Kerplop!

The little acorn

falls

and falls

from high and higher

above --

The mighty Oak

standing firm

between human abodes.

Splatt! Kerplop! Kerplunk!

Acorn follows acorn

as it gathers

momentum

and hits

the ground

to whatever lies

within its path.

Cathy Orrick Luders
8.30.2011

A weekend get-a-way to Clear Lake

Mondays and Tuesdays are weekends for my husband and I and these last few days of August were spent a few hours north at Clear Lake, Iowa. We arrived at our cottage shortly before sunset Sunday evening so hurried down to the lake (less than a block away) to watch the glorious setting and take some digital photos. The second photo looks like an automobile taking off for the great unknown.

Our cottage, named "Jo-Jo," is the smallest of eight owned by Clear Lake Cottages on South Shore Avenue. Shown here are front and back views of our cottage.

Looking out the back door, past the garbage cans, you can see the lake.

Here are inside views of our cottage ...

And among our many excursions out and about ....

.... here is a seagull about ready to take flight.

.... Jim "Papa Daddy" and our bunny son, BeeJay, at City Beach.

... on a clear day you can see forever ... and reflections ... and shadows

... Here is the Lady of the Lake ... we took an hour-and-a-half cruise with Captain Roger at the helm. We learned a lot of interesting things about Clear Lake and its surroundings.

A memorial commemorating the Buddy Holly crash site was recently dedicated in rural Clear Lake. It was a good thing we had directions; otherwise, we would never have found it. The directions said it was a half-mile walk, but to us it seemed much further. In 2009 it had been 50 years since that fateful night in February.

... Clear Lake State Park

... Mighty oak tree outside our cottage. The noise of little acorns falling was a little annoying at times.

... The Guardian Angel Chapel is another place hard to find

... Beeds Lake near Hampton. We were last here about 15 years ago.

The right to life ... the gift of life

Our rights
Our duties
We all have One right
and that …
The right to life
for it is life we have all been given
by our creator God.

The right to life
brings with it duties, tasks
in which we give honor and praise
to our Creator God.

The right to life

began with creation. 

And our duties …?
To live honorably, to be loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, faithful, gentle, self-controlled (Galatians 5:22)

To not be jealous, nor boastful, nor proud.
To not be irritable, nor demanding, nor a keeper of lists of wrongdoing
To be hopeful, enduring through every trial and circumstance
To not be prejudiced, nor judgmental
(1 Corinthians 13: 4-7)

The gift of life
and life again

First given at birth

Given again at our rebirth 

How you ask
How can we be reborn?

Rebirth –

God sent His Son to earth to rekindle the hearts of mankind.

To know the life we lead is because of the fallen state we entered when Adam and Eve sinned. 

 Our life is not the way God intended it to be.


"It is God who has made us, and not we ourselves. But because we enjoy feeling powerful, we accept Satan's offers."  -- Madeleine L. Engle, author of A Wrinkle in Time

Sin is the culprit.

And all the sacrifices we make are to no avail.

Rebirth – 

God sent His Son to earth to live among us, to become the sacrifice, once and for all, and to rid mankind of all the sin we live under.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”  (John 3:16-17 NJKV)

Rebirth –

To be reborn is to accept God’s gift given through the life, death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Living not to ourselves, not to the old life we came from, not to the way we were

But Living to Jesus, living in His image, following in His footsteps … to the way we will become …

 and someday to be and do and actually say, “the way of Jesus is me.” 

To be there for another

To get out of the doom and gloom
everyday
not just one day
Yesterday came
All day
Today is here
All different

Reach out to another
Why haven’t you written
I’d like to hear from you
I hear

But me too

Wherever You desire us to go
I  will go
Send me

Sometimes where you are
is stagnant
Need to move on
get going


Not  just physically
but
mentally
emotionally

Must get past the hurts
Hurts come at every turn
and angle …
from siblings, parents,
personal sphere of friends,
even our church family …
who would think?!

The image of Christ
bears no resemblance in us
it seems.


Although we try,
our image of Him
is perceived
far differently
than the image
portrayed in His word.

Sometimes we are just like
the Jewish Pharisees,
seeing ourselves above another

Who is better
None of us can truthfully lay claim
to such reasoning

Jesus is who we follow


If we aren’t following Him,
we cannot be one with Him.
We must therefore
be one with ourselves,
which only leads to
selfishness and
self-centeredness.

