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Archive for June, 2011

Age is just a Number!

          We have a saying around our house that “Pink is just a color.”  Our son spoke those words at age nine after discovering his 18-year-old sister’s pink kayak would navigate the river waters much smoother than the blue one he just “had” to have. 

            When I woke up last week as a 50-year-old woman, and laughed at the very thought of it, one of the first things that went through my mind was “Age is just a number.”  I flipped on the morning news and they were actually doing a segment called Minivan Mom turns 40.  I laughed again.  As I sat there staring at the television, I realized I was now ten years older than the woman being interviewed.   She had previously set a boundary for herself, based on what she was willing to do or not do, to stop the aging process.  But as the wrinkles worked their way around her face, she changed her mind, and was now  boasting that she would in fact bet on Botox.   

          Now, I’m a big fan of refusing to age gracefully and fighting it every step of the way.  But it seems we might need fewer miracle cures if we didn’t always worry and complain about how old we are, how bad we feel, what hurts, or all the things that are wrong with us.

            Words have power!

            Our son, who says “Pink is just a color,” also came to me one day and said, “You know Mom, ten people can say nice things to you.  But if one person says something mean or bad it’s all you really remember the rest of the day.”  So, so, true.

            Words have power!  

            But who speaks negative words over us more than we do?  I’m too skinny,  I’m too fat, my arms are flabby, I am such an idiot, I’m so forgetful, I’m getting old, I feel terrible, I have a headache, my back hurts, my knees ache…you know what I mean.  Don’t get me wrong, I have both feet in this boat too.  I do try to REMIND myself as OFTEN as possible that God spoke the world into existence.  His words have the Ultimate Power.  He didn’t just think “Let there be light,” He spoke it.  He didn’t just ponder in his heart, “Let us make man in Our image,” He said it.  All throughout the Bible, there are examples of healings by Jesus and the apostles where words were spoken over the people who were sick.  Jesus raised the dead with words.  In the Old Testament, a father’s spoken blessing carried so much weight that, once said, it couldn’t be recanted. 

            Words have power!  

            Now you may be wondering how a story about age ends up being about words.  I was sort of wondering that myself.  But a birthday has No Power over me.  It’s the words I say to myself that will determine if I’m a young, energetic, just getting started 50… or an almost ready for rocking chair retirement half-century. 

            Words have power!

            And I am here to testify, Age is just a number! 🙂

“Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,

Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.”

Proverbs 16:24

**Despite a wonderful, “real surprise” party thrown by my husband, son, family and friends, my mind kept returning for days afterwards to the fact the house hadn’t been cleaned for guests nor the lawn mowed.  I spoke those words over and over until I began to feel burdened by what “didn’t happen” rather than joyful for “what did.”  I am trying to take those thoughts captive and further tame my tongue.  After all, I did ask God that very morning to help me with my control issues. **

🙂

Have a wonderful week.  Say something nice to yourself, lift someone up encourage those around you.

“From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things…”

Proverbs 12:14 

 

© Copyright 2011, KeziahCarrie.  All Rights Reserved

 

 

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A Crown of Beauty

            Her tiny little toes brushed the dry dusty dirt, side to side, as she erased the work she had just completed.  She took a brown, brittle stick in her hand and began to sketch again.  She drew from memory the pet calf her daddy had given her.  Each drawing had to be just the way she wanted it, or she would dust it away and start over. 

            Matilda Lotz sat for a moment and remembered the day the soldiers had come to her home.  They tore down much of what her father had built to use as supplies for their war. They killed the farm animals for food.  As the fighting began she saw her pet calf hit by a stray bullet.  Her mother tried to soothe her first broken heart while her father moved quickly to protect his entire family.

            The day after Matilda turned six, one of the bloodiest battles of the American Civil War raged right outside her home.  Her father hid his family in a neighbor’s basement, and there they huddled in the damp, cold darkness.  They couldn’t see what was happening, but they could hear it.  The sounds of soldiers dying all around them must have scared everyone.  But for a little girl with loving parents,  a fine home and her precious pets, it must have been horrifying. 

            After 19 long hours, when Matilda and her family finally stepped out of the darkness and into the light, they saw for the first time what they had survived.  It was almost impossible to walk without stepping on the body of a dead American soldier.  Witnesses said it was a sight they would never forget.

              Many of those who survived slipped into self-destructive drinking, unable to accept what they had seen.  If not for the mercy and grace of a good God, Matilda might not have been able to go on.  But she had a heart that was still beating for the innocent farm animals.  Even though they were gone, she realized that in her hands she held the power to keep them with her.  Her dirt drawings soon transitioned into paper sketches and, before long, she was painting on canvas. 

