Today is Beanne's birthday

It's interesting I think, sometimes after one dies, you remember their birthday more frequently than when they were alive. Beanne was my mother's friend - they went to college together, at Coe, back in the early 1930s. Beanne and her husband Dick became family friends. Dick was a member of the El Kahir Shrine and my sister and I often went to the annual Shrine parades. Dick was my escort when I got married. Beanne had a sense of humor ... humor keeps you young she would say to me. I'm glad they were a part of my life and through my memories, they are still alive.

Gentle words

Today's devotional brought me to Ephesians 4:17-32 ... a lot to say in that passage. Verses that particularly caught my eye and mind: "So put away all falsehood and tell your neighbor the truth ... And don't sin by letting anger gain control over you. For anger gives a mighty foothold to the Devil. Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you."

Gentle words are more powerful than angry words

My prayer is to be gentle in all my words to all I come in contact. ... to refrain from anything that appears malicious. Even when/though it not be my intent, another might perceive it as such. My desire is to be and do whatever the Lord desires. I have far to go in my journey.

Only 1 way

There is only 1 way into heaven ... and that is through Jesus Christ.

Those who think and tell others there are many ways are lying. They are Satan's workers. Only Satan would have you believe no matter what you do or how you live, you will go to heaven when you die. Everyone will go there. Hell exists only on earth. Satan will tell you, IF God loves you, why would he sentence you to hell?

Your choice, your choice.
It's what you choose.

Jesus is the way ... the only way.

Do not compromise your faith to please one of Satan's workers, to please the world.

Satan is a fallen angel. He wanted all that God had. He wanted to be God. He was sentenced to damnation.

Human beings, God's creation, were given choices. Follow and obey the Lord or do Satan's bidding.

It's our choice. Don't ride the fence, travel down the middle of the road. Follow Jesus the Lord.

... or don't. Reap the consequences of your actions.

It's About Faith

Faith is not what we see,
what appears to be
Faith is not the spoken word of others
It is not what we view on television
or read in the newspapers.

Faith is
believing, accepting
God is in control
God has all the answers
God knows.

Faith is
Looking to Him for everything,
Thanking Him for everything.
Seeking answers to all our questions from Him alone.
Not questioning
the hows, whys, whens, wheres, what ifs.

Just knowing
Just believing

Faith
can be as tiny as a mustard seed
or as huge as a mountain

We each have a mountain or many to climb
Our successes are not really ours
We achieve through our faith
in Him alone.
My Jesus
My Savior
My Lord
My God

In His Name, Amen.

Cathy Orrick Luders

9.10.2007

Faith vs. Tradition

Following Jesus is all about faith, not about tradition nor what we feel nor what we experience nor what we accomplish in life.

Last night's Bible study message, Following Jesus: "Putting Tradition In Its Place," was taken from Matthew 15: 1-20. Earlier this week I started a personal Bible study in Romans.

Following Jesus begins with faith and continues onward and upward. When we accept that Jesus died for each and everyone of us and our sins, that He was buried and that He rose again, we achieve God's righteousness, we are in right standing with God. We are His children. Because of that righteousness God has given us through His son, we are enabled to produce more righteousness by how we conduct our lives and give service to the Lord.

There is nothing more, nothing additional needed for us to be in right standing with God. Some Christian denominations mistakenly think more is needed, by saying "we interpret the Bible according to experience, reason and traditon."

God clearly says He is in control, not us. The Bible is God's book for us.

I concur with my pastor's consensus, "we interpret our experience, reason and tradition according to the Bible." Three points he made make sense to me:
(1) Don't let tradition invalidate God's commands
(2) Don't let tradition blind you to God's call
(3) Don't let tradition hide the real source of your filth

What do you think?

Fear

Dear Lord,
The fear factor is setting in. Shouldn't, doesn't belong. Help me to overcome. Trust, only you can provide what I need. But somehow I've allowed disbelief to reign. No, not disbelief. But maybe so. With you I can do all things. With you I can overcome. With you, I can move forward. When I don't totally rely on you, but take it back, take it to myself, I will fail. Help me to overcome again Lord. Amen.

