Happy Easter!

Today was a wonderful day! I loved the people, the music, the message. My husband and I often joke that my favorite songs are Easter songs - See What a Morning, My Jesus Fair, Jesus Saves, and many other similar songs. Today the song that spoke to me the most was sung by an excited men's quartet - My Hope Is In The Lord!

My hope is in the Lord

Who gave Himself for me

And paid the price

Of all my sin at Calvary.

And now for me He stands

Before the Father's throne

He shows His wounded hands

And names me as His own.

His grace has planned it all

'Tis mine but to believe

And recognize His work of love

And Christ receive

For me He died;

For me He lives,

And everlasting life

And light He freely gives.

Happy Easter! Rejoice for He is Risen!

~Kay

Refresh

It's already planned. Tomorrow morning I am going to wake up pull out my pretty new outfit, my beautiful new heels. The makeup is going to be applied perfectly and every hair will be in place. It's Easter morning. I will pose for a family picture, head to church after munching on a poor chocolate bunny's ears, observe the annual parade of the seasons latest fashions and finery, listen to the familiar message, then return home for a traditional meal.

Inside my heart hurts. Far too long have I gone without the spiritual refreshment that I crave. I need it, but I don't know where to begin. Life's hard knocks seem to have knocked me out of the game, and every time I try to jump back in, someone else pushes me back. I desperately need refreshed. Somewhere along the line, my relationship with The Lord came to a grinding halt. Why? I don't know. Nothing had changed.

Time has passed and things have now changed but I don't feel any closer to The Lord. The flames of revival seem to burn out no matter how gently I fan and coax them. It's frustrating. Easter arrives tomorrow and to my shame, I forgot about it being anything more than a holiday. I want to blame my Pastor for his laxidasical approach to important spiritual events or opportunities - like Christmas, Easter, missions conferences and revival. But I know that I have to take responsibility for my own spiritual life. He will give an account some day for how he shepherded his church, but I will give an account for me.

Recently I was reading about King Ahaz and his son Hezekiah. It was recreational reading. I have been struggling with devotional reading, but I never seem to struggle with educational or recreational reading. The temple was in ruins. Ahaz destroyed it and ignored its purpose. No one stood up. No one sought for change. God became a god to the people of Judah. A god to be feared and to appease, but not a god to be served and loved. How my life has become like that. My precious Savior, my God, my King, has become but a god amidst life. He who once stood in such sharp focus in front if my entire life has blurred into the background while I wander aimlessly.

What a reminder I have needed! This life isn't about knowing all there is to know about the Bible. It isn't about obeying every command and living the perfect life. It isn't about guiding people into obedience. It's about sacrificing my life to Christ. It's about living with my eyes only on Him. It's about remembering DAILY the sacrifice He made so that I could live. Maybe I lost track when instead of focusing in what I was doing for Him, instead of focusing in what He did for me.

It's a grotesque and painful picture. He literally stood in my place and offered himself to bear the cruelest punishment for my crimes. He did it willingly. He did it without complaint. He did it because He loves me. He endured the shame and the mocking, so that I could live freely. Then He died. He who was perfect and sinless, was separated from His Father, suffered death, to pay for me. What love is this?

It hurts to think about. I feel the guilt. But my soul is refreshed. Death is not the end. Against all possibility, Christ arose! He defeated death! It couldn't keep Him. To give me life, He arose. I can live because He lives! For this I find reason and purpose. That flame kindles and burns a little brighter. I can face tomorrow with the hope that through faithfulness one day soon, that sweet relationship I had with The Lord will be renewed. One day, very soon.

Be renewed.

Refresh.

- Kay

Feeling at Home

When I moved it to Small Town, South, I knew that it was going to be culture shock. I knew that it was going to be tough. While I had lived in some polar-extreme places throughout the country, Small Town was going to be a really big change. I am a suburbs girl, and I was settling so far from the suburbs it was funny. Needless to say, the first couple of months I didn't feel at home.

Six months passed and I still didn't feel at home. Trust me it wasn't just moving away from close family and friends. My philosophy has always been family will always be there, and so will your closest friends... It was the culture shock. As one of my friends said, "You need a passport to go to that area." The food - beans, fried something, beans, and more greasy, fried something. The total lack of any friends or even people to talk to. The lack of convenience. (I still struggle with grocery shopping.)

How do you feel at home in a place that is clearly not home?

1.  Get to know the people. Invite them into your home for a simple dinner, chat, play games. (Playing games is really big here.) If they invite you into their home, don't turn down the offer unless you absolutely have to. Spend time talking to them before and after the church services. Make sure you are ready for the services before you get there, so that you can talk with the people. I like to stand in the lobby and greet people as they come into the building. Pray for them. After being at Small Town Baptist Church for sixth months, I still felt that I hadn't made much headway in getting to know the people in the church. They were so skeptical of my husband and I, but slowly, and I mean slowly, they started to come around.

2.  Be involved. It's kind of funny telling ministry-minded people to be involved, isn't it? Don't be so involved in the work of the ministry that you ignore the people of the ministry. So chat with the other lady in the nursery with you. Smile and chat as you serve food or pour beverages. Hand out bulletins or visitor packets. Always smile and always be friendly. You might have to be out of your comfort zone, but consider it an investment. Its an investment with a huge payday!

3.  Try new things. So yes, that new food sounds totally disgusting... And it tastes worse! But is it a local favorite. Just dig in once so that you can say that you have tried it. If people love doing a particular activity - like playing board games or hunting, join in! You don't have to do the new stuff all the time, but you certainly want to try it once. And you never know, you just might like it.

