Mr. King

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. ~Isaiah 53:3-5

 My friend had a young rooster that the older hens in her flock didn't accept. As a matter of fact, they were horribly mean to the young man. They pecked at him and plucked out his feathers. Her children called him Mr. King. I never asked why. He was very gentle, unlike most roosters who want to fight all the time. His head was completely bald. I, being unfamiliar with the Silky breed, thought his gray comb was some kind of growth on his head. My hens weren't too keen on his presence in our flock either but I kept watching. The hens didn't allow him to eat or drink with them. So I put his feed on top of his transport cage and placed him on top. Some of the feed was nice greens from the garden. Pretty soon the hens decided they wanted those greens too. They flew up to feed with him. In a few days, he began to crow, a very weak scratchy crow. His feathers began to grow back and a few grew straight up behind his comb like a crown. He scratched in the chicken run and clucked to the hens to come see what he found. The hens ignored him. 

One day he grabbed a large piece of greens from the yard and clucked loudly while the hens were gathered around the feed bucket. The youngest of the hens went to him and took the piece from his beak. I was so excited that he was finally recognized as the king, the provider, the one who wanted to watch over the flock. 

The whole episode of Mr. King made me think of how Jesus was so mistreated by his people. They were dismissive. They questioned who this teacher from Galilee was. They heard him preach but most went their own way. Finally, they cried out to crucify him. His beard was plucked from his face. His back was in ribbons from the beatings. He didn't look anything like the king they wanted him to be. No crown upon his head, his cloak the prize of a gambling game. Oh, but Sunday came and he arose, King of kings and Lord of lords. He sits now at the right hand of the Father expecting to return in the Father's timing.

My rooster, Mr. King, is still very gentle and allows me to pick him up. He scratches and clucks to his hens and happily stands guard over my small flock. He crows at the break of day and the rest of the day too. Feathers are still growing back in but he's now a healthy and happy king. 

Jesus's church, though scattered by persecution throughout the ages, still stands and calls to all who will listen. He feeds us with the Word of his mouth. He watches over us to provide and protect us. He loves doing his job if we will only allow him.

Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your son who though mistreated and crucified arose from the grave as King of kings to call us and redeem us, to protect us, and provide for us if we will only listen. In Jesus's name. Amen

Raising Kids to Follow Christ

 That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: ~ Psalms 78:6-7

I received a pre-release version of my writing friend Lee Ann Mancini's book Raising Kids to Follow Christ.  I wish it had been written when I was raising my children. The chapters are conversational. I felt like Lee Ann was sitting there encouraging me as a young parent. Encouraging is the right word here. She isn't high-minded or judgemental but rather takes us through useful information that every parent can use.  She incorporates scripture with each recommendation, so it's not her that speaks, but God's Word. Each chapter builds on the previous with good instruction beginning with building a spiritual foundation for our children and taking instruction through the years. 

I really like the way each chapter is broken down into small bites. As a busy parent, I needed small bites of information so I could change a diaper or fix a meal. These are meaty small bites such as Praying Over Our Children (even while they are still in the womb), The Ten Commandments (memorizing by living them out before our children), and Tell the Next Generation (instilling allegiance to God like we show allegiance to our sports teams - go all out). 

Some of the chapters address character development and building a strong Christian foundation. She offers practical methods for connecting children to Jesus and cultivating trust in God. One of my favorite chapters is Helping Shape a Godly Worldview. To me that was always a hard concept but Mrs. Mancini breaks it down so it's a natural process of everyday life. 

I often hear people say "Kids are mean." Lee Ann has a chapter that helps us instill virtues in our children. Guess what, they are caught not taught. There's also a chapter on the fruits of the Spirit. Every chapter is built on the idea that we must demonstrate not tell our children how to live godly lives.

At the end of the book is chapter by chapter questions. I love this because I can reflect on what I've read and if I have a question about how she recommends handling something I can easily find the chapter. 

Mrs. Mancini's conclusion is "Raising kids to be followers of Christ is all about the salvation of our children." We want to know that one day we will sit down in heaven and our children will be sitting across the table from us. 

Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us writers who point us to the ultimate instruction book, Your Word. Thank you, you've given them the gift to break down the scripture in such a way as to increase our understanding. Father, help us follow through with the concepts in Your Word to raise our children to be followers of Christ so that we may spend eternity together in heaven. In Jesus's name, I pray. Amen. 

 

The Family Basket

 But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. ~Exodus 2:3 

Do you have a basket? What do you keep in it? Are there treasures inside? Baskets are beautiful works of art. I love placing the ribs side by side then weaving in other ribs to make the stout bottom that supports the rest of the basket. As I was thinking about our family it reminded me of the baskets I've made and used. If I don't make a tight weave across the bottom with the ribs the basket will have holes and won't hold the berries or herbs or other items I place in them.

Some baskets are made tight enough to hold water. Mine are not that tight. But I thought -families need to be woven tight. Families can't let anything in that will weaken or destroy its integrity. Nor can families leave anyone out. Every person is valuable to the family.

When Moses was born, the Pharaoh gave orders to kill all the baby boys by throwing them into the Nile. Moses was important to his family, so his mother sealed a basket, placed him inside, and gently lowered it into the river under God's watch care. Yes, his sister was there but all she could do was watch. God held Moses safe in the family basket.

Families weave safe baskets for their children. The bottom of the basket is the foundation, the marriage. As the basket takes shape the spokes across the bottom are turned up to make the ribs. As more material is woven around the ribs, the basket takes shape until it is a complete basket just as children are added to the marriage to complete the family. 

Moses was safe inside the basket. Our children should be safe inside our families. They need to know the stability and love that comes from a family. They also need to know that the main spoke in their family basket is the Lord Jesus Christ. Water makes the basket tighter. It makes the spokes pliable and when dry, the spokes are tight enough to make a sturdy basket. Jesus Christ, our Water of Life will make our marriages strong if we allow Him to soak into our lives and season them with His strength. It is Mom and Dad woven together in Christ that creates that family basket that will keep the children safe and secure in the midst of a culture of destruction. 

Heavenly Father, help us consider how we allow You to weave our marriages together. Help us give you first place that our homes might be a safe basket for our children. In Jesus's name. Amen.

The Seed

 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. ~John12:24 NKJV

The Seed

The seed fell to the ground

Not knowing it was dying.

It soaked up the rain,

Snuggled into the warm earth

All the while it was dying.

Inside a little root

Pushed its way out into the soil

A tiny stem with two leaves

Raised its head

Breaking the crusty ground

Reaching for the light

But the seed was dying.

Giving way to the root and the leaves

Draining itself out of all that was inside.

It shriveled and disappeared

As a new life began

From a seed that died.

I love planting a garden and watching it grow. I get so excited when I see little seed leaves push up out of the soil. I know something is growing. I know there will be spring flowers, summer tomatoes, and fall watermelons. I don't usually think about what's going on under the soil. The little seed I planted a couple of weeks ago has been dying. It contained the life that is needed to make a new plant but the seed itself is being used up. A root grew down into the soil. A stem sprouted upward and broke through into the sunlight to begin the new plant. But all that was left of the seed was an empty shell. It will finally decay back into the soil, with nothing left. 

Jesus used a grain of wheat as an example of people who follow Him. We must die to ourselves to win people to Jesus. If all we do is sit on a church pew on Sunday and then live our lives the rest of the week we are like the seed that sits in the package but never gets dirty in the soil. 

When we have a vision of winning souls we have to get "dirty". We have to be witnesses to others. Yes, being kind is part of being a witness, but unless we tell someone about Jesus we aren't getting dirty. We all have a testimony if we have asked Jesus to forgive us of our sins. We all have a testimony of changed lives. Like the seed, we have to be willing to give up our personal lives, those comfortable lives, and be willing to risk whatever reaction the world may have when they know we are Christians. Sharing Jesus with others is the only way we can "bear fruit". Not everyone will go to church and hear a preacher. We must be willing to die to ourselves and be used by Jesus so we bear fruit.     

