The Greatest of These Is LOVE

"If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal."

Have you ever been so annoyed by an irritating sound? Nails on the chalkboard...snooring, sneezing, incessant gum smaking? Someone's ring tone that continues to go off AND THEN the person talking loudly so that you are part of the conversation and have just heard waaaayyyy too much information???

Yep. That's what WE sound like to the world as Christians if we don't love others... I could speak 10 different languages fluently, publish a book, write beautiful blog posts...but, if I don't love the people in my life well...coworkers, in-laws, neighbors...I am as irritating as a GONG.

"If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing."

Doesn't matter how SMART I am...how much I KNOW...how well I can interpret the Bible, even if I could explain it beautifully and teach it perfectly to others, if I don't LOVE, it doesn't mean ANYTHING. A N Y T H I N G!!!!

"If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing."

So...where is my heart? Because I can "give" to others.....but in a grudgingly, stingy, eye-rollin' judgmental way. Has anyone ever given something to you and you have secretly thought "thanks, but NO THANKS!" Giving WITHOUT love is not truly giving. I may be able to BRAG about my giving...but how does my recipient feel???

"Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance."

Ahhhh....most quoted Bible wedding verses. But wouldn't it be better if these, for Christ-followers were most quoted FUNERAL verses? Yes, Tracy lived like Jesus. She was patient. She was kind. She wasn't jealous or boastful or proud. She didn't demand her own way. She wasn't irritable (EVEN during PMS!), didn't hold a grudge, didn't "keep score", didn't rejoice about injustice but celebrated justice. She never gave up, never lost faith, was always hopeful, and always endured...Wow! If we as Christians lived our lives that way, WE WOULD CHANGE THE WORLD! I have taught my kids that love is a VERB. And, an action verb at that. Love DOES. What does love "do"? Reread this paragraph! Love is patient...with your kids, your spouse, even your SIBLING, the person who cut you off in traffic, the person taking too long ordering in a huge line, the cashier who has made 12 mistakes and causing the too  long line, your boss, your co-worker, your in-laws....EVERYBODY! Love is kind (go through people list again!). Love isn't jealous...ouch, not proud, doesn't brag. Love is the WALK that accompanies the TALK.  And, it endures....hard things...uncomfotable things...scary things. Lord, may I endure, all times, all things IN LOVE.

It's hard to live like this. I try. But, I mess up. I fall down while I am WALKING the TALK. But, my God is right there to pick me up, encourage me, and help to continue to love. And, he is right there for you when you stumble in your walk!

"Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love."

And the greatest of these is LOVE. Oh Lord, help me to LOVE.❤

1 Corinthians 13:1‭-‬7‭, ‬13 NLT

Don’t Waste Your Life!

2019 seemed to pass by so quickly and now another new year is just beginning. A new decade! I have found, if I am not careful, I can allow time to slip by too quickly, and when I look back, I am disappointed, feeling like I have wasted this precious time!

Are you still walking out those New Year's resolutions?

Sometimes I make resolutions with the best intentions, but all too quickly they are forgotten by now.

"Resolutions" seem to be important to all of us. There seems to be a common desire among us- to find out and fulfill our "purpose" in life. Nobody wants her life to be a "waste"! Most people want to leave a fingerprint on the world, to make a difference, to have an impact on others’ lives. 

We want our lives to be special.

Have you ever wondered what God wants to do with YOUR life? What His PURPOSE is for YOUR life?

DOES He have a PLAN FOR ME?

Yes, God does have a plan for our lives!

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord. “Plans for hope and a future. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you.”

So, how do I live out these plans, WITHOUT wasting precious time?

Paul writes in Ephesians, “Be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do.”

...BEING DELIBERATE AT LIVING OUR LIVES- PAYING ATTENTION...ON PURPOSE KIND OF LIVING.

Be careful how you live. 

Here, the Greek literally means, “don’t stumble through life.” Do you ever find yourself “stumbling through life?” Does life ever seem to fly by so quickly that you find yourself saying, like me, "Where did the day go? Where did the month go? Where did 2019 go?!”

I once saw a billboard that said, “Time flies, but you are the pilot.” I loved that. 

You are the pilot, so fly carefully!

“Be careful how you live … and try to understand what the Lord wants you to do.”

Do you know what the Lord wants you to do?

