Ringing In The New Year!

Out with the old and in with the new is a common sentiment expressed as we begin any New Year. The implication being that it is a propitious time to redirect our path by letting go of some things from our past and developing a fresh approach for the future. (Ecclesiastes 3:6- A time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away). I'm going to break this concept down a little further into the realm of mind, body and spirit. Let's review this past year in the realm of these three parameters of our well-being: mind, body and spirit.

Mind: How are you doing emotionally? Are you happy or sad? Anxious or well-balanced? Depressed or coping with things well? Are you exercising your mind in any way? As we celebrate the beginning of a brand new year you should do a review of your emotions and be completely honest as to where your are at. After all, there is always room for improvement. If your are depressed, what is that about? Should you think about moving, getting a new job or breaking up with that boyfriend?  Do you need to stop letting people step all over you and think about setting some godly boundaries? The thing is, we paint ourselves into some corners and think there is no escape. That is simply not true. That leads us to depression and even anger. But, it doesn't have to be that way.

One thing to do in the new year is to stop being on emotional automatic. Instead, take time to reflect upon how you are acting, coping and feeling and catch yourself before you do the same old reaction pattern. That means instead of getting into the same old disagreements about money with a parent or spouse, stop yourself and ask what else you can do instead. Are you in an abusive pattern with someone and it goes from verbal or physical abuse, to breakup and then makeup over and over again? Do you have a pattern of drinking or drugging to cope with stress? Have you lost a few jobs over your angry outbursts? (Ephesians 4:26- In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry).

Are there any bad patterns in your life that you recognize and would like to change, such as choosing bad partners? Men who aren't emotional available, or who refuse to work. If the answer to any of the above questions is yes, it's time to wipe the slate clean! If you're saying to yourself New Years resolutions never work, that is exactly the self-talk that you must combat as you endeavor to contemplate new goals for this upcoming year. Start by taking some small steps. Just say no when a bad boy asks you out, walk out of a room when feeling the urge to have an angry outburst. Anger often covers up other feelings that we feel less comfortable expressing such as fear or powerlessness.

(Proverbs 28:13- whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy). It is better to admit what we are really feeling than to cover things up with obfuscations. Admit the cause of your depression instead of drinking that extra glass of wine. The Bible says that wine is a mocker and that means we will end up embarrassed by our overuse of it. Is it time to challenge ourselves intellectually? If the clock has struck midnight it is! So, what language are you going to start learning? What craft will you learn? What about taking a business seminar? Take a book out of your local library.

Body: Every year people sign up in droves for a gym membership in the month of January. As opposed to a mind or spirit makeover, people can easily look in the mirror and say I need a makeover now. Yet, many fail in their quest to loose weight or get in better shape. Again, don't be hard on yourself. Try some small steps. Drink some more water, add a fruit or vegetable to your diet slowly. Cut your dessert portion by 1/4 than alittle bit more some time later. Try to walk,or do a half-push-up.

Try to exercise outdoors if possible. God created trees, and a beautiful sky with birds. God looked at His creation and He said it was good. Shouldn't we too? Studies show that when you look at these things that you will have a greater calm and relaxation. Don't we all need that?

Spirit: Your body was meant to be a temple of the Holy Spirit. If we are not in relationship with God, something is missing. (Be still and know that I am God-Psalm 46:10). Take some time to reflect on the miracle of creation, who God is and what He has done through His son Jesus Christ. Make this a habit every day. Start reading the Bible in January. Start in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, and see God's plan unfold.

Begin to look for God's plan for your own life. He has one you know. Start working with God and not against Him. ( Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a stream in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland- Isaiah 43:18-19).

Christmas Message

Romans 1:1-4 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord

What does Christmas mean to you? How do you celebrate it? Over the years I have heard many answers to those questions. Family, traditions and gift-giving are central. Cooking and decorating come in a close second as to importance. What I have noticed is that all of the things that we do for Christmas go back in history to ancestral practices which pre-date Christianity. I had a really scary experience in Austria. Have you ever heard of Krampus? This half goat, devil man must win the award for the most pagan of all customs that has managed to merge into Christmas traditions. I feel that when you watch a parade with furry figures of Krampus in it, or send a Krampus card to someone, its pretty much spicing up Christmas with a little bit of a demon please. 

What about the Christmas tree? Over the years, I have spent a significant amount of time and energy devoted to having and decorating the perfect Christmas tree. This year, for the first time ever, I did not put up a tree. Sacrilege you say? Hold on a minute and let me explain. I made that decision for a few reasons. One is space. I happen to be storing some things for my church which cut down on available floor space. We don't want a fire hazard do we? Besides that, this year has been emotionally exhausting for me due to family problems. I do think it is important to be flexible and realistic each year as we contemplate the possibilities of Christmas. Some people were worried about me and shocked that I was not putting up a Christmas tree. A more manageable plan this year included putting up some garlands, wreaths, and  nativity sets around my home. I also have Christmas floral arrangements around the house and some mini lights displayed here and there.

As I walked around my house and I contemplated the meaning of my changed decorating habits I reminded myself that having a Christmas tree or the best lit house on the block doesn't have anything directly to do with remembering the birth of Jesus Christ. Although the Christmas tree seemed to be blessed by Martin Luther, and embaced by Queen Victoria doesn't it in fact go back to pre-Christian beliefs in tree spirits? Or doesn't my decor sound close to what the Romans did for Saturnalia? At the winter solstice the Romans decorated their homes with garlands, wreaths and gave out gifts. That is exactly what I am doing and I even do this the same time of year that the Romans did it.

Sometimes it is even hard to find time to contemplate the birth of Jesus amid all the running to and fro. The demands of the Christmas season varies from country to country but in general it seems like in addition to everything else that we have to do everyday that the season of Christmas brings a lot more work. Christmas plus final exams. Christmas plus end of year job requirements. Christmas plus all the other chores that we already  have to do. Does it sounds as if I am a Scrooge? I hope not. The Christmas season is a beautiful and joyful time. However it all came to this point of the way we celebrate it let's try not to exhaust ourselves or do things that would be ill-advised such as get into debt to buy gifts or drinking to excess. Also, remember that the expectations of the perfect Christmas makes many of us feel inadequate. Is our family experience as good as the person next door? Does our cooking or family holiday measure up?  A survey just done in the United States showed that the majority of Americans believe that we need more Jesus in Christmas.  If you are overwhelmed, discouraged or lonely this Christmas remember that God sent Jesus to be with you in your troubles and to give you hope and new direction. He didn't come to help perfect people in perfect families who live in perfect homes. He came to help those who could get real and realize that they are sinners in need of salvation. Keeping this in mind keeps everything in perspective.
Merry Real Christmas!

Allegory of the Missions Trip- Part 3

Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.- William Shakespeare.

Allegory of the Mission Trip- The story of Queen Esther

Intro: How is the story of Queen Esther like my missions trip? Does the story of Queen Esther remind you of any events in your own life as a Christian?  Let us contemplate these questions.

Queen Esther:
Intro: The story of the greatness of Queen Esther undoubtably casts her into the light of the hero who has greatness thrust upon them. Nowhere in the Bible story of Queen Esther do I see her either born or striving for a mighty role in the drama unfolding before her. Yet, when the time for greatness came she accepted the scepter of responsibility.

Setting: The Babylonian empire had laid siege upon the Jewish people and destroyed their capitol in the sixth century B.C. Many Jewish people were kidnapped and enslaved at that time and taken to live in Babylon. Some time after that, the Babylonian empire was itself defeated by the Medo-Persian empire. After this happened the Medo-Persians became the overlords of the Jewish communities living in exile. A Persian King eventually gave the Jewish people permission to return to Jerusalem and to rebuild that city.

Many Jews chose not to return to Jerusalem. They had grown accostumed to the life and culture of the place they now lived. Perhaps they were less religious or had grown prosperous in their new environs. Whatever the reason, this is the setting that the young Esther, (Hadassah) found herself in as we begin our story. She was a stranger in a strange land (Exodus 2:22), i.e. a subject of the Medo-Persian King Ahasuerus.

Up until the Jewish people established the state of Israel, they forever lived a life of insecurity and persecution. As a longtime exiled people they always formed a minority in the many countries in which they lived. Although they made important contributions to every country which they inhabited, they ended up hated and reviled none-the-less.

