Love

Love never gives up

Love never lets down

Love keeps on trying through smiles and frowns

Love never says die even when it gets rough

Love just never gives up

If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy or clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.  And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.  I Corinthians 13:1-3

six and two is eight

We have struggled with math facts + oldest daughter = memorized.  She just isn’t committed to putting these things into memory.  We are now into multiplication after struggling through addition and subtraction.  Boy, if she doesn’t get this, she’ll be destroyed when they start in with division – not to mention fractions! and then there’s negatives . . .oh brother!

One night while helping her, I found myself exclaiming 6 and 2 is 8!  This is not the expression you may think.  You see, when my dad smashed his thumb with a hammer or came home with the wrong fitting for the pipe, instead of using some profane expletive, “six and two is eight” was his phrase of choice.  We never knew why.  We assumed it was because it had been hard for him to learn this particular fact in school.  It seems so random.

Oh, six and two is eight!

I’ve never understood the draw of using four letter words.  I mean, aren’t I educated? Can’t I come up with more creative ways to express myself.  There is just something damaging to the spirit when profanity is used.  When I was in high school I took to heart Psalm 19:14, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer.”  But this goes way beyond 4 letter words.  This drives straight to why we say what we say.  What’s going on in my mind and heart to form what’s coming out of my mouth.  Oh for goodness’ sake!  I do not like what I see inside this heart of mine!!  For crying out loud! I’ve got to do something about this. Thank the Lord for the grace and help we need.

Now – to wrap up my dad’s story.  One afternoon we were sitting in the living room and someone said “oh, six and two is eight”. Only to hear my grandma say “and a farts a fraction”.  what?!  So that’s where he heard it.  From his mom!!!  Apparently, those Vandenbelts were regular cut ups!!

The Great Finger Escape

On Saturday we went to a birthday party for a little friend.  I think for children one of the best parts about leaving a party is the obligatory goody bag they get to take home.  You never know what you will find inside (as a parent who has purchased goody bag items before, I know exactly what will be inside: junk) 

This particular bag was equipped with stickers and paper, a slinky and a kaleidoscope.  On the way home, in goes the finger into the kaleidoscope.  It doesn’t come out.  I tried everything I could think of when I got home – olive oil, ice water, pliers and scissors – nothing was working.  Call the neighbors!  they helped us before. No answer.

Call our other neighbors.  Again ~ no answer.

This is only going to get worse before it gets better.  I need to act fast.  We returned to the birthday boy’s home and requested help.  They were so wonderful!  Steady hands, proper tools, calm and kind voices.  It still took almost 20 minutes, but that thing was finally cut off (and none too soon- that finger had swelled to the size of a blimp!!)

So – that got me thinking.  Have I put my finger in something that a finger doesn’t belong?  Have I swelled up from the improper pressure?  It was difficult for a 6 year od to sit there and allow his finger to be worked on – it was painful.  there was fear of more pain.  But!  he trusted the skilled hands of his “rescuer”.  He obeyed the voices of those trying to help him.  He didn’t give in to fear. 

God wants to remove those things in our lives that have latched on to us improperly.  He is ready to hear us cry out in humility and ask for help.  It will likely be painful, but the finger can still be saved from amputation! 

On a side note:                                                                                    We have such good and caring friends who are ready at the drop of a hat to invest in our lives and our emergencies.  Some folks are just like that.  We praise God for putting such incredible people in our lives, in our memories and in our future. 

The Steadfast Love of the Lord

This song has been running through my head since Christmas: "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning, new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness, O Lord. Great is thy faithfulness."

Yesterday I saw a status post on Facebook: Lamentations 3:21-24 "But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The Steadfast Love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning, great is your faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, says my soul, therefore I will hope in him." We worship a God of Hope!

Then I heard an online message today describing what it means to come before the throne of grace. Let us approach the throne of grace with confidence that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16) This is the place of prayer. We don't have to be timid in our prayers - but asking with confidence. He will give mercy - and withhold those terrible things we deserve. He will give grace and bless us with strength to endure in time of need.

None of this is because of us! It is all because of the steadfast love of the Lord. His faithful, unending love. We pray with confidence because of the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. This mercy is not obtained as if God is Santa Claus looking for those who are naughty and nice. It is because of His great lovingkindess. Lamentations goes on to say - it is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth. We have hope of relief in God's mercy. Oh God is so good to us!