  Think of how in the military an officer of rank is always respected with a salute.  When the officer standing guard to the entrance of Air Force One salutes the President, he returns the greeting with a salute.  The salute is a sign of both welcome and honor.

Every morning when I kneel to pray or open my Bible to partake of God’s Word to me, I am saluting the Creator and Maker of all things.  Welcome into my world, Lord Jesus.  I want you here.  Please take over.  You know the things that are on my plate today.  I acknowledge you as I prepare my heart to walk in your ways.  I commit the responsibilities of this day into your hands.  I can’t do any of them without your help.  I agree with you that you order my steps and give me the mind of Christ, so I will think your thoughts and walk on paths of righteousness.  Your Word says you perfect those things that concern me.  Will you please take care of those things I can do nothing about?  Will you work them out for good?  I submit to what you want to do in me and my circumstances.  Will you intervene in the activities of my family’s life so we will fulfill your purpose for our lives?  Will you do the impossible so everyone knows and sees that it was your hand that did it?

In the Hebrew, when we inquire or ask of the Lord it means more than seeking counsel.  The definition also includes the term, salute.  I love the picture this definition gives us.  When we ask for the mind of Christ, we are saluting the Lord. When we acknowledge Him in all our ways, asking for His insight, we honor Him with a salute that puts Him on the throne of our lives.  We then humble ourselves much as a military person would do when submitting himself to a higher authority.  We welcome the Lord into our circumstances and honor Him as Lord of all when we inquire of Him.  Stop a minute and ask yourself, who are you saluting today.  It might be self.  It might be other people.  Let’s do an about-face and salute the Creator and Maker of all things.  Remember the government is on His shoulders, so why not welcome Him into your circumstances and honor His lordship.  That one humble salute could change your life forever.

You know what I love?  Being relieved of a burden.  When things are taken care of for me and it’s off my shoulders and completely on another’s, I am set free!  It might be as simple as a friend stepping in to complete a difficult task for me.  Or it might be as monumental as the Lord reversing a medical diagnosis.  In either case, the matter is simply removed from my shoulders.  That’s what I love!

It’s not that I don’t like responsibility, for there’s great reward in doing a job well done, in seeing the fruit of your labor.  But there are a myriad of other things for which I am not responsible.  So I need to let go of those things.  I know it’s easier said than done, but scripture admonishes us to cast our cares on the Lord.  He wants to carry our burdens.  There’s a phrase from Isaiah 6 in the Hallelujah Chorus which declares the authority of the coming Messiah.  One of my favorite lines is when the choir sings:

“And the government shall be upon his shou-ou-ou-ou-oul-ders.”

I used to think that was all about the government of nations.  It didn’t seem like government had anything to do with me personally.  But then the Lord began to open my understanding to His Kingdom principles.  His Kingdom isn’t just about Heaven.  It’s about the here and now.  It’s about His rule taking over my life.  God doesn’t just rule the universe; He rules the personal circumstances of my life as well, and yours, too.  When things are more than I can bear and I give the burden over to God, He has a way of un-messing my messes.  He loves to fix things for me.    It’s like my friend, Kim, who excels in organizational skills.  The other day I was under a lot of pressure to get things done, so she stepped in to help me with a project.  She took the burden and we got it done in half the time it would have taken me on my own.  She lightened my load. That’s what I love!

When our son was recently diagnosed with a seizure disorder, I couldn’t do anything but pray.  It was beyond my ability to fix his pain like I could when he was a little boy.  I had to give my burden over to the Lord for Him to work in ways I never could.  He had to rule in this situation, whether He brought divine healing or grace to endure.  It wasn’t up to me so I had to put the burden on the Lord.  I admit I hated what he was going through.  Rather than fall apart, I had to give the burden to the One who held his life in His hands.  Believe me, I had to keep giving my concerns to the Lord over and over again.  God ruled over every test and diagnosis.  It was on His shoulders.  I found peace in that.  Then after several weeks, the diagnosis was reversed as quickly as it was pronounced.  I was amazed at good reports that only my God could have instigated.  The Lord also ruled over this circumstance of life.  That’s what I love!