The ups and downs of life for the Jewish people can be seen very clearly in the story of Queen Esther (Esther 3:8). It is an exact template of all of the most heinous things which have ever happened to them. Yet, the finale of this story is one of the most hope-filled stories in the Bible.

Esther is an orphan child being raised by her cousin Mordecai (Esther 2:7). Mordecai represents the faithful remnant of Jewish believers in exile. He is watchful and protective of Esther and the Jewish community (Esther 2: 10-11). The dangers are many for the Jewish people. There is physical danger, as well as spiritual danger. God called his chosen people to be different than those around them. Could they continue to be spiritually strong and stay unified as God's people should be with so many temptations in a foreign land?

When our story begins we see that the goings on in the court of King Ahasuerus include drunkenness and demeaning behavior toward the King's wife Vashti. In what can only be described as a sadistic mindset, King Ahasuerus and his courtiers decide that Vashti must be dethroned and replaced by a new queen. Moreover, pretty quickly we see that one of the King's advisors Haman hates the Jewish people and is plotting an early version of a Holocaust.

Esther: We all live in an environment in which we must operate: at home, at school, at work or at church. Further, we must make decisions as to our responses to both the good and the evil we are confronted with every day. When challenges come, there is always a risk to us when we stand against it. When we rise to meet a challenge it is never convenient. It costs something.

The costs can be physical, emotional, or spiritual. They could be financial or effect our life in a multitude of ways. In the Bible, God often chooses the least likely individual for a divine role. It shows the possible for each of us to rise to a challenge, and it shows God's providence in the situation. Without Esther, all would have been lost. She was the person who played a pivotal role in saving those who were wrongly treated and in need of salvation.

Was there a Queen Esther on my trip, a Haman or King Ahasuerus? The answer is yes. The Spirit of Esther, Ahasuerus and Haman exists in all our lives and in various situations. It is up to us to recognize and follow God in those moments.  Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?- Esther 4:14b

Allegory of The MissionsTrip- Part 2

Intro:  Last week, in part 1 of my missions trip story, I explained that I am not at liberty to reveal the country nor details of what activities transpired as I traveled with my church to try and make a difference for children in need. Part of that mandate is easy for me. In my blog, The Confessions of a Westchester Christian Housewife, it is policy to change the names of people and certain identifying characteristics in order to maintain some anonymity.

This blog is a spiritual diary that I share with you, my friends, as we all try to cast a spiritual light on this life we live. To do that I have to give frank portrayals of things that have actually happened. It has been a spiritual lifesaver for me. So, how do I begin to express the depth of pain that I have touched upon in this my latest missions trip without giving some salient features of that trip? How do I do honor to all those whom I have met and honestly tell their story without certain details?

The answer that I have come up with, is to explore the world of the allegory. That secret world that writers have created to host ideas and lay out commentary. The allegory has kept the writer safe from persecution throughout the ages. The allegory is a deep dive by the reader into a topic, sort of a brain teaser of truth.

Today, I am exploring my inspiration from literature of one of the great allegorical writers of all time, Dostoyevsky. As I pulled our my old "dog-eared" copy of his book, The Brothers Karamazov, and started to re-read it; I realized that there were many parallels between things that I wished to express and what he captured in his novel of ideas and emotions.

Inspiration: The Brothers Karamazov-

They all came from the same father. Yet, no unity existed. It had been many years since they had all been together as a family, when Providence would bring them all back together in their small ancestral village of Skotoprigonevsk. This is the place that it all started for these men, it is the place they were all born. The Brothers Karamazov all had business to attend to, but no uniformity of purpose or vision for their families' future.

They all had somehow survived their wreckage of a childhood. Poor Dmitri's mother died and he was sent away by his father to live with other family members who would raise him. He eventually joined the military. There is a sort of metaphor that emerges when you contemplate the career paths of all three sons. Would Dmitri be strengthened enough in the military to stand up against his biggest foe, his father?

Would Ivan ever find the reason behind all that had happened in his family life through his philosophical and intellectual explorations or a path to God? What of Alyosha?  He was studying to become a monk under the spiritual Father Zosima. What a sharp contrast father Zosima is to his biological father Fyodor in every way. Is that the point?

These men were all quite different how would they ever come together as a family? What other situations exsisted for these brothers which would come to bear upon their situation. One such circumstance was about to come upon the scene. A situation exists in the way of a scene stealer : another brother will emerge.

Conclusion: The total outcome of any situation will equal the sum of its' participating parts. So, here we have our allegorical equation. The situation as envisioned by Dostoyevsky is dire. Evil exists and explodes in our lives and in the pages of this novel. It is huge too: lust, greed, narcissism, and even murder.

However, the theme of redemption beats ever present throughout this mess. There is light, truth, and grace, many of the characters in this novel are in a allegorical quest for this prize, like the medieval knights of old. Some of the characters are not!

Next week: Conclusion: Queen Esther and my Missions Trip

Allegory Of The Missions Trip- Part 1 of 3

I. Allegory:
1. a. The representation of abstract ideas or principles by characters, figures, or events in narrative, dramatic, or pictorial form.
    b. A story, picture, or play employing such representation. John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress and Herman Melville's Moby-Dick are allegories.

2. A symbolic representation: The blindfolded figure with scales is an allegory of justice. - fromThe Free Dictionary by Farlex

    

II. Why have I chosen to tell my missions trip story by means of an allegory?  Answer: Before and during this missions trip there emerged a cloud of secrecy. Something changed last year after the death of a man who was trusted and known in the country in which my church visits social orphans. Intra-cultural relations can get complicated. The desire of Jesus that we would all be one in Him has not reached fruition yet.

The people who took part in this years' missions trip were asked not to share details of our experience either with people we meet from the country that we visited or through online portals. Do I understand this all? No. I do know that it presents problems for a person such as myself who is exploring life and her Christian walk in a blog. So, I decided to explore the imagery and thoughts I had concerning  my trip through another means.

III. Some Images of My Trip: Inspired by the Snow Queen-The Kids Journey

There exists a land vast and cold which is ruled by a Queen of Snow. It is a kingdom of the heart created through generations of stone cold cruelty and neglect. The snow has accumulated in the hearts of those who are ruled by such principles.

If you go back far enough in the history of this kingdom, you might find some of the conjectured causes of it all. Some say it was a curse. Others say the devil himself was encased in a mirror and when that mirror got shattered, evil sin spread throughout this kingdom.

Another kingdom exists which for an equal amount of generations has lived according to another set of beliefs. Since time immemorial the fundamental differences between these two places have caused repeated conflicts.

Alexa and Alex grew up in this other place. This kingdom was filled with fun and wonderful childhood experiences. Kind words to uplift all. Playing with dolls and blocks. Having hot cocoa after going skating. Having someone read to you every night before you go to bed.

Alex and Alexa were the very best of friends. Friends who looked out for, and cared about what happened to each other. They were inseparable and perhaps, Alexa even thought one day she would marry Alex and live happily ever after. It's one of those childhood dreams. In the kingdom where Alex and Alexa lived, it was a safe and secure place to dream and plan your future.

The wind would blow and bring a Spirit of warmth and goodness to the Snow Queens's land. Sometimes, the opposite would happen and an icy cold blast would come to the place where Alex and Alexa lived. The wind blew where it would and brought change to those affected by it (one way or the other). One such case regarded the child Alex. One day, the cruel wind blew into Alex's home and his family became ill from its' effects. Suddenly, evil desecended upon his household and Alex was not shielded. His eyes beheld evil things and snow accumulated in his heart and made it cold. What had Alex done to deserve this? Absolutely nothing!!

Next Week: some images inspired by literature.

Notes On A Group Devotional

This Thursday, I am leaving with a group for a missions trip. Please keep me in your prayers. Each morning, after breakfast and before we start our day, we will do a devotional. Everyone is responsible for putting together one devotional for our group. Here are the notes of the devotional that I am preparing. Please note that when I refer to the death of the good King, I am also referencing the death of a key figure in this orphans ministry who recently passed away. This man was a mighty man of God who gave his all in the Lord's Service. He is hugely missed personally by us and by the children whom he served. In addition, how do we replace this pivotal figure in the Ministry?

