Give me a hand!

A long time ago, in a land far away, a very evil queen lived to torture her people. She would travel far and wide to gather "new subjects". After she paid peddlers and countrymen for the people who would serve her, she would take their hand as a reminder to them of who they belonged to. Her subjects were scared and had to work hard. All of them lived feeling less than and disgraced because of their disability. People on the streets would mock them as they went on errands for their master, but they still had to complete their tasks or they would be beaten. They lived like this for many years and longed for a time when they would be free. Some of the town's folk started feeling sorry for the subjects and wished they knew a way to free them from their servitude, but they didn't know how to fool the queen and were fearful of her too because she had a great deal of power in the community. The subjects were angry in their hearts and secretly despised the queen and envied her two hands. They did not like the town's folk very much either because they also had two hands and this reminded them that they were always under the control of the queen. Many more years passed until one of the town's folk could take it no longer and devised a secret plan to try to save the subjects. He knew it was a long shot and would take a long time to convince the other town's folk and be secretive enough to have the plan work. He organized secret meetings with others who he knew hated the treatment of the subjects too. They had to be extra careful because the queen had eyes everywhere and would readily kill anyone who would try to oppose her. It took several years and many failed attempts, but finally a plan was devised. They had dug a tunnel under the great mountain that lead to a free land. The free land was full of people who opposed the queen and had a powerful King who was not afraid of her. When he heard of the town's men building the tunnel, he agreed to allow the subjects to come and build a new life in his kingdom. Over time, the town's folk were able to sneak out several subjects, but this left the queen very angry. She raged at the loss of each one. She would then have the remaining beaten as punishment for the crimes of the others. After several losses, the queen made the decision that she was not going to be mocked. She knew that if she allowed this to continue, her subjects would stop fearing her and try to leave too. She began to derive a plan to take down the king. Many days later, after much preparation and training, the queen gave the marching orders to her subjects with threats of the death and torture of their children if they failed. They were to go to battle against the king in the quiet hours of the night. After the final lights of the castle were extinguished and the guards were on the final watch and heavy eyed, the subjects were to storm the main gate. The queen led the charge, using her secret magic to destroy the gate and allow her subjects to enter unhindered. Unbeknownst to the queen though, there had been a secret informer in her midst. The king was prepared for her attack and had quietly evacuated all of his residents. They had all gone and hid in the tunnels of the mountain and waited for her army to pass. Then they raced to the Queens Castle to free the elders and children who has been left behind. Meanwhile, the king had set a trap for the evil queen. As she barged into the main hall, a large cage dropped down, trapping her inside. The subjects, seeing that their captor was herself trapped gave loud cheers at the realization that they were free at last from her tyranny. Knowing that the king had powers beyond hers and realizing her demise was inevitable if she remained, the queen did a disappearing spell and went into hiding. The king then allowed the subjects to integrate into his society and made accommodations for them due to their only having one hand. The invisible queen was so angry about this, that she worked tirelessly to come up with a secret plan. It would take several years to unfold completely, but if she was very patient, she would have her way again. Her goal was to turn people away from them. She would whisper to the town's folk regularly to put ideas in their heads about the special treatment they received, their inability to actually do the same things because of their lack of a hand, and all the resources that were being taken way from the people who were part of the kingdom originally. Some of the town's folk listened to these things and became very angry. They didn't like subjects and called them "Handy's" to remind them of their past. The queen then encouraged some of them to pretend to like the Handy's. As generations passed, they encouraged them to tie one hand behind their back as a reminder of all they had been through years ago. They reminded them so often that even as years dwindled away and all who lived during that time had died, they still felt oppressed. Now there were still town's folk who were vocal about their dislike for the Handy's and openly discussed all they had ruined in the kingdom. The secretive town's folk decided to enrage them even more be deciding to tie their own right hand behind their backs and telling other townsfolk that they should do likewise as a show of solidarity with the Handy's. This dubbed them the name Lefty's. Many followed suit and believed they were actually helping the Handy's to get over their pain. The openly angry town's folk fired back with even more angry words and wanted to kick them out of the Kings land. There was another group who refused to tie their hands. They loved the subjects and wanted to help them, but didn't think tying there own hand was the answer. They thought it was a silly idea. They thought the Handy's should just untie their hand and do like all the other town's folk. They actually thought the Handy's should refuse to answer to that name. They openly rejected the whispering of the queen and wanted the subjects to just call themselves town's folk. Many did decide to do that, but some of the Handy's thought that meant they were discounting all they had been through and turning their back on their history. Over time, this group started being called Righty's, first because they believed they were right in their claim and second because they could still use their right hand freely. The subjects who untied their hands also became Righty's because you couldn't tell them apart from the original town's folk. Unfortunately, this meant that it was easy to also mistake the town's folk who openly hated the subjects because they also had the use of both hands. The secret leaders of the Lefty's used these things to their full advantage. They spread rumors about what the Righty's really thought of the Handy's. They came up with all kinds of evil reasons why the Righty's didn't want to tie their hands. They even went so far as to say that any town's folk who refuse to tie their own hand was openly against them and obviously hated them just as much as the group who was open about their dislike. They talked often about how the Righty's talk a good talk, but don't actually believe what they say. They twisted their words to the Handy's so that most truly believed that the Righty's were all the same and wanted to keep them in bondage. The rights who used to be Handy's tried to tell them to untie their hands and try life like that, but they only saw a Righty who they believed hated them. Over many years, this became worse and worse until the Righty's were unable to petition the Handy's to believe their claims anymore. They had been mocked into silence. Meanwhile, the Lefty's either believed they were doing good by living in bondage or were doing the queens bidding; and the Handy's were angry and stuck. The invisible queen smiled with delight when this turn of events finally took place. Her plan had finally come to fruition. Not only did her original subjects live in despair and bondage, but so did everyone else.

