Hello, my name is ...

The other day as I was driving through town a song came on the radio.  It began with these words,

"Hello, my name is Regret ... Hello, my name is Defeat." As I listened to the song, I thought of all the labels we pick up through the years.  Some we wear proudly.

Christian

loving spouse

homemaker

breadwinner

soccer mom

teacher

successful

energetic

 

Others, not so much ...

 

addict   

divorced

overweight

over the hill

failure

invisible

depressed

 

 

 

Some of these labels we have affixed to ourselves.  Others have been pinned on us by those we love, those we work with, those who think they know us, or maybe don't know us at all.   We don't like some of these labels and yet ...
 

                                                         we still wear them.

 

In my office, I would often hand my client a package of these labels and have them write on them all the words they would use to describe themselves as well as the words others had used for them.   Most of them would be covered with sticky "My Name Is" labels by the time they were through.  I even had one precious young lady ask for a second package of labels.  She had them on her arms, her neck, her face and in her hair when she finished.  I led her to a mirror and had her look at herself and asked her if she really wanted to be known by all of those "names."   She could barely see for all the labels covering her beautiful face.  Some of the words already beginning to run as her tears flowed. 

  

I gave her a few minutes then asked her to begin removing the labels she no longer wanted to wear.  In a few minutes she only had two or three labels she had decided to keep.  I handed her one more label and asked her to write on it one word she thought God would use to describe her.  It only took a minute for her to write out the word "princess."   Yes!  This young woman had begun to realize that as a child of the King she was definitely royalty.  

 

What are some of the labels you're wearing?

Who put them there ... you or someone else?

Are there labels that you're tired of wearing?

 

We each have the power to choose the labels we want to be known by.  Don't let someone else define who you are.  We don't have to be known by our birthdate or the number on our bathroom scales.  We don't have to become simply the sum of our missteps or bad choices.   

 

Sometimes, even the good labels can become burdensome if we're wearing too many ... or the wrong ones.  Is your family missing you because you're involved in too many community or church activities?   Are you coaching soccer practice when you'd rather be teaching piano?  

Why not take a few minutes and examine the labels that have been assigned to you ... and start peeling off the ones you no longer want to wear.  Some come off easily ... others may leave a sticky residue or little pieces that have to be scraped off with some effort.  But we are free to choose the labels we will be known by. And in the end ... the only labels that really matter are the ones applied by our Maker ...

Redeemed ... Forgiven ... Worthy ... Precious ... Loved

We have the power to become everything God created us to be .. to fulfill our destiny ... and live our lives with purpose and joy!
 





  I've been saved

I've been changed

I have been set free!

Amazing Grace is the song I sing.
Hello, my name is Child of the One True King!

 



Click here to listen to the song, "Hello, My Name Is" by Matthew West.

When He Spoke Her Name ....

Another Resurrection Day has come and is nearly gone.  Like Christmas, Easter is an occasion that I hope Christians celebrate in their hearts every day.  But I must confess that often I'm guilty of referring to these precious, holy days as "the holidays."   I'm sure congregants in churches all over the world today were reminded of the details of the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord.  Our wonderful pastor shared a message of hope, joy, and purpose as the gifts we were afforded by what happened in Jerusalem that week so long ago.  As he described the scene at the tomb that morning of the third day, with the women coming to anoint the body of Jesus, I tried to imagine just what that must have really been like.   The women were in shock to find the massive stone rolled away from the entrance to the grave and, when they ran inside to look ... He was gone!

 

Stumbling back outside in shock and grief, they came across a man.  Mistaking Him for the caretaker they asked what had happened to Jesus.   They were standing right in front of their Messiah ... face to face with their risen Lord.  Mary looked Him right in the eyes and begged Him to tell her where they had taken Jesus.  She stared into His face and didn't know who He was.

 

But when He spoke her name ....

 

What must that moment have been like for her?  We know she knew instantly who He was ... fell at His feet in worship.  To have Him speak my name.  My name.  My own name on the lips of my Savior.   And then it dawned on me.

He speaks my name!

 

He stands at the right hand of the Father, constantly interceding for us all .... bringing us to the attention of Jehovah God ... and calling each one of us by name.   My name ... and yours ... is on His lips day and night, never ending.  My name ... spoken with amazing love and tenderness by the One who paid all my debts and covered my shortcomings with His blood.   I am awed and humbled as I find myself weeping in worship at His feet.  And for those who have not met this man called Jesus ... He speaks your name as well.  Calling you to find the peace, joy and hope that comes with being a child of the Most High God.   Mary looked right into the face of God and did not know who He was.

