Sunday, March 28, 2010

FAITHFULNESS

This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope:
It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness.”
Lamentations 3:21-23

I’ve thought so much about the Lord’s faithfulness lately that I’ve determined to let that part of HIM live in and through me. After all, all ministry – all true ministry – is His. It is He that moves in us to purify us and through us to reach out with love to others.

I’m writing this on Palm Sunday. The first message I ever preached in a church was on Palm Sunday and the title of my sermon was “The Cheers of the Children.” Each year since then, I’ve mentioned the concept of that first one in the current message. In Matthew 21: 1-17, we read the story of Jesus coming to Jerusalem and the crowd that lay their garments and branches from trees down on the path before him and cried out “Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” They were excited because of this healer and miracle worker. But something happened that changed everything. Jesus went into the temple.

When he was in the temple he cast out all the sellers and moneychangers. Uh Oh. That kind of thing was likely to make the religious rulers angry. Then the blind and lame came to Jesus there in the temple and He healed them. Uh Oh again.

Sure enough “When the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple and saying ‘Hosanna to the son of David’, they were sore displeased.”

Wait a minute. When this passage began there were “great multitudes” cheering for Jesus. What happened to them? Why, by the time the religious leaders were made angry, were there only the children left to cheer Jesus on?

If you and I had been part of that crowd on the road to Jerusalem, how would we have responded? Would we have left when He reached the city for fear of being thought a fanatic?
Would we have slipped away from the temple when Jesus began ridding it of the greedy and dishonest merchants? Would we have stepped into the shadows when Jesus started healing people right there in the domain of the religious establishment?

Or would we have become one of the children who praised Him no matter what was happening?

In the book of the prophet Hosea 2:19,20 there is a wonderful promise from God to us. “And I will betroth you unto myself forever. Yes, I will betroth you unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving-kindness and in mercies. I will even betroth you unto me in faithfulness…”

Wow, the One who is the same yesterday, today, and forever promised He would make us one with Him in faithfulness. No wonder that His mercies need to be renewed every morning as Jeremiah wrote in the book of Lamentations.
I’m going to take the opportunity of this celebration of Jesus’ triumphant entry into the Holy City to open myself further to the Lord in this area and ask Him to make me more fully one with Him in faithfulness.

Perhaps He will even do that when it comes to writing blogs . Have a wonderful and Holy Week! Have a wonderful and Holy Forever.

Friday, February 12, 2010

One At A Time

I’ve been extremely busy for the past 3 months. So busy that my bedroom began to resemble the inside of a Dempster Dumpster. Clean clothes, dirty clothes, mail I had no time to peruse and decide whether to keep or toss, mail I need to throw away but should maybe look one last time, mail I want to keep but don’t know where, books I’ve finished reading, books I want to read, books I have no intention of reading, books I need to return to their owner, books I want to put in a prominent place to loan to someone else. The list goes on.
I’ve been saying for a month I’m going to clean it. But it’s easier to just stay out of the room or sit at my computer where my back is turned to the mess except what is on my desk, easier later to turn out the light and stumble over baskets of clothes as I make my way to bed.
Two days ago was the target date to begin cleaning the room but I stood in dismay surveying the chaos and praying “Lord, how am I going to do this?” Immediately my eyes fell on a book that needed to be taken to the parlor and put in the bookshelf there and the Lord spoke clearly to my heart, “One book at a time.” Relief flooded me and instead of waiting around to see if another book needed to go to my parlor I picked it up and went and put it away.
Not only has the principle worked as “one piece of clothing at a time” and “one paper at a time,” it’s flooding over to the rest of my life.
I was tempted to pass on some gossip and I heard “One word at a time,” and I shut my mouth. I was attacked by a fear and I heard “one thought at a time” and I quoted God’s Word of promise aloud. I wanted to do something that would help me but somebody else needed it more than I did, and I heard “One sacrifice at a time.”

I've seen that my soul, the souls of most of us, get like my bedroom, cluttered with unneccessary stuff, stuff we try to ignore, stuff that is good but just needs to be put in it's proper place.
I’m beginning to realize that “Give us this day our daily bread.” is more than just a request for provision; it’s a principle of life. I remember that song, “One day at a time, sweet Jesus. That’s all I’m asking of you.” I think the person who wrote that is farther on the journey than I am because for me it’s “One second at a time, sweet Jesus. That’s how much I always need you!”
And aren't we glad that He promised, "I will never leave you or forsake you." Hebrews 13:5

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Sisters

Yes, I'm finally posting again. It's been an amazing few months since October and I'll tell you about it some day. But today I want to post an article my oldest daughter wrote. It's about my three biological daughters and I may be prejudiced but I think it's a wonderful article and will be enjoyed by anyone, whether they are, or have, a sister or not!