Heavenly Father, Help me be willing to put the message of Jesus before myself. Help me die to myself knowing you will bring others to Christ through my witness. Like the little seed, I may never see the results but You see and one day so will I. In Jesus's name, we ask for boldness to be your witness. Amen.  

Hey Kids:

Have you ever watched a seed grow? 

Fold a paper towel in quarters. 

Dampen it and wring out the excess water.

Place it inside a sandwich bag.

Lay any type of seed on the paper towel. A bean seed is the easiest to watch.

Tape it onto a window that gets plenty of light.

In a few days you will see the seed begin to sprout.

Keep a journal of what you observe. 

Write the date. Draw a picture. Label the parts. 

What happens to the seed? 

                                                                         

A Colt, the Foal of a Donkey

 

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. Zechariah 9:9

I wonder why Jesus chose the colt of a donkey to ride into Jerusalem that first Palm Sunday? 

Was it because that was the common form of transportation? 

If we examine the prophet Zechariah's words (above) we see the people were to be looking for their king to come on a donkey's colt. But wait, kings rode horses!

A donkey is short but a colt is much shorter. Jesus was riding right down there where the people were. The clothes put on the colt's back covered a prophecy that Jesus had tried to tell his disciples. Under the clothes was a cross. 

And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him.
And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.
And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:
Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest. Mark 11:7-10

Almost all donkeys have a cross on their backs. It runs down their backs and across their shoulders. 

A donkey is an animal known for carrying burdens. The donkey carried Jesus who was carrying the greatest burden of all - our sins, the sins of the whole world. 

Jesus rode this donkey into Jerusalem the same day the sheep would have been brought in, the tenth day of Nisan. The sheep were to be put up and examined until Passover when they were to be killed as the Passover sacrifice.

During this week, Jesus would be examined. He would be arrested and stand before His accusers. Like a sheep that is lead before the shearers is silent, so Jesus did not answer the accusations. He was slain as our sacrifice, the Lamb of God.

Father, help us slow down and realize today is the day our Savior has come. Today is the day of salvation. If only we will call upon Him, He will take our burdens and save our souls. In Jesus name. Amen. 

Blessings,

Gail

Hey Kids:

Let's return to the children's section of family devotions. A friend helped me recognize this as an important part of our blog. So here goes.

Have you ever seen a donkey? Many of the farms in my area are keeping donkeys in their pastures to ward off the coyotes. The next time you see one, stop and look for the cross on his back. NOT TOO CLOSE! Stay behind the fence. The purpose of the donkey is to kick away any danger. He would think that includes you too!

You might also enjoy The Easter Donkey, a picture book by Donna Thornton. 

She tells the story of a real donkey used by a church in our area to help reenact Palm Sunday.

Palm Sunday is the day Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a donkey. 

Some churches put on Easter Passion plays and invite the public. Like Christmas Pageants depicting the birth of Christ, so Easter Passion plays depict the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. 

What are some of the ways you are preparing for Easter this week? Leave a comment and let us know. 

Clay in The Potter's Hands

But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter;  we are all the work of your hand. Isaiah 64:8 (ESV)

Do you have a piece of pottery in your home? I don't mean a dollar store coffee cup. I'm talking about a piece of pottery that is handmade by someone. I have a little bowl my oldest son made when he was in elementary school. I can see the size of his little fingers where he squished the bowl into shape. His initials are scratched on the bottom.  He brought it home as a gift probably for Mother's Day. It may not be much to look at but it holds my paperclips on my desk. It does its job and to me it's priceless. 

When he went off to college, he met a girl majoring in something far different than art but she took a pottery class as an elective. She is now a professional potter. Her work is amazing, very unlike the child-made bowl on my desk. Her work is unique. I can see the ridges her fingers made as she turned the pieces on her wheel. I asked her about the process of bringing her pottery to the finished product. 

She explained clay doesn't need to cure, just dry, which could be between two days and two weeks before it is fired in the kiln. In the first firing called the bisque, the pottery is heated to 1800 degrees. After the pottery is glazed it goes through another firing at 2000 degrees. This firing takes between eight and nine hours. The pots shrink 10% in the firing. She sometimes fires a third time if something needs to be fixed. I'm thinking she means fixed as in the glaze. 

