It's a Puzzle!

While adjusting to our new environment in Bismarck, one of the tools used during the time of transition was the assembling of a puzzle.  For me, it was therapeutic to focus my brain on the task of putting the pieces together when everything else in my life was somewhat of a jumble.  Over the course of the first week the picture gradually came together.


                          

 

                          

 

 

 

 

            

There is something so satisfying about completing a puzzle.  What starts as a pile of random pieces, slowly develops into a picture.  The process usually starts with finding the edge pieces.  Then, depending on the picture, you can focus on particular areas based on color.  Not all at once, but methodically over time the final product is revealed. 

For many years, while I was working, I took time on the weekends to write "Saturday Seeking" devotionals to send to family and friends.  I would look back on my week and seek to find something God was teaching me through my everyday experiences.  Even now, four years into retirement, I find myself looking for these "God Lessons" in the things I occupy my time with, and so it was the lessons in a puzzle started forming in my head.

When we are born, we find ourselves deposited on earth in the neat and tidy form of a baby.  This is what I would equate to the beginning pile of puzzle pieces.  Psalm 139 tells me "all the days planned for me were written in God's Book before one of them came to be".  And so it is, our "life story" has a unique picture in God's eyes, waiting to be assembled as the years go by.

The process of sorting out the edge pieces reminds me of verses in Acts 17:26-28.  These verses reveal God has a special time set for my life, and even the "bounds of habitation" (according to the King James Version) have been established.  Yes, the picture of my life has certain borders.  So far, my life has spanned 60 years and most of my bounds of habitation have been centered in North Dakota.

Each day of my life is like one of the puzzle pieces, waiting to find its proper place in the picture created over the course of my lifetime.  There are times, like this week-end, I try to make a "piece" fit which God has determined is not right according to His plan.  Since we have a few days off from the Legislature this week, we had talked about driving to South Dakota for a few days, and then stopping to pick up the grandkids, bringing them back to Crosby for an overnighter.  What happened instead was an attack by a "stomach bug" which left my husband in no shape for travel or grandkids.  I guess this is why James 4:13-15 is included in the Bible!

Come now, you who say,

“Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city,

spend a year there, carry on business, and make a profit.”

You do not even know what will happen tomorrow!

What is your life?  You are a mist that appears for a little while, and then vanishes.  Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.

It was disappointing to experience the change in plans, but who knows what God's purpose was in changing them.  Perhaps He saved us from experiencing a tragic car accident, or simply knew this was not a good time for the grandkids to be away from their parents.  When things don't go as planned, I have learned to trust my Heavenly Father knows best.

When will the picture of my life be complete?  Only God knows.  Until then, I will continue to allow Him to fill in the pieces and do my best to leave behind a picture He would be proud to display! 



Moose on the Loose!

Over the past several weeks we have had some interesting visitors in my hometown of Crosby, North Dakota.  The first sightings were near the edge of town, but it seems they are getting bolder.  They showed up in the park on Main Street and have been spotted in several people's yards.  Today I received word from a friend they had been visiting our house.  What exactly are "they"?  A pair of moose!

It seems their favorite thing to do is munch on the trees. . .and capture people's attention!  I've been told you should be cautious around moose, as they can become hostile and charge if caught off guard, so my biggest concern is for the onlookers safety.  And, of course, for the safety of the moose as they navigate the streets and cross paths with unsuspecting motorists.

As I pondered why these "creatures of the wild" are suddenly wandering the streets of our community, a certain passage in Isaiah came to mind:

The wolf will live with the lamb,

the leopard will lie down with the goat,

the calf and the lion and the yearling together;

and a little child will lead them.

The cow will feed with the bear,

Their young will lie down together,

and the lion will eat straw like the ox.

-Isaiah 11:6-7

If you read this passage in context, it is talking about a time when Jesus returns to rule the earth.  He brings with Him a new atmosphere of holiness which takes over and fills the earth with the knowledge of the Lord.  These verses don't specifically mention moose, but part of me wonders if we are approaching a time when God's peace will descend in a way which affects even the animals. Perhaps then even the human race could learn a lesson or two from the animals and get along!

"Lives Well Lived"

What a blessing it was today to attend the funeral of a husband and wife who passed away just 48 hours apart last week.  He was 89 and she was just short of her 88th birthday.  Our lives intersected during the nineteen years they served in a leadership position for the Assemblies of God in North Dakota, he as District Superintendent and she as his faithful helpmate.  Often they would travel the state, visiting the local churches and offering encouragement to the pastors and congregations alike.  Memories of them always include friendly smiles and a genuine interest in those they connected with.

Although I had little connection with their family in the past, it was amazing to see them come together and present a final tribute to the ones who started the legacy which will continue many years into the future.  With tremendous musical talents and times of sharing, the five children plus their families pulled together during a time of loss and left those of us attending with a wonderful overview of these two lives devoted to service in God's kingdom work.

