Not How I Expected It To Happen

I don't know why but since the beginning of the year I just knew the time was coming. July 15th, 2010 started like most normal days other than the fact that Mom is here from Montana and my daughter from Oklahoma. My day did begin like normal. Upon getting up I did my study time and then posted the last part to my "Mercy" lesson on my blog. I continued with my morning routine of eating breakfast and letting Chico outside. During this time Chico gets his medication and breakfast too.

Shantelle & Mom were more with it. They were already done with their breakfasts and dressed for the day. So while I did my primping they took Chico for a walk. My primping time took a little longer than normal because I decided to trim my hair too. I didn't resurface with Mom & Shantelle until it was almost 10:30 in the morning.

By that time I had received several text messages from my sister. She was driving over from Minnesota to spend the day with us. Once she arrived we started our time together by going out to lunch. We all had such a good time eating and laughing. Mom said to Shantelle, her granddaughter, "I can't believe I raised these two!" It was her way of saying she had no control over us anymore. We were joking around so much. After lunch we did some serious shopping.......at second-hand stores. It's our kind of shopping.

When we returned back to the house my husband grilled hamburgers on the grill for our supper. We talked and laughed some more. Chico for some reason liked my sister's legs and kept licking her. He was always looking for someone to play tug with him. After doing dishes together in the kitchen my sister went back home. Kevin went out on visitation with my son. Mom & Shantelle claimed to be totally worn out. I made a trip to the grocery store and by the time I got back home the guys had returned from visitation and everyone was just talking.

As the day was winding down my son went back to his apartment. We had our family prayer time and then everyone proceeded to get ready for bed--all except me. I'm the night owl in the family. I started texting some messages back and forth with my other daughter. I really wasn't going to stay up late. Sometime after 10:00 pm I was turning off lights and double checking the doors to make sure they were locked. I had even started down the stairs to my bedroom. But preoccupied in my thoughts I turned around, went back to the living room. I turned on the light and sat down in my chair.

In that short expanse of time I hadn't realized that Chico had hopped up on my chair. I sat on him. He howled and cried in great pain and distress. It took quite some time to comfort him and calm him down. All the noise brought everyone else back out of bed. When I tried placing Chico down on the floor he couldn't walk--something was definitely wrong. So then we were off to an animal emergency center. An x-ray revealed his right leg bone was pulled out of it's hip socket. When the vet tried to pop it back into place it wouldn't stay. This told the vet there was extensive damage to the muscles and ligaments around the hip socket. We were told if we elected for surgery it would have been on another day with a specialist. My little buddy, Chico, was going on 14yrs old and showing little signs of his age. While the vets tried the first procedure of getting the leg in the hip socket. I prayed about it with God and I knew if it didn't work it would be time to let Chico go. But after receiving the report that the damage was more extensive it was still so very difficult to be saying, "Good-bye" when only a couple hours earlier he was pestering us to play with him. In a 2-second moment everything changed.

I know my Chico is only a dog but animal-lovers know how attached we get to them. The point in sharing this long rendition is you never know what the next moments will lead to. In my heart I knew my time with Chico was drawing to an end. But I never expected it to end in such an abrupt way. I never expected it to happen on such a good day. That is my whole point I guess--you never know, but God Knows! You never know, but God is right there to see you through when difficult decisions have to be made.

This whole thing was a reminder to me that life is short. When we don't know what the day is going to hold it is best when God is leading us. It was a reminder for me that relationships are important. I must watch the words I say and the things I do because I might not have an opportunity to apologize. Once a moment is spent it cannot be changed.

But What About Mercy --Part 3

We have been talking about the loving, mercy of God through chastening.

Chastening produces a test of a our faith. Will we begin to view life from God's perspective now that God has our attention? Or will we continue to go our own way? Can we see God in the picture now? And most important, will we submit to God now?

We are exhorted to let the chastisement to have its perfecting work in us so that we may be "perfect and entire, wanting nothing." --James 1"4

Without the consequences the human heart will continue to gamble on the outcome. We do not need to be removed from the unpleasantness of our problems. We need to experience the unpleasantness to help us change.

In Hebrews we are told that it is not a "joyous" experience. Rather it is "grievous" but it will produce the righteous fruit of godliness in the believer who is "exercised thereby." --Hebrews 12:11

To cut short the trial by removing the grievous consequences is to short-circuit the merciful effort of God to deliver us from our self-centered living.

Chastisement and consequences are part of the rebuke, correction and instruction in righteousness that equip us for usefulness in the future.

[Being chastened by God is difficult sometimes painful. But knowing God has a divine purpose can make it easier for us to submit and obey. We know God always has our good in mind. We can trust He is doing the best for us. It will help us to grow toward fruit of righteousness and to turn from living a self-centered life.]

