Take Your Daily Vitamin!

I may have told this story before, but years ago, when I was in the beginning stages of my work career, I gained employment as a part-time Sales Clerk in the Sporting Goods department at our local Sears department store, while attending Santa Rosa Junior College. 

My memories of the five years that I eventually spent there are quite pleasant.  I made many friends amongst the other part-timers (a good many of them in my age group) and with the older, full-time, seasoned workers.  I also enjoyed interacting with the customers, helping them with our products and sharing a laugh or two along the way.

There was one time in particular though, that I remember when my laugh was not shared by the customer.  It was in the early summer months of 1972 when a customer marched up to me and irritably handed me a plastic air mattress.  She proceeded to tell me that she had bought the air mattress the previous summer for 99 cents and when she went to inflate it again this year (after the previous summer’s usage), she discovered a leak and was demanding her money back.

Well… I am not sure why… but it just hit me as being very funny and I looked up at her and said, “Well… what do you expect for 99 cents?” 

And like I alluded to… she did NOT see the humor in my statement, so I quickly informed her that I would refund her purchase and went on to explain the reasoning behind my response to her*… while I filled out the prerequisite return slip (with a smile on my face) for her to take to the Customer Service counter right next to our department.

As she huffed away, I remember thinking that she and I had different intentions and attitudes about the purchase and realized that my explanation went right over her head!  But never-the-less, I got a good laugh over it and was able to enjoy the story with my co-workers for days to come!

That particular memory popped up again in my thoughts as I studied a portion of scripture found in Hebrews 4:12 where the writer explained the reasoning behind the Word of God and declared that,

“God's word is living and active. It is sharper than any two-edged sword and cuts as deep as the place where soul and spirit meet, the place where joints and marrow meet. God's word judges a person's thoughts and intentions.”  (God’s Word ©) 

It was the last part of the verse that specifically caught my attention with the idea that “God’s Word judges a person’s thoughts and intentions”

A quick glance at the Remedy Version really brought the meaning home to me personally when it stated that the Word,

“also diagnoses the true INTENTIONS, ATTITUDES and PRINCIPLES of the heart.” 

Since that experience as a college student working at Sears, I’ve repeatedly learned that many individuals have different Intentions, Attitudes and Principles than I do… even some of those that are close to me!  This realization became vividly apparent to me when Piper was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. 

Through lots of confusion and frustration that drove me to my knees in prayer, I slowly became aware that even though certain people SAY that they have the same kind of faith that I do and think that they understand me… it doesn’t necessarily mean that their experiences, understanding and personal conception of their faith and their view of life… is just like mine!

Through the regular study of God’s Word (as our verse implies) I began to get insights into the heart of people and gain the ability to discern some of the more advantageous ways in which to successfully communicate with the people that Piper and I were interacting with. 

I started to see how certain words, subjects and verbal or visual attitudes could adversely affect our conversations.  I learned to avoid certain subjects completely, to keep some of the information I needed to share as positive as possible… and at times (many times in fact)… to just to keep my mouth shut and smile!

The Lord had instructed me early on after Piper was diagnosed, to saturate her in the Word.  My initial thought was that this was to keep us focused on God’s abilities, on His miracle working power, to build our faith and to increase our stamina and joy. 

What I didn’t realize until a few years into our journey, was that it was also so that He could teach us the right social-interaction and behavioral skills to successfully navigate through this intense time in our lives… both for our good and the good of those who also played a part (whether willingly or unwillingly) in our adventures in faith!

So you see, that regular study in the Word of God is not only necessary for the training and growth of a person’s spiritual side… but just as importantly… for the natural side of men and women and boys and girls as well!  The Word is the all-in-one Daily VITAMIN for the whole person!

I take my daily VITAMIN… How About YOU?

Have a great weekend!  We are FINALLY getting a break in the outrageously hot temperatures we’ve had for the last few weeks with temperatures in the 90’s today and 80’s for the next few days following!  I hope you can do something FUN this weekend… and as you do… share some of the JOYS of living in God’s BEST with the others around you!

 

 

*At the time I was recalling all the inexpensive air mattresses that my parents would buy for me and my siblings each year for our camping adventures… and without fail… the mattresses would never last the week or so that we were gone!  Between sleeping on them by night and floating down the river on them by day… the last day of the vacation was inevitably slept in our sleeping bags with nothing but the hard ground under us!  So, I actually thought that the customer had done really well, if the mattress had lasted one whole summer!

Shades of Silver...