The Awesome Bond of Sisters
By Virginia Smith


Having a sister is like having a best friend you can't get rid of. You know whatever you do, they'll still be there. --Amy Li

My middle sister and I fought like wildcats when we were growing up. One of my most vivid childhood memories is of being forcibly separated during an argument and banished to sit together on the living room couch with orders not to get up until we could get along. I huddled against one arm and resigned myself to living on that two-foot square cushion for the next eleven years, when I would turn eighteen and could get my own apartment. After an eternity, Mom entered the room to mediate. “Girls,” she said, “you are sisters. There will never be another person in the world more closely related to you than your sister. So you’d better learn to get along, because someday one of you might need a kidney.” Not, perhaps, the most convincing argument for reconciliation ever presented, but it worked. For the moment, anyway.


A woman has many relationships in her life, but the bond between sisters is unique. There is the biological link, but the connection goes beyond that. Sisters enjoy a shared past. They experienced many of the same events that molded their personalities, and therefore they understand one another in a way no one else can. They speak the same shorthand. If one of my sisters says, “I know! Let’s put on a show!” we all laugh, because we remember the first time one of us said that, and the resulting spectacle that has become family legend.

Sisters “get” each other without having to go into all the background. When I’ve had an argument with my husband, I can call my sisters and say, “He doesn’t want a puppy. I think I may divorce him.” My sisters understand my reaction immediately, because they remember witnessing our parents’ argument over the same subject. They can talk me down from the ledge, and away from the divorce attorneys. And they will do this even if I call them at three o’clock in the morning, with only a minimum amount of grumbling about the loss of sleep.
Psychologist Marcia Millman, author of The Perfect Sister, said during an interview, “I think sisters can help repair the injuries of childhood.” That’s certainly been true in my family. Whenever we get together, our husbands cover yawns and eventually slip away to the other room to watch a ballgame while we rehash events of our childhood, and discuss how they have impacted us as adults. Often I come away with a new perspective and a better attitude, so gatherings with my sisters are sort of like group therapy sessions. Only less expensive.

While it’s true that we share a common past, even sisters experience different events while growing up in the same household. I like to remind both of my sisters that, being the oldest, I blazed the trail for them. They both got their ears pierced sooner than I did, and wore lipstick, and shaved their legs. They were both allowed to date at an earlier age than I was, and stay out later. There are ten years between my youngest sister and me, so by the time she became a teenager, I had successfully driven our parents into a state of exhausted stupor, and she got to do pretty much whatever she wanted. (Which I still think is totally unfair, but that’s the way it is in most families, I’ve learned.) I think she owes me big-time.

My sisters and I do still have the occasional conflict. Author Linda Sunshine said, “If you don’t understand how a woman could both love her sister dearly and want to wring her neck at the same time, then you were probably an only child.” Our arguments don’t become physical anymore (we all understand the importance of good hair now, so we are no longer tempted to grab a handful), but these days, being at odds with one of my sisters is far more painful than our childhood brawls. Several years ago, my middle sister and I had a disagreement and didn’t speak to each other for a few days. I was miserable without her, but we both stubbornly refused to back down. While cooking dinner one evening, I dropped a glass measuring cup she had given me, and it shattered. When it did, my stubbornness broke into a million pieces. My husband brought the phone to me where I sat sobbing on the floor, surrounded by shards of glass, and said sternly, “Call your sister.” Never has a reunion been so sweet.
Someone once said that relationships between siblings are the most long-lasting and influential of all. My sisters have been a part of my life longer than my husband or my children, and they will be part of my life even after our parents are gone. They know me, and understand me, and they like me anyway. They’re one of the best blessings God has given me. And as Mom said, if I ever do need a kidney, I know who to call.

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Eight Tips for Maintaining a Relationship with your Sister

In today’s busy world, it’s easy to let a relationship slide. That’s true regardless of whether you live nearby or far apart. Here are some tips for maintaining a strong relationship with your sister.

Scheduled Phone Calls – Communication is the key to any relationship, so don’t leave it to chance. Select a specific day each week for an uninterrupted phone call. Put your sister on your cell phone “Favorites” so you can talk free.

Text Messages – Texting is the preferred method of communication for one of my sisters. Be sure you have unlimited texts on your cell phone plan.

Utilize the Internet – Email and social networking sites like Facebook are wonderful ways to stay connected. On Goodreads and LibraryThing you can keep track of what your sister is reading, too.

Skype – If you both have a computer with a camera, this software allows you see each other while you talk – and it’s free.

Letters – Email is wonderful, but there’s nothing like reading your sister’s words in her own handwriting.

Cards – Next time you browse the card shelves, pick up several funny ones and tuck them away in a drawer. Send one every so often to surprise your sister with a laugh.

Sister Sleepovers – Even if you live near one another, there’s nothing like getting away from it all with your sister. Schedule an annual sleepover at a lodge, or hotel, or even at someone’s house. Leave the kids at home, and focus on having fun with each other.

