Monday, September 14, 2010

Virtual Trip to Wales, England and Scotland

My favorite traveling companions are all in Europe right now on a walking tour of Wales, England and Scotland. My sister, Susan, and good family friend, Debbie, left a week and a half ago for 7 days of Moody Blues concerts (overdoing it just a little, I’d say!) in England and Wales, with country hikes in between. My sister, Betty, her husband, Rick, and another good family friend, Kelly, arrived in England and met up with Susan and Debbie this past weekend for two weeks of countryside ambling through England and Scotland. I was supposed to go with them, but had to pull out for lack of funds due to lack of a job!

However, my buddies were thinking of me and missing me, so Susan and Debbie bought a stuffed monkey when they arrived in London and named her “Jan Jan” after me. They have been taking photographs of her at the various places they have been on the trip, and then Debbie has been posting them on Facebook. It is so sweet that they have been doing this. Here is my virtual journey so far:

"Janice, we miss you." Susan and Debbie were so thoughtful. They got me my

very favorite Starbucks drink, a Caramel Macchiato.

.

Here I am at Snowdinia National Park in Wales.

Visting Watership Down, the area of England made famous by author Richard Adams.

In Plymouth, England, at the Moody Blues concert. Boy, these guys are lookin' old!

Hitching a ride in Susan's backpack in Dartmoor.

Guess where I'll be tonight! (Hint: St. David's Hall in Cardiff.)

Another Moody's concert. This one in Birmingham.

I hope this is the last one as my ears are ringing!

Sunday, August 22, 2010

The Way of the Righteous

Today we continued our short break from 1 Peter to hear an excellent message by Jeff Purswell, the Dean of Sovereign Grace Ministries' Pastors College who also preaches at Covenant Life Church. He is an excellent teacher, and this morning his sermon was on Psalm 1.

Introduction

We live in a “connected” technology world that has its benefits and dangers. One of the many dangers is the countless ways technology can distract us and compete for our attention. What is dangerous about these distractions is that they come with a promise of entertainment, knowledge or inclusion.

“The compulsive search for diversion is often an attempt to escape the wretchedness of life. We have great difficulty being quiet in our rooms, when the television or computer screen offers a riot of possible stimulation. Post-modern people are perpetually restless; they frequently seek solace in diversion instead of satisfaction in truth. As Pascal said, 'Our nature consists in movement; absolute rest is death.' The postmodern condition is one of over-saturation and over-stimulation, and this caters to our propensity to divert ourselves from pursuing higher realities." —Douglas Groothius

Psalm 1 provides a divine interruption to our distractions. It breaks into the clutter of our minds and the clamor of competing voices with a penetrating presentation of reality. Psalm 1 presents an uncompromising claim and a hope-filled promise: the exclusive path to enduring joy is devotion to God’s Word.

The Way of the Righteous (verses 1-3)

Psalm 1 opens with an exclamation, “Blessed.” This word carries a congratulatory meaning—this righteous man is celebrated, admired and approved. He is the one who has the richest, fullest experience of life. The psalm begins by saying what the righteous DOES NOT do (verse 1).

a. He does not: “Walk in the counsel of the wicked”—he doesn’t accept the world’s advice nor is he influenced by the world’s perspective on life.

b. “Stand in the way of sinners”—he doesn’t linger in their paths; this man doesn’t engage in the world’s sinful ways.

c. “Sit in the seat of scoffers”—he doesn’t settle in to the world’s way of thinking, adopting its attitudes as they scoff at holiness, belittle the righteous, and mock the pursuit of godliness.

Verse 2 explains what the righteous DOES. The righteous devotes himself to the word of God—this is what captivates and preoccupies him. The righteous delights in God’s word—“delight” is deeper than emotion: it’s a combination of “delight” and “attention.” In other words, there’s a “joyful immersion,” a diligent, satisfying application of Scripture to his life. It is his chief desire. The righteous meditates on God’s word—he murmurs, recites, rolls it over in his mind, thinks out
loud, processes it, and memorizes God word.

The devotion of the righteous produces delight, and delight, in turn, produces devotion. In our reading of Scripture, we can often desire or expect some immediate, ecstatic experience, or we become disappointed. This psalm doesn’t have in mind momentary bursts of bliss. It is advocating a lifestyle—a lifetime of reflection and meditation and application. This is true Biblical spirituality—not momentary experiences that dissipate, but gradual transformation by the Spirit, through the Word, that’s solid; that’s durable; that lasts.