Are We Ready To Serve?

Scripture Reading— Isaiah 6:1-9
1) In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2) Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3) And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” 4) At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. 5) “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” 6) Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7) With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” 8) Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” 9) He said, “Go and tell this people. (I’m going to stop there).

There is something about Chapter 6 of Isaiah which I couldn’t get out of my mind in the weeks leading up to this trip. There is something here for us as we embark on this mission to serve God, “Here I am Lord” and to “Go and tell the people.” Chapter 6 starts out announcing the death of a King. He was one of the good kings of Judah. His reign represented some sort of height in Israel’s history. The death of someone so important precedes the vision of Isaiah. Is anyone getting this?

A good king dies, a good leader goes home to be with the Lord and those left behind need a new vision to carry on. So, as the good king dies, Isaiah sees a vision of Gods’ holiness. Isaiah’s commission begins with a vision of Gods holiness. We have to reflect upon and know who God is before we are ready to say, “Here I am Lord.”

In this reading we learn that Isaiah is let into the inner sanctum of heaven. What happens next is truly amazing. He is utterly broken. He is like the good thief beside Jesus on the cross who sees a vision of holiness and knows it when he sees it.

Isaiah sees holiness, knows what it is and he completely gets the fact that beside God that he is a sinner. He knows that those around him are sinners too. So, before we can be ready to serve God, “Here I am Lord”. We have to be in touch with our sin nature.

The next thing that we see in verses 6 and 7 is that after this confession of sin, there is remission of sin. We need to go to God at this time confess our sin and cleanse ourselves as we ready ourselves for what God has for us today or in the future of this Ministry.

Prayer: Almighty God and Father, today I think anew of this vision of your holiness. I confess my unworthiness before your holy throne but I know that you have made a way for us to be worthy through the atoning death of Jesus Christ. We ask you to cleanse us and ready us to serve you Lord and we declare, “ here we are Lord to serve you.’
Amen.

Frenemies* ( Young Adult Edition)

Having good friendships are an important part of having a happy life. Yet, sometimes even though we want to be friends with someone, they don’t necessarily want to be friends with us. 


They keep giving us a hard time, they might even be bullying us. It might be that a person that we know does not wish to hang out with us when we are outside during the daily recess at school. They might talk about us behind our back (gossip). They may even steal from us when we are not looking.

It’s all very frustrating and may make us angry sometimes. Today, we are going to talk about the battles that we have with people sometimes and, some strategies for dealing with them.

As I said before, friendship is an important part of a having a happy life. Friendship is a blessing, but what about when it goes wrong? What should we do? Should we just handle it by going along with every feeling that we have? For example, if someone yells at me, I want to yell right back at them, but should I do that? Someone has pushed me or teased me, sometimes my natural inclination would be to just push them or tease them right back. Should I do that?

I’m not going to lie to you. It might feel good for a minute to do that. Sin often feels good for a minute. But, it won’t bring lasting happiness. It won’t help any of us to be our best nor to build a good future for ourselves. We will end up being like that person who was mean to us.

It reminds me of the story of King Saul and David. King Saul was the king of Israel about 3000 years ago, and David was just a young boy tending sheep in his fathers field. Their paths were about to collide and they would each face some choices. 

There was a time that King Saul had it all. He was given the opportunity by God to be the very first King of Israel. He was a great warrior and had Gods’ blessing in all that he did. But, as time went on his actions started to veer away from following God. He started doing things just because he felt like it, instead of doing things the way God wanted him to.

In time that would mean that God would take away the very special blessings that he had given King Saul and allow him to face the consequences of his actions. (The prophet Samuel spoke for God when he said, You have done a foolish thing, you have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you). God then placed that blessing upon the young shepherd boy David. 

This should have been a happy ending for David but it wasn’t, not quite yet anyway. King Saul sensed David’s growing strength and his coming greatness and he grew angry and jealous. ( 1 Samuel 18:12 says Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul.) Saul tried to hurt David. He used his power as the king of Israel to try and hunt David down and kill him. We always have a choice. We can use our power for good or for evil.

Well, anyway, David really wanted to be friends with King Saul. If you read this story in your bibles in the first book of Samuel you can see David tried to make friends with King Saul a number of times. He went out of his way to try to humble himself before Saul, and to show him respect, but King Saul would have none of it. 

Just like David, even when people aren’t nice to us, we need to try to make friends with them if possible. To reach out and try to end any disagreements that we may have with people in our life. The Bible shows us that even though David had to suffer because of King Saul, God protected him every step of the way. And, even though it took time, David won his battle with King Saul and was victorious. God does that for us today, when we obey Him and live the way He wants us to. It may take some time but God has a good plan for each and every one of us, just like he did with David.

The Bible tells us, “not to return evil for evil, but overcome evil with good.” In other words, we need to do what David did. Even though King Saul hated David and wanted to hurt him, David did not return those feelings and even spared him from harm two times when he had the chance to take revenge on Saul.

Here’s another lesson. There was a time in David’s battles with King Saul that he felt he needed to hide from Saul to stay safe. Well, I can tell you this, there were some girls in my high school that were not very nice. Although I kept the door of friendship open with them, they were just like King Saul and refused to meet me halfway. While I didn’t have to hide in a cave to escape their wrath like David did, I thought it best to steer clear of them whenever I could. 

However, one of these mean girls approached me one day and told me she was about to fail a math class. She asked me if I could tutor her. I did this as a job in high school. Well, I thought I can really have the upper hand now. I could really make her pay for teasing me. Instead, I felt a gentle sense of the Holy Spirit guiding me to know that was a very wrong approach and that instead, I should be kind in the situation. That girl just like king Saul, was doing whatever she thought best, and not what God thinks is best. A short time after I tutored her she asked me if she could cheat off my test exam. Of course, I said no. Cheating is not the right thing to do and God would not have blessed me for that. If I had cheated, I would have being veering off the path God has given us to follow.

To recap. Some lessons from the life of David.
   1.    Don’t just go along with everything you feel. Before you act, try to think of what Jesus would do.
   2.    Don’t forget God when things are going well, like King Saul did. Pray and learn what the Bible says about life and decide to follow it. Psalm 62, verses 1 and 2 has quoted David as saying, “My soul waits in silence for God only; from Him is my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.”
   3.    God sees us differently than people see us. A lot of people looked at young David and thought, he’s just a shepherd, or he’s too young. But, God sees into our hearts and he knew that David had a mighty faith and earnestly tried to be the best he could be for God.
   4.    Be patient and have faith like David. Sometimes, it takes a while for things to
 get better, even years for us to achieve our goals but remember that God is faithful. Eventually, David became one of the greatest Kings of Israel. Davids' last words should serve as an inspiration to us. He said, Be strong and of good courage; fear not or be dismayed; for the Lord, even my God will be with thee. He will not fail thee, til thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord-1 Chronicles 28:20.


*Notes: 
1.  Frenemies- American slang. A person in your life that you get along with and enjoy overall but, they will cut you down with virtually any opportunity. Roots for you to do good but not better than them. Jealousy involved.(Urban Dictionary)

The Boy I Can't Forget

It has been almost one year since I met a shy and introverted boy named Daniel* on a missions trip. I can still see his eyes which seemed to say so much to me. Things that his mouth could not utter nor his mind come to terms with. Life truths that a child is simply not yet equipped to fully understand.

Those truths instead can be acted out in many ways. These are just some of the things I saw on a trip that I might not be fully equipped myself to handle. Yet, as I write this, I am getting ready to go again to visit the same three group home/orphanages with my church.

After my last visit to these children in need, I had a lingering sense of depression hanging over me for awhile. I prayed about it and felt that I needed to do more for these children immediately. My church was supportive. So, they allowed me to do a fundraiser to raise money for a sewing center and start a knit class to make handknit scarves for 150 kids. Both ventures were successful beyond my wildest dreams, and the depression lifted.

So often the thing that helps depression the most is action. Action is often the hardest thing to effect when one is in the throes of such feelings. Let's all try to remember that when we get the blues the next time. The simple act of trying to do something rather than nothing is cathartic.  The old adage, it is better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness comes to mind. So, here I am again trying to light a candle and praying to ignite a flame in the hearts of these children and the staff of their orphanages for Christ.

