Delays (Part 3) and THE AYE-AYE

I love this determined little animal found in Madagascar! The Aye-Aye is a relative of the lemur, but has an amazing distinctive feature about him that sets him apart from the lemur: he has a long middle finger with a very sharp claw. The nocturnal Aye-Aye will sleep all day hidden in a sphere-like nest so that he can stay up all night "tapping." He taps on trees and listens for wood-boring insects behind the bark because his ears are incredibly sensitive. He taps, listens, and waits. When he decides that he has located one of these insects, he digs him out with the same middle finger. Lots of work, yes, but very worth it! Although he loves digging out coconut flesh and devouring the tasty fruit, these insects are his favorite!

Rehash on the last couple of blogs:

1. Delays never come at a good time.
2. Delays can appear suddenly.

NEW ONE! Delays make you appreciate things once you get them.

Our city (Ocala) is doing all kinds of construction on various roads, and some of them have been long-term. Anyone who attends our church/school and has to take this road named Baseline will understand the concept. EVERYONE has to take BASELINE if you live in a large segment of Ocala. It has been under construction not for days, weeks, months, but now for years. It can be frustrating and dangerous; people have incidents of "road rage" while driving certain stretches of that road. BUT everyone will agree with this: when the construction is done, it will be ONE nice highway.

Ecclesiastes 7:8, "Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit."

It is true! The end of things are wonderful! We love reaching the end of a marathon, pulling a beautifully-cooked roast out of the oven, or finishing a well-written book. There is satisfaction in completing a project that has taken months but the time spent with family was worth it.

But what about those pesky times where there is a delay? Even though you know the outcome will be wonderful eventually, it is inconvenient and aggravating. This is what I encountered this morning on my way to my Saturday job. Signs warned me that there was a lane merge ahead, and the light, Saturday morning traffic began to slow up as two lanes merged into one. The anxiety feelings hit me as I began to wonder WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE SO IMPORTANT for them to merge lanes at a very inconvenient spot? (There is my impatience again.) As we all traveled in one lane for about 1/4 of a mile, the "issue" finally appeared. The city was kindly fixing a pot hole to save us from accidents, causing further delays. I sighed, felt regret for being aggravated, and then smiled because I knew the Lord was teaching me again to be patient.

I learned 3 things this morning:

1. The delay was short this time, and I should thank God for the short interruptions in life. Maybe if we thanked Him more, He wouldn't have to allow things to enter our lives to remind us to love Him.

2. This delay was a good thing, and I'm grateful that the street crews scrunched us for a while in order to make a rough spot better. I need to thank God for the little interruptions in my life.
"Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day."

3. When I came out of the lane merge and traffic started to move again, I was thankful for the smooth driving and pleasant travel. We all know that there are times when life is too much to handle (like in my Delays Part 2). The tearful moments when the breath has been sucked right out of us. Thank Him for the peace you have right now because we know the potholes aren't always found before we hit them.

Some of you may be in a BIG delay or the dreaded DETOUR in your life right now. Share what works for you practically, and if you are a Christian, encourage us with what God has done for you. Write me: brasil_girl37@yahoo.com. We can learn from you.

Have a good day!
Stephanie

Delays (Part 2)

Delay: a holdup; a detainment; a wait

Do you know that moment when you are driving along to work, singing, drinking your flavor of caffeine for the moment, happily gloating in the fact that you are on time.......and WHAM! Traffic stops. There's no warning and no signs to give you time to think over a possible delay. No time to come up with a "new path"---just a SUDDEN STOP. Been there? Lights ahead are flashing red and blue, indicating emergency vehicles are at the scene of an accident. You should be concerned for the people or animals involved in the wreck, but, unfortunately, the first thought that fills your head (at least what usually fills mine) is, "Great. Now I'm going to be late."
You have the decision to follow the orders of the aggravated police personnel standing in the middle of the road with his neon orange wand motioning you to STOP and wait, OR you can take the DETOUR offered. What do you do? If you STOP and WAIT, you are going to lose time. If you TAKE THE DETOUR, you just might have to lose even more time---or worse---you may have to go back to where you started.