Have you ever thought about it? Maybe you’re thinking, “I didn’t know the Lord wanted me to do anything!”

What is the first thing God wants us to do? He wants us to hunger for Him! More than service or obedience, or ANYTHING, God wants us to seek after HIM in an intimate, real, living, breathing relationship with Him. Jesus said the greatest commandment was "to love the Lord your God with all of your heart, all of your soul, all of your mind, and all of your strength. Then, love your neighbor as yourself.”

You see, sometimes we get confused and we have a RELIGION, but we don’t have a RELATIONSHIP with the One who so desires us. God simply desires US.

What else does God want from MY life?

Jesus wants a relationship with Him, AND He wants us to make HIM our FIRST passion. God wants our wholehearted devotion, and He wants our whole life. Our WHOLE life, not just part of it, not just on Sunday mornings, ALL of it!

Romans 6:13 says, “Give yourselves completely to God since you have been given new life. And use your WHOLE BODY as a tool to do what is right for the glory of God.”

Give ourselves completely, completely to God- every part of our lives in total surrender to Him.

So often, we only allow God into the “spiritual” part of our lives. We go to church on Sundays. We have our “quiet times.” We even are reading through the Bible. But, God wants so much more than that- He wants it all- my whole life. Not just the areas that I think are “OK” to give to Him, the “churchy things," GOING TO CHURCH, GOING TO BIBLE STUDY, RETREATS, SERVING IN THE CHURCH…

NOT JUST THOSE THINGS, but every area- my marriage, my relationship with my kids, my home, my friends, my work, my free time. He wants every thought, every decision, every choice to be surrendered to Him, totally making Him Lord of my life! He wants to be part of everything that is important to us. And, when we do, He leads us in the days, the months, the years... accomplishing what is truly important...walking out our purpose according to His plan. Loving others well. Doing hard things. Making a difference.

So, for me, this year, 2020, I purpose to NOT waste my life! I intend to slow down and make God my first priority. I want to get lost in my relationship with Him. I want to spend time at His feet, filling up on Him. I want to give Him everything. I want to make the most of every day....

How about you? How will you make the most of 2020?

• 

2020.

It's a new year. A time to reflect. Make improvements and resolutions….and look back at the past year. Accomplishments and victories...and mistakes and disappointments. Scrolling social media, some friends are so glad to have 2019 OVER, while others had the best year of their lives.   

Like you, I have had ups and downs in this past year. Like you, I have experienced great heartache loss and grief...and overwhelming joy.

 2019 was a year I watched my mom slip away from me. A year I experienced exhaustion of caring for her, 6 hour car trips back and forth, the stress of what was happening, unanswered prayer, begging and pleading for more time with her, AND YET experiencing the greatest peace I have ever known, knowing she is resting in the arms of Jesus, full of hope and the comfort of knowing we will meet once again.  Experiencing such miracles through the process and surrounded by the love and care of family and friends. Witnessing my children walk in such maturity and compassion and great love...character that is only developed through difficulty.  

2019 was a year watching grown kids wrestle with their own demons.. disappointments, stress, heartache..AND celebrating their victories, accomplishments, and happy moments. Vacations. Graduations. Answered prayers. Relief.

2019 was a year of friendships. New friends and the joy of growing in friendship.

Friends that loved me well. The joy of overflowing love and support. Friends who surprised me. And...the disappointment of friends letting me down, because being human means that will happen. 

2020. It's a new year. A new decade. It WILL be filled with joy...and grief. Love...and loss. Victory ...and disappointment. It is all part of life. 

Part of loving and living.

My prayer for you this new year and decade is that you know the Source of all hope. The Source of joy amidst grief.  Overwhelming Peace. Love complete. That your heart would be captured by the love of a Savior and filled beyond measure with His Presence. Wishing you a Happy New Year filled with God's abundant blessings. 

Some Christmas This Turned Out To Be!

Have you ever seen the movie, 

"Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas"? One of the short stories in the movie has Donald Duck's three nephews reliving Christmas day over and over. Until they learn the "true" meaning of Christmas, they reek havoc on Christmas morning. They hurt the family's feelings, ruin Christmas dinner, even cause the tree to fall, breaking all of the ornaments. In sad disbelief of the total disaster all around, the aunt cries out, "Some Christmas this turned out to be."