My wife and I started talking about the possibility of us getting a new car back in 2008 while I was attending Bible college out here in Oklahoma.  I had sold my Camaro before we moved from California in order to help finance our new adventure and figured that we could share my wife’s Suburban during our temporary stay in Oklahoma.  Then after being here a few months, a new friend from school and his wife prayed and decided to give us one of their cars.

At the time it seemed like a gift from heaven and all was great for a few months until I came out after school one afternoon and discovered that the Suburban would not start… you have to understand that except for one warranty covered item during the first few months after we had purchased the truck new in 1998, that the vehicle had NEVER gone to the shop except for new tires, brake pads, oil changes and the California smog inspections.  It had been an indestructible and dependable transport for Piper and the four kids as well as for our many trailer towing vacations… and every load in-between!

But after that first episode, which turned out to be an in-tank fuel pump, it seemed like one of the two cars was down for the next two years!  So, in that state of mind we began to talk about and look at new vehicles.  I had been thinking about a sports wagon similar to the Mazda 3 hatchback and discussed it with a member of my team at work who had a similar model.  Piper and I even went out to a local dealership to check one out… and that was the plan until both of our cars went down at the same time and we had to rent a car until the Suburban was fixed…again!

Well, low and behold, it was following a snow storm in early December of 2008 and the only car that the National Rental lot had available was a bright red Mustang!  We ended up driving that car for almost a month… and fell in love with it!  From then on, the focus of my research was on Mustangs.  But… with Piper’s worsening health and the majority of our finances going in that direction… the Mustang dream… was just that… a dream… a FAITH dream.

Many years and a couple of states later, that dream began to take physical shape in the form of the 2009 Mustang GT Premium convertible that we purchased online from a specialty dealership in Richmond Virgina and had shipped to us in North Carolina in the fall of 2015.

By that time, I had seriously been researching and looking for a Mustang GT convertibles that fit my specifications, desires and requirements from all over the country for about six months.  This particular car checked all the boxes except that it had an automatic instead of a manual transmission, I wasn’t sure of the exterior color and it was a little higher than the price I had set… but it had the difficult to find red leather interior, the right rims, extremely low milage and looked like a brand-new, showroom quality car.  So, we prayed, got the okay and scooped it up!

I had never been drawn to silver colored cars, but this one was called Siver Vapor and was darker in shade in that it could almost be called grey… which is how the dealer had it marked on the key tags for the car.  And well… when the transport pulled into our apartment parking lot… any doubts instantly evaporated… to us, the car was simply gorgeous!

That car was a breath of fresh air to me in the midst of the very trying circumstances of Piper’s worsening condition and the outside influences that I had to deal with.  For us, to hop in that car and drive away with the top down… enjoying the nuances of the sounds, sights and smells of the countryside… along with the mesmerizing rumble of the twin tuned, chrome-tipped exhausts… was an experience like, as Piper had underlined in her old NAS Bible, where Peter exclaimed,

“…joy inexpressible and full of glory!” (I Peter 1:8 – NASB)

I learned a lot about the power of God’s GRACE during those days in the rural countryside of North Carolina.  I learned to forgive others and to give my frustrations and confusion to God.  I learned not to judge other’s behaviors when I really knew nothing about what was going on inside of them.

I learned to “Gird my mind for action…”  - GOD’S ACTIONS of LOVE - and to,

“Keep sober in spirit and to fix my hope (or expectations) completely on the GRACE to be brought to me at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (I Peter 1:13 – NASB)

That car became a vivid example of God’s GRACE shinning forth to me as my world turned upside down.  Every time I looked at it, I was graphically reminded that God’s GRACE is not Black and White, but beautiful, shimmering metallic shades of Silver… like the silver locket that I gave as a first gift to Piper in High School some 45 years before our move across country.  My love for her and her love for me was always reflected in that locket which she wore throughout our dating and marriage days… and it always symbolized the loving and gentle GRACE of God for us… whether we deserved it at any given time or not!

In Ephesians 1: 7-8, the Apostle Paul characterized the GRACE of God and its power working in our lives and described it as,

“…the cascading riches of the superabundance of GRACE that is already powerfully working in us, releasing within us all forms of wisdom and practical understanding.” (The Passion Translation)

And so, even though we only owned that car for a relatively short period of time and decided to exchange it for a car that would fit Piper’s new custom wheelchair, it still is a living memory in my heart of the sweet, tender but yet bold and powerful GRACE of God who loves us unconditionally… and that by which I too learned, to love even the un-lovely with the unconditional love of God… in the midst of ANY circumstances that life sends our way!

Always remember… That God’s GRACE is never Black and White, but sweet, soft, forgiving, and beautiful shades of Silver!