Being like Christ

I wish I could be just like Jesus . . . passionate, tenderhearted, kind, humble, gentle, patient, loving, and much more. Sometimes I am, but of course not all at once. But one at a time, and not every day nor every hour.
Being like Christ is not just something a Christian should be to another Christian. Its what we should be to every one, all the time, every time.
I get upset. I criticize. I step on people's toes. I say things that come out wrong. I put my foot in my mouth. At work, at home, at church, family, on the bus, at school. Everywhere.
Jesus says in Colossians 3:13 "we are to make allowances for each other's faults and forgive the one who offends us."
But its seldom that we do all that Jesus says we should do or should be. We act, react to immediate feelings. We don't first stop and think about what Jesus would do.
I'm supposed to be a representative of the Lord Jesus. After all, God chose me to be one of His.
Think first, speak - act - react second
If only I could remember that instead of react/speak/act first and think about it all second - that's how discontent, disheartedness, depression settles in us and around us.

"Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony." - Colossians 3:14b

It is God's world afterall

Do you hear?
Chimes a-ringing
over yonder
up above
God's chapel in the sky ... on the hillside

God's creation
down below
murky water
still
Turtles big
bigger than a hand
maybe two
paddling
swimming
Dozens there are.

Stillness,
quietness
mugginess
will come
Perhaps not
Perhaps so

Pleasant sitting
out on the porch
The heat of the day
is but a moment away.

Cathy Orrick Luders

8.4.2007

Scripture

I didn't know what to title today's commentary, so have the generic title of "Scripture."
Yesterday, last night, Sunday, my husband and I went up to Cedar Falls for the Bible Conference. Its in its 86th year. Still run by free-will donations. Still a wonderful blessing to us and numerous others. Last night's speaker was Bryan Loritts, pastor of Fellowship Bible Church in Memphis, Tenn. He spoke from Matthew 25, specifically verse 31 and his subject was "Engaging the Less Fortunate."

The less fortunate ... those who have less than we do. You may not have much, but there's always another who has just a bit less.