She often names her pieces according to the way she glazed them. The mug shown here is a mountain view. It was a gift because she knew how much I love the mountains. The saucer under the mug is my favorite muffin plate. It was one of her first works. It's nothing like the saucers she makes now but I love it. 

Have you ever turned a piece of pottery over and noticed it's not glazed on the bottom? There's a secret about the unglazed area. Regardless of the use of the pottery, the bottom can be used to sharpen knives. Just a little kitchen magic for you there. 

Isaiah compares God to a potter. God fashions each of us with a unique job. We are all different in our appearance. Even identical twins have different fingerprints.  Some of us may feel a little misshapen by the world's standards but like my son's little bowl, we are priceless in God's eyes. The Lord knows each of us by name and we are created with a special purpose. 

The Lord's fashioning of our lives is not a hands-off process. He shapes us and molds us and often times puts us through the fire, maybe more than once. No one is too young or too old, too sinful or too messed up for God to make them into what He has planned them to be. 

Ephesians 6 tells us to put on the whole armor of God. When we put on the armor the head and front are covered but the back is still open. Of course, God's got our back but I'm wondering if like the glazed pottery if our most vulnerable side is another part God will use. 

A potter creates beautiful, useful works of art. How is God molding you into what he wants you to be?

Being molded in His image,

Gail

One Person Under God

 

For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for?

 And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?

 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons; Deuteronomy 4;7-9

We've all recited the Pledge of Allegiance and we are often reminded of the words "one nation, under God" but have you considered that you and I are one person under God? We want our nation to recognize God, but are we recognizing Him in our daily lives? 

In Deuteronomy 4,5 Moses is recounting how God gave the children of Israel the Ten Commandments. He is reminding them of how they promised God to obey His laws. The Israelites had heard the voice of God, the thundering and lightning, the smoke on the mountain, but they were afraid, so God had Moses go up on the mountain to receive the Ten Commandments. When Moses left, the people forgot their promise. By the time Moses came down in just forty short days, they were worshipping a golden calf! They had completely lost their fear of God. 

Where are we today? Are we not a nation so great with God so nigh in all the things we call upon Him for? Are not our statutes and judgments and laws righteously based on God's Ten Commandments? Have we failed to take heed? Have we forgotten all the things we have seen that God has brought us through? Have we failed to teach our children and our grandchildren? 

I won't be so pessimistic as to think there is no hope. I refuse to believe that we can no longer be "one nation under God". Beginning with the Mayflower Compact, it is He that hath made us and not we ourselves. Moses led the people of Israel — one man under God. William Brewster drew up the Mayflower Compact — one man under God. Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote for the abolition of slavery  — one woman under God. Are we not each one person — man or woman — under God who can be leaders in our homes, in our churches, in our communities, and in our nation? These and so many others have taken it upon themselves to be that one person, to make that difference, to lead their nation to be united, one nation under God. 

O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever! Deuteronomy 5:29

May each of us be that one person under God's direction to change the direction of our homes, churches, communities, and nation so that God will bless America.

Blessings,

Gail

Back to the Future

But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.

Numbers 14:21

"Grandma, do you think we'll ever have time travel? I'd like to go back to the Civil War just to see what life was like." 

"Well, everything we touched would affect and change the future. I'm not sure that's a good idea but I've always wanted to be an interpreter at a national park."

This was the beginning of a conversation with my teenage grandson on the way back from the gym. Our family loves history. We've lived in Spartanburg county since before the Revolutionary War. We are surrounded by family history and when we vacation we visit historic sites. Our conversation ended by concluding that God placed us here in this time and place for a specific reason — "for such a time as this" (Esther 4:14). So does our lives affect the future? 