We have a new life.
We buried our old life
with Christ
and is reborn
in His image -
not His physical image.
The image of
Who He Is.
We are to be like Him.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer says,
“We must learn to look less
at what people do or don’t do
and more at what they suffer.”

To be there for another
You be there for me
I  for another.
Jesus shows us
the way -
fellowship of love.

To be there for another
to show mercy ….
with cheerfulness.


To be there,
however it may be
God must give us the will
to do so,
to be so.


To get past the pain
past the “what if”
past the “how”
even past the moodiness
Just go
and do.

We cannot say
it doesn’t depend on me
to reach out to another
It is up to the church
But the church
is made up of many me’s
and many you’s.


The church –
 the Body of Christ
and Jesus is its head,
not the pope,
not anyone other than Jesus.
There are not multiple foundations.
The church’s one foundation …
Jesus Christ.

There are not multiple platforms
in which we can follow and arrive
at the same place.
There is only one – JESUS!


No Allah


No Buddha


No Rabbi


No Pope


Only one Truth --
Jesus is the Son of God


Only one Savior --
Jesus is the way to salvation.


Jesus is available to all.
Believe in Him, accept Him
as your personal savior,
and eternity will be spent with Him
in the glories of heaven.


Only one basic problem with Humanity – SIN

All of us are sinners.


Some of us have been
forgiven.


Sin – what we feel
in our heart
is demonstrated
in our life.


Only one solution for Sin –

JESUS!


He died for us.
He went to the cross,
burdened with the sins
of ALL of MANKIND,
past, present, future.


He became the sacrifice
fulfilling Old Testament
laws and requirements
of animal sacrifices for
human sin.

A new life,
a new covenant,
buried in death
with Christ
Born again, alive,
renewed.

Be there with Him
for others
Our lives are not about us
But about our Lord
His will
Not ours
His steps for me
Not my steps for me

He took it all
my pain, my burdens
ALL upon himself
He took my SIN away


Who am I
to forget all that He has done
continues to do
and think only of me ….
poor me.

I need to be there
for you and you
through Christ
For with Christ
blessings will be.

Remember.

“for in Him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28a) 

Come to Jesus

A few days ago I was reading Luke 16: 19-31. Jesus is speaking to his disciples and also to the Pharisees regarding the deaths of the rich man and Lazarus and reminds them of Abraham’s answers. 

  Verses 24-26 say: “Then he (rich man) cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.’ And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.”

When we die our souls are separated from our bodies. The body remains in the grave – whether buried underground, above ground or cremated, but our souls are immediately transported to heaven or to hell. There is no intermediate place.

 Verse 26 reminds us that at death there is no escape. No amount of praying by our loved ones can move one from hell to heaven. It is the life lived while alive, to whom your allegiance lay, that determines your fate.   Alive or dead, we are either “in Christ” or “in and of the World.”

If you do not know the Lord, only know of Him, make the effort, take the time, do it now before it is too late, and come to Jesus.

Truth is in His Word

Of all we hear – from ministry leaders, friends and acquaintances – be sure you can back it up with Scripture. Do not take what any other person says is truth unless you can verify it in The Word.

There are many who claim to be believers in Christ who are not. There are many who profess to follow the ways of Christ who do not.

Unless you regularly read and study God’s Holy Word, how can you say you know what the Scriptures say? In all honesty, I do not believe it possible.  

Even regular study leaves questions to be answered. It is God who will show us, lead us to, the answers when He deems it the right time.

Patience

Patience.
Each of us need it.
Patience when another uses their freewill for themselves, their pleasure.
Patience to build another up.
Not anger, not "I heard you say this and this and that."
Forbearance, control.

Where is God's image in me when my patience wears out, wears thin and my frustration builds so I become unnecessarily angry?

Who am I to judge?
Who am I to be indifferent?
What right have I to be upset with another's indecision when I have enough of my own?

How does one succeed at being kind and honest, not obnoxious and honest?

Being a Christian is not easy and Christians together struggle just as much with personal issues as those of the world.

We see apathy and pessimism and intolerance.It all can bring another's downfall.

Who are we ... who am I?

What does it say about who I am if my relationship with Jesus Christ fails to live up to His standard, fails to show His love to you and you and you.