The righteous’ devotion and delight in God’s word produces RESULTS (verse 3). The tree sent its roots deep into the streams of living water. Even in drought or adversity, the tree will receive all the care and nourishment it needs to be fruitful, to be productive, and to bring blessing to others. And so this man experiences prosperity in his soul and life in everything he does, despite harsh or unfavorable conditions.

The Way of the Wicked (verse 4-5)

The wicked are like chaff (the outside husk of the grain) which blows away in the wind. The psalmist uses this imagery to say that the wicked are useless, worth nothing, and transitory. As well, the wicked have no future. They will face eternal judgment and condemnation.

The Divine Evaluation (verse 6)

Up to this point, we’ve only seen the righteous and the wicked. Now God appears for the first time, and the entire psalm is given a divine perspective. How can we be certain of a final and just judgment? How can we have confidence about the truth of this psalm? Here’s why we can have confidence that an allegiance to God and a devotion to his word will bring a solid and enduring joy: “the LORD knows the way of the righteous. In the Old Testament, “knowledge” isn’t just intellectual. It’s experiential and relational. God cares about us. He identifies with us and is committed us. God also knows the way of the wicked. Their path ends with a frightening word—“the wicked will perish.” Their ultimate end will be ruin.

God intends this psalm to bring clarity to our lives. There are not an endless number of lifestyle choices in the world. There are only two—the way of the righteous or the way of the wicked. On which path are you?

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Lunch at the Chow’s

Newlyweds and good friends Joe Chow and Susie Yeo invited a few friends over for a delicious lunch.

My husband, Dennis, Sachi, Jo and (part of) Daniel eating.

Newlyweds Joe and Susie.

Faith and Eric with their two adorable kids, Grace and Nicholas.

Joe and Bill, the "Swing Dance King!"

Sachi and Brenda

Susie's son, Justin

Joe's bro!

Eric, Faith and Susie

Joe's outgoing son, AJ

Joe's son, Zachery, is shy and does NOT like to get his picture taken.

Joe's cutie-pie daughter, Torrie.

Still eating...

...Finally finished eating. Now we're playing the hilarioius game, Catch Phrase.

Susie giving a clue.

It's Jo's turn. Apparently she needs her reading glasses.

Joe trying to get his word guessed before the buzzer sounds.

Not sure what word Bill had, but it must have had something to do with an owl!!

Yep, even hubby Dennis got into the action!

We wore Sachi and Daniel out!

Some of the ladies - Brenda, me, Susie and Jo.

(Wow! Remind me not to wear this outfit in any more pictures!!)

Susie and Brenda

Sunday, August 15, 2010

The Indestructible Church (Matthew 16:13-18)

At church today, we took a break from our series on 1 Peter. Instead, pastor Robin Boisvert gave his sermon message, titled “The Indestructible Church,” from Matthew 16:13-18. Robin's message focused on the fact that the church that Jesus builds is indestructible and cannot be destroyed.

The Church is Built by Jesus (verse 18: “I will build my church…”)

How does Jesus build his church? The way Jesus builds his church is by bringing people to himself through the gospel and then by sending them out to bear witness to that gospel. In other words, Jesus saves us through the gospel, and then he sends us out with that gospel. It’s our mission to bear witness to the truth of the gospel with our lives and our words—in demonstration and declaration.

The Church Belongs to Jesus (verse 18: “I will build my church…”)

Why does the church belong to Jesus? It belongs to him because he bought and paid for it with his own blood, his very life. “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which He obtained (purchased) with His own blood.” (Acts 20:28).

And Peter said that Christians are redeemed, “…not with perishable things like silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ.” (1 Peter 1:18-19).

These verses tell us that the divine Lamb of God, of infinite value and infinite love, gave his life for the church. Therefore, the church is his, and it is precious to him. What is precious to him ought to be precious to us as well. We should not be indifferent to what Jesus values so highly.

The Church can be Threatened (verse 18: “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”)

What is meant by “the gates of hell”? The word “gates” refers to power or authority.
The place where authority was found in an ancient city was at the city gates. Think of it in terms of headquarters, where authoritative decisions are made. “The gates of hell” would equate to “headquarters of hell” in our culture. In other words, Jesus is building his church in the midst of opposition and cosmic conflict. It is a conflict that engages all of heaven and earth, all of creation and spans almost all of time, from the fall to final judgment.

There are four ways that the church can be threatened, two from the inside and two from without.