In Numbers 13 the Lord had Moses send twelve men into the land of Canaan to spy out the land. Ten of the men brought back a bad report — bad news. They wouldn't be able to take the good land because there were walled cities and giants. Only Joshua and Caleb were ready to go into the land and take it believing God's promise. The people chose to follow the ten spies who gave the bad report because those spies were the majority. Their choice affected their future. God was ready to destroy the people and start over but Moses' talk with God affected the future.

God agreed to let the people live but those over twenty years old would die without seeing the promised land. They would wander in the wilderness until the younger generation grew up and the faithless died off except Joshua and Caleb. We live in a troubling time. Our thoughts and actions affect the future. God sent revivals in the past. The Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th Centuries were victorious times for God's people. Then several things happened to affect the future of God's people. 

Do you think God could send revival again? Do you think He will? Our thoughts and attitudes toward God's purposes affect our future. God's purpose in leading the Israelites into the promised land was to bring the gospel to the whole world. They were to be the people used by God to bring the Messiah. Their fear and disobedience delayed God's plan. How is our obedience or lack thereof affecting God's plan for our future? 

Take the time to look back at the preaching of the Great Awakenings. Google search should bring up the preachers and their doctrines without too much trouble. Look back at Christmas carols like "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear". Think about how people thought about the future. What was their vision? Life wasn't easy but they had a hope. 

We can't and shouldn't go back to the past, but we do need God's vision for the future — that all the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord.

Blessing,

Gail

 

Windows of Learning (2)

For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Matthew 12:40

Let's suppose you and your family were at the beach. You saw a large fish, maybe a dolphin,. Maybe a whale. Your children were curious about the type of fish. Maybe they knew the story of Jonah and the whale and were wondering if the fish they saw could swallow a person. Could it swallow them? 

Harmless as Doves

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. Matthew 10:16

I tossed some corn on the cob over my banisters last week thinking the doves I see and hear in the yard might enjoy our left-overs. A while later I went back on the deck and scared a whole flock off the ground below. The thundering of the wings would have been scary to me had I not known what doves sounded like. 

Later as the sun was setting I heard them cooing as they perched on the powerlines for the night. A still mournful sound yet calming. Earlier this summer I heard a dove frantically cooing. I'd never heard that call in their repertoire. My nephew said the dove had lost its mate. They mate for life and when one mate dies the other makes a pitiful sound, a true mourning. 

Doves never cause harm to other animals or people other than maybe eating corn crops. Jesus' analogy to Christians to be wise as serpents but harmless as doves draws a great picture. A Serpent, a snake is a smart creature hiding and camouflaged until the moment it strikes so it gets you before you get it. May our witness be unexpected striking to the hearts of those endangered by a life apart from God. 

But doves are harmless. They make a lot of noise when they fly and may startle someone but they will not attack. They are mournful in their call, mated for life. In death uncomforted. May we startle the lost with our harmless, loving testimony and happy in our lifelong relationship with Christ. May we be mournful for the lost, pleading for them and with them in love. 

Blessings,

Gail

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Hey Kids:

Are you a bird watcher? Do you notice birdcalls when you're out playing or working in the garden? 
Do you have a bird feeder near a window? 
My bird feeder and a hummingbird feeder are near my kitchen window. 
Hummingbirds are harmless. They sound like a hornet attack but once you know what you're hearing they're fun to watch. 
They dart around the feeder, landing on the wire cage near it. 
The males fight with each other over the feeder.
They even make a chirping sound. 
I've had to offer them my broom as a landing spot in my carport and transport them quickly to the outside. They must think my red car is the biggest flower they've ever encountered. 

Jesus used doves and snakes to make his analogy. 
How could you make an analogy with hummingbirds or maybe lizards?
My dog once ate a blue-tail lizard and almost died. 
Are there other animals that impress you? 
How can you use the Lord's creation as a witness to others?
We'd love to hear from you.

Daily HIs Delight

Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;

Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men. Proverbs 8:30-31

Where is your favorite place to have a cup of coffee or tea? I love my deck with the view of the mountains. 

With whom do you like to have that cup? I enjoy morning conversations with my husband or an afternoon tea party with my grandchildren. An evening chat with my neighbor is nice too. 

But there is one who delights in spending time with me -- and you.