--My thoughts along with excerpts taken from Jim Berg in Changed in His Image.

But What About Mercy --Part 2

[Yes, I know I said you wouldn't be seeing me for awhile, but part 2 for Mercy was just too good. I couldn't put it off.]

One of the merciful ways God extracts us from the power of sin in our life is to allow us to experience it consequences. Most times we do not recognize God's mercy through His chastening hand. Though it is sometimes painful--God is delivering us from a miserable end of our self-indulgent living. His purpose is to produce fruit of righteousness.

• "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? .....Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby." --Hebrews 12:6-7 & 11

[When I have felt God's chastening hand in my life I did not recognize it as His loving, mercy. I praise the Lord for wanting to better me and correct my life for a better path. I pray that my life would begin to show fruits of righteousness. Not self-righteousness our of my own flesh, but godly righteousness of God working through me.]

I ask for your patience

Some of you may be wondering what has happened to me. I am sorry I haven't had the time to post the things that have been on my heart. I promise you I will be back. I am getting company this week and I've been making plans for my mother's 80th birthday. We are combining a party/family reunion for 50+ people. I'll post as time allows. Otherwise you'll see me back at the end of the month, Lord willing. --Katie

But What About Mercy?

People are quick to point out, "God is merciful." And "Why can't you let him have a second chance?" The question comes from a misunderstanding of what mercy is. Unfortunately, there are those who believe that no one should suffer --ever!

God's mercy contains two elements:

1. An inward concern for the miserable plight of someone.
2. An outward action aimed at relieving that desparate condition even at great expense to the one relieving the suffering.

We see this kind of compassion in Christ as He responded to the various plights of people in the Gospels: the leper who needed to be healed; a widow's son who just died; a crowd of hungry people; two blind men who needed their sight restored. Christ's compassion always extended beyond their physical condition however to the greatest misery of all -- a soul bond by sin.

Christ challenged his disciples to reach the lost with the Gospel. We too must be moved with compassion when we wee the dire state of the condemned lost.

--Excerpts from "Changed in His Image" by Jim Berg.

[This is our biblical example of God's mercy toward the suffering needs of others and the lost soul that is condemned to hell already. If he does not trust Christ as his personal Saviour it says in John 3:18, "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." It is so important for us that we do our part in giving out the gospel. We may not always reap a lost soul to Christ. God says we are to plant and water with the seed of His Word. It is God's job to give the increase.

There is more to be considered on the subject of mercy that I will share next time.]

THINGS GOD WON'T ASK on that day.

1...God won't ask what kind of car you drove, He'll ask how many people you drove who didn't have transportation.

2...God won't ask the square footage of your house, He'll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.

3...God won't ask about the clothes you had in your closet, He'll ask how many you helped to clothe.

4...God won't ask what your highest salary was, He'll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.

5..God won't ask what your job title was, He'll ask if you performed your job to the best of your ability.

6...God won't ask how many friends you had, He'll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.

7...God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived, He'll ask how you treated your neighbors.

8...God won't ask about the color of your skin, He'll ask about the content of your character.

9...God won't ask why it took you so long to seek Salvation, He'll lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven, and not to the gates of Hell.

What Are Your Ratings --Part 3

Rate your example -- "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." -- 1Timothy 4:12

My example in "faith"

• Do I seem content with my present circumstances (not bitter, resentful, discontent)?
• Do I make my spiritual life a priority (setting saide time for personal devotions and church attendance)?
• Do I freely share with others what God is speaking to me about?
• Do I pray with them?
• 4 - Consistently True
• 3 - Generally True
• 2 - Occasionally True
• 1 - Seldom True

My example in "purity"

• Is my speech free from sensual, crude, or vulgar words?
• Are my entertainment choices (reading, viewing, and listening) free from sensuality and worldliness?
• Do I tactfully but decidedly address the sensual and worldly elements I see in my friends?
• 4 - Consistently True
• 3 - Generally True
• 2 - Occasionally True
• 1 - Seldom True

What Are Your Ratings -- Part 2

Rate your example -- "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." -- 1Timothy 4:12

My example in "charity"

• Do I make time for others--to listen to them, to be with them?
• Do I show concern for the disappointments and needs of others (compassionate)?
• Do I genuinely serve others rather than use and manipulate them?
• 4 - Consistently True
• 3 - Generally True
• 2 - Occasionally True
• 1 - Seldom True

My example in "spirit"

• Do I stay calm and stable under pressure and stress (not quickly angered or discouraged)
• Do I possess a sense of humor that makes me pleasant company but does not belittle others?
• Do I patiently listen before giving advice and taking action?
• 4 - Consistently True
• 3 - Generally True
• 2 - Occasionally True
• 1 - Seldom True