Several pastors and representatives from the Bible College he once attended also participated and some of the words used to describe the couple included:

          -warm, witty and fun

          -could talk about Jesus like most people talk about the weather

          -home grown North Dakotan

          -salt and light

          -able to relate to anyone

          -called to share the light of Jesus

          -loved the ministry and all it involves

One person who had been asked to participate was unable to attend, but sent a tribute revolving around these things which were a part of the couple's legacy:

          L for Love

          E for Encouragement

          G for Gifts

          A for Action

          C for Compassion

          Y for YOU! [The ones they loved and prayed for to bring glory to their Savior]

It was especially touching to hear the memories shared and beautiful songs performed by family members.  You could certainly feel the great love they had for each other and there was no doubt the legacy left behind would be continuing on into future generations!

It seemed most fitting to end the service singing, "Great is Thy Faithfulness" and you can bet there was another message being relayed in the heavenlies as Jesus greeted them. . . "Well done, thou good and faithful servants!"

[written in loving tribute to Marcus and Elva Mae Bakke]

          

"BIG HOLE AHEAD"

Today, as I ventured down a side street in Bismarck, an unusual sign caught my attention in the boulevard.  It appeared to be homemade, with a message scrawled in freehand.  "BIG HOLE AHEAD" was the warning, and I was thankful to have been alerted so I could swerve and avoid what was indeed a big hole!

As I continued on, I found myself thinking, "Too bad life doesn't have big signs to warn us about impending disasters before we find ourselves stuck in the middle of them!"

Then it occurred to me. . . there may not be big signs, but God has given us His Word, which is full of warnings on what to avoid, as well as proper directions to steer us away from things which could be potentially harmful.  It even tells you how to get back on track once you've strayed.  Have you taken time to read it lately?

This year I have committed to reading through the Bible by following a program put out by Samaritan's Purse called "Prayer Point".  On a quarterly basis, a little guide is mailed out with suggested readings for each day, as well as areas to focus on in prayer.

The thing I appreciate about their Bible reading plan is it starts at seven different spots in the Bible, giving a wide variety of viewpoints throughout the week.  For example, this week I've read from Psalms on Sunday, Genesis Monday and today find myself in Judges.  Readings for the rest of the week will be found in the books of Job, Isaiah, Matthew and Romans.

Would you care to journey through the Bible with me?  Sign up today at https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/prayer-network/  for your own personal copy of Prayer Point.  Or simply dig right in and read as the Spirit leads . .there's something good for everyone!

What IS That Smell??

We're back in Crosby for another week-end away from our Bismarck duties with the North Dakota State Legislature.  Slowly, but surely, the daunting task of "putting away Christmas" is coming to an end, with most of the totes tucked away.  As work progressed today, however, there was a strange odor in our basement.  Try as I might, I couldn't figure out where the smell was coming from.

It seemed to be coming from somewhere in the TV room, but also was wafting into the storage room while boxes were being shuffled.  The smell was hard to pinpoint, but bordered on "something rotten".  What was it?

Then, with the Christmas things out of the way, I focused on what was left in the room and came across a pail full of empty pop cans.  Since our grandkid's school collects the rings from on top of the cans, I proceeded to carefully break each one off.  That's when the source of the smell came to light.

Last week-end as we watched the Super Bowl game, my husband had treated himself to some raw shrimp.  Apparently he felt an easy place to dispose of the tails was inside an empty Mt. Dew can.  This would have been fine if the can was immediately thrown away.  Instead, as it sat there over the course of a week, it left us with an odor I could have done without.  Lesson learned!

As I was thinking about the hidden culprit, a Scripture verse came to mind.  It comes at a point when Moses is talking to the Israelites about settling in the Promised Land:

But if you fail to do this, [drive out the enemies]

you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure

that your sin will find you out.

~Numbers 32:23

 

Yes, it seems even when we attempt to keep our sins hidden, they have a way of surfacing.  Perhaps today would be a good time to search out your life and dispose of any sin lurking in the shadows.  I'm so grateful for a Savior who stands ready to "clean up the mess" in our lives.  All He asks is we come to Him, pointing out the sin He already knows is there.  What a joy to know He freely forgives and removes the sins from our life "as far as the east is from the west". (Psalm 103:12)

The "I" in the Middle

It has been said there is one thing you can be certain of when categorizing sin. . .there will always be an "I" in the middle.  This can be seen literally on the written page, but also if you consider the kinds of things God classifies as sin.  Galatians 6:19-21 is one passage of scripture which outlines "acts of the sinful nature":

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious:

sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;

idolatry and witchcraft;

hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage,

selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy;

drunkenness, orgies, and the like.

 

If you were to summarize the above list, processing it into a common denominator, what you will find is they are things which are "self-focused".  "I want things my way!"  Whether you look at a list of the 10 Commandments originally given to Moses or focus on the words of Jesus as He summarized them into 2, keeping them points in an opposite direction, bringing glory to God.

 

Contemplating the "I" in the middle, I was caught by the two letters on either side.  It seems as if we have a choice in the direction we head, once we are made aware of the focus on "self".  To one side there is "S", which we could say represents "satan" and his pull in a negative direction.  On the other we find "N", a reminder of the words spoken by Jesus as He neared the end of His journey to the cross, "Not My will, but Thine".  (See Luke 22:42) 

 

Jesus saw the road ahead and knew it would not be a pleasant one.  He knew His Heavenly Father was asking Him to give up His life in a painful and agonizing death on the cross.  His "I" focus was, "I really don't want to do this!"  Yet we find a willingness to look past "self" and turn instead to His Heavenly Father's will. 