One of the things that I bring to this trip is empathy for the brokenness of these children and the immediacy of their needs. I came from a truly broken family and so do these children. This is no time for soft-pedaling a spiritual message. I am resolved to teach as Jesus did, right where people need it most. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release from darkness to the prisoners.-Isaiah 61:1. These words from the book of Isaiah are the scriptural basis that Jesus used to announce His ministry at a synagogue he was teaching at.

What great meaning these words have for me as I prepare for this trip. This scripture passage serves as one of the focal points of my mission. It is a worthy and godly goal to heal broken hearts and to preach the gospel which has the power to transform lives. Even lives that seem broken beyond compare. Our Lord is the hope and redemption for all. Or as someone very sage once said, my Jesus He can fix it!

P.S. My blog is now listed in The Top 100 Christian Wife blogs for the United States on Feedspot. I pray that this exposure can help to touch people's hearts and minds and gently lead them to Jesus. I am happy that Christian blogs can be found in a listing such as this one. It is analogous to the old library card catalog of the past.

* the boys name has been changed.

Evil in the Suburbs

It has been almost five years since a six year old child died of a drug overdose in the Village of XXXXXX* in Westchester County, N.Y. The District Attorney, at the time, announced the indictment of the girls' mother in the fall of that year. It was a crazy case and a travesty of justice for poor little XXXXX XXXX*.

The travesty is her mother was enabled and is still enabled to get away with murder.  It is not that the legal system hadn't tried its' utmost to establish a case against her.  No, the travesty concerns how those around this poor child failed to act on her behalf to make sure that this mother did not have custody of this child.

When the case emerged, there was a complete lack of real journalistic coverage but lots of pandering. The local coverage included a piece about a eulogy given by the child's first grade teacher. The piece talked about how much her mother loved this dear child. This, after a highly suspicious story had already emerged concerning the child's death.  The quoted eulogy spent an inordinate amount of time in praise of the child's mother. The better eulogy would have been to keep the focus solely on the deceased first grader, and to comfort those who were obviously the injured parties.  Other coverage featured her lawyer talking about how we should be outraged over Ms. XXXXX's indictment, noting that this could happen to any of us.  After all, we all have medicine that our kids could accidentally get their hands on.  REALLY, any of us? The police indicated that the bedroom where the child died was strewn with alcohol, heroin,valium, and methadone.

For those of you not familiar with the story of how this small child's short life was ended by the negligence of her criminal, drug addicted mother, here it is.  On Easter of 2015, the baby daddy of this little girl came by to pick-up his daughter for visitation. The child and her mother lived with the grandfather in his home in the Village of XXXXXX, NY.  I don't know what grandpa was doing on that Easter but it wasn't spending that holiday morning enjoying time with his daughter and  granddaughter. He must have been so co-dependent with his daughter. that the events to come were inevitable. XXXXX and her mother were found unconscious in a bedroom when the child's father found them about 1 PM.

The mother had been a nurse whose license was revoked after two incidents.  One was for stealing some Demerol from a nursing home where she was employed.  The other incident involved driving impaired. It takes a lot of bravery to face the truth when a family member is a criminal, or when our ex is a drug addict.  It takes moral courage to face the neccesary steps to ensure that our child or grandchild is safe from any harm that a person like this might do. We must face the truth that is around us and act wisely. It will not be easy

The medical report showed how this little girl died after ingesting a fatal combination of Benadryl, morphine and diazepam (antidepressant).  Yet, the mother got no jail time. What a modern tragedy! What a shame on our community that the generation that thought they knew better than their parents produced a bunch of junkie children who do not know the difference between right and wrong.

*- No one has publicly discussed this case in any meaningful way. Privately, however, I have heard people fiercely debate the rights and wrongs of what happened. The Bible says, it is better that a millstone be placed around your neck than you hurt a little one. Drug addiction is a terrible blight upon a family and it cost the life of a sweet little girl. That should never have happenened, but there are many similar stories happening everyday. We need to act quickly in the defense of any helpless child that we know of in this situation. Do I care about the drug addict? Yes, of course. I hope that we can encourage people to get help for their problems. In the emergency room of life, we have to decide which patient to treat first. We must choose to help an innocent child first!

P.S. The mother spoken of in this case met her sad ending in a cheap motel in Westchester County, NY due to a drug overdose. Don't do drugs folks, please. Dear Lord, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Are You Sorry?

It seems to me the hardest thing in the world anyone has to do is to say that they are sorry for something. To apologize seems tantamount in many people's minds to being a loser. Don't admit to your husband you made a mistake or he will have the upper hand. Throw someone under the bus at work or you could get in trouble. By the time one becomes a teenager, they have learned not only not to apologize but, the art of placing blame on parents, teachers, or society. Speaking of society, it has created huge legal ramifications to admitting fault. Doctors in the Untied States for example, are terrified of getting caught in a mistake. What about admitting you did a crime in court and apologizing? Well, some people would rather lie and see if they can get away with a crime by using a crazy defense. Apologies only hesitatingly come when it could help reduce the time one would spend in jail. So, why would you do it, apologize that is?

Apologizing will have ramifications in our life. According to the New Oxford American Dictionary an apology is defined as a regretful acknowledgement of an offense or failure. We can see that the essence of apologizing is to admit a wrong and then to take responsibility for that wrong-doing. There will be consequences which can run the gamut from loosing a relationship, a job, or going to jail. But, most of the time we will not have so severe an outcome. Perhaps, we will be put on probabation. Maybe, our friend will forgive us and continue on as before.

However, apologies do embarrass us because they bring us the realization of our fallen humanity. We don't like that. We think ourselves better than we are and struggle to accept that we are sinners. But, what else could explain everything that you have seen in your own life or in the history of the world? The word sin comes from the lexicon of archery. It connotes missing the mark that you are aiming for. The fact is we sin against others and others sin against us.

Actually, we do it multiple times every day. We might miss the mark by flirting with someone even though we are dating someone else. In anger, we may have lashed out wrongfully at a child today. There are so many things that we can do wrong. The list of things is endless. Christianity reflects this reality when it showcases  an array of characters in the Bible and lists their wrongdoings. We see that some of them are sorry for what they have done and others are not. We have that choice of course. We can go through life flipping people off and deflecting responsibility taking. We can blame things on others, Adam did (Genesis 3:12-The man (Adam) said, "the woman you put here with me-she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.") and King Saul did it too. (1 Samuel 15:24- "Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned; I have indeed transgressed the command of the Lord and your words because I feared the people and listened to their voice." 

Or, we can follow God's lead and acknowledge our wrongdoings and ask Him and others for forgiveness. Jesus says in Luke 5:32- I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." I can definitely say at this point in my life, that I wished I could go back and say I'm sorry to some people for some things that I did. Don't you feel that way too? Some things seemed really important at the time but don't matter at all to me now. Some people that I loved passed away without reconciliation occurring. It's a real tragedy when that happens.

The Bible even goes so far as to encourage us to communicate our feelings to someone when they have hurt us. It encourages us to be patient in the forgiveness process as well. So watch yourselves."If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying I repent,' you must forgive them."-Luke 17:3-4

A relationship in good standing with God and one another is contingent upon repentance and forgiveness. What relationship is not touched by the need for repentance and the seeking of forgiveness? Many people who don't feel the need to apologize often end up alone with only their pride to comfort them. What cold comfort that is. Revelation 2:5-Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

Burning What?

Elena* just hasn't been the same since her separation from Adelmo.* Something seemed to go out of her when he left her. Or maybe I should say something's gotten into her! Elena was never the domestic type but, when she met Adelmo she seemed to try. Settling into a marriage and parenthood seemed to calm her down a lot from her wild child past.

Elena, who is half German and half Hungarian, struggled with her Germaness from the beginning. She felt much more at home when visiting her family in Hungary. She related more to the Slavic experience and cultural happenings. She had a great job however, which kept her in Germany most of the time.

She seemed to just be going though the motions of life when she met Adelmo. Chosen to attend a business conference from her department, she expected this to be another boring business meeting. But something was different as she exited the elevator after arriving at her destination. The delicious aroma of food wafted through the air and served as invisible bread crumbs leading her to that meeting.