            A passion to pursue her artistic abilities propelled her away from the grim reminders of her childhood home. Matilda Lotz had a purpose far beyond the pit.  What Satan meant for her harm, God worked for good.  He gave her a fearless, free and independent spirit…eventually taking her to the far reaches of the world.  And before her death in 1923, that little girl who once drew in the dirt became a gold medal award-winning animal painter of international acclaim. 

Isaiah 61: 1-3

The Year of the Lord’s Favor

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
   because the LORD has anointed me
   to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
   to proclaim freedom for the captives
   and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
   and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
   instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
   instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
   instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
   a planting of the LORD
   for the display of his splendor. 

You can be a victim or a victor…live in a palace or a pit…fall for Satan’s traps or follow God to the promised land.  You can’t always control what happens to you, but by the grace of God, you can choose how you respond to it. 

“The enemy has no authority to hold us when we are ready to get out.”

               ~Beth Moore 

No matter what you are going through now or have walked through already, God has the power to help you overcome anything! 

Be who He created you to be. 

Out of His glorious riches, there are no limitations.

http://lotzhouse.com/

 

© Copyright 2011, KeziahCarrie.  All Rights Reserved

 

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The Measure of a Man

“Safe? Who said anything about safe?

‘Course He isn’t safe.   But He’s good.”   

               -C.S. Lewis 

            Religion and rules have never been a big part of my dad’s daily life.  He’s a good man, but not much of a church-going kind of guy.  He never cusses.  He seldom says anything bad about anyone, even if they deserve it.  And, though people have tried to judge him, he doesn’t reciprocate.

            While I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and learned a little about my chosen profession, my dad took his high school diploma and leaned how to do just about everything.      

            He set the bar really high, and each time I would struggle to get to the top, he would just raise it higher.  It was crazy frustrating and I spent a lot of wasted time trying to figure out why a father would want, need and demand that I always do my best. 

            What I didn’t realize then is that it was good training.  This man, who would rather mow his yard than hear more preaching from the pulpit, was an earthly example of a God who is good.  

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”  Colossians 3:23:24

            Now, don’t get me wrong, girls.  It wasn’t always Daddy/Daughter Day.  There were times when he toppled right off of that pedestal I had placed him on; and there was some serious silence between us during my most rebellious years.  He is a believer in free will and firm discipline, and, the more time I spend with my dad, the more I understand my God.  There’s nothing easy about being your best.  It’s hard work.  But God knows that, and must have told my dad.  The apostle Paul reminds us in Philippians 3:14

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

            In this fallen world, Father’s Day isn’t always the happiest time if you have an absent dad, an abusive dad or a dad you’ve never known.  We all know making a baby doesn’t make you a dad…but, the God who made you is your Father.  It is never too late to depend on Him, count on Him, and call on Him.

            Is God safe?  No, not really.  He will push you, prune you, discipline and refine you.  He will test your faith and rock your world.  Still, He is always good!

            Just the other night, I was sitting on the front porch swing, distraught over the two mares God has given us.  It seems when I most want to spend time with them, they’re rebellious, withdrawn or simply turn and walk away.  The thought immediately went through my mind that sometimes I act the same way…moody, rebellious, and withdrawn.  When I told my dad about it he laughed and said, “It sounds like God is speaking to you.”  No sweeter words has he ever spoken.  Whether he knows it or not, without rules and religion, he has taught me how to listen.  In my mind, that is the measure of a man!        

Keziahcarrie has a growing list of subscribers; and we all have one thing in common.  We are women on a journey.  Tell us about your dad.  Good, bad and ugly.  Sharing our stories gives us strength.   

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

Proverbs 27:17

May you have a Happy Father’s Day with your Heavenly Father!

🙂

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Where were you?

            Where were you when Elvis died; or maybe more recently, Michael Jackson?  Do you remember what you were doing as the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded?  What was happening in your life the morning terrorists hit our largest city and our nation’s capital?  We probably all remember exactly where we were and what we were doing. 

            But where were you and what were you doing when some of your most persistent prayers were answered?  When a problem was finally solved?  When a question swirling around in your mind for days, months, maybe even years was finally answered?  Where were you the last time you just received a totally unexpected blessing?

            I don’t sing in the shower, but I do seem to find some of life’s solutions there.  It’s probably one of the few places where the non-stop noise of daily living is drowned out by the white noise of the water and I can think more clearly, listen more intently.

            A few years ago, faced with what looked like the potential destruction of our family, I cried out to God for His help.  His answer came almost immediately through the car radio.  Nope, didn’t hear His actual voice.  But as I drove across a ten-mile stretch of highway, a song started playing on a station I didn’t remember punching up on the dial.  The words took my mind back to a place we had visited seven years earlier and the people there knew what to do.   

            After months of praying, researching and striving to find the right place for our son to attend school the answer came at a spontaneous dinner gathering.  The kids were horsing around; dinner was on the stove and at least three conversations going on simultaneously, when a friend suggested a school we had never considered.  Casual conversation in our friend’s kitchen changed our direction and put us on the right path.

