RADIO SILENCE

If you are old enough to remember the term, “radio silence,” then this blog will make sense to you. If you are a youngster, here is the definition. 

•  In telecommunications, radio silence or Emissions Control (EMCON) is a status in which all fixed or mobile radio stations in an area are asked to stop transmitting for safety or security reasons. https://www.google.com/#q=radio+silence

• a period during which one hears nothing from a normally communicative person or group. https://www.google.com/#q=radio+silence

For the next 40 days (October 1- November 8, 2016) until the election polls close, we will be constantly inundated with media ads, news commentary, and opinions regarding the election. If I am not careful, I could become depressed, disgusted, disillusioned, or even distraught because of all the noise on TV, internet, Facebook, and yes, even radio—since I am a dinosaur and still have more than one of these.  😊

I’m not important enough to issue an order for radio silence, but I can choose to be silent on certain topics for safety or sanity reasons. 😊 So, I have made a decision regarding the next 40 days. (Ironic number, don’t you think?) As much as I possibly can, I am going to invoke EMCON over my mouth regarding the election. Yes, I have strong opinions about most issues, events, and general nonsense, but I think enough has been said by more people than probably should have entered the conversation, so I’m taking advice from King Solomon, described by many scholars as “the wisest man who ever lived.” He wrote much about how much we talk. Here are a just a few examples from Ecclesiastes 5:1-7.The entire book of Ecclesiastes is full of wisdom, in case you are interested.

Ecclesiastes 5 (bold emphasis is mine)     http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/5.htm 

1 …keep your ears open and your mouth shut… 

2    …let your words be few.

3   … too many words make you a fool. 

5   … It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it.

6   … Don’t let your mouth make you sin. 

7   Talk is cheap, like daydreams and other useless activities. Fear God instead.

I have made my choice of candidates for each position to be filled on November 8, 2016. It has not been an easy choice, but I have done my best to choose based on prayer for discernment and my own independent research of each candidate. I have listened to the persons who are running for each office and tried to learn as much as I could from trusted sources about their voting record and their stand on issues that are important to me. No person is going to meet every criteria 100%, but there are some issues that are not negotiable for me. I will cast my ballot with pride in my country that still allows me to vote. The persons I choose may not  be elected, but I will still be true to my convictions.

So, I will do my best to keep my vow of silence for the next 40 days regarding the election. (Come on… a girl has to set limits.  You would miss me if I were totally silent.) 😊

Semi-silently yours, 

Jennifer

Grace... Reflection or Rejection?

"I like your Christ; I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." Ghandi

 

Have you ever heard anyone say this or something similar? Could it be said because of me (or you)? 

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1

I have been struggling for several days over this verse. My struggle is not with knowing if I am in Christ, because I know I am and have been since I was seven years old. Rather, my struggle is with those who claim to be “in Christ” but are so condemning of others.

So I am wondering: Why is there so much condemnation coming from those who claim to be “in Christ?”

Before you stop reading because you see me as thinking I am without sin or holier than anyone else, let me hasten to state that I have been condemning of others. I have sat in the judge, jury, and executioner’s seat at times and held court and pronounced the sentence on others more often than I wish to admit.  When I look back at my life, I have vivid images of breathing fire and damnation on many who didn’t “do church” or had a different way of expressing their faith than I do. For that, I am truly sorry and hope those people will have the grace toward me that I did not afford them.

Maybe one reason I am wrestling with this verse from Romans is because of so many recent events that have caused me to rethink my understanding of mercy and grace. Recently, I had a conversation with a precious young woman. We were talking about how our lives have had similar experiences with others being so quick to condemn or keep us under constant scrutiny because of our being in ministry families. She said, “Maybe that is why I have had such a hard time giving myself grace.”

This resonated so strongly within me! I have spent most of my life trying to live up to standards imposed by others who claim to know God’s grace, yet they do not offer it to others. As a result, I have not given myself grace or pardon or mercy. Instead, I have realized I am living under condemnation, from myself and others. This negates the reason for which Christ came and died and rose again.

So, what is the solution? I’m still working on this, but I have thought of a few steps toward a remedy. First, I have asked my Lord to forgive me for being condemning, and I also hope anyone who has felt condemned by me will forgive me. Next, I am going to do my best to be more grace oriented toward myself and others. This goes beyond making excuses, and it will be a learning curve for me because I have been steeped in religious legalism and judgment all my life.  I will continue to cogitate on what grace means, and maybe I will have a chance at being able to experience God’s grace and show grace to myself and others.

Please  Lord, help me be a true reflection of your grace so that people will say, “I like your Christ, and I want to know Him because of your reflection of Him, instead of rejecting you because of me.”

Let me know your thoughts, and please be gracious about it.