This lunch meeting was catered by a cook from Brazil named Adelmo. Her first introduction to Brazilian cuisine left her wanting more and I don't just mean the food. Adelmo was gracious and kind as he explained the Brazilian meal to the conference attendees. The attraction between them was mutual and immediate. It lead to marriage and a family and Elena was never happier.

In some ways Adelmo was the polar opposite of Elena. He loved home and hearth and he taught her to see the joys of domestic life. He also had a very different past than Elena. As I described before, Elena had kind of a wild past. She use to stay out all night dancing, there was the men and some of them married. Adelmo's past was pretty tame in comparison. He was a bit of a momma's boy, who enjoyed time with friends and family and didn't stay out partying.

He was also quite a bit younger than Elena. Some say that she was a mother substitute for him, others say that she was on the immature side and was mentally more his age. The marriage lasted ten years. Adelmo surprised her when he suddenly moved out of their apartment, but it had been coming on for a long time. When this separation and divorce got underway, Elena lost the stabilizing influence of  Adelmo and began to go back to some of her old ways.

It was hard for me to see this because I felt that her life had been going in the right direction. I was worried that she just might go back to some of her previous destructive habits. There was a lot at stake now. She had a son who needed her to be a good role model, and she was not as young as she used to be.

My worst fears were realized and before long she had joined a salsa club and was dating a man even younger than Adelmo. She was focused on her beauty, meeting men and having a good time. There was a definite return to immature patterns that had existed in her past. But, nothing prepared me for what came next!

I used to look forward to seeing Elena once or twice a year when I visited Germany. Now, my focus centered on how I could be a blessing to her. As a Christian, we are called to plant seeds of wisdom and offer godly counsel at times such as this. We met in Berlin at Café im Literaturhaus. I love that place!

I inquired how her son was dealing with the impending divorce. What I learned was disheartening. Her son's performance at school was suffering. The teachers had met with her a few times to discuss a strategy to fix things. Her reaction to this seemed to indicate that she was dealing with this problem by buying more things for her son and planning a vacation for the two of them as well.

As I started to fire off a litany of  books that I would recommend which might shed some light on the situation, I started to see that I was getting no support from Elena. She seemed to continue on with ways to comfort her son which seemed to focus in on gift-giving. "Oh Elena," I said "we all want to spoil our kids and make them feel special when life throws them curveballs but often that doesn't help and furthermore it might actually hurt them."

"But, I want to focus on good times ahead and new experiences." With this she pulled out her phone to show me the latest photos of their alpine ski vacation. The smiling selfies were endless. The appearance of happiness, rather than actual happiness. Not to put too fine of a point to it, but he even broke his arm on the trip.  Her attempts to mitigate her family crisis seemed doomed to failure.

Would she learn the lesson, I hoped so, but then she dropped the bombshell. "I am already planning a trip to The United States for Max's* high school graduation. We will rent a trailer and drive the pacific coast highway before visiting the desert southwest. Have you and your husband every heard of burning man?" 

"Yes, of course we have. I just read an article about it in the New York Post." She continued, "would you ever consider going?" "Elena," I explained, "you know that my husband and I are Christians right? The whole burning man event is in direct opposition to all that we believe. I don't think it is someplace to take your high school senior to either."

Elena seemed unprepared for what I had just said, and focused instead on the artistic and cultural importance of this event. I could not believe what I was hearing! "Elena" I said, "you have been sadly mislead. This desert event is a cultic, pagan gathering. It is dangerous not just physically but more than anything spiritually."

"Let's start with the name Elena. The name Burning Man immediately brings to mind the ancient Druid Wicker Man. The artists who gathered thirty years ago who created the ten day Burning Man event may have thought they were creating something new but, upon careful perusal it is clear that Burning Man is nothing more than a re-hashing of many ancient pagan practices."

"The Ancient practices of the Druids included having a ritual straw and wooden figure built yearly. After the figure was erected, the annual festival ensued; which included sex with Druid priestesses, dancing, drinking and ultimately culminated in the burning of that figurine. Much of what we know of this ancient practice is clouded by the sands of time. Was there human sacrifice? Some ancient sources suggest that."

"We can also favorably compare Burning Man to the rites that occurred during the polytheistic Greek and Roman festitvals of the past. The image of Gaia, the Ancient Greek earth goddess has figured prominently in Burning Man events, one way or the other. The concept of inebriation always figures into paganism too. So, the drinking and drugs of burning man is right in line with what occurred at the Bacchanalian feasts of Rome or at the temples of Zeus, Athena, or Aphrodite. Speaking of Aphrodite the goddess of love, how can we say the orgies occurring every year at Burning Man are any different from the sexual practices occurring at the Temple of Aphrodite? We can't."

Many celebrities, so-called intellectuals and tech gurus consider attendance at this loathsome event de rigeur. The elitist status given to Burning Man points to our civilization burning, not to artistic achievement. It helps explain why our loved ones such as Elena would consider taking their impressionable young men to an orgy dome. Yes, you heard that right orgy dome. It is nothing that hasn't been done before. People following like sheep the dictates of intellectual and trending falsities rather than cleaving to that which is wholesome and holy. I only hope that I was able to point Elena in the right direction. The one true direction that there is, Jesus Christ!





* the names and a few minor facts were changed but the story is real.

Are Ghosts Real?

Westchester County is a very old and storied part of New York State. It' s earliest inhabitants were the Lenape followed by the Dutch, and then the British. Westchester was home for a time to General George Washington when he established a military headquarters in the War of Independence against the British in White Plains, New York. Furthermore, due to the counties' close proximity to New York City, Westchester County also figured prominently in the history of New York and by extension the history of the whole United States.

Many homes still exist in the region which tell the story of New York life in all its' historic context. There is the restored early Dutch settlement at Philipsburg Manor. The modest home of revolutionary war firebrand, Thomas Paine and the home of author Washington Irving, whose most famous writings include The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle. Over the years, I have enjoyed visiting many of the historic homes of the Hudson River Valley.

One of them, the Armour-Stiner house has only recently been open for public tours. I was very keen to view this mid-nineteenth Century home which was built in the shape of an octagon. It's unusual shape was influenced by the writer Orson Squire Fowler whose book extolled the virtue of building octagonal structures. His philosophical point of view effected a mini fad of sorts which resulted in thousands of octagonal buildings being constructed in the United States and Canada. Today, only eighty such structures are left in the U.S. After forty years of exhaustive research and labor the Amour-Stiner house has been faithfully restored to its' former glory. When I heard that it had finally become opened to the public, I signed up for a curated tour.

I knew I was in for a spiritual bumpy ride as soon as I began my tour. It was then that the docent informed us that the Armour-Stiner building was based upon the design of Donato Bramante's Roman Temple (1502). She showed us photos of the two buildings side-by-side and the resemblance was astounding. The Roman Temple was built for good she said, while this building not so much! It was built for pleasure. I don't know what anyone else on the tour thought about that statement but I was shocked and intrigued at the same time. Not to mention the fact that I wasn't sure the Roman temples were built for good either. Didn't some questionable practices occur in them? What did she mean by her statement? Heaven only knows that I was about to find out!

I forgot my initial thoughts as we started to delve into the history and renovation of this amazing house. Many interesting people have lived in the home. One of them, Joseph Stiner was a very successful retail tea merchant. At one time he had seventy-six tea /coffee establishments in Brooklyn and Manhattan. He might have been the first person to start a chain store. The current owner is from a family of architects who took an interest in bringing this home back to its original state. This involved analyzing paint chips and doing historical research to ensure an accurate presentation. The furniture and lighting fixtures were all original to the house having somehow miraculously been kept in storage all these years. He did a great job because I felt like I was back in 1872.

But, there is one thing that I forgot. Whenever you have old homes or buildings there are almost always ghost stories associated with them. This home was no different. When we got to the third floor of the structure, we found ourselves in a room with a crystal ball smack dab in the middle of it. When I had to go to the bathroom later, I also noted that there was a Quiji board in the basement.

In the third floor room the docent reminded us that when this house was built seances were all the rage. The United States had just been through a devastating civil war. Many people lost loved ones and in the search for answers some sought to contact those they lost so suddenly through occult practices.