Division: Division happens when Christians do not take sufficient heed to themselves to obey Jesus’ commands to love one another. Offenses that are not dealt with biblically (taking the log out of our own eye, asking forgiveness, and seeking reconciliation) can lead to divisions between persons, and can affect other people who choose up sides. Then, factions develop which can even lead to church splits.

Heresy: Throughout the history of the church, heresies have arisen. Heresy is doctrinal error so serious that if it were true it would falsify the Christian faith. i. For example, in the 4th century there arose a very serious heresy that denied Jesus’ eternal nature and equality of divinity with God. This heresy still exists in the beliefs of the Jehovah witnesses. Athanasius and the Council of Nicea convened and determined that Scripture taught that the Son of God is of the same essence as the Father, that Jesus Christ is truly divine. This heresy was formally condemned.

Persecution from the world: Since the beginning, the church has faced persecution.
Jesus’ own passion and death set the pattern. He told his disciples, “If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” Paul made the sobering statement that all who would live godly lives in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. And Peter said in 1 Peter 4:12, “Don’t think it strange concerning the fiery trial that is to try you.” It is estimated that there were more martyrs for the faith in the 20th century than in all the previous 19 centuries combined.

The patronage of the world: The favor of the state often comes with a price — compromise of the gospel. The church should keep a safe distance from political parties and from the favors of kings and politicians. The church is in danger when she is beholden to or protected by political interests.

Campbell Morgan, commenting on Acts 19:23-41, says: “Let us be very careful that we do not waste our energy, and miss the meaning of our high calling by any rejoicing in the patronage of the world. It is by the friction of persecution that the fine gold of character is made to flash and gleam with glory. The church persecuted has always been the church pure, and therefore the church powerful. The church patronized has always been the church in peril and very often the church paralyzed. I am not afraid of Demetrius. Let him have his meeting of craftsmen, and let them in their unutterable folly shout a lie twenty-five thousand strong. The truth goes quietly on. But when the town clerk begins to take care of us, then God deliver us from the peril.”

The Church Will Certainly Prevail (verse 18: “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”)

Church history and Scripture reveals that despite toil, tribulation and trouble the Church will persevere. Jesus Christ not only builds the church, but he preserves her from the gates of hell until that final day when the warfare will end and Jesus will return for his Bride. Believing this truth, D. M. Lloyd-Jones wrote, “Do not waste too much of your time in worrying about the future of the Christian Church.”

But that doesn’t mean that Covenant Life Church will necessarily prevail. That depends on whether we appropriate the grace of the gospel and faithfully follow our Lord – maintaining our integrity, walking in love for our Savior and for one another, maintaining our grip on the gospel, and faithfully passing it on to others and the next generation.

As Robin regularly does, we should pray that 10, 20, 50, 100 years from now, if the Lord does not return, that Covenant Life Church will still be a faithful witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Fiery Trials

I finally felt well enough to attend church this morning, though I did spend a bit of the time coughing, one of the leftover effects of the bronchitis from which I continue to recover. My voice is still about 80% hoarse, so singing during worship was out of the question. Instead, I just “mouthed” the words to the songs.

Today, senior pastor Joshua Harris continued the series on 1 Peter, which we have been studying for the past few months. Josh’s message centered on 1 Peter 4:12-19, and it focused on “Fiery Trials.”

What are fiery trials? (verses 14, 16)

In this passage, Peter is referring to the trial of mistreatment. In verse 14, he talks about being “insulted” for the name of Christ, and in verse 16, he describes suffering because you are a Christian. Because Peter uses the same imagery in 1 Peter 1:6-7 in a broader sense, “fiery trials” are not limited to persecution or martyrdom.

Another use of trials is seen in Hebrews 3:7-8, in which the wandering Israelites lacked permanence, position, power and provision in the desert. For us trials can be circumstances that leave us uncertain about our future, our provision, or our position.

Another use of trials is in Galations 4:13-14. Paul endured the trial of physical suffering. Those who loved him endured the trial of seeing those they love suffer. Those who suffer physical illness and those who love them are enduring “fiery trials”.

Another use of trials is Jesus’ temptation in the Garden of Gethsemane in Matthew 26:40-41.

Sometimes our trials are direct attacks from the enemy—crushing depression, discouragement, and temptations to fleshly indulgence. The Lord uses all these different “fiery trials” to test the genuineness of our faith.