 

In contrast, let's look at the Fruit of the Spirit list found in the next verses of Galatians 6 (v. 22-23)

 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,

patience, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Against such things there is no law.

 

This list is compiled of attributes God desires to see in our lives.  They are ones which extend outward from us into the lives of others, reflecting God's divine nature as opposed to the sinful nature we are born into.  It is also interesting to note the last in the list of fruit is self-control, which seeks to put a lasso around the "I" in the middle and pull it, as Jesus did, toward pleasing our Heavenly Father.

 

Take time this week-end for a self evaluation.  What parts of your life are saying, "I want things my way, not God's!"  Perhaps you aren't even sure what God's ways are.  If this is the case, spend some time reading His Word and reacquaint yourself with His divine nature.  As the Holy Spirit convicts you of areas of sin in your life, ask God to forgive you and focus on doing things His way in the future.  It is the only route to true and lasting happiness!

 



Super Bowl Smiles!

Ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you football is not anywhere near the top of my priority list.  There is, however, a point at which I enjoy watching the game. . .when the New England Patriots make it to the Super Bowl.  Even then, it isn't so much about watching the game as it is watching my son watch the game!

First of all, you have to understand the history behind my son and the Patriots.  He was a Patriots fan in grade school, which was way before there was a Coach Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady.  He even had a Patriots parka during a time most people had to ask, "Who are the Patriots, anyway?" 

Never, however, has he been a "fair weather fan", changing his team allegiance due to any particular set of wins or losses.  He was simply a steady and loyal fan.  As he grew older, the loyalty didn't fade, but only grew stronger.  He is a man of few needs, but one who has just about everything "Patriots" you can find.  His sister scored big at Christmas when she found him a Patriots M&M dispenser, (complete with coordinating M&M's in the team colors and stamped with the logo).

Because of the intensity invested in watching any particular Patriots game, we chose to keep our Super Bowl party small. . .just my son, my husband and I.  Down the road, about an hour away, we knew there was another loyal Patriots fan watching, as our 9 year old grandson has followed in his uncle's footsteps in the team loyalty department.

A very touching part of the preliminaries was seeing President H. W. Bush and his beautiful wife, Barbara participate in the coin toss at the start of the game.

If you were watching, or have been listening to the media recount the highlights of the game, you will know things didn't start out good for the Patriots.  In no time their opponents had three and then four touchdowns under their belts, with only a three point field goal on their side of the scoreboard.  Needless to say, my son was getting nervous.  In fact, so was I!  For a time, in the third quarter, I chose to leave the TV room and hang out elsewhere.  Part of me thought, "What if I'm the jinx in this whole thing??"  [Like that had anything to do with it. . .but they did score some points before I returned for more of the action!  And our son said he changed to a different cap for the second half!!]

All I know is, the momentum changed.  Before we knew it, the game was tied and going into overtime for the first time in Super Bowl history.  And, as they say, the rest is just that. . .history.  Lots of records were set and the Patriots came out of it with lots of smiles on their faces.  Perhaps the win was even a bit sweeter because of the deficit they had to overcome to prevail as the winners.

Was I excited they won?  Well, yes!  But even more so, I was excited because I saw how happy it made my son. . .and I could only imagine how happy my grandson was!  [Would he even sleep tonight??]  It was a moment of history I will remember more for the joy I received second hand than what I experienced up front on my own.

Now, I should probably go check my son's blood pressure!!  : )

❤Be a Giving Heart!❤

Once a year here in North Dakota we are given a unique opportunity to be generous and get double for our money.  Thanks to three foundations hosting the event, (Dakota Medical Foundation, Impact Foundation and Alex Stern Family Foundation) donations made on "Giving Hearts Day" are matched for charities which have signed on to participate.  

Last year, on February 11, 2016, there were 37,109 donations made to 326 charities and causes, raising $8.3 million which then went to work doing things such as improving health, stocking pantry shelves for the hungry, providing shelter for the homeless, funding great arts performances, providing mentors for at-risk kids and, in countless other ways, making life richer for everyone in our region.

Checking in with the website to make our donations, it is apparent this incredible total will be surpassed this year, as we have already reached $8 million and the evening has just begun!  If you have not yet done so, take a few minutes and head on over to https://giving.impactgiveback.org and add your own donation to the growing total.  This year's goal is $10 million. . .come on NORTH DAKOTA, WE CAN DO IT!

If you need a few ideas, here is a list of some of our favorites:
     Williston Trinity Christian School (our grandchildren's school!)
     Adult and Teen Challenge (for recovery from drug and alcohol)
     Anne Carlsen Center (help for handicapped children)
     Gateway to Science (fun "hands on" learning center)
     Elijah's Truth (Christian Adoption)
     GiGi's Playhouse (Support for Down's Syndrome)
     Lillian and Coleman Taube Museum of Art