4.  Make memories. It's seems so simple and yet isn't all that easy to do. Get yourself a tour guide book for your state and a visitor's guide for your area... and become a tourist. (Check the local library!) Plan dates with your husband or your family to see the sights in your area. It's one of things that when you have lived in area for a while, you kind of forget to do. Find the historical sights. Visit the parks. Plan a picnic at the park. On a special day, spend some money and hit the tourist attractions. Just have fun exploring your area! Take pictures to record the memories. This is really important, especially if things aren't going well in your ministry. You will still have good and fun memories at that location. And because you have explored and gotten to know your area, you will feel more at home because of that personal connection.



Also, don't expect to feel at home overnight. I remember when my mom moved quite a distance away from the town she had lived in her entire life. It took her about four years to call our new area "home." When I moved to a different state in a different part of the country, I experienced the same type of thing. It took many, many months to feel at home. And we are still working at it.

~Kay

Country Girl

So I am talking to this old man in the church, and he asked me if I knew that salt was a preservative.

Who doesn't know that? I did play Oregon Trails in elementary school. And I think that I learned about that in history class, and science class, and Bible class.

Of course, I said, "Yes."

This is where it gets funny - the old man told me that I must be a country girl because I knew that was salt was a preservative.

Yes, I did laugh... out loud.

Can honestly say that I have never been accused of being a country girl before.

Pilgrim Song

So laziness at it's best here...

Go to iTunes, search "Benjamin Everson." Select his album "Acapella." Then scroll through to track #4 "Pilgrim Song" (written by Janice Brown) and press play. Then when you decide you love it, buy it.

Oh, how I love this song!

Consider...

My Father planned it all, ahead of time for me. 
Each circumstance, each step and path, selected carefully. 
When night begins to fall and I can barely see, 
my eyes cannot discern the right 
so I'll trust His perfect sight.

God has planned every aspect of our lives. He knows the joys that will come and He knows the trials. He knows where those tough decisions will lead us. When we are struggling and relying on God to lead us through, we can simply trust Him. His way is perfect.

My God Is Greater

On Sunday I went to church and honestly my mind was elsewhere. Besides dealing with some personal issues that had led to some serious discouragement, I was struggling with the fact that one church VIP doesn't ever attend Sunday school (and to do what they do, it is absolutely required) and another church VIP never goes soul winning or door knocking (but they always complain about how the church isn't growing as quickly as they wish). On top of that, I was talking to one lady who asked me a question, and she walked away as I was answering her. How rude! She asked me the question. She was the one looking for the answer and she just walked away!

Truth be told I shouldn't have been focusing on that. You know, God wants us to worry about ourself and let Him work in the hearts of others. I have my own problems (like allowing other people's spiritual flaws frustrate me), and I had to get that right with God. 

So personal areas of discouragement on top of frustration with the people around me... 

But my God is so much greater. He still works in people's lives. He still knows all of my problems. He still moves in others. 

I had the privilege of leading a lady to the Lord on Sunday. She proceeded to get baptized. I didn't even have to ask her if it was something that she was interested. She wanted to get saved! She wanted to get baptized! God had done all of the work in her heart and all I had to do was stand there and watch God move! It was incredible. 

On top of that, a teenage boy got things right with the Lord and a family committed their lives to the Lord. 

While there are still frustrations in life, my God is so much greater than this world. 

Isn't God good?

God's Thoughts

One of my favorite passages. So encouraging!

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

~Isaiah 55:9-12~

Healthy Eating, Hard Choices

Let's play a game. Plate of steamed broccoli vs. Plate of Delicious, warm chocolate chip cookies

Which would you choose? 

In the midst of my current weight loss life, this has suddenly become a really hard choice. If I wasn't concerned about tomorrow's weigh in, this wouldn't even be a blog post. I would be happily wolfing down a plate of warm, delicious chocolate chip cookies without a care in the world. And what a happy day it would be! 

Now here's the hard part, I am on that diet. I do happen to love broccoli.... Probably not as much as I love cookies, but I like broccoli. I know that it is good for me and it is the smart logical choice. The right choice... The hard choice.... I think in the end I would succumb to the cookies. Maybe not the whole plate, just a few. (Let's be honest, anyone who knows me, knows I am going for those cookies.)

Now lets play the same game with your two year old....

Which plate is your child going to choose?

It's ok to smile. We both know that kid wants the cookies. You probably knew that before your child chose.

Regardless of consequences, the overwhelming majority of us would probably choose the cookies and the person who offered us the choice probably knew too. Just like you knew what your kid would do.

Hmmm....

I've been offered a choice. The person who offered me the choice knew my answer before he even asked. I can consider the consequences for a lifetime or a moment. Chances are I am doing a head dive into those cookies. So why bother even offering? 

Because that someone loves me.

(It all boils down to love.)

God loves me.

He offered me a choice.

The pleasure of the world now or an eternity with Him.

He knew what I would choose before He offered it.

He knew what you would choose before He offered it.

He wants me to make the right choice because I want to. Not because I have to, not because I have no other choice, but because He loves me enough to let me make the choice on my own.

He knows what I am going to chose.

What have you chosen? Have you chosen a taste of the world, but now must bear the consequences for an eternity? Have you chosen to think long term and selected the healthy choice with eternal joy?

It may simple, but its the reality. You choose.

It is my prayer that you have chosen to spend eternity with Christ, now you are faced with a daily choice. Feed on a diet of Christ or feed on a diet of junk. The choice is still yours. God loves you, but I caution you to choose wisely.

~Deuteronomy 30:19-20~

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.