Oh how do I bear your burden without losing my patience with your choices or your seeming indifference or your despair ...

How do I build you up without tearing you down?

Patience.

P - Pray continually
A - Affirm another in
T - Truth
I - Inspired by God
E - Endure faithfully
N - Never-ending
C - Compassionate
E - Edify - build up

C-O-N-T-R-O-L

C - Christ, our Lord and Savior
O - Obedient servant
N - Name above all names
T - Triumphed over death
R - Reigns on high
O - Overcomer of evil
L - Lives forever in our heart

In Him, am I

Who
are you?
Who am I?
Have we forgotten
from where we came
from what we came
who brought us,
brings us still
face to face
with our sin
reminds us
we are far from
the perfectness
of the
Lord Jesus
yet He Loves Us
continually
never ceasing

There is an ever increasing
reason for condemnation
yet
He doesn't
condemn us

The Holy Spirit
the same
in Christ
in me

We,
"Those of us who are
in Christ Jesus,
who do not walk
according to the flesh,
but according to the Spirit,
there is therefore
now
no condemnation." (Romans 8:1)
We have been set free
Jesus has proclaimed us
Not Guilty

Who are we?
We,
You are a man in Christ
I am a woman in Christ

The enemy
cannot touch me
or you

I must remember
You must remember
know who you are
Stay focused on
The One
to whom you belong

Who said it was easy
Easy is looking down
being swallowed up
by fear of the unknown

Hard is seeking out God
at every turn
Hard is soaring
like an eagle
wings outstretched
when fear and anxiety
take precedence

Easy is burying
our heads in the sand
or under the bed blankets.

So fearful,
we forget
the Lord above
can do anything
and everything.

We must trust.
Must trust.
We are in Christ
Christ is in us

Struggles do not
disappear
Struggles remain
Sin remains
yet God
does not condemn us.

We are His
Only in Him
am I
Only in Him
are you

Abide in Him
Listen
to His Word
to the sounds of nature
Watch
the glorious splendor
of a sunrise
and a sunset
Remember
He is with us
always
He is but a breath away,
a step away
a hand reaching out
toward you.

His gaze is upon us
we must meet His gaze
and remain constant

Do not look away
He will bring us through
it all.
He is our guardian,
our protector,
our healer.

He is
the Great I Am
and in Him
am I.

Cathy Orrick Luders

8.3.2011 / 8.4.2011

Give me strength

Give me strength
for this day
Bring me peace
Bring me rest
Cover me, enclose me
within Your hand

I ask so much
and You continually give

You said our lives would be
filled with turmoil
and pain
and it is
but still you give
and give
and I will find comfort
only You can provide.

Only You can heal
Only You.

Bring me out of the dismay
Bring me peace
Help me to trust
Be my support
for my pain,
my personal physical anguish
and my emotional and mental trauma
Bring me relief

Show me how to proceed
Give me strength
Be with me
Be with Jimmy
Show us the way
We are one.
One in the spirit
One in You.

Thank you Lord Jesus
Bring me strength
and peace for this day
I pray.
Only in You
am I.

Cathy Orrick Luders
8.3.2011

To see a need and ....

To see a need
to strive to fill it
The Lord's will be done

What -- When -- Where?

To the least of these
is I  says the Lord.

To see a need
but fail to act
you believe you say
you trust you say
but why
oh why
is foot not taken
the task not given
not begun
not carried out
not fulfilled.

To see a need
God has called you to
but rules
and regulations
requirements
of the world
all detriments
toward accomplishing
His will, His purpose
for you.

He tells us
in His word
to go forth
not in fear
and trepidation
but in faith
looking to Him
only to Him

Seeking answers
to our many questions
without questioning
His answers.

He knows the way
He created the way
He is the way.

He sees the needs of mankind
He sees my needs
and yours too
And all is fulfilled
And we are witnesses ...
but do we understand,
do we comprehend?

He has given us
eyes to see,
ears to hear,
a mind to discern
a heart to share
a love to give.

To see a need
to strive to fill it
to pray, meditate
and petition
believing without questioning
proceeding without faltering,
without stumbling,
not wondering if you are doing it right.

For what does it matter?
Who are you serving?
The Risen Lord
or the family next door?!

To see a need
to strive to fill it.
Just Go.
Just Do.
And the Lord be with you.

Cathy Orrick Luders
8.1.2011