Learning to be Content: It Involves Knowing My Job

As I continue on my journey, I am finding so much confirmation that I am on the right path in my quest to learn contentment. Almost daily I read what others are also discovering about this life we are living on Earth. One fellow struggler is Bob Harvey, a friend who regularly sends an email message entitled, Words to Encourage.  His latest mailing says so well what I need to do as I learn to be content. So, with his permission, I am posting his message entitled, "Resign." I hope you will read it to the end.  I hope it will indeed encourage you. 

Still learning,
Jennifer

RESIGN

You read it here first.  It’s official.  I resign.  I have been thinking about doing it for some time now.  This week I finally did it.  I was hesitant about doing it for several reasons.  I over-estimated my importance.  It’s an ego thing.  I didn’t know how things would continue if I did resign.  And I hate to think I QUIT. Also, I did not know what I would do next.  But I took the step and made it official.

 I HEREBY RESIGN FROM BEING GENERAL MANAGER OF THE UNIVERSE.

 And let’s be honest:  I really wasn’t doing a very good job anyway.  I was having a hard time distinguishing who was right and who was ‘in the wrong’.  It was therefore hard for me to execute justice fairly.  People were always asking me hard questions.  As GM I felt I needed to have all the answers.  Questions like, “Why is there so much evil and suffering in the world?”  Not only did I not know WHY, I found there was little I could do about it.  I tried.  I told all the bad people I saw, those who were badder than me (badder?), to be good or else.  They would sneer and reply, “Or else what?  What are you gonna do about it?”  Most of them were bigger than me (no comment) so I had little leverage. And there are SO MANY BAD PEOPLE. Have you noticed that?

I want people to like me.  Those who say they don’t care what people think about them will lie about other things also.  Trying to SATISFY EVERYONE got to be too much.

BUT NOW – I’M FREE.  I don’t have to devote my time, my energy, or my inward concerns wondering what’s going to happen to all the evil in the world.  It’s not my job anymore.  The most liberating day of my life was when I finally did it.  When I resigned from being GM of the Universe I was set free.  Know what I found?  The Universe kept on running.  The sun came up the next day.  Right on time.  It didn’t shut down.  SomeOne else took over.  And He is doing a GREAT JOB.  Want to meet the new GENERAL MANAGER of the Universe? He wants to meet you.

Psalm 93:1-2

1The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty;

The Lord has clothed and girded Himself with strength;

Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved.

2 Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting.

 

Now do you want to know the truth? I’ve been lying to myself.  I never had the job in the first place.  God has been GM all along.  I was just acting like I was the Boss.  Being truthful with myself, turning in my resignation paper, will allow me to do my real job.  I am not the one running the Universe.  Never was.  Never will be.  For that we are all grateful.  My job now (always has been) is to TELL OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT THE GM.  Our God is an AWESOME GOD.  He created.  He sustains.  He NEVER makes a mistake.  He can run the Universe without my help.  Or yours.  Is that freeing, or what?

Look at the time, will you?  I gotta get to work.  There are many people who do not know about the GM.  I get to tell them.  What an exciting job.

 PS: You working today?

 You think about that,

Pastor Bob

 

Learning to Be Content

It is a new year, and for many people, it is a time for resolutions. I’ve made resolutions through the years, but I have found that keeping these commitments is difficult. Truthfully, I probably didn’t make it very many days before I gave up on my list.

In recent years, I have changed my approach from a list of resolutions to a scripture as my focus for the year. This year I have chosen two verses to contemplate.

“I have learned in whatever state I am to be content.”   Philippians 4:11

“Godliness with contentment is great gain.”  I Timothy 6:6

I hope you will follow my journey this year as I learn to be content. I have already been intrigued by how the Lord is changing my focus. Stay tuned as my lessons unfold.

I wonder... Are we not the best voices to speak up?

I'm not one to stir up stuff, and I'm not usually one to rant, but with all the recent actions and pontificating from our nation's "leaders," I am thinking back to my school days of the 60's and 70's when it was my classmates, church friends,  and family members who were involved in an unpopular war.  Then, as now, politicians were  big on talking and committing other people to be involved in the conflicts of other countries.  Then as now, the politicians were telling us lies that resulted in the deaths and permanent changes in the lives of many who came home. I know more than a few who went to serve--some voluntarily, but many more drafted into service.  Then, as now, we who were left behind prayed and stood with them even if we did not support the politicians who had created the mess.  In fact, some of those same "political leaders"  are still in office, and they are telling the same lies!


What is different now, in my opinion, is that we are not speaking out as one voice or as loudly as we did then.  I know we are older and not as full of vinegar, but are we not the best voices to speak up?  We have lived through this nightmare more than once. Why aren't we telling the real story instead of leaving it to the news pundits on both extremes?  History that we lived is being whitewashed and revised so that our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren do not know the truth.


Winston Churchill spoke these words on May 2, 1935 before the House of Commons , after the Stresa Conference, in which Britain, France and Italy agreed—futilely—to maintain the independence of Austria.


