Just Pictures again

I have a lot on my mind, but will need to find some time to blog -- for now here are some new pictures of Ethne when she climbed behind the sofa (I keep extra pillows and pool toys back there!) She wanted me to join her, so I did.

Jesus said to pray

I know this is a very serious blog but I couldn't resist showing you Kayla's most recent pictures! She's already a year old, wow!

In church, when Pastor Mike read the words of Jesus to us, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” I felt the heavy hand of the Lord descend on me. No individual came to my mind, but a whole group of people, perhaps even a nation. Specifically, I thought of the Islamic Nation and the Terrorists who rise up to defend her tenets by killing the innocent. Two men who drove a flaming car into Glasgow airport came to mind. And those who left two cars loaded with explosives in the middle of London, in order to kill and injury and terrify innocent people. I consider these people to be my enemies. Is Jesus is asking me to pray for them, and yes, to even love them?

This is very hard. It’s not within my power or heart to do this. It must be supernatural in order for me to obey Jesus’ command. Only His love in me and flowing out of me could be so pure and unconditional. He who said, over and over, “Forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.”

That I think I can say, because they don’t really know what they are doing, do they? They don’t know that they are following a false god who delights in massacre and death, in taking souls to hell. They are caught in spiritual blindness and totally deceived. So, in truth they don’t know what they are doing, not on a spiritual level at least. I can pray for them to see the Truth, for Jesus to open their eyes and hearts to Him. I can call out for their salvation and so take an active role in stemming the tide of hate and revenge—by praying in love for them. Just like Jesus told me to do.

“So, Lord, because you ask me to, I pray for these terrorists, so blind, so mislead, so lost. I ask that you would soften their hearts and bring your powerful Word to them and their children. That salvation would spring up and flow out and that many would turn to you and be set free. And Lord, I ask you to turn my fear and hate into love and concern. To the praise of your glory. Amen.”

READING IN THE QUIET MOMENTS

The other day, while watching after Ethne I was delighted to find her sitting—comfortably—reading

one of my articles in a Focus on the Family magazine. I’m actually relieved she can’t really read yet

since it’s an article about sexual satisfaction in marriage and we all know that she is much too young

to be married.

AN APPOINTED DAY

Here are some new pictures of the new baby and some new thoughts from me.

ONE APPOINTED DAY

One reason I chose to sit in this place to work on my laptop is that I enjoy the view out of the large windows—but not today. My husband and I were just sitting in our usual places, doing our usual things, when we heard a thud. I looked up to see a small bird fall to the ground. He’d flown straight into our windowpane and now was gasping for breath on pavement that surrounds our pool.

I had not seen him coming. It happened unexpectedly, suddenly. Of course I prayed. Craig said, “It usually just stuns them and they’re able to fly away after a few moments.” Not this time. I watched as his little chest heaved. “Is there something we can do? Give him some water?”

Craig shook his head. “That would probably kill him.”

His little beak opened and closed several times and then stopped moving

as his eye lids closed over his shiny brown eyes. Just moments ago I watched him die and I feel really sad. I don’t know why the Lord didn’t answer my prayer and revive the little creature. But the Bible says, “There is a time for everything. . . a time to live and a time to die.”

I suppose each death seems sudden to us humans. Mine. Yours. Those we love. It will always take our attention away from the usual things we do and in stunned reaction we’ll pray and hope—and sometimes wonder why God allows death and does not rise the injured one back up.

The truth is we each have an appointed time to die. I’ve been thinking a lot lately that my days are limited and about how I want to live out the days remaining for me. I’ve decided I don’t want to just go along any longer, just allow life to take me as it wills—no, I want to take life. Take the life I’ve been given, every minute, every day and live it in such a way that others will know and love Jesus more.

I’m not really sure how to do this—how to let His life flow out from me—in increasing measure year by year. But I am ready to learn. To lay aside the life I have lived, where I take my days for granted and act as if how I live is my choosing, and doesn’t really matter. I want to begin to live like Jesus. To be disciplined in how I use this limited resource of time, which God has entrusted to me. To be constantly aware that all around me are people flying through life, headed for their appointed day of dying and to do what I can to help them be ready for that unexpected moment. To reach out and tell them that there is a God and He loves them so much He has made arrangements so that they can live forever, simply close their eyes and open them again on the other side.