The paranormal did not stop there. The docent also told us the story of a young couple who married despite parental disapproval only to loose their life shortly afterwards in a steamboat accident. It is said that the young wife manifests herself in that third floor room to this day. For the second time on this tour I wondered what people thought of that comment.

Do the dead come back as ghosts? Can they communicate with us through a person, a crystal ball or by other means? Did anything happen at the Armour-Stiner home, or is it all just an entertaining tour story? Can viewing the events manifested at this home through the lens of Christianity shed some light on the topic?

First, I would like to note that many reliable witnesses have reported unusual occurances in this house. Therefore, I do think something happened. But, was it a ghost or something else? The Bible describes both a physical and a spiritual realm of existence. When God prepared the Jewish people to enter the land of Canaan, which He had given them, there was one very ugly fact facing them.  Deuteronomy 18:9-11- When you enter the land (Canaan) the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft or cast spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.

God informed them that the place they were going was a ceaspool of evil. He warned them not to get caught up in the evil goings-on or to emulate that behavior. The more I see of life, the more I see God's immense wisdom. We all reach our own land of Canaan and it is critically important to access the situation before we get into trouble. When we face a challenge we should start by deciding to follow God in whatever struggle that we are facing. Luckily, we don't have to face anything alone. We have God, the Bible and one another. From age to age the occult beckons and calls people towards its' practice.

This was true in biblical times as we can see from the above scripture passage, it was true in the mid-nineteenth century as we can see from the historical record, and it is true now. To continue, some of the practices in the Armour-Stiner house are the exact practices God cautions against in Deuteronomy 18. That was a no-no. Next, were the manifestations in the house that of the womens' ghost? For that answer, I would like to reflect upon the story of Lazarus and the Rich Man which Jesus told in Luke 16.

Going to Luke 16:26 we learn that no matter how much the rich man wants to come back to the earth after his death that he can not.  Between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us. Jesus pretty much set the record straight on ghosts, they do not exist! So, if it is not a ghost, what is really happening in a ghostly manifestation? While ghosts are not real, the work of the devil is.

Satan has the power to lie to people when they are in a vulnerable state and convince them they they are talking to a dearly departed loved one. What an awful thing to do to one dealing with grief and in need of real comfort.  But, that's just who Satan is, and that is why God told us not to have anything to do with practices that can summon him.

Speaking of practices that summon him, remember that Quiji board that I saw in the basement? Well, that and the crystal ball are part of the origins of many ghostly happenstances. That is why God is so adamant about telling us not to do these things. The good news is that God empowers the believer not to be afraid of such things. They have no power to hurt a spirit-filled believer in God. Satan is a defeated foe whose days are numbered. So remember, ghosts are not real!

Out Of Control

My recent blog post In Control begs a counterpart entitled Out Of Control. After all, for as many people who are control freaks, we could probably find an equal quantity of people who are Out Of Control. In fact, many social commentators speculate that we are moving in that direction. This would mirror a law of physics, i.e. the law of entropy. Entropy is that tendency of the universe to move from an organized phase to an unorganized phase. Could this be happening societally as well?

In preparation for writing this post, I perused the morning news. With more than abundant data from around the world to justify the choice of my weekly musings, I was bowled over by the number of articles with the words anarchy, chaos, and disorderly conduct in their titles. A plane in Mallorca, a plane in China, anarchy in cities all over the globe. Chaos seems to be just beneath the surface everywhere.

All of this points to moral collapse. People no longer have a moral code that is conducive to smoothly running homes, or societies (and apparently airplanes). We often don't agree on standards of conduct in an office, in a restaurant, or in our community.

Agreement is essential to anything running smoothly. Agreement in a town and among its' residences regarding beauty helps to create a nice environment to do business and raise one's children in. Agreeing on just when you should lower your music at a house party or when you should shut off the backyard flood light and stop playing basketball can help build good neighbor relationships.

Out Of Control seems to be the new normal. The tolerance the world has for bad behavior has been getting higher and higher until we have reached a point where we justify it. Agreement is the key to why this is happening. When we agree that "I'm okay, you're okay" without any examination of the facts, anything goes. When we agree, that what's good for me, is not necessarily good for you, we are in agreement with chaos.

1 John 3:4 gives an excellent description of this, it declares that "All sin is lawlessness." So, where sin exists, we see the breakdown of order. All order or lack of order in our life comes from what we decide is the truth. A long time ago, God declared and taught the truth to a small group of people in a remote desert. He chose these people for a pivotal mission that would benefit all of mankind. He told them just what the truth was and He established and declared what is right and wrong. God did not ask these people to take a vote.

This one and only true God, had already given his credentials to this small Semitic tribe. He told them that He created the universe and them. He told them He has always existed and always would. After promising that He would raise this rag-tag group up to more than they could ever be, He delivered on those promises and then some. He delivered them out of an oppressive situation by supernatural means.

Then, at the moment that He deemed correct, He entrusted to them one of the most precious gifts that has ever been bestowed upon humanity, i.e. the perfect formula for how we should live. That gift was the Ten Commandmemts. How badly we have treated this precious gift. It is exactly what Adam and Eve choose to do with the beautiful gift of perfect unity with God.

The Bible is, among other things, a vast commentary on these Ten Commandments. A commentary that is sublimely rich with meaning for our daily lives. The Bible is like a mine. You have to dig down to get the precious wisdom that you seek, but it is all there, and we have never needed it more than now!

Today, I saw crazy all around me. The way people are living makes no sense. People would rather take a picture of you bleeding on the street than help you to stop the bleeding or call an ambulance. Parents act as immature as their children in this youth obsessed culture. People would rather rescue an animal than take in a child who needs to be adopted. Senior citizens are unloved and neglected. It all amounts to anarchy and rebellion against God.

The moral law comes from God above and until we as individuals humble ourselves to see that, our life and our culture will continue to spin Out Of Control. The first step to change is to take a look at the way we do things. The premises and the conclusions that we take for granted go a long way to explaining why people are stuck in crazy cycles.

Do you really have to go drinking every Friday night? Do you have to do things because "everyone else does it ?" Are you Out Of Control with shopping? With tattoos? With your food? There are so many ways that our lives can get Out Of Control. 

The next step is a conscious decision to separate from any bad influences in our life. Sometimes, that includes a friend or someone that we are dating. While this is painful, it is necessary.
1 Corinthians 15:33 tells us "Do not be misled : bad company corrupts good character." Furthermore, 2 Corinthians 6:17 states 'Therefore, "come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." These two verses tell us that as we step away from corrupt and sinful paths that we will have access and relationship with God. It leaves no doubt in my mind that there is some sort of spiritual rip tide that we are constantly going to have to negotiate if we want to stay a float with God.

In Control

People with control issues are all around us. They could be a brother or sister, a boss or co-worker. It could be us! The quest to be in control can be subtle, or overt. It can be a successful move, or fail to complete its' goals. It can leave you feeling hit over the head or asking, what just happened? 

Being In Control is an inborn trait. It seems like every newborn baby uses its ability to cry loudly to interject into its' world in an effort to get its needs met. The baby has such talent that a smile or giggle can completely dominate and captivate a room full of people whether in-person or by way of a story.

Such power does the newborn engender that handling them is a billion dollar business. We are born wanting to dominate, and parents are desperate to find a way to create harmony when a new baby comes home. By all appearances, babies need and want to be the center of our world. Babies are a gift from heaven but they are a lot of work and no one wants them to stay that way forever. But, some people never get over those early crying fits or still use temper tantrums to get people to do what they want. I hate it when I am next in line at a store when some loud and rude person just jumps the line and the sales-person won't tell them to wait their turn. Yes, we all have to cope every day with people who have control issues.

It can be ridiculous stuff like a friend I had who never wanted to let me choose the movie that we would go to see. At first, it didn't bother me but, after a while it seemed unfair. When I asked her about seeing something besides science-fiction she told me that she wasn't interested in seeing a stupid romantic comedy. She was very hard on men she dated too. She would tell them what to do, what to wear and even tried to run their careers! Melissa's* controlling ways left her wondering why none of her relationships ever seemed to work out.