 

But when He spoke her name ...



 

 



 





Are There Holes In Your Socks?

Having been blessed with rather large, wide feet, I usually wear black nondescript shoes and try to keep everyone's attention focused on my hair and face. But I am a sock lover ... and I tend to wear them until they fall apart.   Such was the case not too long ago when I found myself at a social gathering where, during a team exercise, we were instructed to remove our shoes.
                             Oh dear ...

I was wearing my favorite socks.  The black ones with little pink hearts and tiny pink roses.

 The ones I'd had for nearly three years and

were completely threadbare with a hole in the

heel of one of them.  

At that moment, it didn't matter that I was actually wearing new shoes that were pretty cute.  I had to take them off and reveal to everyone in the room that there were holes in my socks.  Holes they would not otherwise have known were there.  Although the intent of this exercise was mainly for fun and breaking the ice with newcomers to the group, I came away with an awareness that there are many people who are hiding holes in their "socks."

Holes of loneliness ...  turmoil ... anxiety.
Holes of family problems ... financial worries ... illness.
Holes of addiction.

We can hide the holes in our socks with attractive, good shoes.  Being a loving parent, a good employee, a helper. "What can I do for you?"  How can I show you how good I am?

Like wearing a mask .. we hide the pain, the shame, the despair.  It's safer if no one sees the real me.   After all, Christians aren't supposed to have questions or fears .. doubts.   Are we?  Over the years I've learned that isolating and pretending to myself, to the world, and to God that everything is fine just wears me down until my soul .. like my socks .. is threadbare and in need of repair.  I've learned that it's OK to confide in a trusted friend or counselor. It's OK to be REAL.  I've learned to run to the Father with my fears, my failures, my heartbreak ... and in His presence I find the healing and peace that my soul so longs for.

  You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence

and the pleasures of living with you forever.
Psalm 16:11



We can put on our running shoes and run the 10K ... maybe even win the race.  But at the end of the day when we take off those shoes ... the holes in our socks are still there.  What holes are you covering up today?  Is it time to get real ...

 with yourself ...

          with others ...

                  with God? 



                  Cause me to hear Your loving-kindness in the morning,

for on You do I lean and in You do I trust.

Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk,

for I lift up my inner self to You.

Psalm 143:8

 

Take the Superbowl Challenge

 

 

Superbowl Sunday .. February 3, 2013.  

Superbowl fans look forward to this day all year long.  The game.  The parties.  The food.   

 

The commercials.

I have to admit that I'm not a football fan so all the hype and hoopla surrounding the Superbowl are pretty much lost on me.  But having faced some difficult situations in recent days, I found myself in need of a trip to the locker room for a pep talk.  Sometimes we need the Coach to remind us of what He knows we can do.  We have the training, the skills .. the equipment .. everything we need to get out there and defeat the challenger.

We are the home team!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even when we find ourselves at the bottom of the

heap -- or fumble and drop the ball at some point -- we're reminded that the victory is ours. "How we thank God for all of this for it is He who makes us victorious through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (I Corinthians 15:57 NLT)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't intend to let the enemy steal what I already have in my posession.

 

Peace

Purpose

Joy

 

 

 

 

 

I'm going to put my head down and keep on running.  I want the prize.  I want that Superbowl ring and, yes,  I want to go to Disneyland!

 

So ... I've got my armor on ... my helmet securely fastened . and my game face on.  Will you take the Superbowl Challenge?  I'm ready to take back everything the challenger has tried to take away from me and run all the way to victory.  Let's get out there and do this! I'm looking forward to doing my Victory Dance!  How about you?

 

I may not be a football fan, but I'll always be a fan of my grandson, Koltyn Morel, #23 on the Inola High School Varsity team. 



The Place With No Name

I'll say of the Lord He is my Shield,

my Strength,

my Fortress,

Deliverer,

My Shelter,

Strong Tower,

MY EVER PRESENT HELP IN TIME OF NEED.

 

 

There is a place with no name.  I've been there many times ... and you probably have too.  Oh, we've called it many things.

 

The fire.

The pit.

The valley.

Between a rock and a hard place.

Hell on earth.

 

Each of these names describes our experience at the time but what do we call that place where we can do nothing but lift our eyes to the only One Who can possibly save us?  That place where we can't even put into words our desperate prayer ...

                                                                       we have no words left. 