Jesus separates the sheep from the goats. The sheep represent the saved, the righteous; the goats the unsaved, unrighteous. It is not the separation of those who care for the less fortunate vs those who do not. For there are many who care (for the less fortunate), but do not know Jesus. And until you do know Jesus, have accepted Him as your personal savior, all the works you do mean nothing. If you don't know Jesus, all the help you provide for another may be good, but it doesn't get you across the bridge ... to eternal life.

~~~~~~~

Today's Scripture reading from Our Daily Bread brought me to James 1:19-20, which says:

"... Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Your anger can never make things right in God's sight."

Oh to learn and remember. Remembering is the key I think. When you don't remember, Satan, who is always lurking in the shadows watching and waiting, pounces on you, and then by the time you remember God's words, Satan has succeeded in causing anger in raise its ugly head. Fortunately, Satan's claws don't stay implanted long, and he is crushed until the next time we cave in.

I read all of James 1. About faith and endurance. Always something new to be gleaned from God's word, every time. Verse 2: "...whenver trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy."

Trouble ... trials come in many dimensions. Our finances, our jobs and careers, our health, our relationships. Individually, don't we tend to think we have it worse than another? But then we share with each other and often discover another has it far worse than we do. What have we to complain about... yet we do. An opportunity for joy ... we should be thankful for the trials at the work place? thankful for the pain we undergo in our bodies?

Verse 12: "God blesses the people who patiently endure testing..." Patiently endure. Learning patience in the midst of our trials.

How important is it?

How important is it?
Living as the world lives
or living as God tells us
Knowing one from the other

Having what we need
Knowing what we need
Thinking, wishing
What one has is not realistic thinking
that is what another needs or doesn't need

Each is different
Each person
Each family

Follow the Lord
Follow Him alone
Listen to His words, His widsom
Only He knows
He sees all.
He knows our needs and our desires.

Some will attempt to meet
their needs and desires
by themselves.

Some will succeed.
Some will not.

Some will rely on Scripture, on the Lord
...follow His lead.

The Lord made us.
We are His.

Some have much
Some have little
Some make do
Some falter

Some complain
worry

where does it get you?
what have you accomplished
with worry and anxiety?

Listen, obey, do ...
The Lord will guide you.
He will show you the way

In every aspect of Life,
God is present.

Reach out
grab hold
He is there.

YOU must believe
YOU must seek
YOU must reach out and hold on

Where are you in your walk with the Lord?

Are you walking with Him at all
or
are you walking on your own?

Cathy Orrick Luders

7.28.2007

"With God all things are possible." - Matthew 19:26

Dark ... light

"When it is dark enough, men see the stars." - Emerson

Psalm 42, verse 5 and 11 say:

"Why am I discouraged? Why so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again - my Savior and my God!"

I say:

No matter what comes my way
Daytime
Night time
God is always there
ever present
at work
I have but to reach out to him, seek him
always there to listen
He Is Listening
answering,
if we but hear, acknowledge, understand.

Air conditioning

Does anyone out there know of a mechanic in the Cedar Rapids area who can add freon to an older model car? We have a 1991 Olds Cutlais Calaiss with just under 52,000 miles on it. Bought it a year ago. We know someone who has some freon he has never used, so that's not a problem. The problem lies in getting the freon into the car. Don't know how to achieve this or if it is even achievable. If anyone has any anwers or suggestions, please let me know. Thanks.

Good-bye, hello

Thought: once you die and are in heaven, are you aware of those still on earth who have not accepted the Lord as Savior?

I asked my husband about this and after some discussion, we determined that since heaven was a place of joy, there could be no sadness. If a loved one was not saved, that would be oh so very sad, but those in heaven would not be aware of it. That is why, while there is still time, those of us who know the Lord - have accepted His offering of salvation - must actively show others the way to the cross. We can't just sit on our duff and hope someone else takes care of it.

Friday the 13th

Friday, the 13th. It brings negative thoughts to mind I bet. It shouldn't. I was born on Friday, the 13th. A friend also. Many born, many die. Surgeries, tests, job starts and endings. Life goes on.

I especially thought of writing because of individuals requesting prayer. I thought of names and thought I would list them here and perhaps you too would pray for them.

• There is my husband Jim, who is scheduled to have his fifth MRI tomorrow morning. MRIs are costly tests - $2500 for each and this is no. 5 just this year. Of course our deductible has been met. And of course, so far with each successive MRI, the swannoma tumor the doctors are looking for cannot be found. There is one somewhere, because that is what is felt is causing his pain. So I pray the results will be positive.
• A friend, Jan, is having eye surgery tomorrow. She and her family operate a funeral home. She has been told she has to lay flat on her stomach for seven days.
• Jan's husband Short has recently been diagnosed with acute leukemia.
• An elderly neighbor of friends George and Jani has also been diagnosed with leukemia
• Molly McCoy, wife of Steve McCoy (http://www.stevekmccoy.com), whose blog I just happened across, was recently diagnosed with chiari malformation, which affects her brain functions. She is scheduled for surgery tomorrow.

As the Lord leads, His will be done. Amen.

Greed

Luke 12: 15, 21: "...Don't be greedy for what you don't have. Real life is not measured by how much we own. Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God."

Don't live for the moment. This is your income that the Lord has enabled you to make. If the Lord has also prompted you to follow through on something, He will show you how to make it happen.

Money is a necessary component for many things to happen, but it is not the most important component. Our relationship with Jesus is foremost.

All the wealth in the world can not buy true happiness ... joy.

My Anna

My friend
a special one
I've adopted
as my mommy

A relationship
started
nourished
bloomed

She walks
with the Lord
She cares
for the sick
and disabled
She talks
of her childhood
of her years
married to Ray

Of present pain
of past hurts
of a future time
with her Lord

She is my friend
my very special friend
my adopted mommy
Anna

Cathy Orrick Luders

6.12.2007

The proof

In John 10, the Jewish leaders said, "If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly."

Jesus said, "The proof is what I do in the name of my Father."

The Jews considered Jesus to be a blasphemer because of his claims of kinship with God, even though they saw (were witnesses to) or heard about the miracles performed in God's name. None of his works mattered to them because they saw Jesus only as a man, son of Joseph and Mary. They did not remember the miracle birth. They had forgotten all the prophecies foretold in Isaiah.

Intervention

Do you ever watch the television show "Intervention?" It's about individuals who are caught up in drugs and other bad life choices and are given a second chance at turning their life around.

We all desire second chances.

I thought of all that after hearing yesterday's sermon message "Divine Intervention." Pastor Dan's text was from Acts 9: 1-9. He made four points:

1. Jesus can intervene
2. How you are treating believers is how you are treating Jesus
3. An encounter with God is costly
4. If you wonder if it's God, use Scripture as your guide

Anna's squirrel

A little thing
bushy tailed
Obstreperous ... into everything
... her flowers
climbing the tree
Causing havoc
and providing endless entertainment
for two years

until one day
not long ago
a few weeks
he met his master
out on the roadway
... hit by a car

Good-bye Mr. Squirrel

Cathy Orrick Luders

7.7.2007

Suicide

People give in
give up
Quit
There are some
who do that
Why?
What have they achieved?!
nothing.

Tired of fighting
of repeated attempts
of trying

Give in
give up
Don't do that.
We were given life
You, me
Everyone of us.
It is not for us
to take it away

Only God.

We must persevere
Persist
Endure
... to make life worth living.

Cathy Orrick Luders

7.7.2007