Wicked Hearts

This is why we stay close to God and learn to love the world as He loves. For it is not the action of man but the heart of man that needs the grace of God.

Wayward wanton warlords
Calmly board the planes
To demonstrate a ritual
And prove their true disdain.

Treacherous, troubled tyrant
Slipped calmly into school
Fired anger into children
Uncivilized and cool.

Maleficent, malicious mother
Captured children, one by one,
And held them under water
Until each life was done.

Repellant, reprobate raper
Chased the woman as she ran,
Grabbed her by the collar,
Left her dead upon the sand

“Something wicked this way comes”
A falling from the grace
Tattered holy weave of man’s nature,
Abhorrent,
Void, the heart debased.

Women rule the world in whispers

All politics aside, women rule the world. It is not a rule of dominance or dominion over men but a leadership of concepts and lifestyle that starts at the cradle. The formative years of childhood are spent in the arms of a mother. The mother imparts values to her child, a wisdom that ingrains itself and forms the man or woman the child becomes.

The word ‘rule’ can ruffle feathers. However, to rule means to have a directive, to lead, to manage, and to reach a decision. I feel compelled to clarify that when women rule, it is in the social sense that the most potent element is at play. Powerful because social norms determine how men and women relate to and respect others. Historically, societies were not ‘civilized’ until the female voice of reason took the lead.

Women can change how society views women, men, equality, justice, fairness, respect, education, and much more. When individual women realize their potential to bring about social change, social change will begin. Women can raise their sons to respect women as they respect themselves. Woman can raise their daughters to respect themselves. Women can enable social equality with just a whisper.

When I see the horrific pictures on the internet showing veiled women in chains, or veiled women being buried, I understand that women do not know how powerful they are.

I read the values of International Women’s Day: Justice, Dignity, Hope, Equality, Collaboration, Tenacity, Appreciation, Respect, Empathy, and Forgiveness. These are the lullabies of women who move society forward.

Wounds that bind us

There is no wound so deep it can’t be mended

No relationship so shattered it cannot be restored

The real devastation comes when embers

Are selfishly discarded and ignored.

The fires of life grow dim within each season

Prayerful tending now and then required.

God has placed our hearts in careful motion

Chosen for us parent, friend and child.

The body we are bound to fills a nation

But we are bound by borders less than these

To sharpen and refine our very nature

To build the Body up upon our knees. 

So always we are free and we are fastened

To God and family, blood born, others found.

The choices that we make have lasting etchings

That only time reveals and heaven resounds

No one can separate us from God’s loving

And only we can leave His holy ground

So we are free to roam and chose our own path

But that does not disturb that we are bound.

Follow your heart without fear

To follow your heart means to trust your instincts. The heart is the choicest, the essential, and most vital part of an idea or experience. To have a heart is to have the courage to follow your convictions. When a person follows the heart, the way is sometimes contrary to what is expected. Others may say he is a fool or that he is chasing a pipe dream. However, when you have a dream and pursue it, you are following your heart.

"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music he hears, however measured and far away." (Henry David Thoreau)

There is an expression, "the heart wants what the heart wants." This is true, but the phrase is often associated only with emotions. Emotions are strong feelings, sometimes driven by love, and sometimes by intense anger. When we follow our emotions, we do not always follow our hearts. Sometimes the feelings we have for another person pull us away from our dreams. Important people in our lives may not understand or have the patience to support us while the dream becomes a reality. They may argue with us, berate us, or insist that it is them or the dream.

When faced with decisions, there are often times of confusion and doubt. We look at the pros and cons, weighing rewards and consequences. No matter how we turn the decision or the situation, if we have no peace, we are not following the heart. When we have no peace, it's best to be silent. In the solitude of self, the heart will whisper the right choice. It is essential not to allow emotion or desire to silence the truth our heart is telling us.

"If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew to serve your turn long after they are one, and so hold on when there is nothing in you except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on'." (Rudyard Kipling)

So how do we know the difference?

If your emotions are leading you to give up your dreams, you aren't following your heart.

If your motives are to please those you love, you aren't following your heart.

If you are taking the easy way, you may not be following your heart.

Following your heart takes courage and conviction. You may have to walk away from people who are important to you. You may have to confront your shortcomings and, in your heart, determine to press on. Following your heart is not always easy, but the reward at the end is worth it.

Lifting God Higher

I have to share a song I heard this morning. It’s Higher by Unspoken and it will move your heart and soul. What amazing lyrics. The words are an echo of my heart. I ordered the CD Follow Through tonight.

This is my favorite verse:

“The devil's got a target on my heart and my soul

But let me tell you, brother, what the devil don't know

The lower I go, the more I'm gonna lift you….

Singing hallelujah 'til I hit the dirt, oh...”

Honestly, all that life throws at us, we hit the dirt often. As I am lying in the dirt, I look up. I remember that God is good all the time. Even when it seems so bleak, God is there, and I do need to remember to use these opportunities to lift God higher. 

