Pine Tree Country

We live in pine tree county. The countryside is green with evergreens. Although, looking across the landscape this time of year, you’ll see a burst of yellow from a single cottonwood here and there. It is a marvelous sight to see the combination of trees.

At this time of assault on the body of Christ, it’s interesting to note that if you stand up for your faith, you will be as visible as the lone golden cottonwood. It’s what we’re called to do, stand up for Jesus.

As a result of standing out for Jesus, Jesus' love for you is incomprehensible.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27 KJV

Pine Tree Country

We live in pine tree county. The countryside is green with evergreens. Although, looking across the landscape this time of year you’ll see a burst of yellow from a single cottonwood here and there. It is a marvelous sight to see the combination of trees.

At this time of assault on the body of Christ, it’s interesting to note that if you stand up for your faith, you will be as visible as the lone golden cottonwood. But that’s what we’re called to do, stand up for Jesus. And as a result stand out for Jesus.

Jesus said they hated me, they’ll hate you. But His love and the love of his people is in comprehensible.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27 KJV

When

When a loved one passes, somehow the daily struggles seem less important. The real things- loving spouse, loving family, loving the life you’ve been given - come into focus. When you realize you can’t go back, when the “I love yous” have been said and the flowers gathered - then you know what’s real.

Yes, life goes on, but it’s never the same. And the thoughts, memories and joys have to sustain you.

If you know Jesus, then it’s not forever. It’s just for now that you say “goodbye.”

For God so loved the world that he sent His only begotten son that who soever believeth in Him shall not parish, but shall have ever lasting life. John 3:16

Fall Already

It seems that fall crept up on us suddenly this year. It was here even before we thought to expect it. The consistency of the seasons is reassuring. You appreciate it more, I think, when you’ve been through a few as some of us have. The color of fall also means the passing of another year, the dying away of what you’d planted and the hope and reassurance of another year beyond.

The best thing in all of this is the reassurance of the creator. Knowing it was set in motion by an awesome God and that you can anticipate his goodness the way you can anticipate the coming seasons.

They do not say to themselves, 'Let us fear the LORD our God, who gives autumn and spring rains in season who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.' Jeremiah 5:24 NIV

Fall Already

It seems that fall crept up on us suddenly this year. It was here even before we thought to expect it. The consistency of the seasons is reassuring. You appreciate it more, I think, when you’ve been through a few as some of us have. The color of fall also means the passing of another year, the dying away of what you’d planted and the hope and reassurance of another year beyond.

The best thing in all of this is the reassurance of the creator. Knowing it was set in motion by an awesome God and that you can anticipate his goodness the way you can anticipate the coming seasons.

They do not say to themselves, 'Let us fear the LORD our God, who gives autumn and spring rains in season who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.' Jeremiah 5:24 NIV

Spring

A robin appeared in our yard today. That’s not so unusual. It’s spring after all. What made it special is that for the past few weeks we’ve put up the bird feeder filled with a mix of sunflower and other seeds.

The finches were the first to visit and it didn’t take long for the feeder to become a popular site with them. The red-breasted males and the dowdy females come often. They turned out to be rather sloppy eaters, ignoring anything other than the sunflower seeds and even those piled up at the foot of the tree beneath the feeder.

More recently the pigeons came. Unable to perch on the feeder itself, they found the ground seeds easily and abundantly accessible. A more elegantly feathered pigeon perched on the wall behind and seemed to watch regally the goings on.

Finally the robin appeared.

I’m sure we’ll see others birds as the summer progresses. It’s the nature of birding. And we’re enjoying the flocking and the feasting of our fine feathered friends.

Our visitors seem to tussle and feed, come and go, wait and swoop their turn. We’ve yet not figured out the pattern or the pace. All those gathering, sooner or later, seem to have a turn.

The same is true when we come to visit at the table of the Lord. Some come sooner and others later. We all have an opportunity to be feed. Ultimately, it’s what we take on that becomes the feeding. An Easter and Christmas visit will get you only so far it seems. But even the late comers will be feed. Jesus said that in the parable of the merchant hiring in the court yard late in the day.

We will be fed. It’s just that getting to the feeder early seems to have its advantages. A longer time is better.

On Fire for the Lord

My wife and I have been enjoying our fireplace this winter. It turns out she is a better fire builder than I am - despite all my camping experience.

She had some sage advice for building log fires. First, she got the logs closer than I had them. Next she blew on them real hard and got a blazing fire going.

My fires, in contrast, would flare dramatically for a while, then smolder and die an early death. My wife got it going and kept a bright flame going all evening long.

She "'lowed as how" (a Southern expression) the trick is to get the logs closer together. That keeps the flames going.

Isn't that how we want to be with the Lord? Closeness to God, rich close fellowships with brothers and sisters in Christ. On fire for the Lord.

A log does not ignite, flame and burn long by itself. It’s being close that counts.

Cookies: A Simple Gift That Says “Thank You”

Each year, Rodeo Baptist Church (Richards Ave. at Rodeo Road) bakes cookies. No, this is not a church fundraiser. Members of the church bake and distribute homemade cookies to Santa Fe city, county and hospital employees as a way of saying “thank you” for the services they provide. Thank you, Rodeo Baptist, for representing the love of Christ to our community.

Magnets

You’ll remember playing with horseshoe magnets. When held one way they attract each other. When flipped, they repel. That fascinated me when I saw it as a boy. It was such a natural phenomena, both the attraction and the repelling.

Magnetic north makes sense once you’ve seen that. The compass became the navigational tool and ended a reliance on the stars. It was one of those things the Chinese came up with first.

We’ve recently had fellowship with some friends. We love these folks and sometimes, like flipped magnets, we disagree on some things. We can’t agree on everything all the time it seems. I guess we’re all aware of both the attraction and the repelling in those situations. Jesus, of course, would always have us be in the attraction, in love. In His prayer to the Father, He said as much. It is proof Jesus’ being sent by God the Father, He said.

In our world you have to give it your best in handling the natural and occasional repelling. I just tell myself – keep going - agree to disagree - don’t let it go to deep - trust in the Lord and not your own understanding. Get to the attraction. That’s the good thing.

Our Big Magnets, of course, is the Lord. We need to stay with that attraction.

How Jesus did it on the cross, I couldn’t even imagine. But thank God for the redemption.

I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. John 17:20-21 NKJ

Our Turn

We've had the pleasure of being around a couple of baby boys recently. We’ve enjoyed them immensely. It's been wonderful to seeing them literally begin their walk in life. I watched as they worked their mobility, crawling on their knees, wobbly on their legs but determined and with resolve.

The same day I was in the greeting card shop. They have cards for every age - from these toddlers to juniors to seniors. I was struck by how life’s spectrum was displayed there in the card rack. As I perused the selection, I was aware that each age has its opportunity. Those little boys on their wobbly legs were taking on their life’s task for little ones. Us old guys are off to the building site, the office - whatever it is.

So many times, I’ve excused myself because of my circumstance. It’s only when you don’t take it on that things begin to atrophy. These young boys were a lesson in Keep-Taking-It-On. You see them up one second and falling the next, crawling and reaching out, exploring, grasping.

The one big advantage Christians have is that HE does it with you. And at the very end HE takes you home with HIM. Our job is to not stop heading towards HIM on our wobbly little boy legs.

John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.… KJV