 

Countless hours and precious energy spent weeping, pacing, praying, worrying, and many times finding ourselves fighting back total and complete panic because we can find no way through an absolutely impossible situation.  Then ... at the very moment we sink into complete despair, we remember that we are not alone ... and the flame of hope that had flickered weakly and we thought had nearly gone out forever suddenly bursts into full blaze, shining the light of Truth into our heart and spirit. 

 

The Truth that God has promised a way of escape from every situation.

The Truth that He will deliver us from the snare of the enemy.

The Truth that no weapon formed against us shall prosper.

That it is this Truth that will make us free!  *

 



There is no name for this place ... but it is a precious place.  A place filled with hope.  A place filled with promise. A place of healing and restoration.  A place filled with grace. 

 

Yes ... I have been to this place with no name many times.  And each time I find myself there I come away with a few more scars ... but I come away with renewed strength ... renewed purpose ... and renewed assurance that God is walking before me, making the crooked path straight, and dispelling the shadows with His light of Truth, Mercy, and Grace!

* 1 Corinthians 10:13
   Psalm 91:3
   Isaiah 54:17
   John 8:32

 

 

 

 

 

 



God's New Year's Resolutions



"For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD.

"They are plans for good and not for disaster,

to give you a future and a hope."

               Jeremiah 29:11

So, I'm wondering this first day of 2013 how many are really putting pen to paper and writing out a list of New Year's resolutions.  You know what I mean ... that list of unrealistic and often unattainable goals that will make us feel guilty, less than, and defeated when we don't see some measure of success by the middle of February (often way before then).   Possibly some of the younger set who have not been discouraged by the tales of older resolution makers are sitting at their computers or using their Smart Phones, Ipads or whatever the writing tool of the day is, and working on their To Do lists for this coming year.

I, on the other hand, am old enough to fall into the category of those who just don't make that list anymore because my journals,  Bibles, and dresser drawers are filled with 50+ years of unfulfilled New Year's resolutions. 

It's time to try something different.

 

I want to discover what God's plan is for my life this year.  What a concept! God said, "I know the plans I have for you.  A plan for good and not evil." (Jeremiah 29:11)  God already has a plan!

 

So why am I spending every New Year's Day writing out my own plan?

 

I've spent this first morning of 2013 thinking about the plans I know God has for me this year:

 

He's planned for my success.

He's planned for my health and wellness.

He's planned for all of my needs to be met in Christ.

He's planned for Goodness and Mercy to follow me ALL the days of this year

 and the years yet to come.

He's planned to lead and guide me in every decision I face.

He's planned to be with me in sunshine and sorrow .. for the sorrows will surely come.

 

Now this is a list I can live with!  How about you?  Let me encourage you to make your own list of what you know God has planned for you.  If you need help get out your Bible and start reading through, picking out the promises God has made through the ages ... they are still in effect today.  I know you'll be on your computer so Google Promises of God and see what comes up.  Better yet ... spend some time in His presence and let Him tell you Himself all the wonderful things He has in store for you.  God's resolutions are never in danger of not being fulfilled ... He keeps His promises!

 

I'm wishing you all a very happy and blessed New Year ... filled with all God's best for you and your families.  Now ... I'm going back to work on my list. 

 

There are many more "resolutions" on God's list for us!



 







What's In a Name Anyway? (The Innkeeper's Story)

We've all read the Christmas story as it's written in the gospels.  We get four different perspectives from Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  But ... have you ever wondered what it would be like to hear the story from the innkeeper's perspective?   Or .... better yet .... from his wife?   Well I have.  Loving to take literary license I sometimes write in things that don't belong in a particular time period or setting so keep that in mind as you read my rendition of how the innkeeper's wife might have told her story about what happened at their place the night Jesus was born.

After calling several of her friends excitedly to tell her news and getting nothing but answering machines, she's pretty excited to finally reach a live person and I picture the conversation as going something like this:

"Oh dear, now I don't remember why I called.  Oh yes!  I wanted to tell you about all the excitement around here last night.  Just wait til you hear!  The most amazing thing happened!  Well .. as you know, all the inns around here have been filled up for days because of everyone having to come back and register for that new tax law.  Yesterday, we were closing up early because we had just rented out our last room for the evening when this couple came in looking for a place to stay. Well, Samuel told them we were full but the man said his wife was about to give birth and they'd already been turned away everywhere else.  So Samuel told them they could stay in the stable if they wanted.  But you know me, I made sure a bill was made out and put in the drawer .... and I charged them full rate too!  But that's not what I called to tell you.