Start a Tradition – Create a tradition you share only with your sister. For instance, one sister and I exchange ugly ornaments at Christmas every year. We spend months shopping for the ugliest ornament we can find, and love the competition of seeing who “wins” that year.



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AUTHOR BIO:

Virginia Smith is the author of a dozen Christian novels including the Sister-to-Sister Series, which is based in large part on her relationship with her own sisters. Stuck in the Middle was a finalist for the 2009 ACFW Book of the Year award. Her newest book, Third Time’s a Charm, the third and final book in the series, is now available wherever books are sold. Learn more about Ginny and her books, and enter a Prize Bonanza Giveaway, at
www.VirginiaSmith.org.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Christmas is coming!

I am really excited about Christmas this year. Yes, I know we have two other holidays to go through before Christmas but...

"Claus and the King" is going to be produced at the West T. Hill Theatre here in Danville. My daughter Beth works for the theatre and will be directing it. She's directed many plays there so why am I so excited?

One night many years ago when I was the "Story Lady" for Danville community functions, I prayed, "Lord, please give me a new story for Christmas." Within an hour "Claus and the King" was written. I read it for the city recreation events, I read it for schools, I read it for churches, I read it for Senior Citizens. It was my husband's favorite of anything I ever wrote.

Then in 2007 I decided to turn the story into a play- a musical to house the songs that kept springing up into my mind that went along with the story. Songs like "I'm Off To Be A Magician" and "Christmas is Love". I wrote eight others in the process of writing the script.

And now it will be produced and I'm thrilled. There were very few adults who auditioned so we went with an all youth cast, except for the Grandmother who is telling the story.

There were children who opted not to audition for other plays because they wanted so much to be in one that celebrates Jesus. I believe the Lord brought together the cast and the crew. "Claus and the King" will only have a 5 performance run: Dec. 9-13 but I believe it will be an instrument for the Lord to work through and touch lives, not just those involved in the performances but the audiences as well.

It's funny about something like this. You (I) feel a certain amount of 'ownership' and yet you know you couldn't have done it on your own. "Claus and the King", in my opinion, is another parable told by the One who is "the same yesterday, today, and forever." And I am honored to be one part of His Body He tells it through.

For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities or powers: all things were created by Him and for Him. (Col. 1:16)

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Anger Resolution

At church, Sunday before last, I boiled down a 6 hour workshop on Anger Resolution to 30 minutes of sermon. I got more comments on that message than any previous ones in the 11 years I’ve been there. And it occurred to me that if I have a topic that Christians respond to so well, then perhaps I could/should put it on my blog. So we’re going to do something a little different for the next several weeks. I’m going to start off with things I have experienced or learned about anger and then I’d like to get your questions or experiences and we’ll go from there.

Anger is a powerful emotion. And it can have powerful expressions in and through your mind and body.

The first time I was aware of anger was when I was five years old. My best friend was Lucy Schultzman who lived about three houses away from mine and I loved to go to her house to play.
Her older sister had a doll with brown hair that I loved and wanted as my own. She ,the doll, not the sister J, was a little shabby but I loved her.

That Christmas I received a brand new blonde bride doll. It was a Toni doll and you could give her home permanents. I felt empowered. I marched down to Lucy’s house and presented her sister with the trade offer which she immediately agreed to. When I showed my parents my wonderful new doll, I was told I was “stupid and ungrateful” and that I had been taken advantage of. They sent me back to the Schultzman’s to re-trade.

I recall walking slowly down the street and feeling such fury at my parents that it scared me. I knew that if I let the anger out, they would both drop dead on the spot. So I stuffed it down somewhere inside. I later learned that is a typical instance of childhood magical thinking that believes the world revolves around oneself.

I traded back the doll and then came home and wrote my mother a letter. I wanted to tell her that I didn’t want her to die but at age five sometimes spelling can be a little wobbley. What I presented to my mother was a note that said “I hope you do not did.” She read it and laughed. The fury that I had stuffed down earlier threatened to resurface and finish the job. But I stuffed it deeper this time.

It would be over 40 years before I felt anger again. I honestly thought I never had anger at anyone – I felt sadness and emotional pain but never anger.

Then I discovered that anger is a part of our makeup as humans made in the image of God. In Ephesians 4:26 we are told to “be angry and sin not.” I found that anger turned inward manifests as depression. Hmmm. No wonder I spent a lot of years depressed. I found out that sometimes it’s very good to be angry. But always our anger should be resolved. In the next few weeks we’ll look at different ways to resolve anger. I hope you’ll share your stories about anger and how you resolved it…or request prayer and insight to be able to do so.

I hope you’ll tell your friends to join us in this adventure of Anger Resolution. I hope that you will pray for lives to be changed through this journey.