Selfish behavior and control issues seem to go hand-in-hand. Consider that person in line in front of me. Her tantrum tactic seemed to get her the attention that she wanted. But, how selfish to just ignore the long line of people ahead of her. This same behavior is often seen when there is a problem in one lane of a highway. Some people will use whatever means necessary to cut everyone in line in their quest to not wait their turn. Me first, me first seems to be their motto.

What about the controlling family member who never likes anything you say or do. They don't ever like what you cook or how you clean. This is merely a way of controlling you and keeping you in your place. Same with that boss who never complements you or gives you credit for your work. It's not you, believe me. Controlling people learn an array of clever tactics to make things run just the way they want them to. There's the mother-in-law who makes you feel as if you can't cook or the father who never thinks your grades are good enough. At work, they get all the credit for your work, or they leave you unsure if you should ask for a raise.

Biblically speaking this is all wrong. We are called to battle our baser tendencies. We need to try to see our faults, and pray and ask God to help us to overcome them. The Apostle Paul, was an amazing man of God. He dealt with a problem which he labeled, the thorn in his side. (2 Corinthians 12:7 (NLT)- even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud). At some point, Paul seems to have come to understand that were it not for this problem, he might think he was better than everyone else. In His infinite wisdom, perhaps God placed in his creation some inperfections so that none of us could say we're perfect.

We all have gifts which God has given us, but they are meant to be used in conjunction with the gifts that God has given others. Some married couples seems to be lost in a continual fight to be in control. This is an exercise in futility and it is awful to watch. These couples are missing something crucial. God made partners to work together, with talents that complement each other. Office sabotage weakens and diminishes every work environment. Church also must contend with controlling individuals who must not really understand the concept of working together as a body of Christ. Sadly, this hurts opportunities for working towards godly goals.

In my experience, the only way to deal with controling individuals is to stand up to them. Otherwise, you will find yourself being treated unfairly and be part of the system that allows that person to think what they are doing is okay. We all have a dominion in which we have some control. That is the correct area where our gifts and the area where we are suited to have responsibility are exercised. When we have the mistaken notion that (for example) we need to be in charge of our office and we are not a naturally gifted manager, we see chaos ensue. I have seen individuals who are certain they should be a Bible-study teacher or told that they should be a Pastor even after it is clear God has gifted and directed them towards another ministry.

As I go about my week, I reflect upon what happens when the wrong people are in charge. When someone controls the household money who should not be in charge, families face financial ruin. I notice that the wrong person was in charge of a recent village construction job and it was done incorrectly. I think about all this and I resolve to operate in my strengths and appreciate others who can do those things that I am not quite suited for and to be grateful for their contributions. I choose to make an effort to remember everyday that God is in control and that His Son Jesus is the Savior of the world and that puts everything into perfect perspective!






* names are changed the story is not.

A Little Magic? (Part 2)

I started to be aware of all the occult practices infiltrating my community recently (A Little Magic? -Part 1). Is a village apothecary merely dispensing healthy tinctures and remedies? Is a simple cultural field trip a portal to evil?* These are just some of the questions that I began to ask myself this week.

Am I being melodramatic or does the Word of God support such conjecture? Let's explore that. When an old business leaves town and a new one takes its' place in a small subarban community there is more than a little excitement. In fact, it is the talk of the town and everyone can't wait to take a look inside. Initial reports around town, were that a good renovation had been done giving a much needed facelift to a rundown storefront.

Many thought an holistic alternative medicine business would be a welcomed addition to the downtown area. Perhaps, I could get an all natural bug repellent or a real herbal shampoo. Seeking healthier products rather than the chemical alternatives is a good idea. Looking at the business website did indeed reinforce the well-made and healthy nature of their product line. But, it also uncovered some surprising spiritual underpinnings. Oh no, here we go again!

It is like some spiritual gauntlet has been thrown down here in Westchester County, New York! The Bible talks about spiritual battles and makes it clear that we have to choose what side of the war zone that we are on. One of the themes in the Holy Scriptures that recurs regards witchcraft, demons and evil. It tells us to watch out for that stuff and stay completely away.

It started in the Garden of Eden. It was not that long after the creation of mankind that we encounter the first story of the devil and his evil tricks. After Adam and Eve were created, God instructed them in how to stay close to Him and avoid evil. They were instructed to not eat the fruit of a certain tree. Doesn't it always come down to not partaking of something? We can't do everything that we want.

Yet, that is one of the things Satan continually puts in our head. Why not? Why not eat the fruit? Why not overcharge that customer, they'll never miss that money? The ends justify the means. Yet, looking at the Bible we see story after story of people doing just what God tells them not to do and it never brings them the happiness they are looking for and it always brings unforeseen consequences.

These unforeseen consequences will arise when you go for that medicinal Reiki treatment or when you seek to ease your mind over a troubled marriage through a tarot card reading. I say consequences which is in the plural because there are many things which get set in motion after a little dabbling in the occult. The first thing could be the loss of money to a charlatan.  Some people who pull out cards or say that healing energy will stream through their hands and flow through you are outright liars. Some of them have chosen to make their living by fleecing others of their hard-earned money. They might be good at reading people's subtle voice or body language signals. This might enable them to sense what people are thinking or what they want to hear.

As bad as this it, it does not equal the possibility that you have unwittingly been doing business with the evil one and his minions. Oh yes my friends, the occult is real.  In Deuteronomy 18:9-11 God explains that before they are to enter the Promised Land they should be aware of certain temptations. God never wants us to be ignorant. So, just like He told Adam and Eve not to eat certain fruit, He instructs His chosen people thusly: when you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. God would never warn us not to do something if it was not real! I learned this lesson the hard way and I am not going to make the same mistake again.

In the past, I was curious about tarot cards and psychics. I wanted to have certainty about the future. I wanted help to make diffucult decisions. I already knew about God and yet chose to do exactly what I knew I shouldn't. Sometimes, we feel scared and alone even though he promised never to leave us or forsake us. Other times we are impatient even though we are told to add virtue to our faith and patience is indeed a virtue. Or sometimes, we treat God as if He is some earthly doctor and we just want a second opinion.

My first occult experience occurred when I was in high school. I had already been primed to look to the occult for guidance in my family setting. By the time I attended high school, my parents were divorced and my mother and sister had both looked to horoscopes, voodoo and the Quiji board for wisdom á la Garden of Eden.

After my dad left, my mother's more lenient approaches prevailed and there was chaos in my house. The Bible says that rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and I believe that principle lay at the core of my families' dilemma at that point. So, when a trusted friend Mary asked me to do the Quiji board with her one day after school, I knew I shouldn't but I said yes anyway.

Mary was one of the smartest girls that I knew in high school. She was not drinking or doing drugs and we were both trying to work through our divorced kid issues. One day after school Mary said she had a secret about the real reason that she and her mother had left Columbia and came to the United States. She told me there was questions that she had concerning what had happened. She could not go to her mother so she wanted to go to the Quiji board instead. She begged me to help her find some answers and after arguing a little, I acquiesced.

Although I never knew what her family secret was, apparently the demons behind the Quiji board did and pretty quickly Mary was frightened and crying. This shocked me since Mary was the sensible type. We both barely sleep that night and in the morning I arranged a meeting with a Spanish Priest that I knew. Mary told the priest how she had tested the Quiji board by first asking a question that regarded her deep family secret that she already knew the answer to. She swore that she had not pushed the wooden pointer in any way. I proclaimed the same and also had the distinct impression that Mary barely was touching it before it moved in a powerful swoop. I knew what happened that day was real and there have been other instances where I can also affirm that the devil is behind these practices.

The Bible affirms this yet again in Acts 16:16-18. Here we can read the story of a fortune-teller who is not just a charlatan but is possessed by evil spirits. Paul the Apostle has the gift to be able to see what is of God and what is of the devil. In every body of Christ there are those who through the Holy Spirit have this deeper understanding. He sees the signs of demon possession on her and performs an exorcism in Jesus' name whereby she now becomes a true disciple of Jesus Christ.

So, why are so many occult practices becoming mainstream today? The answer is because the belief in Jesus is waning. This happened in the time of Noah, and during the reigns of the Kings of Israel. These monarchs either fought the occult or practiced it themselves. Jesus spent significant time relieving people of the burdens of possession that have plagued mankind since time immemorial. When ever people don't have God to look to as their guiding principle they look to other means to get through and find meaning to life. Finally, King Solomon put it succinctly when he said : in the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider:surely God has appointed the one as well as the other, so that man can find nothing that will come after him.-Ecclesiastes 7:14.