Have a GREAT and GRACE – FILLED week!  I went out earlier this morning to quickly trim a bush and came back inside less than a ½ hour later soaked to the skin!  Whew-ee!  Welcome to a wonderful Oklahoma summer!

Phony-Baloney!

 phony-baloney

[ foh-nee-buh-loh-nee ]

---

Noun:  nonsense; baloney.

Adjective: nonsensical; foolish.

 

I have found myself in a whimsical mood the last few days, and especially so when in the midst of my morning Bible study/Coffee time with the Lord… which in itself is a little unusual, as we have had a round of early (read that: ‘Very Early’) morning thunderstorms for at least a week running now.  And if you have a big 65 lb dog like mine who gets quite nervous and shakes with the streaks of lightning, booming thunder and heavy rain pelting the roof… then you know that even with a little sedative… he still needs me to stay up and comfort him! 

Thus… I’ve been less than energetic and alert when I sit down in my study with my coffee, Bible study program and notepad.

But a funny thing kept happening every time I got into the midst of my study time… and maybe the exhaustion has something to do with it… but I found myself getting energized with a CHEERFUL expression on my face, and an EXCITED and HIGHLY EXPECTANT feeling building up inside of me!

One of the standby verses of scripture that I have been writing down and studying for a few weeks now, is in Romans 1:16-17.  I mentioned this verse in a post at the end of last month and how it talks about the gospel of Christ as being “the power of God unto salvation for everyone of us who believe in it…” and reveals the righteousness of God through our personal actions of faith… and sums it up by stating that “the just shall live by faith.”  (KJV)

What’s interesting is that the meaning of “shall live” in the original Greek, defines “a life alive with cheered, excited and highly expectant feelings.” (Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary)  No wonder I’ve been quickly elevated into a whimsical mood!

Then, in the midst of that whimsical mood, I turned in my continuing study of “living by faith” to James 2:17 in The Passion Translation and read,

“So then, faith that doesn’t involve action is PHONY.” 

And I immediately burst out laughing, quickly reverted to my childhood and started rhythmically singing: ♫ PHONY-BALONEY! ♪ PHONY-BALONEY! ♫

The Message Bible supports this implied foolishness, or as the Oxford Online Dictionaries defines as “a lack of good sense”, by making the statement:

“Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is OUTRAGEOUS NONSENSE?” 

Who ever said that God doesn’t have a sense of humor… and in the midst of the humor, He makes a very strong point in demonstrating the folly of those who say that they believe in the Word of God, will even recite some meaningful verses that have to do with their need… but then… take no action that would demonstrate the confession of their faith.

The next verse further explains the Apostle Paul’s teaching, by simply declaring:

"Show me how anyone can have faith without actions. I will show you my faith by my actions." (James 2:18- Good News Bible)

I think that the good Lord will use humor as secret weapon that allows Him to prove a point to a believer, that they might not ordinarily be open to hear…

Personal point in view… As I was gleefully singing my little child’s gotcha verse “Phony-Baloney”, I began to review the different people that I have witnessed over the years who talked a good story… but… for whatever reason… didn’t have the understanding, or possibly the personal revelation of God’s love for them, or maybe lacked the confidence to take an action based on their confession of faith in God and His Word…

But then it hit me hard… and I straightened up in my chair… and got really serious… because I saw myself doing the same thing at different times in my past! 

GULP!  Not real funny then!

So, while I can’t really judge anyone else… I can and should look at myself and admit to the faults of my past… but then also see the great strides that I have made and the lessons I have learned as I have sought to:

“Love the Lord my God with all my heart, with all my soul, and with all my mind.” (Matthew 22:37 - God’s Word © personalized) 

You know… at times I enjoy a good bologna sandwich with a slice of cheese on white bread!  It brings back pleasant memories of my childhood and the loads of fun I had… But it wasn’t much fun when friends occasionally told me that I was being a “PHONY-BALONEY” when I made a statement concerning something I said I could do… or something I said that I believed in… and didn’t prove it by my actions!

As an adult… and especially as a Christian adult… I work diligently to assure that the words I speak are clearly supported and demonstrated by the actions I take in response to those words!  I want to set a good example to those around me and also let the Lord know that I am serious about my relationship with Him!

How About You?

It looks like we might get a little reprieve from the early morning storms for the next few days!  I have a roofer coming out to check out a few water dribbles I spotted coming through a ceiling AC vent… (situated right over the bathroom sink… thank God!)  The nice thing is that the summer storms brought quite a relief to the triple digit temperatures we were having! PTL!

Have a great rest of your week, and as you do… EXPECT GOD’s BEST and think about the PHONY-BALONEY’s in your life… while seeking to get your walk in tune to your talk!