What Good is That?

Turning to Philip, he asked, “Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?”

He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do.

Philip replied, “Even if we worked for months,

we wouldn’t have enough money to feed them!”

Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up.

“There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish.

But what good is that with this huge crowd?”

John 6:5 - 9  NLT

As I'm studying the Gospel of John, new thoughts and applications come to mind.  The disciples had seen Jesus heal others. He had also turned water into wine. They had daily been with Him.  And yet...

I have His Word. There have been many miracles in my life. He has been a constant Source of strength. He has shown compassion and forgiveness. I choose to spend daily time with Him.  And yet...

You have access to His Word. Hopefully you have seen His hands in your life. You can choose to spend time with Him everyday.  And yet...

One week was especially rough, physically:  a pulled muscle, anemia, nausea, headache. Then in one day, I had a nosebleed that got on a white blouse of mine, bladder issues, ending with a rough bout of diarrhea. I became frustrated and asked "how much more?" After mentioning my frustration to my wise brother, I apologized for complaining.  "Complaining doesn't do any good. Sorry." "It would be frustrating..." (So, he knows that I need to vent at times.)  And yet... 

God went before me when I found out that India was not in the plans. He orchestrated (through a dear friend) getting my job back with full benefits. The Lord held me in His arms during the roughest parts of chemo.  He carried me through kidney and lung surgeries. He was with me March, 2011, when it appeared I'd had a stroke and lost my thinking abilities. He grieved with me when I had to give up teaching. He surrounded me when I moved to San Jose.  And yet...

My - Our relationship with Christ often goes to deeper levels of understanding. Just like the disciples, every step shows us His wisdom, compassion, and power. Just like these followers of Jesus, we have said, "We wouldn't have enough money..." And, "But what good is that...?"  Step by step. Day by day. Remember He is always working in us.



Always Working

"My Father is always working, And so am I." John 5:17. NLT
As I study John, one of my favorite books of the Bible, this verse stood out to me. It struck me about ten days ago and yet I didn't blog. Now I know why. This verse is a great reminder for those who lived through the horrors in Colorado and for all of us.

In context, the Jewish leaders were talking to Jesus about healing on the Sabbath. Jesus' reply was reminding us that the Father and Son are always working. God is good, loving, full of compassion, ever-present, merciful, listening, and our Comforter. No matter what is happening, we can talk to Him, question, grieve, cry, and later heal.
"MY FATHER IS ALWAYS WORKING, AND SO AM I."

Reality or Wishful Thinking

Reality: I use my walker to go outside and there will be strong days and weak days. Wishful Thinking: I still find myself thinking that I can do everything that I used to do.

As we age that becomes the experience of a lot of people. Are there times when you forget your limits? I definitely DO NOT mean to stop trying new recipes, a new skill, improving on a skill or talent. At this time I am referring to physical or even financial limitations.

A friend of mine was telling me a funny story of one thing that she had done which really embarrassed her. She has been waiting for me to tell her the foolish, embarrassing thing that I did. So, here it goes:

As I stated, to get around outside I need a walker. While sitting in bed, I think I can do anything...until I stand up. One day, a deal for a Razor Scooter was in my email and I thought, "I want to try that!" (Yes, laughing is allowed.) Well, I ordered a nice red and silver razor scooter. WHAT WAS I THINKING???!!! I can loose my balance just walking a few feet or turning around. Reality? Hardly.

The beautiful scooter is here and we haven't even taken it out of the box! Everyone has had a great laugh, but, I don't even know who can safely use it. It's too dangerous for me to give it to my nephews or nieces because I don't want them to get seriously hurt. WHAT WAS I THINKING?

What can I learn from this? Probably many things but two main points come to mind: laughing at myself is good - we all need to do some laughing; accept limits. My physical limits, and even financial limits, are real. There are skills which are gone, freedoms I've lost, and changes that we all need to make - one day at a time. Now, it is time to replace those losses with the gains in my life. Adjusting and adapting is part of being alive.

TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5 - 6 NLT