My Mean Mom

(I wrote this blog 6 years ago on Mother’s Day. My mother passed away last October. This tribute to her is my way of honoring her memory.)

I'm writing this while watching my Mom sleep in a hospital bed. Occasionally she sort of rouses to recognize that I'm here, but mostly the morphine has her in a haze of semi-consciousness. It's my privilege to sit here by her bed, but it's oh, so hard to see her in such pain. She was on a stepladder on Saturday evening changing a light bulb or something like that, fell off and broke her shoulder and hip! Mom doesn't like to acknowledge that she's days shy of 70 years of age, hence being on a ladder when she might have been more cautious. I'd scold her, but I'll probably be just like her 20 years from now - resisting every limitation of age with kicking and screaming.

While I was leading the worship service at church this morning, I was thinking about my Mom; worrying really. In between worries, I remembered. Somehow thinking back to the way she was when I was 10 or 12, made thinking about the 'now' less frightening. I hated that she was a no-nonsense Mom then, but sure appreciate it now. She believed in making her kids self-reliant, disciplined, and capable of understanding life's choices have consequences. I hated making my bed to her specifications. (lines on the bedspread straight, corners tight!) I despised that I had to keep my room picked up neatly. (no dirty socks on the floor, all clothes on hangars, thank you!)  But, from those little daily chores, I learned that IF a person tends to the simple stuff, the harder stuff in life tends to fall into place, too. She didn't let me think of letting school work go. It aggravated me that other kids could blow off assignments and that their Mom would cover for them with written excuses. Mine said, "you deal with it" and let me take the detention or whatever was coming my way for my irresponsibility. It taught me that deadlines mean something and to get my work done, on time!

She modeled the same diligence she expected of me. I can't remember when she didn't have dinner ready.  There were NO piles of laundry ever.  I cannot remember her house being in ‘a mess!’ I didn't hear her complain too often either. She showed us that life was about doing what needed to be done. Yep, there's a lot of Mom in me.

So, sitting here watching her face which is a lot more lined than the face that I remember when I close my eyes, I believe she'll be OK, because she's one tough lady and because she trusts God. I oughta know, cause she raised me to be tough and to trust Him too!

An anonymous author penned this in tribute to his Mom -- "Because of my mother, I missed out on lots of things other kids experienced. I've never been caught shoplifting, vandalizing other’s property, or ever arrested for any crime. It was all her fault. I didn't get drunk, didn't take up smoking, wasn't allowed to stayed out all night, or a million other things that other kids did. Sundays were reserved for church, and I didn't miss ever, that I can remember unless I was deathly ill. And, I knew better than to ask to spend the night with a friend on Saturdays. Now I'm a God-fearing, educated, honest adult. I am doing my best to be a mean parent just like Mom was. I think that’s what is wrong with the world today. It just doesn’t have enough mean moms anymore."

Forgive me for this little reverie... I'm only thinking about my Mom today!

• "Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!” Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise." (Proverbs 31:28-31, NLT)
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Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mom’s out there.

The Prez Sez

The Prez Sez

So the political world is buzzing about the President’s endorsement of same-sex marriage for these United States.  His opinion on this controversial subject appears to be grounded in real concern for the rights of others.  Most will respond either with outrage or agreement.  The issue is a polarizing one with few simple answers.  I see it as just one symptom of a much larger spiritual challenge in our time; self-love.  As a culture we are so enamored of our personal rights, we feel so entitled to live as we choose, that the will of God is all but forgotten.

Christians who are ready to sound off about gay marriage or abortion on demand need to read what Jesus said and take it deeply to heart. "Why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log from your own eye; then perhaps you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye." (Matthew 7:3-5, NLT)  Soaring divorce rates even among those who profess to be Bible-believing Christians makes the Church’s defense of the sacredness of marriage sound awfully hollow, don’t you think?

The Christian who is deeply humble lives in submission to God and not just on the ‘hot button’ social issues of the time.  Personal holiness gives credence to our moral arguments. But, there is no holiness without surrender, without submission, without daily dying to Self.  For many American Christians Jesus is Friend, but not King or Lord.  We want Heaven, but on our own terms. We desire peace with God, but only as long as we can reserve the right to act in what we think is in our best interest. “God bless me,” is our favorite prayer!  Even our President, in his announcement of his position on this issue, acknowledged that his choice was bringing him into conflict with the Christian faith he professes, yet he was ready to toss the wisdom of the Scripture in favor of the convictions of the age. I don’t see his choice in any way as unique. He is who most of us are!