We expect Christmas to be "perfect." The decorations. The lights. The presents. The food. We expect it to be a Norman Rockwell painting.

Or....a Thomas Kinkade Christmas card...

One year our Christmas was much more "Some Christmas this turned out to be" than Norman Rockwell or Thomas Kinkade.

We had gotten weather that prevented us from spending very much time with my family. What was supposed to be a whole weekend celebration of visiting turned out to be a few rushed hours spent with only part of the family making it due to weather. Hours spent planning and searching for "perfect presents" and anticipation to see their faces when they opened them were traded for the disappointment of leaving the gifts with relatives to be picked up at another time.

Brian had not been feeling well since Thanksgiving. So, with Daddy sick off and on, many of our usual traditions were not done this year.

My sweet friend Jamie had passed away right before Christmas. Attending her wake and funeral made some holiday activities just seem irrelevant.

Illness struck our house. Many of the usual traditions were skipped because someone was sick. Even Christmas morning present opening had to be postponed due to the flu.

That year, as I spent Christmas Day wallowing, praying, being angry with God, rebuking the sickness, asking for Jesus' healing....I thought about the true meaning of Christmas and what 

THE "perfect Christmas" was like.... 

 the perfect Christmas didn't have a tree, or decorations, or a fancy meal....the perfect Christmas didn't have Christmas cards.....the perfect Christmas didn't have fancy wrapped packages....the perfect Christmas had a humble baby in a manger that came to love and live and die for us. The perfect Christmas was when Jesus was born and His promise to all of us.

The "perfect" Christmas isn't about presents, but about His Presence.

That year, in bed, Christmas Day, I thought about all these things....praying and pondering.

No matter what our circumstances. No matter what the weather. No matter if we get to "do" all of our favorite traditions. No matter if our Christmas list is filled or not...

Even if we "lose" a precious loved one.

These "things" don't "make" Christmas.

Jesus makes Christmas.

His gift to us makes Christmas.

His love makes Christmas.

The "perfect" Christmas was when a sweet young girl surrendered to her Lord and when her husband obeyed Him. They traveled to Bethlehem. There was no room in the inn for them to stay so they found a stable on the outskirts of town. Sometime during the night, a precious baby was born. A Savior. Immanuel. Messiah. A soft, warm, crying baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed in a manger. Angels glorified Him. Shepherds worshipped Him.

What a Christmas this turned out be! Hallelujah

Well.... I have to start SOMEWHERE.

My 1st run in a long while. Beginning, I felt out of shape (which I am!), tired, and lethargic.

It was HARD. I had to PUSH myself.

I was really mad at myself. How had I gotten here??? It seems like the last 5 years have been a constant yo-yoing of up and down battles with fitness. I felt (feel) like I had lost the victory of where I was...of where I USED to be.

I have had a lot of "excuses "- My mom having breast cancer. My (step)dad having bladder cancer and having his bladder removed. Helping my mom and dad through that year of depression and lack of fight, his depression and her stress and my many trips back and forth. Dealing with an injury and pain.  Celebrating Andrew's wedding and the fact that Grandpa could be there. My mom's cancer coming back. The ugly 2 and half months of her suffering. Losing my mom. My feelings of inadequacy taking on the role of being his POA. It's been a rollercoaster 5 years.

I could blame all these things for where I stand in my weight, my attitude, and my backsliding.

But, the TRUTH is that I allowed a bitter root to take hold in my heart.

I was mad at God and it was easier to turn to food, alcohol, Netflix, even exercise, for comfort INSTEAD of the only One who brings true comfort.

I battled turning to Him...to surrendering my heart to Him. I fought it.

So much so that I took an 8 month hiatus from my Bible Study. A study I started and led for the  last 16+ years. (Thankfully, they have been doing just fine without me because it was never truly "mine", but God's!)

I didn't cut God off... I listened to worship music, prayed constantly, went to church (off & on, but let's be honest, I was avoiding Sunday morning worship as much as Monday night study)...

But I wasn't allowing him full access to my pain (where only TRUE healing can begin) and I was not surrendering my heart to Him.

So...as I worked through all of this on my run today...Day #1 of training for a 5k...getting through even though it was excruciatingly hard....God reminded me:

 Tracy, don't focus on where you USED to be....focus on what is ahead!

"So, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Philippians 3:14 NLT