Choosing a heart of peace

We live in a stressful world, dealing with rudeness and a lack of empathy for others. I made a decision some time ago to choose the heart of peace. For a while now, I have been letting God work on my heart to react with peace. It's not always easy, but it is always worth it. By choosing peace, people are easier to work with because they have no cause to react to a peaceful answer. 

Romans 12:18 advises us, "If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone." This can be a humbling process, at least it is for me, because my part is to stand firm and not allow gossip, disrespect, or the need to be right to interfere with my peace. I have learned that trying to argue with people leads nowhere. I have learned that gossip and disrespectful people are digging holes for themselves.

I remember poems I have read, and what my Mom always said about me. I march to the beat of a different drum. Henry David Thoreau wrote, "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." Being a Christian, I am marching to the beat of a different drum. But God also wants me to walk in the measured beat of the world, understanding that without Christ, we lack understanding.

One of my favorite poems is also a source of advice and remembrance when I am in stressful situations.

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute                                                                      
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
 And, which is more, you'll be a Man, my son! -  Rudyard Kipling

Choosing a dress for holiday occasions

With the holidays fast approaching, you can expect invitations to holiday parties, galas, fundraisers, and holiday dinners. But who has a closet full of ready-to-wear, elegant apparel? Before you head to the store, consider how to pick a dress for your special occasion.

Choosing the perfect dress can be both exciting and challenging. When you receive an invitation to a special occasion, it may state that formal, semi-formal, or casual apparel is appropriate. We all want to look good but don't want to be overdressed or underdressed. These simple guidelines for formal, semi-formal, and weddings will help you find the best dress for the occasion.

Formal dresses

Formal

When invited to a formal occasion, the invitation usually includes a clue to the dress code, such as "lack'tie' o' 'formal'. Usually, fundraisers, galas, balls, and formal dinners require formal attire.

Formal dresses can be floor-length or cocktail-length, but not too short or too revealing. The fabrics for formal dresses include silk, brocade, lame (a metallic fabric), and jacquard. Dresses can be off-the-shoulder, strapless, or have thin spaghetti straps. Formal colors are white, black, red, gold, and silver. Formal dresses should be one color and may have limited patterns. Remember, the darker the color, the more elegant you will appear. Formal dresses can be trimmed with rhinestones, embroidery, or other accents.
  

It is essential to make sure your shoes match your dress. If you cannot find an exact match, the rule is that the shoe color can match the hemline or be slightly lighter. Formal footwear can be elegant high pumps or dressy sandals.

Choose an elegant small evening bag that matches your shoe color.

For an exquisite appearance, understate your jewelry. Choose a simple necklace and earrings, and keep bracelets to a minimum.
  

Semi formal
  

For a semi-formal occasion, choose a cocktail length (short dress) or dressy pants paired with a jacket. The fabric can be the same as for formal dresses; however, semi-formal fabrics can include taffeta, chiffon, and other flowing fabrics. Avoid fabrics that cling to your shape and dresses that are too revealing.
    

Follow the same rules as formal dressing when choosing your shoes, handbag, and jewelry.
   

Weddings   

Choosing a dress for a wedding has only one unbreakable rule. "No one wears white except the bride." Other than that, dressing for a wedding will depend on the formality of the wedding. If the couple is getting married at a park with a barbecue reception, the dress will be much different from attending a formal reception at a hall or hotel. Unless the reception is casual, a cocktail dress, elegant pants, or a full-length dress is acceptable. Good etiquette is to choose an outfit that complements your beauty, but will not draw attention away from the bride. Other than that, buy a dress that is fun and looks good on you.   

Even Jesus had to be patient

I was reading Luke Chapter 12 this morning, and found a statement that surprised me. Even Jesus had to be patient.

Jesus was talking with his chosen twelve and shared His personal challenge with stress. I can't say I have ever read where Jesus expressed His own experience with being patient. I read the Word to discover how to be a better Christian, how to handle a situation, and to strengthen my faith in God. But did you notice: I was reading to find out what I should do and what I could experience. When the Holy Spirit lit up these verses for me, I was filled and thought about this all day.

Jesus was speaking with the crowds, "So stop concerning yourselves about what you will eat or what you will drink, and stop being distressed." Luke 12:29 (ISV). I believe Jesus had stopped speaking to the crowd, because "Peter asked, 'Lord, are you telling this parable just for us or for everyone?" Luke 12:41 (ISV)

Jesus answered His disciples: "I have come to bring fire on earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism to be baptized with, and what stress I am under until it is completed!" Luke 12:49-50 (ISV).

Jesus taught others not to be afraid because the Father would supply their needs. He told them how much God loved them, and how even the hairs of their heads were numbered. Even as Jesus spoke these words, He was practicing patience. Jesus knew from the start of His ministry how it would end. Jesus knew He would be crucified and rejected by the very people He was helping. And He helped them anyway.

I spent a portion of my lunch hour today reading different versions of Luke 49 and 50. The words remained the same.