The great tragedy of American Christianity is that it has been turned into a commodity , sold on the market of self-improvement. A little ‘Jesus’ will make you smarter, richer, more successful, and happier – is the jingle we sing.  And when it doesn’t happen, Jesus goes on the junk heap, along with all the other stuff we bought in our pursuit of self-fulfillment.  The Gospel  is great news, but not because it makes a better you.  The true Gospel creates a new you, one that loves God more than anything or anyone.  The true Gospel promises an abundant life, but not by the measure we commonly use.  Christ calls us to come and die, so that we may truly live.  He leads us beyond ‘eat, drink, and party’ – the American mantra of the good life – to ‘take up your cross and follow Me’ which is the path to life that survives the grave.

Yes the Prez sez that he will support gay marriage.  The world will not end because of it.  What he said does not drive me to despair, but rather to reflection.  I ask myself if I am radically surrendered to Christ as Lord?  Am I walking in step with the Spirit?  Only then will I have the credibility to say to the world around me, “Follow me” because I am following Christ!

Here’s the word from the Word, a promise that secures my hope. How about you?

"God’s secret plan has now been revealed to us; it is a plan centered on Christ, designed long ago according to his good pleasure. And this is his plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because of Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us from the beginning, and all things happen just as he decided long ago. God’s purpose was that we who were the first to trust in Christ should praise our glorious God.

And now you also have heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us everything he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. This is just one more reason for us to praise our glorious God." (Ephesians 1:9-14, NLT)

Drink up!

You are terribly thirsty after some hard work on a hot day. An old-fashioned well nearby invites you to be refreshed. Lowering bucket at the well's head into the shaft you anticipate a cool drink. The water that you draw from the well sparkles in the sunlight.  Cool, clear, you feel its reviving effect.   But, imagine that as you pull the bucket back to the top of the well, you find a bucket of murky, stinking, polluted water.  The carcass of a dead animal fell into the well.  That which is hidden in the depths makes the water unusable!

There’s a spiritual application of that parable.  When we are in need of compassion, seeking for answers to the thirst of our soul we go searching. We find a person among our friends who appears to be whole. He seems to live a purposeful and godly life.  But, as we get to know the man better we discover a shallow, sensual man.  The refreshing water we expected is not there because his hear is a fouled well!  Switch it up.  You spend time with a young man who is rough on the outside, unpolished; but as you get to know him you find a depth of character, an authentic godliness that infuses you with joy, hope, and peace. Time with him is like a drink of sparkling water!

Which kind of well are YOU?  The Bible says, "guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." (Proverbs 4:23, NIV) What a challenge for those of us who would live in a way that is Christ-honoring! Watch what you put in your heart, and what you allow to stay in your heart, for what is hidden away there will either be refreshing or polluting, life giving or death dealing. What are you pouring into your heart?  What kind of music fills the atmosphere of your home?  What shows pour out of your TV night after night?  With whom do you choose to spend your time?  A steady diet of things that are godless, immoral, profane, or materialistic,  will pollute your heart. "Oh, come on, Jerry, I'm an adult. I can handle that stuff."  You’re only fooling yourself if you think you are so mature or resilient that you can walk in garbage and not stink! If we consume great quantities of what flows out of our current culture, we will became a fouled well!

There’s another kind of junk that can build up in our hearts, too.  Critical words, unfair judgment, accusations- can turn our heart into a source of bitter water, brackish with self-pity, sour with cynicism. God, the Holy Spirit, can heal and remove the junk, if we allow Him, too.  It will require confession, forgiveness, and acceptance of His amazing grace. Then, too, it will require a counselor/friend to help us.

Never forget the demons that do their best to plant their poison in us! We must resist their efforts with the weapons of the Spirit.  I find that temptations, fear, and doubt tend to find me when least expected. Seemingly from nowhere, there will come resentment, or anger, or anxiety, or craving for some sensual experience!  At that moment, I know there is a choice – I can drink the polluted water or I can turn to the One who offers me Living Water.

Our Heavenly Father offers refreshing. “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare." (Isaiah 55:1-2, NIV)

Here's a word from the Word to take with you today -- "Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, "If you are thirsty, come to me! If you believe in me, come and drink! For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow out from within." (When he said "living water," he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him....)" (John 7:37-39, NLT)
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O Spirit of God
prime the well of my heart
with living water.
Help me to wisely  'guard the well' so that
what overflows from my life
is a refreshing drink to those who thirst.
In Jesus' name, I pray.
Amen

Get In Line!

The trip was 400 miles long and there were 4 cars traveling together. Two drivers had no idea about the route, so it meant we had to stay together. If you have never driven that far in a caravan, believe me when I tell you, it's difficult! Safety demands that you keep some distance. Distraction means that one driver will start to lag too far back. Aggressive drivers will cut into the caravan, breaking it up. And then there's me! I like to set my own pace, stop when I want to get a cup of coffee. To make it work, each driver must stay aware of the others and go with the leader. In other words, "get in line!"

