Forgotten

       In past years I have given something up for the season of lent.  When I craved, desired or thought about what I had given up I would immediately turn my prayers and thoughts to Jesus and his life here on earth and his crucifixion.  As the days began to lead  to Ash Wednesday this year I began to think on what I would fast from.  A couple of Sundays before lent our pastor was speaking on Psalms and he encouraged us all to write our own Psalm to God.  At first I was taken a back at the intimidating thought of writing my own Psalm.  The idea seemed good but the Psalms in the bible are beautiful, eloquent and full of comfort.  I can name countless times in my life I have opened up Psalms to read and be comforted during my own trials.  There was no way I could write anything that could compare and then as the Lord so encouragingly does, he reminded me that he created my heart and my thoughts and that the Psalm I write to him would be a gift to him.  Then I remember smiling at the thought of being able to gift something to God.  To be able to gift the creator that has given me everything...WOW! I knew what I was doing for lent! So on Ash Wednesday I began my lent project, I decided instead of giving something up I instead would be writing a Psalm, a love letter to God, everyday of lent. 



        I bought a notebook and each morning before my family was awake I would make a cup of coffee and sit in the dining room and write a Psalm to God.  These were personal and not something I shared with anyone until spring break week.  We went out of the country so I made sure to pack my notebook so that I could keep up with my writing.  One evening I saw my daughter sitting on the couch reading my Psalms I went on to explain to her what I was doing, I explained that this is a form of worship and even prayer.  The next morning I woke and went to write in my notebook and it was gone! I panicked as this was personal to me and special to me and I couldn't imagine where this notebook could be! When my kids woke up I asked if they had seen it and my daughter said " I have it, I'll go get it" I was so relieved that it wasn't lost.  She brought it to me and I turned the pages to go to the next blank page when I was stopped by such a sight...my precious girl had taken my notebook to her room and written her own Psalm.  At 7 years old the handwriting was what caught my eyes but then I read her words as tears streamed down my face.  Her words were that of a 7 year old they weren't eloquent but they were so heart felt and instantly I knew that was the part that makes a Psalm so beautiful.  It isn't in the well-versed words used but instead in the heart felt sharing that brings the beauty to the Psalms. 

        I went on to write my daily Psalm day after day feeling more connected to God and noticing that I was more aware of God's involvement in the simplest of my daily tasks.  I think because I was with him every morning my eyes were open to see him all throughout my day.  It was this past Sunday, Palm Sunday, that I forgot to write in my notebook.  I slept later than I needed to, we had church, a baby shower, Easter egg hunt and well I just forgot.  The next morning I started my day with coffee but not my notebook and it wasn't until mid-morning that I first remembered that I hadn't written in two days, but in that moment I was busy and thought to myself "I'll do it later."  Today is Thursday and I am ashamed to say I still haven't written in it and with the shame of that my mind went to Peter.  He was so zealous for Jesus, he believed and even told Jesus he would die before he denied him yet on that same night he denied Jesus not once or twice but three times.  Human nature, how quickly we forget. In a matter of hours Peter had forgotten his words to Jesus.  In a world full of distractions it is quite easy to forget even the very most important things.  Be it Easter egg hunts or work, be it fear or selfish thoughts, be it innocent tasks and worthwhile motives.  One of Satan's favorite tools is busyness, he loves to trick us with busy schedules to keep our mind off of Jesus.  This Easter weekend will be busy for us all but I encourage all of us not to forget! Don't forget the crucifixion, don't forget all the sacrifices made for you, don't forget the true meaning of Easter.  When you see the children hunting eggs, remember the sacrifice.  When you see the spread of food on the table, remember the sacrifice.  When you see the sun shining and birds chirping, remember the sacrifice.  He sacrificed it all to give you everything so in all that you see and do remember HIM.  Easter Blessings to you and yours!

A Tuesday Thought

           If you live in Tennessee then you know that February has been WET! This past Saturday it rained for what felt like the hundredth day in a row.  When I say it has rained it has truly poured buckets upon buckets, flooding many parts of our state.  Back to Saturday, when we saw the predicted forecast we declared it a movie day! I ran to redbox and got several movies to occupy our minds during the rainy afternoon.  As predicted the rain came;  and it came hard...so hard in fact it distracted us from our movies and more to watching it fill our backyard.  As we looked out on our backyard we saw on three different occasions a limb fall from a tree.  It was sudden and abrupt almost like it was just too tired of hanging on during all these storms. Each time it seemed as if the limb was throwing in the towel.  Tired and defeated. 


          This week I have thought more of our trees and what I saw when those limbs fell.  I picture the tree as a person weathering a storm of life and the limbs friends trying to help the tree hold on.  If you have been through a storm in your life be it...job loss, cancer, death or divorce, then you know how difficult weathering the storm is.  It feels much like the rain we have seen this past month.  You don't see light at the end of the tunnel but instead more darkness and doom to rain on your life.  Sometimes the only thing holding you up is the limbs (friends) in your life.  If you have been through a storm you know that even some friends grow tired and weary.  Some start backing away from your situation for fear it will creep into their life as well.  Some are just too busy to bother with all you have going on when they have a life to live as well.  Some are just the friends of convenience when things are good they are there & when things aren't so good they are no where to be found.  These are the friends that much like the limbs I witnessed Saturday fall away from you instead of continue to hold you up.  Gosh thinking about this it starts to be a discouragement. 

          But just when I started to feel down I remembered Moses.  In Exodus 17 we read the story of Israel defeating the Amalekites.  In order for the Israelites to have the advantage Moses had to hold up his staff in the air.  After some time Moses' arms grew weary and tired as soon as he lowered them the Amalekites gained the advantage.  But it doesn't end here- you see Moses had friends, Aaron and Hur, they found a large stone to prop Moses on and they got on either side of him and held his arms up until sunset so that the Israelites could claim victory.  When Moses ran out of his own strength his friends met him where he was and carried the weight for him.  We all have these kind of friends too.  The one's who show up and are there.  The one's who know what you need without you saying a word. 

  Two thoughts for today:

 1.  Surround ourselves with friends like Aaron and Hur; friends that will uphold you and strengthen you when you can't do it for yourself. 

2.  Be a friend like Aaron and Hur.  Don't drop like a limb when the going gets tough in a friends life.  Instead hold them up and help them to see that the sun will shine again.