Why shouldn’t I be surprised by trials? (verses 12-13)

In verse 12, Peter is saying, “expect trials and view them as a normal part of the Christian life.” This is God’s pattern in the lives of his people throughout the ages to bring about his purposes for his glory and for our good. But most of us don’t live that way. When we look at our future, we often picture things going right. We imagine ourselves healthy. We view trials as an intruder. We view difficulty as a detour from the normal plan. We don’t want to believe that trials are part of the normal plan. But this is only because we haven’t paid attention to our Bibles. Think about the men and women in the pages of Holy Scripture—Joseph, Moses, Ruth, David, Peter, Paul, and Jesus, etc. They all experienced significant trials as part of God’s work in and through them.

Why should I rejoice in trials? (verses 13-15)

Because sharing in Christ’s suffering today means sharing in his glory on the last day. Peter, in verse 15, qualifies this: not all suffering is good if we’re suffering because we’ve sinned. However, when we share in Christ’s suffering for the right reasons, when we suffer because of our union with Jesus, we will be filled with untold joy on the day when Jesus is revealed as the Everlasting Son of God. On the last day, Jesus will be revealed as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords for all time and eternity. And it will be a day of great rejoicing for those who shared in his suffering during their life on earth.

How do trials relate to judgment beginning with the household of God? (verses 17-18)

“Household of God” refers to the people of God, the church. This means that if you’re suffering as a Christian, you shouldn’t react to your suffering by doing something shameful. Instead you are to glorify God as a suffering Christian. When we encounter suffering, we can run from God and turn to sin, or we can obey God and glorify him with our actions. What we choose reveals the true state of our heart.

The point of these verses is that suffering reveals the real nature of our faith. It reveals whether or not we truly belong to God. The judgment described in this verse isn’t punishment for sin. It is the judging between who is a true believer and who is a false believer.

How do I entrust my soul to God in the midst of trials? (verse 19)

Because suffering is God’s instrument for our good, it shouldn’t stop us from loving and obeying him. We should entrust our souls to him and continue to do what pleases him. That phrase “entrust their souls to a faithful Creator” is a rich phrase. To entrust means to give someone something for safekeeping; it is trusting someone to care for and protect something that we value. And even in the midst of trials, the Lord calls us to focus on others and do good.

Tuesday, August 17 - Thursday, August 19, 2010

Three Days in the Outer Banks

My sister, Jackie, and her family invited me to stay with them for a few days while they vacationed in Southern Shores on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. They rented a beautiful house, “The Painted Lady,” only a block from the ocean. The weather was hot and humid… blue skies and sunshine the first two days, then overcast and a little stormy my last day there. I had a wonderful time and am so grateful to Jackie and her husband, Steve, for showing me such a great time.

Personalize a photo slideshow

Friday, July 30, 2010

Ramblings – I Have Nothing

This morning as I was having my quiet time with the Lord, I prayed – as usual – for my health to return. Today starts the sixth week I have been suffering from a bad case of bronchitis, and I have also had laryngitis for 3½ weeks. Besides having a difficult time breathing, coughing until great chunks of green stuff is expelled from my lungs and not being able to speak, being sick for so long has taken its toll on me: I have little energy to do anything, I am weak and easily exhausted, I am beginning to feel cut off from the outside world, and at this point in time I have a severe case of cabin fever. The only good thing is that I have lost 10 pounds… go figure!

I am an optimistic person by nature, and even during this illness I have tended not to focus on the “bad.” But, as one can see from my morning’s meditation, my mind had started to wander into my own pity party. I started to review my life over the past 9 months, which is when I got laid off from my job of 11 years (17 total, if one counts the 6 years I previously worked at the same organization). It seemed like I had had nothing but adversity ever since.

In October 2009, I lost my job and the income that went along with it. I got a nice severance package, and my severance pay lasted about 5 months. When it ran out I filed for unemployment; however, I soon found out that I was not eligible to collect unemployment because I had received too much in severance pay! While I have not yet undertaken a serious search for a new job, I did have two job opportunities come my way. The first one paid a ridiculously low salary: less than half of what I was previously making; and the second job went to someone else because I was too sick to go in for the follow-up interview. Since then, I have not been well enough to look for a new job.

Before I lost my job, I was completely self-sufficient monetarily. The money I made was my money to spend however I chose. My only obligation was to pay my son’s college tuition, which was easy on my salary. I chose to spend the rest of my money on traveling to foreign places, decorating my home, taking friends and family out to eat, and buying books and expensive cameras.

.