Are you a good follower? Many times in the Gospels we hear Jesus inviting people to follow Him. He did not negotiate terms with them, offer to share the lead with them, or even hold out incentives to them! He simply said, "Come, follow me!" Many people want to be a friend of Jesus. They want the life He promises, the peace with God He makes possible; yes, the benefits of knowing the Lord of Glory, but on their own terms. Discipleship is not for them! They want to walk with Him as long as He is willing to share the point position with them, letting them go where they want to go. When He leads into some hard place, they resist, perhaps even stop. When He leads them to profound change, they refuse.

"Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat-I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how." (Luke 9:23, The Message) How do you respond to that call? Will you get in line? The example of those first disciples inspires me. Matthew was working his tax collector booth at the city gate, but with great faith, he took the call. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him." (Matthew 9:9, NIV) "As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him." (Matthew 4:18-20, NIV) Did you note when they responded? At once!

True disciples follow. They accept the mastery, the discipline, the pace, the path of the Leader. In other words, they 'get in line.' It's not a short line, either. The wonderful and sobering truth is that there are those who are following you and me. This great caravan of life gives us the opportunity to bring others to the Life of Christ. But, how will they find the Way, if we are wandering, resistant, or rebellious?  

Here is a word from the Word. Meditate on it today. Pray for grace and obedience to genuine discipleship, so that you will have no hesitation to say, "Follow me as I follow Christ."

"He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family."  

Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:59-62, NIV)

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" Follow, I Will Follow Thee"

   Follow, I will follow Thee, my Lord,

   Follow every passing day.

   My tomorrows are all known to Thee;

   Thou wilt lead me all the way.

   Jesus calls me; I must follow,

   Follow every hour

   Know the blessing of His presence,

   Fullness of His power.

   Jesus calls me; I must follow,

   Follow Him alway.

   When my Savior goes before me,

   I can never stray.

   - Howard and Margaret Brown, 1935

Second-hand Faith?

Ask me about training horses and I will share first-hand knowledge gained from years of experience.  For many Summers, I spent my days with two-year old colts, just in from the range, gentling them, turning them into riding mounts.  I did not just read about it in books!  My horse sense is experiential, not just theoretical. No matter how detailed I was in describing how to accomplish the work of turning a wild colt into a working animal; there is no way for you to really know without getting dirty, touching the ropes, feeling the strength of one of those magnificent animals.

Job writes this telling line: “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You." (Job 42:5, NKJV)  Job knowledge of the Holy One was once only gained in the telling of the stories of another.  Then, as we learn in the Old Testament book that bears his name, Job walked through suffering that turned lessons into experience. The paradox is that with this knowledge came deep humility. "I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.” (Job 42:6, NLT)  When his life was full to the brim with blessings, when he was rich, respected, and resting in good health, he thought he knew many things about God. But, when he was reduced to nothing, he found Who God really was.

I look back at the early years of my pastoral ministry and I cringe when I remember sermons I preached that were about things I had been told, things I had not yet lived. Walking with God for 40 years has brought a deeper, much more profound knowledge of Him.  I am much less dogmatic, less absorbed with doctrine these days. God is not an Idea, nor is He Someone I know from another’s book;  He has become my God, the One who shapes my life by His Presence.  The paradox is that I am much more reluctant to attempt to define Him for you today than 30 years ago.  With the knowledge of the Holy has come more understanding of His majesty. He says, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9, NIV)  I respond with worship, for I know He can be trusted.

I smile indulgently when I hear someone telling exactly what God will do or what kind of prayer I should utter to bring about a specific result. He cannot be ordered around. He is not like some mechanical device that can be programmed. He is a Person of profound love, plans that are often beyond my understanding.  He allows me to catch glimpses of His majesty, but only when I stand in Glory, will I truly know Him!

Do you know God or do you just know about Him?  If you want to know Him beyond the stories of other great Christians, it will require submission, true surrender.  He cannot be dissected on the table of your inquiry. Only shadowy outlines of His nature can be found in books of theology.  He will reveal Himself to those who desire Him.  Here’s a word from the Word, full of promise.  I pray this inspires us to press to truly know Him who is Life. "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." (John 14:21, KJV)

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O I Want To See Him

As I journey thro' the land

Singing as I go;

Pointing souls to Calvary

To the crimson flow.

Many arrows pierce my soul

From without within,

But my Lord leads me on

Thro' Him I must win.

When before me billows rise

From the mighty deep.

Then my Lord directs my bark

He doth safely keep.

And He leads me gently on

Thro' this world below.

He's a real Friend to me

O I love Him so!

O I want to see Him

Look upon His face,

There to sing forever

Of His saving grace.

On the streets of Glory

Let me lift my voice.

Cares all past-

Home at last-

Ever to rejoice!

Rufus Henry Cornelius

Public Domain