To my family...

So, it has been years... probably about 13 now. Years of what you ask? Well, I'll tell you. I've been praying for you. I'm probably not the only one either, but I have been doing it quite regularly. I can tell you something too... If you are in my family and you don't see God at work all around you, you are blind. That's ok though. The Bible says, "He (Satan) has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes,and understand with their heart, and turn,and I would heal them.” (John 12-40) It's true too! For 13 years, I have prayed for all of you! At that time, addiction, hard heartedness, false belief, etc were crazy in our family. There was so much pain and hurt. First, he healed me in small ways and called me to him. Then he started working on my brother. Neither of us wanted anything to do with him, but God is amazing and knows our hearts so much that he knew what we needed to hear. We, who wanted nothing to do with the church or it's crazy followers growing up and into our adult years, both became followers of the Way within 2 years of each other without either of us trying to convert the other. God knew our hearts and drew us to him separately. We have an aunt (or Mom, sister, etc) who has been brought out of addiction and sin. She had turned away from God, but he loved her so much that he called her back. I have a sister who has been brought out of false belief, and a nephew who is currently being drawn in. There is no other way to explain it, except that he knows our hearts and leads us to him by way of our story. So, this is a warning to you who "know" that Jesus is just a great example, or a prophet, or a myth, etc. I've been praying for you and he's coming. When he comes, it's like a veil is removed from your eyes. It might be a slow transition or all at once, but I believe that he is redeeming us. Our fathers believed wrong, taught wrong, loved wrong! Our Heavenly Father is not him. He loves us completely and wholly. He created us for his delight. Do not say, christians didn't know how to love, so I don't believe in Christ. As Paul said in Romans 3-23,"For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26 for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus." Thank God for his glorious standard, but also for knowing that we in our humanness could not maintain his standard. Thank God that he took our place! Thank God that he loves us that much! Do you feel the tug? Do you feel the call? If not, I'll keep praying for you! It doesn't make me better. It doesn't make me perfect, in fact I have a long way to go. It does make me redeemed though and that is all I need. It is a free gift, but I'll be honest with you... It is the hardest thing that has ever happened to me. He has asked me to do things and go places I never would have imagined doing. It doesn't all of a sudden make everything perfect. In fact, Jesus even said this to his disciples at one point, " I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16-33) So, if you are broken, stuck in addiction, stumbling over choices you have made, etc, take heart. You are still loved... Beyond your capacity even to understand. I love you all and Lord, I ask that you redeem and call everyone to you who reads this. Not because I wrote it and not to glorify myself, but for you and your glory! Amen.

Treasured

A couple of weeks ago, I was watching this Veggie Tales with Eli called "Snoodlerella". Towards the end of it, the character Snoodlerella is feeling plain and not very beautiful because all of her beautification disappeared at midnight. The king came up behind her and said the following: "Would you like to, my child, hear what I think instead...I think you are beautiful. I treasure you deeply. Your lovely my child. I think you are beautiful...your hair and your braces, your glasses, and clothes, and cumbersome graces, and many more traits which I could speak of. There is nothing about you I don't truly love. Your kind, your honest, your funny, your smart...your really quite charming, you have a good heart." "Your majesty, she asked, "I'd like to believe you, is that really true?" "Of course it's true, every word that I say. Daughter I am the King and I made you that way. I delight in your beauty, you're wonderfully made. I knew you before the foundation was laid. Your precious to me, every hair on your head. Daughter, hear and believe"...the Snoodle King said.

Beauty for ashes...

Feminism and our decline... So, I'm a little angry today hearing that in the name of equality, women are now going to have to register for selective service. But alas we brought it on ourselves. As women, we no longer want to be viewed as special, different, valuable, unique, etc. We'd rather stomp and say, "I can do it myself, thank you very much!" I'm sorry, but I like the door held open. I like the check picked up. I like being able to hide behind some mystery and having it be expected that I am worth the wait. I like being special and different. Feminism has taken away the value of being feminine. I have been told before that I am a feminist and I just don't know it. I can boldly say that, "no, I love being female and I love the perks that come along with that." I love being a mom and being able to watch my babies grow up and that they want to cuddle with me above anyone else. I love when my husband opens my car door and looks at me in that special way that I know he thinks I'm beautiful. I love dancing with him and having him lead. I'm ok with following. The dance looks better that way. I love being strong as a woman and having it being different than what being strong as a man looks like. I'm not the same. I was made different. That's ok. Call me old fashioned. Call me backward... But I really think that we have traded our beauty for ashes. With that being said, that phrase always makes me think of these verses below and I'm glad today that Jesus died for me and that what is written above is not what I am looking forward to. Isaiah 61 1The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is upon me, for the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. 2He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the LORD’s favor has come, and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies. 3To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory. 4They will rebuild the ancient ruins, repairing cities destroyed long ago. They will revive them, though they have been deserted for many generations. 5Foreigners will be your servants. They will feed your flocks and plow your fields and tend your vineyards. 6You will be called priests of the LORD, ministers of our God. You will feed on the treasures of the nations and boast in their riches. 7Instead of shame and dishonor, you will enjoy a double share of honor. You will possess a double portion of prosperity in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours. 8“For I, the LORD, love justice. I hate robbery and wrongdoing. I will faithfully reward my people for their suffering and make an everlasting covenant with them. 9Their descendants will be recognized and honored among the nations. Everyone will realize that they are a people the LORD has blessed.” 10I am overwhelmed with joy in the LORD my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels. 11The Sovereign LORD will show his justice to the nations of the world. Everyone will praise him! His righteousness will be like a garden in early spring, with plants springing up everywhere.