            Just a few weeks ago, 35 years of praying, hoping and waiting came crashing into our lives like a tidal wave of blessings.  We were just running an errand, returning a baby swing to another friend, and the cell phone rang.  A simple conversation was the first piece of a puzzle that slid snugly into place over the next five days and my dreams of owning one horse, became two.   

            In the shower, driving, talking with friends, taking a call…just doing what we do…and God is there…letting us know He has not forgotten us. He still answers prayers, and if we’re not listening for His still small voice, He may have someone call! 🙂

            It’s easy to remember where we were when the big things happened…when the bad things happened…but I also always want to remember where I was when God looked down (like He did in the Beginning) and saw that it was GOOD! 

Where were you the last time something really good happened…something really GREAT?  What were you doing the last time God answered your prayers or gave you the answer you needed? 

Our former pastor used to say, “Good things happen over time.  Great things happen all at once.”  It sure seems that way some days.  My husband accuses me of going from great thing to great thing and I am here to tell you,  I am GUILTY as charged! 🙂 

“The Lord is my strength and my shield;

my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.

My heart leaps for joy,

and with my song I praise him.”

Psalm 28:7 

As Diane Lane sang in the Disney movie Secretariat, which I have now watched five, six… okay, maybe seven times…

He taught me how to watch and pray and live rejoicing every day

O Happy Day! 

Psalm 118:24

“This is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.”  

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”

Philippians 4:4 

🙂 

© Copyright 2011, KeziahCarrie.  All Rights Reserved

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Dear Abby Dear Abby

            Remember Dear Abby? 

            Ask Ann Landers? 

            Questions on proper in-law etiquette, noisy neighbors and philandering spouses peppered news papers all across the country.  The twin sisters could turn out a response in a couple of paragraphs and their opinions carried weight around the world.  

            It would be statistically interesting to see how many marriages were saved, the number of divorces finalized and apologies accepted based solely on the advice of the sisters.  If you could wait a few weeks and risk the overwhelming odds of your letter being chosen, I guess it was a logical way to learn what you should do.  Better yet, if you could just find your problem mimicked in someone else’s life, then you could piggy-back off of their solicited solution.  If Abby and Ann weren’t accessible enough, family members and friends have usually been willing to offer up advice.  Unfortunately, “Going to the phone, before going to the Throne,” (thank you Joyce Meyer for that quote) can get you in trouble.  While we can usually count on family and friends for their opinions, they are often pre-programmed to tell us what we want to hear…or they offer advice slightly slanted by their own particular experiences.  I am sometimes guilty of purposely selecting whose advice I seek, knowing in advance they are likely to give me the answer I want. 

            There are all sorts of examples on seeking advice in the Bible…some turn out well and others not so much.  Proverbs 24:6 says, “Surely you need guidance to wage war, and victory is won through many advisors.”  I like that one.  It’s always seemed like a good idea to me, to ask around before getting yourself into a tight situation, especially to find out if you have anyone on your side.  And if you already have some ideas and plans formulated in your mind, you might want to pull up Proverbs 16:3  “Commit to the Lord everything you do, then your plans will succeed.”  Of course you have to get that “commit” part first.  It doesn’t work after the fact.  Then, there is the foundational fool-proof piece of advice Jesus gives us in Matthew 6:33  “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”   I have tested and tried that verse many times and am living proof that it is true and effective.

            But just yesterday a friend asked my advice on a risky decision she was about to make.  It’s easy to say “Go for it” or “Just do it” when you’re NOT the one standing on the edge of a cliff, grabbing hold of an old rope and preparing to launch yourself out over a pile of jagged rocks to the icy river below.  When I saw her apprehension, I should have told her to stop and pray about it.  But I egged her on.  I wanted her to do it because I had done it, and well, the kids thirty and forty years younger than us had done it.  Her success would carry a set of bragging rights for the two of us while the other adults sat safely in their kayaks watching from the shallow water. 

            So she jumped.  It didn’t go well.  I immediately found myself praying she would be okay as I looked down into the water and we exchanged horrified facial expressions.  A  few bumps, a couple of bruises, some scratches, scrapes, cuts, a little wounded pride with lots of “I should have known betters” and we floated on down the river.

            I suspect she might think twice about trusting my advice again on such life and death situations.  But if there is a next time, I hope I won’t miss the opportunity to encourage her to overlook my opinion, and take her question straight to the Top!

“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you;

He will never let the righteous be shaken.”

Psalm 55:22

            Of course, even if she had asked Dear Abby or Ann Landers, I suspect the sisters would have sided with me and said:

 “You only live once.  Jump!”

Who do you count on to give you advice?

Who counts on you for answers? 

These may be questions worth contemplating. 🙂 

 

© Copyright 2011, KeziahCarrie.  All Rights Reserved

 

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