Today I have $15 in my bank account, and I have to ask my husband for money to do anything, from filling up my gas tank to buying a stick of deodorant or a cup of coffee. Not to mention, he had to pay this semester’s college tuition for our son. I am having to skip the trip to England and Scotland that my sisters are taking in a couple months. I have taken to re-reading the same books I read years ago. Instead of me treating my daughter to dinner, she is buying me lunch at Panera Bread. I don’t even walk into a Home Goods store anymore. And, I have not bought one stick of new clothing this summer.

Since I have no money, I have been practically housebound for months. (I want to use the gas in my car only when absolutely necessary.) In addition, my sickness has had me cooped up in my home for weeks, and I am starting to climb the walls.

So, this morning while I was studying God’s Word, I realized that I have nothing. No job. No money. No healthy body. No energy. No place to go. No good food in the house. That’s when I started to sink into despair. Why, God, have you allowed my life to become like this? Why am I so sick? I can’t even look for a job when I am this ill! Then I read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18:

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

It then hit me. It is the will of God that I have nothing, at least nothing of earthly value. For over the years I had become arrogant, prideful, self-reliant and greedy, prizing money and status and position. Not very godly traits for a woman of God.

God broke through my heart at this moment and I realized what He was doing by bringing these trials into my life. He was revealing my sin to me and transforming me more into the image of Christ:

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)

Christ, who suffered and endured suffering more than I will or could ever suffer, never sinned. Never. Not once.

So, how does this apply to my life today? Being sick has kept me sidelined to my home and forced me to put a hold on looking for a new job. I am learning to be content. I can live quite comfortably without much money. I can enjoy my home with its current contents. It’s amazing how much food is in the cupboards that I didn’t even realize was there. There is much beauty to be found in just sitting outdoors watching the birds and squirrels. Reading a book the second time around is almost like reading it for the first time. Old movies on television are so much better than movies currently in theaters. Dinner at home with my husband and son tastes just as good as in a restaurant. Blogging about my previous exotic travels brings back wonderful memories.

I am learning to trust God more and more. I am learning to find joy and comfort and fulfillment in Him alone. I am learning that humility is a quality to be much desired and sought after. I am learning that I have nothing… without God.

.
God’s plan? Absolutely!

.

Take these hands and lift them up
For I have not the strength to praise You near enough
For I have nothing, I have nothing without You

Take my voice and pour it out
Let it sing the songs of mercy I have found
For I have nothing, I have nothing without You

All my soul needs
Is all Your love to cover me
So all the world will see
That I have nothing without You

Take my body and build it up
May it be broken as an offering of love
For I have nothing, I have nothing without You

All my soul needs
Is all Your love to cover me
So all the world will see
But I love You

With all my heart
With all my soul
With all my mind
And all the strength I can find

All my soul needs
Is all Your love to cover me
So all the world will see
I have nothing

Take my time here on earth
And let it glorify all that You are worth
For I am nothing
I am nothing

I am nothing without You

Thursday, July 29, 2010

After the Storm

The blue sky slowly started turning dark, until there was no sun. Thunder boomed overhead. All of a sudden, the heavens opened up and the rain poured down. The lightening lit up the black sky. Then it was over. The sun came back out the sky turned blue. The birds and butterflies returned. The flowers were thankful for the drink.

The rain poured.

After it was over, the hummingbird returned to gather nectar.

Butterfly in motion.

This tiny butterfly (moth?) was the size of my thumbnail.

Dragonfly

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Requiescat In Pace

On July 9, 2010, Rick Reams, my former brother-in-law (ex-husband of my sister, Jackie) and awesome dad of my nephew, Jackson, and niece, Madison, died unexpectedly of an anuerysm at the age of 58. He was retired from the Army and was working at Fort Hood in Texas at the time of his death. He was buried near his hometown of Cape Girardeau, Mo. He spent many years working at Fort Meade in Maryland, and today Ft. Meade held a Memorial Service for Rick. Here are a few photos I took with my cell phone after the Service was over.

Inside the chapel at Ft. Meade.

After the Memorial Service.

My nephew, Jackson, with the flag he was presented with during the Memorial Service.

My niece, Madison, holding the flag that was presented to her

during the Memorial Service for her dad.

Capt. Knight holding one of the framed plaques commemorating

Rick's service in the U.S. Army that were given to Jackson and Madison.

.

Both my nephew, Jackson, and my niece, Madison, each received

a framed plaque memorializing their father's military service to his country.

Capt. Knight talking to Jackson after the Memorial Service.

Jackson and Madison each received several medallions

commemorating their father's service to his country.

-

Ricky K. Reams

1/12/1952 - 7/9/2010

Rest in Peace