The secrets in aging

Aging is beautiful

Aging is what we do as long as we live. I don't know how old I am. I am light on my feet, filled with smiles, and mostly pressing forward towards the future. Oh, I do get frustrated, life happens, but there is still an air of excitement.

Aging's Secret

Aging is coveted by small children,

Tall enough to ride, or walk, or simply reach.

Then reaching seems easy, and aging turns

Mastering math, catching a ball or boy, and beauty,

Aging is distracted by desire, dreams, goals,

Lost in achieving, gaining, raising kids,

Regaining momentum in attainment, and watching babies

Turn to small children.

Then somewhere in the mix, age becomes a distance,

Disregarded, and conversations skip.

Unseen, unknown, aging is creeping always on the young,

Bending them into worn wisdom, advanced by small children.

Cycling, aging, beauty, achievement, master, wisdom

And a small sly smile.

Worry sneaks quietly into our heart

 

Sometimes worry sneaks in before you know it. I have been going through a stressful period; don't we all have these times in life? I came back from vacation in Florida and had some little red bumps on my legs. My doctor sent me to a dermatologist. Turned out, I had squamous cancer on my face and basal cancer on my legs.

I had to go weekly for four weeks to have my skin dug, scraped, and sewn. I found out I am a bleeder, so Waa, this was tough. Then there is the concern of how to pay for all this. Add to this the need to do major and minor repairs on my home. My home turned 72 this year.

I became negative in my thinking, worrying about finances, repairs, and cancer. The words of my mouth were complaints and whining. This Saturday, I was getting ready to visit my brother for his birthday. I knew he would ask me how things were, and I was rehearsing my problems.

Suddenly, the Holy Spirit reminded me, "What about God?" This hit me like a brick. How could I go to my brother's house and complain when I serve such a mighty God? I realized that over the past few weeks, I had let worry creep in like crabgrass. It was choking me, and I did not even notice it.

I had to apologize to God right then. I asked Him to create in me a contrite heart and a right spirit. I asked him to restore my salt so that I would not lose my ability to praise God and be a witness with my life.

I felt like going to every single person I whined to and apologize. However, this would not serve a purpose. Instead, I have purposed in my heart to be more watchful. The Word says in life there will be trouble, but God delivers the righteous from them all.

I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. Psalm 27:13-14 (NIV2011)

 

Cancer is changing my heart

So maybe I will go in another direction with Christian Living. How about personal experiences? Right now, I am going through surgeries for skin cancers. I had squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma. The doctor removed the squamous and one of the basal cell spots.

Cancer is always scary. I found myself looking to Jesus for strength. I realized that I am not ready to die, I still have some dreams and hopes, and I have sweet grandkids. This is my second round of cancer, and this moves my focus to how fragile we are as human beings.

I am more aware of kindness, more aware of my surroundings, and have a heightened sense of sharing the love of God on the earth. I listen to Joyce Meyer a lot. In her teachings, she discusses how God looks at our hearts. I have found many instances in the Word to support this.

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7 (NASB77)

The unbelievers in our lives, the 'world', may listen to our words about Jesus, but they look at how we act. Knowing this helps me be more diligent at work, kinder in the grocery store, and generally more assertive about controlling my moods and temper.

Cancer may, in the end, consume my flesh, but God has my heart safely in His hands.

 

Loving the unlovely

Do you know people who make you crazy? People who are just mean or seem to be bent on making you look bad. I have lots of experience with people like this. My challenge as a Christian is to love them.

 

So what does that mean to my walk with Jesus? It means I have to be kind, patient, and look for opportunities to get along with them. Sometimes this means saying I am wrong when I am not, saying I am sorry because they perceive I have done something to offend them. Other times, it means standing and taking their anger and accusations quietly without lashing back.

Truthfully, this makes me crazy. I have difficulty understanding why people are so proud. They have not realized that they are someday going to die, and nothing they think right now is going to amount to a hill of beans. Pride, that preening little devil that lives in us all, stands like a guardian on the cave of insecurity inside us all. When we let pride free, we lose the ability to practice love.

I think of Jesus standing before the accusing crowd of Pharisees and Pilate, listening to the nonsense they were all spouting. Jesus did not say a word. What words would you have to rebuke such nonsense? Many times when dealing with people, I have no words. Some folks think I am weak; one person told me I was "milk toast".

But why should I shame my Savior just to look good to a person who is going to die and turn into dust?

Matthew 5:44-46 (NKJV)

But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you?

Sometimes being a Christian is hard work

No matter what happens in my life, God is there with wisdom and comfort.

(radicallychristian.com)

Yesterday was a trying day at work. I was asked to prove I did not make a mistake, that I was not "wrong". My pride pounded in my chest, my anger flared-the Holy Spirit counseled, "Do the work, see if you made an error. Swallowing my pride (this is my private battle), I did the job, and lo and behold, I was correct.

People do not always believe we are who we say we are. As Christians, it is our job to 'do the work', to let our hearts and personalities be open to God, changed to reflect His glory.

I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. Psalm 27:13-14 (NIV)