* While viisiting the "Cloisters Museum and Gardens" a well- known tourist destination in the Bronx, New York my husband saw a sign in the herbal garden which stated, " Plants used in Medieval Magic and Ceremony." 

A Little Magic? (Part 1)

Suddenly, magic is all around me here in Westchester County, New York. The rainy spring weather brought more than the usual amount of weeds to my garden this year. Is there some spiritual rain that could account for the bumper crop of businesses that seemed to have sprung up having to do with the practice of magic? I think so.

I was searching for a parking space before my gym workout last week. I had to park further away from the location than usual. I parked right in front of a spiritual wellness center. In its' big picture window it advertised itself to be a spiritual counseling service, which included tarot card readings. It was also a full supplier of magical botanical products. When I mentioned this store to my trainer, he was only vaguely aware of its' existence. But, he did notice a large and rather gaudy purple awning in another section of town. It too did tarot card readings, in addition to spirit circles and energy adjustments.

Hey, what gives? Two new pagan beachheads just sprung up in a town not far from my own. I did not see that coming. In the war between good and evil we tend to think that the pagan practices of the past as outlined in the Bible are dead and gone. We don't expect to see the divination spoken of in Leviticus 19:31 which states: Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them : I am the Lord your God.

We  might even have failed to take it seriously when we read passages such as 1 Samuel 28 which tells us that King Saul sought advice for his future by counsulting a witch. It may seem remote from our life as a believer so we fail to see its' relevance in today's world.

Why are some people looking to the stars or to spirit guides to find answers? In the mission territory that is Westchester County, New York, atheists tell me they believe that science has or will have all the answers. Why then are these ancient pagan practices sprouting up in this rationalist enclave? Wouldn't the microscope, a D.N.A. test or a brain image be more helpful? Hasn't our world found salvation with its powerful, life-altering pharmaceuticals instead?

All of these thoughts went quickly through my mind as I waited in front of the store with a purple awning for that long red light to change to green. I had a busy day that afternoon but I could not seem to get those stores out of my mind. What did it portent for my community, and for people's souls? It was not good, I knew that.

Flashing back to my own childhood I recall people in my family turning to these practices during times of trouble. My earliest recollection of such things, began as a usual visit with my grandmother, holding her hand as we did her weekly errands on the vibrant streets of the lower East side of Manhattan. Haggling amid the stalls of the old markets and buying live poultry under the Williamsburg bridge was fun. One day that fun turned to dread when we walked into one of the many storefronts dedicated to the practice of Santería.

Even as a young child, I knew what this was. My childlike understanding was simple but, I knew that Santería was the commingling of Christian beliefs and the Yoruban polytheistic belief system. I also firmly understood that this was an abomination to the God of the Holy Bible. I had been taught that at a Christian school that gave me some basics of the faith. My father also made no secret that he was none to pleased with his mother's dabbling in Santería. Whereas, I was concerned with her spiritual well-being, my father was more concerned with it being injurious to her wallet.

My own mother who seemed to laugh at various occult practices throughout the years found herself vulnerable when she and my dad went through a divorce. My mother was the classic example of a person who did not realize the power of the occult and so failed to be able to effectively mount a defense when she fell into temptation. I do not want to make the same mistake.

As I contemplate what the aforementioned businesses could mean for my life, I again think of the story of King Saul. He was facing an invasion by the well-trained and well-equipped soldiers of the Philistine army. The prophet Samuel had died and even though he had thrown the mediums out of Israel in the past, his present circumstances led to his backslide and the temptation of seeking their advice now. He wanted to speak to Samuel just one more time. Contacting a dearly departed loved one is the number one reason that people fall into occult practices.

The same thing happened to my mother and grandmother. We must be aware that during challenging times we might encounter spiritual warfare. We could then be tempted to seek answers and solutions that come from forces other than God. Sometimes we are impatient to receive an answer from God or we can't accept a loved one is gone. However, when we choose to contact a dead person, look at our horoscope, get a tarot card reading or look to crystals for healing, we are denying the power of God Almighty. We are following other gods.  We are now in violation of one of the all-important ten commandants.

Choose to follow Jesus and Him alone. Resolve to resist the temptation of seeking fast answers. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones- Proverbs 3:6-8

NEXT WEEK-  A Little Magic? (Part 2): More occult encounters in Westchester.  Do occult practices really work?

Spiritual Warfare

My Pastor has been preaching a three-part sermon series about spiritual warfare. I believe he was inspired in this. Our Church has been engaged in a variety of godly endeavors to much success. As my previous posts detail, I have been on my first Mission Trip. Ever since that trip, I have been engaged in various support functions fueling the needs of that Ministry. Missions trips just don't happen, there are details which must be attended to in order for the good work of helping those in need to continue.

It begins with prayer. As I get closer to hard deadlines and pressures have mounted to successfully complete the goals set forth, I have found it necessary to pray in a new way. Just as I did when contemplating my Mission Trip last October, I realized how much I need God to be my focal point. Apart from Him, I can do nothing. I beseech God in every aspect of this work.

As I have been praying, the burdens of leadership have fallen upon me. I understand now why churches always pray for each Ministry. It is because responsibility entails stress, hard decisions and even temptations. Staying true to God entails spiritual maturity and discernment, especially against the plots of Satan.

There are many with spiritual discernment at my church. There were a number of women who have come to me privately to warn me to be aware of the spiritual warfare to come. The Bible affirms another realm besides that which we can sense through our five senses. If we could see our own spiritual realm more clearly, we would see some of the underlying issues blocking our progress in certain situations.

Through prayer and an understanding of the heavenly realm, we can get through some of the stressful things in our life. Studying the Bible is key to getting the full picture of what spiritual warfare is and what it is not. The British scholar, author and lay theologian C.S. Lewis said that believers usually fall into one of two camps when dealing with the demonic. We either deny its' existence or we get fascinated with it.

He had a point! Today many people, including some Christians do not believe that angels or demons are real. On the other hand, there are those who can not get their fill of films depicting the devil, demons, and the battle between good and evil. Our list of obsessive fascination with the satanic sphere would not be complete without mentioning wizards,vampires, ghosts and paranormal activity. Many successful films and film franchises on the above topics have made a lot of money and furthered Satan's inroads into our lives.

It took me a long time to finally get these teachings right. I had to sort through what the popular culture, and my family had impressed upon me and take time to study the Bible. What I found was that the Bible was the only thing that made sense. The Bible perfectly explains all the things I have seen in a lifetime and consistently helped me understand and cope with my life. My relationship with God has always improved my life but I had to give up some of my bad habits first.

I have been coping with a sick husband, friendship shake-ups, and the details entailed in getting 150 handmade scarves to children living abroad in three group homes. Maybe you have been coping with some things too? When an animal is weak or imfirmed it can be preyed upon by some enemy lying in wait. The devil also lies in wait for times of weakness in our life. He strategically attacks us when he wants to take us out of the game because we are so effective for the Lord. What a chess player he is!

The Bible tells us trials will beset us but to cheer up because Jesus has overcome the world. We have to keep that in mind. The devil is subordinate to the Lord so don't fear Him! However, he can play some nasty tricks but, only if we allow him to. The Bible tells us to resist the devil and he will flee. In order to resist him we must know how he operates. He knows the whole truth about us and he will use that to tempt us to sin and stop following God.

It is sometimes difficult to determine how much of our travails are the devil, just life and how much is us giving into sin. This is spiritual warfare. God is faithful to us if we turn to Him during times of trouble. Have I and my church encountered spiritual warfare? Yes, but the good news is that Satan is attacking us because we are doing a lot of things right. A friend of mine who does not believe in the devil asked me if the devil is real why hasn't she ever encountered him? I told her that it was because he is pleased with the way she is running her life. What a wake-up call for my friend and what a wake-up call for us. Let's make every day count for the Lord, and let's ask Him to strengthen us to be our very best! The devil is real but he is a defeated foe. Let us rejoice because of the victory we have over him because of Jesus! Thank you Lord.