Holy Hilarity Sunday

My husband likes to celebrate the Sunday after Easter with humor....a time to laugh at the devil.  It is called "Holy Hilarity Sunday" and when my cowboy preacher heard about it, he incorporated it into his sermon for the Sunday after Easter.  It is a service of jokes, a time to laugh with joy, celebrating Jesus victory over Satan.  Joel loves a good, clean joke.  He loves laughing at the devil.  He loves Easter. So Holy Hilarity Sunday is a good fit for him.  It is all done very appropriately and is combined with hymns and scriptures. His sermon is focused on our victory over Satan, and how we can laugh at the devil (not taunt him), We still need to be aware that he goes about like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour, but our God is bigger!

A couple of years ago, our oldest daughter and family gave Joel a T-shirt with these words on it.  "The Sermonater"  Of course it is taken from "The Terminator".  Joel wore it today, telling everyone that as the sermonater he is able to fight the devil and his lies with God's Word.. We all are.  Yes, the devil has no power over us when Jesus lives in us.

So have a Holy Hilarity Sunday everyone!  Laugh at the devil, rejoice over the victory we have because of Resurrection Sunday, and be filled with joy.  Victory is ours!

Delightful!

"Don't take a single day for granted.

Take delight

in each

 light-filled

day!"

Ecclesiastes 11:8

Our son and grandkids came for a short visit on Monday while our DIL was working.  Visits with our children are few and far between due to distance, busyness, and our health issues.  When one of our sweet families comes to visit, we are delighted!  We find ourselves smiling all day long and for days after. Catching up on hugs and chatting is such a joy.

In my Jesus Calling devotional today, which is written as if Jesus was talking, Jesus said he is blessed when we come into His presence.  That He is glorified when we delight in Him.  I pondered this wondering if I show delight in Him like I do with my children and grandchildren.  If my joy is expressed with those I love and care about, and I love the Lord ~ I need to express that love, not taking one single day for granted.  Taking pure delight in each Light(Jesus)filled day!

Just Stay Calm

"The Lord Himself will fight for you.  Just stay calm."

Exodus 14:14

As many of you know, the past couple of months have been rough for me.  A number of medical tests and procedures, stomach issues, and strong reactions to a treatment for Lyme put me back to a low level of health that I have not seen for several years.  This past week was especially challenging.  I realized how sick I was when both my doctors, who were going on vacation, gave me their cell numbers just in case.  One asked me to check in with her every two days. We are blessed to have very caring doctors! 

One night as I lay in bed tremoring, jerking with spasms, extremely weak, and struggling to get a full breath, I remember thinking, "I could die tonight.  I am so glad Joel is here with me, I don't want to die alone."  Treating Neurological Lyme Disease is a war with endless battles and many surprise attacks.  It is easy to become weary.  The above verse was one I learned a few weeks ago, and I took comfort in it that long night. 

Just stay calm.  It is not always easy to do.  Sometimes our circumstances warrant a fearful response.  Whether we are worried about finances, a loved one, or our own health, it is difficult to stay calm.  But it is not impossible.  Jesus is not only with us, but he fights for us. We are never left facing life's challenges on our own.

Take comfort today in knowing that whatever you are facing, enduring, or fighting, that God HIMSELF fights for you.  Just stay calm, friend.  Just stay calm.



Memorial Box Monday: "The Trip"

Memorial Box Monday was created by Linny over at A Place of Simplicity(http://www.aplaceofsimplicity.blogspot.com/). She keeps a memorial box filled with mementos reminding her of God's love and faithfulness. Each object in her box ( and mine) has a story to go with it. These stories of God's faithfulness support and carry us through life. The idea came from Joshua 4:1-9. You can read more about it at Linny's blog. Please go there and link up to share your own MBM posts, or read those of others.

Today I am going to write about the time our family went on a 4 week trip from Minnesota to Washington and back. We took 6 kids, ages 17- 7, and our dog, along with our pop-up camper, our clothes and food, and an extra tent. Our 9 passenger station wagon carried us and pulled our camper.

It was so unusual for us to be able to afford to go on a real vacation, that our children call this adventure "The Trip". Those two words immediately identify and bring fond memories to mind for us. We sold one of our vehicles just to be able to go. We had $1200 to spend for the whole month and knew it would be a challenge, but we also believed this trip was important and we could do it.

We visited friends and family, and also a parish we had served 3 years before. Sometimes we stayed in campgrounds, and other times we parked our camper in the driveway of those we were visiting! We toured a couple of colleges,too, as our oldest was going to be a Senior and was thinking about where she wanted to go.

We only dined "out" 3 times in the whole month, other wise buying our food at grocery stores and cooking them on our camper stove. Between those meals and the meals our friends graciously served us, we ate well!

This trip included wonderful fellowship and seeing several sights including Mount Rushmore, Devil's Tower, the Pacific ocean, and Seattle's Space Needle. We were able to see where I was born in Pasco Washington, and visit the Black Hills and Deadwood where I lived as a young child. The Trip was wonderful and having 6 kids of various ages did not seem to create a lot of sibling rivalry. We even came home without spending the whole $1200.

So, where is God's faithfulness is this story? Certainly the whole trip was a blessing, but the amazing goodness of God comes when we returned home, and through another unexpected source, we ended up receiving a check for $1200. The exact amount we took on the trip! God is full of surprises!

I think I will put the small travel journal I kept on this journey we took in 1985 in my Memorial Box to remind me not only of all the fun we had, but of how God provided the money we needed for the trip, and then replaced it when we came home! Amazing Grace!!

God's Pleasure

I am writing this on “Libby”, my laptop. Her full name is Liberty Laptop. It may be unusual to name your laptop, but, then, I guess I am an unusual person. I have named her Liberty because of the freedom she brings me. I can now sit in my recliner and look out my window while writing to my heart’s content or until my arms tire! I believe God has given me the desire to write, and having this laptop makes it easier to do so. I am so very grateful for this luxury.

It was just this past Thanksgiving that my daughter-in-law and son gave me~ Libby~ her “old” ~ all of 15 mo. old~ laptop. I was overcome by such a generous gift and still am. It has truly changed my life on a daily basis. I also remember when they were here what my son said about giving to others. Several of us were having a theological discussion and he mentioned that when he gives to others it makes him feel good and it used to bother him, until he realized that it makes his Heavenly Father happy and that is what he feels ~ his Father’s approval. I have thought about that many times since.

Today I was reading my Daily Guideposts and the subject of God’s approval came up again. Daniel Schantz was telling the story of Eric Liddell which is what the movie, “Chariots of Fire”, is based on. Eric’s sister felt his desire to run in races was frivolous since Eric had plans to be a missionary. His response was very interesting to me…”God made me for a purpose. He also made me fast. When I run I feel his pleasure.”

Daniel Schantz goes on to say about himself, “To do what God designed me to do is to feel his approval.”…..”To develop those gifts and use them for others is like a conduit for the power of God.”

We are created by God and each of us is unique. He has blessed us with a variety of gifts and when we use these gifts for God’s purpose and His glory, we do feel His pleasure ~ It makes God happy. When we open our hearts and give to others, we feel His pleasure. Do you give of yourself or of your resources to others? Are you a teacher? Do you fix cars for a living? Maybe like me you love to write…or your desire is to be a full time mom or dad….maybe you take care of a loved one who can’t take care of themselves. Whatever you are doing to develop and use the gifts God created specifically within you, it will fulfill His purpose for you and bring you joy. It will also honor Him and He will honor you. You will feel His pleasure!