Memory is a blessing

I saw my mother yesterday. That wouldn’t be so unusual, except that she’s gone. She passed away ten years ago.

I was walking into the lab to get my blood drawn. And before passing through the sliding glass doors, I looked up…

Staring back at me in the reflection, was my mother. Our features are similar…dark hair – even into our late 60s, and similar body types as we both have a genetic kidney condition where our kidneys have enlarged to be about the size of footballs.

Most of my life she wore her hair long and put up in a French twist. Mine is longer, and today I had twisted it up with a big clip in the back and a bit of it stood up, much like her French twist used to.

When she passed away I inherited a few of her clothes. Yesterday I happened to put on one of her shirts – a cool green plaid with ¾ sleeves that exposed my arms for an easy roll up blood draw. I had slipped on a matching pair of green leggings, which I don’t wear often because green isn’t really my color… And there she was.

One of my favorite humor authors is Liz Curtis Higgs.  She wrote a book I got when I turned 40 – Forty Reasons Life is More Fun After The Big 4-0  One of the reasons is that your mother comes to visit every day – in the mirror!

I didn’t see that happening then, but this kind of took my breath away. I used to hate being told I looked like my mother. Now, it seemed a kindness.

I used to be the age where a lot of my friends’ parents were passing away. Then it was older cousins. Now it’s our husbands and wives.

I’m asking God to help me remember the good times, the memories of all I’ve learned from those who have gone before me. And to let me use those to make positive memories and pass on what I’ve learned to my children and grandchildren.

What good time memories do you have that you can duplicate with your friends, your kids or grandkids?

What have you learned that had a positive impact on your life that you can intentionally pass on to the next generation?

Take some time to make a list of some of those things that made wonderful memories for you – – and pass them on!

Deuteronomy 32:7
Remember the days of old; consider the years of many generations; ask your father, and he will show you, your elders, and they will tell you.

Proverbs 10:7
The memory of the righteous is a blessing,

The Geese are back! Silly or Smart?

Here in Colorado we get a huge influx of Canadian Geese this time of year.  They have migrated south for the winter from Canada.  And will be here till spring when they make their return flight.

“Silly goose” is an expression, as in “Don’t be one.”  But they do some things that are quite smart for a bird  and for people too.  We can learn valuable lessons by observing them.  Here are two:

1  Travel in a group.

Not only is there safety in numbers, but the principle of flying in a V shape in the wake of the bird ahead has been proven to save a lot of energy. This allows the group to go much farther than the individuals could travel on their own.

When we pray together, encourage one another, mentor each other and work together, we can accomplish so much more than we can being loners. The Christian lifestyle is hard enough in our world today. With all the pressures and temptations, we need one another to stay on track and accountable.

2  Take turns leading.

Because the lead goose literally pulls more weight than the others by being the first to break the air resistance, it tires out more quickly. So as they travel, the lead position is rotated.

The lead goose drops back to the end of the V and another in the line takes the lead. Because of the energy conserving benefit to the other geese in the V, this allows the group to go farther, faster than they could go alone.

We tend to go till we drop, burn the candle at both ends, wearing ourselves out. Especially in positions of leadership, share the responsibilities. Sure there are some things we need to do ourselves, but knowing when to simply say “no” or delegate is great wisdom.

To maintain this balance in your life, learn that there are seasons for the flow of activity. Balance refueling with expending energy to stay effective. And training up others to take our place should be part of our plan. Even if we continue in a ministry, sharing the load teaches and enriches others.

Try these in your life and ministry.

God has placed wisdom all around us in all shapes and sizes. We can learn from everything He created. Learn from the behavior of the goose.

Then you decide – silly?  or smart?

 

 

 

Are you wise?

On my walks now, the air is  crisp, with a cool breeze where there has been stiflingly humid heat.  Low, slow moving cloud-cover makes pleasing patterns in the sky where eyes used to be met by the burning glare of the hot sun, which now rises later and sets earlier than a week ago.

The flowers are changing.  Those that held up their pompous bushy blooms to the full sunlight are beginning to droop with age, while new, fresh colors appear peeking through the fading flora.

We recognize these as signs of change in the world around us.  The seasons are changing.  We change with them.

Our iced drinks, Jell-O and sliced fruit plates give way to hot chocolate, and plates of warm, just baked cookies.  We share recipes with a neighbor for fruit pies or jams from the harvest.

We change the way we dress to greet the world.  Shorts and tank tops have added an over-shirt to their look.  Slowly sweats and sweaters creep back into our daily wardrobe.  We may allow our hair to grow a bit to cover the back of our necks.  Our thoughts turn away from the pools and picnics of summer to hayrides and harvest moons.

We recognize and respond to these signs so easily and freely.  We would never want to be caught wearing an out-of-season outfit.  We think ourselves wise to have learned these customs.  Are we?

The Bible tells us of change.  It says a time is coming when our Lord Jesus Christ will come again.  Soon, the Lamb’s Book of Life will be closed forever.  The names of the saved are written in this book. And even today, as people hear and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, names are still being added.

But the day is coming when not one more name will be allowed.

We do not know that day specifically, but we know that each passing day brings us one day closer.  Just as we don’t know the date of the first snow; we know it is coming, and we prepare for it.

How are we preparing for Jesus’ second coming?  Are we changing outwardly?

Instead of a recipe that will stay in his stomach for an hour, why don’t we share with that neighbor, a message that will stay with his soul for eternity?

You know the message. There are only two teams. Jesus and satan. We are all born onto Team satan.  Staying on that team ends in eternal death, a one-way ticket to hell. But you can choose to leave that team to join Team Jesus. Team Jesus has eternal life, heaven – forever.

To join Team Jesus it’s as simple as A-B-C.  Accept the free gift of God’s salvation.  Believe that Jesus died for your sin.  Confess, or say out loud, that Jesus rose from the dead and is your Savior.

Speak that in a prayer to God and you are on Team Jesus – forever! You will never play for Team satan again.

That’s the message to share.  But if you just prayed it for the first time – Congratulations!  You are on team Jesus!

Tell someone about it – shoot me a comment, or email Josh Burris at jesusisundefeated@gmail.com.  Get Josh’s book on Amazon.com.

Get hold of a Bible and start reading it.  It is God’s love letter to you to learn more about Him and your life on Team Jesus.

 

It’s time. Clothe yourself with Jesus’ righteousness. Serve salvation to a starving world. And prepare for the days ahead in a way that you will be called “wise.”

“Let the wise listen and add to their learning.”  Proverbs 1:5