Why is it we have such a hard time letting our Messiah carry our burdens?  He came to set us free.  When we allow Jesus Christ to shoulder our responsibilities, He works things out for good. Since the foundation of His rule is righteousness and justice, He alone will right the wrongs. He alone will avenge the injustice. Can any of us claim that power?  What could we possibly do on our own to foster such good results!  Submission to the Father’s will includes trusting that He will see us through.  It means we can let go because He takes over.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest

His offer will bring me exactly what I love, relieving me of burdens that weigh me down.  I will not carry the weight of the world on my shoulders anymore.  He picks up my load.  Do you have a lot on your shoulders?  Are your responsibilities getting to you?  His offer is still as good today as it was 2,000 years ago.  So whether you’re burdened down with last minute Christmas shopping or facing an incredible hardship, remember this truth.  The government of your circumstances is on His shoulders and He will do a much better job of sorting things out than you ever could.  He is in authority over you.  Stop a minute and look up.  Tell the Lord you want Him to govern your situations.  When you transfer your control over to His, you’ll be saying with me…that’s what I love!

Making a list and checkin’ it twice…that’s me.  Problem is most of my lists are in my head and by the time I get pen to paper (okay, I’ve not mastered the iphone yet), I’ve forgotten half of what I was supposed to do.  When I do gain victory with the list-making, I have this sense of organization and control that doesn’t come with mere mental notations.  I love the freedom gained from finishing a task and checking it off.

I awoke early this Thanksgiving morning to thoughts of what needed to yet be done.  Cheesecake baked:  check.  Rolls rising:  check.  Berries prepared:  check, check.  Still undone?…the list goes on.  Then the gentle quiet nudge of the Holy Spirit reminded me.  That’s His role, you know.   I turned my thoughts to Him.  His goodness.  His many blessings.  His benefits.  Psalm 103 popped into my head.  Forget not all His benefits.  So I began another kind of mental notation.

Praise the Lord, I tell myself, and FORGET NOT all his benefits, the good things he does for me…

He FORGIVES all my sins…

He HEALS all my diseases…

He RANSOMS me from destruction…

He SURROUNDS me with loving kindness and tender mercies…

He SATISFIES my mouth with good things…

He RENEWS my youth like the eagle’s.

Here’s how I’m checking off my remembrance list this Thanksgiving morning.

I will not forget that the Lord placed me in a loving Christian home where I experienced Christ daily and where I found my own personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  That He opened my eyes to understand being a believer is not a legalistic list of do s and don’t s. That He forgave all my sins and is helping me to become a true follower of Jesus Christ.  Check!

I will not forget that He healed my infertility, arthritis and cancer.  That His Name was bigger than these diseases.  That He healed them all and let me live to see my children and grandchildren.  I will not take good health for granted.  Check!

I will not forget that the Lord constantly redeems and ransoms my life from destructive forces around me.  That He has protected me when my choices weren’t His best.  That He bought me back from the enemy’s plan to kill, steal and destroy everything good around me.  That He gave me abundant life.  That He made me His own.  Check!

I will not forget that privilege of daily living in His presence.  That He surrounds me with favor like a shield.  That He is above me, beneath me, at my side, out in front, and guarding me from behind.  That because of His love, kindness, grace and mercy, I am not consumed.  That His faithfulness every day is great toward me.  That I am a recipient of divine blessings as I live, move and have my being in Him.  Check!

I will not forget that He is the Source of all good things, and that every good and perfect gift is from above.  I will not forget that He alone satisfies my needs.  That He gave me a godly husband and two terrific sons.  I will not forget how He brought daughters-in-love with my sons into our family.  I will not forget the blessings of grandchildren who light up my life every day.  I will not forget the blessing of living in the same city with my family and being in ministry together.  I will not forget the launching of CityCom and the new people He has brought into my life.  There is satisfaction knowing it all comes from Him, that He opens His hand and satisfies the desires of every living creature, including me.  Check!

I will not forget that He is my Strength when I am weak.  That He enables me to walk on the heights with a surefooted steadiness.  That He goes before me and holds all things together in my life.  That He keeps me from being weary when I run and from fainting when I walk.  That He does it all.  And I really like the benefit of knowing He renews my youth every day (hey, I am a grandmother), as I set my heart on Him.  Check!  Check!

A note in my Bible says that when you feel you have nothing for which to praise God, read David’s list above.  We receive all these things without deserving any of them.  David stirred his inner self to remembrance.  Let’s stir ourselves this day to remember His benefits.  FORGET NOT!  Check!  Check!