Sometime after we'd all gone to bed and had been asleep for a while, I awoke with this incredibly bright light shining in my face.  The shutters were closed but this light was so intense, it shone right through them!  I woke Samuel and we went out to see what it was. What's that? 

Of course he was scared!

 

But I had him by the tail of his nightshirt and he didn't have any choice but to come along.  Anyway, when we got outside, the whole sky was ablaze -- by this time we could hear singing and music.  It was the most incredible thing I'd ever seen!  This bright light was shining right over the stable and, when we got up closer, we could see that the sky was filled with .... Dorcas, are you sitting down?  The sky was filled with angels! 

 

No ... I had not been drinking!!  Do you want to hear the rest of my story?  Now .. where was I?  The angels!  They were singing the most beautiful music.  I couldn't help but think how wonderful some of those songs would sound in the synagogue --- you know, kind of break the monotony of singing the same old songs, Sabbath after Sabbath.  Although, old Sister Fishburne probably couldn't get the chords right on that harp of hers.  I don't know why they continue to let her keep plunking away on that old thing when Grace's daughter can play so beautifully.  Alright, alright .... I was getting to that.

 

We could hardly get inside for all the camels and donkeys and goats, and what have you.  It looked like an entire caravan had stopped right outside our stable doors.  Actually, now that I think of it ... that's exactly what happened.  A caravan from somewhere back east with three wise men, or kings, or whatever they were.  You could tell just by what they left outside they were filthy rich.  I mean it!  Those camels had finer dresses than anything I've got in my closet!

 

Anyway, I finally got through and got a good look at them.  One of them was just kind of ordinary, nose-in-the-air type, and one was short and dumpy.  He couldn't hear very well either and I'm not sure he really knew any more about what was going on than I did.  But, Honey, when that tall one turned around and looked right at me, I nearly swooned.  That man had some eyes ... let me tell you ... he had some eyes.  If he had raised one eyebrow, I'd have had everything I own packed and thrown across his camel in a flash!"  (Can't you just see her fanning herself?)

 

"Oh right ... like you wouldn't!  Just let me tell my story.

 

Remember that couple I told you had stopped by and Samuel had let them stay in the stable?  Well, the woman had had the baby sometime during the night ... a little boy.  It turns out everyone had come to see the baby!  Wise men, angels, even the shepherds had come down off the hills --- and they brought the sheep with them ... of course!  You should see my lawn!  Let me tell you .. I was taking names!  Everyone of those sheep farmers is going to get a bill from my groundskeeper!  What a mess!

 

Oh, and speaking of a mess.  We're out there trying to get everybody out of there and trying to get all of the animals calmed back down when here comes the news media!  And me still in my nightgown and curlers, with cold cream all over my face!  I'm telling you it was a madhouse! 

 

Angels and helicopters everywhere. 

 

And on the ground it was even worse.  Reporters running around pushing microphones up in everyone's face ... camels tripping over cords.   I thought they'd never get out of there.  This place looks like we just closed down a three-ring circus!

 

Yes .. everything's quiet now.  I went and had a look for myself at that new baby.  I guess he's cute enough but he didn't look so special to me.  Kind of scrawny really.  My Jonathan, now that was a pretty baby. 

But .... there was something different about his eyes.



He seemed to look me right in the face.  I know newborns don't really see very well but this baby looked right into my eyes and ... I don't know .... I just felt kind of weird...

like he knew who I was and everything about me.

 

Yes, Samuel's really excited about the whole thing.  He said one of those guys from the east told him that the birth of this child had been foretold centuries ago and that a special star had guided them to our stable  They said this little baby was supposed to be a great king or something like that.  He's already called the folks on the west coast about movie rights or some crazy thing.  You know Samuel .. anything to make a shekel!  He's out there now tearing down that shed.  Thinks he's going to make a killing at the market selling pieces of the manger that kid was born in.  I mean, really Dorcas .... a hundred years from now what difference is it going to make?

What did they name him?  Well, I think they named him Jesus.  No ... I've never heard that name before either.  Oh well ... what's in a name anyway?

Jesus ... Jesus ... Jesus

there's just something about that Name.

Master ... Savior .... Jesus

like the fragrance after the rain.

Jesus ... Jesus ... Jesus

let all Heaven and Earth proclaim

Kings and kingdoms will all pass away

but there's something about that Name.

 (Bill & Gloria Gaither)

There's Just Something About That Name