“When the situation was manageable it was neglected, and now that it is thoroughly out of hand we apply too late the remedies which then might have effected a cure. There is nothing new in the story. It is as old as the sibylline books. It falls into that long, dismal catalogue of the fruitlessness of experience and the confirmed unteachability of mankind. Want of foresight, unwillingness to act when action would be simple and effective, lack of clear thinking, confusion of counsel until the emergency comes, until self-preservation strikes its jarring gong–these are the features which constitute the endless repetition of history.” 


The Greatest Generation- those who fought and served in WWII-- are almost all gone.  It is now our turn to carry the mantle of freedom. Those of us who lived through the Korean and Vietnam conflicts must be willing to speak the truth.   Let us not "apply too late the remedies that might have effected a cure."  My newly adopted motto has become, "Show up, Stand up, Speak up, and be willing, if necessary (with kindness and grace, of course) to tell the liars to Shut Up." 

The older I get, the more it seems that someone I know and care about is experiencing some form of grief.  Somehow in our “politically correct,” “be positive,” “get your praise on,” “don’t worry, be happy” world, the reality that life will involve loss and sadness is deemed to be negative.  We tend to rush ourselves and as many others as we can influence to hurry up and get over grief.  So I’m wondering, “Why are we so uncomfortable with grief?”

 GRIEF

by Jennifer W. Vess

 

Grabs our life with a grip that seems to strangle every fiber of our being.

Rips apart our familiar and replaces it with rage, or regret, or remorse.

Invades our inner peace with such intensity that we sometimes wish to die instead of living.

Establishes itself within us and for a time we experience everything through this lens or filter.

Finally subsides to a manageable level so we can move forward without forgetting our pain and loss.

 

How Is Your Garden Growing?  

 

My daddy always had a garden.  With five children and a wife to feed on an hourly wage salary, it was a necessity.  As a child, I only knew of fresh tomatoes, greens, corn, beans, squash, eggplant, cucumbers, potatoes, and the ever-popular turnips. 

            As soon as we were old enough to go outside, we were all expected to “help in the garden.”  Daddy didn’t know about child labor laws; he was quite familiar with his own translation of scriptures like “work with your own hands,” and “if you don’t work, you don’t eat.”  Daddy always applied Scripture practically.

            For most of my younger years, I was on the weeding detail.  Grass growing between the perfectly formed rows of Daddy’s garden was not tolerated.  Daddy was an environmentally green gardener before his time.  Why use chemical weed treatment when his children were available!

            The most common weed in our south Louisiana garden was crabgrass.  Its name is descriptive of its nature.

 

Like a crab, this grass’s roots are in the center of the weed with long tendrils extending outward.  In pulling up this weed, it is essential to pull the core or center section intact with the tendrils.  Otherwise, the weed grows back.  It is a tenacious and persistent weed.  Consistent, methodical, often sweat producing effort is required to master the weeding chore.  It is not for the faint of heart or weak willed.

            As a young child, I remember begging to go to the garden.  I felt left out of what my older brothers were doing because they got to be with Daddy in the garden.  Their groans and complaints of “wait till you get older; you won’t be so excited then” did not deter me.  I wanted to be in the garden, mainly because I wanted to be with Daddy and with them. 

            Eventually, of course, I did grow old enough to see the garden from a different view.  Yes, I became a groaner along with the older boys and lost sight of the reason for my joy of being in the garden. When the work was hot and hard, I groaned and complained. Sadly, I even passed on the groans to the younger boys as they reached the age of garden accountability.  Maybe if Daddy had explained the connection between pulling weeds and eating, our groans might not have been so loud.  Truthfully, I doubt it.  Groaning is part of our nature, regardless of the level of our understanding.  It’s just easier than thinking, obeying, or being thankful. 

            As an adult I developed a different view of weeds in the garden.  When our son was little, the garden was his favorite place.  He loved to “hoe in the garden,” but mostly, he just loved being with his PawPaw.  This is so like God-- to open my spiritual eyes through watching our child.

            Our lives are a garden full of seeds that have been planted there.  Like every garden, the seeds must be protected and nourished in order to produce their intended plant.  When weeds begin to invade the soil intended for the plant to thrive, the weed must be removed.  Otherwise, the life giving soil is forced to feed both the seed and the weed.  Weeds, of course, don’t require much to survive.  It is their nature to live off of other sources.  They drain and strain the plants around them until the source dries up.  The result is a patch of useless grass and weeds that give nothing back like food or beauty.

            God is our gardener.  He created us from dirt with a spirit and a soul.  Our dirt is in need of water and fertilizer and weed killing.  Every day we are given the choice of pulling weeds or feeding them.  We feed the weeds by ignoring our Father’s voice.  The roots of the weeds grow stronger and spread out further to infect other struggling plants.  If left untended, our spirit and soul can become hard and barren and eventually dry up.

            The other choice is to pull the weeds. We listen for our Father's instructions and read them in His word.  It is hard work and seems endless, but the payoff is so great!  We learn how to do it right so the weeds have to work harder to grow back.  We see the fruit (or vegetable) of our labor.  Most of all, we get to be with our Daddy.