You do NOT want to hear frivolity from a DJ on a radio station giving you immature words, "Traffic is a mess, but don't worry! We'll be with you all the way!" What you want to hear is the guy in the helicopter above the scene giving you a new route--a way around the chaos--so that you won't be stuck there forever.

Whether it's a pothole that appears suddenly in the road, causing a flat tire in your car or an unexpected accident that ALWAYS appears suddenly, it IS a delay.

We have them in life--those "potholes" of life. They are delays that are unexpected, unwanted, and not fun. The kind that put you on the bottom of the shower floor in tears because you don't know which way to turn. They are ugly delays that seem to make your life stop. We all have had them, and if you haven't, you will. Fortunately, I went to college and learned under a great woman of God who had cancer while she taught us. We watched her LIVE the verses that I'm going to share with you.

Maybe you awakened to find that you have cancer like two of my very good friends are experiencing right now. Unexpected. Where did that come from? What did they do to deserve that? Nothing. It is a delay that could be permanent with which God has entrusted them. He trusts them to walk through the trial to teach others.

Perhaps you received a phone call that your job had just been terminated. You had no warning; there was nothing you could have done. Purely, the circumstances were beyond your control. But, what now? Do you really have to start a whole new career? A new job? In this economy?

Maybe you had a tragedy, and suddenly your current goals were crushed, causing you to go back to square one and draw a new game plan. Disappointment can be one of the worse feelings in the world

You might have heard those awful words come out of your mate's mouth that he/she doesn't love you anymore. You've been chosen over. It was horribly unexpected and dreaded. It was that moment you thought, "This happens to other people, not me." Devastation and a sick heart filled your very being as the devil made you feel like you weren't enough for your lover, and your life seemed to stop. It had to be the heartbreak of the lowest kind.

You've been betrayed by your closest of friends. You were suddenly and without warning a leftover, a gossipped-about loner who didn't see it coming.

Well, take a deep breath, and first realize that these delays aren't roads that suddenly drop off into the ocean. They are just painful delays that God allows. Maybe they are actually full-fledged detours and you DO have to start all over with a new job, a new mate, or a new game plan. We have all been there. If you are on the "other side" of the tragedy, don't be quiet and hide how to help others. Speak up, share with the hurting, and use God's Word to help someone. We have a cutting edge on the Devil---we have the Word of God and Jesus Christ Himself to give us hope, guidance, and peace when we relinquish the delay to Him. NOT easy to do, but we CAN through Christ.

1. God never gives us more than we can handle.

2. He gives us the grace to walk through anything. He IS that reporter in the helicopter ABOVE the situation and is looking down giving instructions.

3. Every day, there are mercies anew. Look for them.

4. Look for the spiritual friend who has gone through it and made it. They are life changers, and you need them. Don't be afraid to ask for help.

IPeter 5:7 "Casting all your care upon him; for he carethfor you."

Psalm 4:8 "I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep : for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety."

Ruth 2:12 "The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust."

II Samuel 22:31 "As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried : he is a buckler to all them that trust in him."

Psalm 52:8 "But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever."

II Kings 20:5 "Turn again , and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD."

Job 16:20 "My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God."

Psalm 6:6 "I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim ; I water my couch with my tears."

Psalm 126:5 "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy."

Psalm 18:6 "In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears."

Psalm 19:3 "There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard."

I love this last verse the most of all. No matter what language we speak or pray in, God understands. There is not a human who can help your "delay" like our Holy God and His Word. Draw nigh to Him.

Lastly, I have friends who have gone through every one of these delays above. Do you think that if I need a hand they will understand? Absolutely. God can give you that Christian friend, but even if He doesn't, He is enough.

Have a great day!
Stephanie

Delays (Part 1) - Never Come At A Good Time

The Leafy Sea Dragon

Looks cool, huh? Almost not real! He is a relative of the sea horse and eats on "sea lice." (Just thought that this would make your day.) He is found only in Australian waters, and is now protected by Australian law. The sea dragon doesn't use those leaves to help him move, he uses them to help him hide. After all, he only grows to be about a foot and a half. The sea dragon uses the water to glide him because he enjoys tumbling gracefully through the water, and doesn't ever seem to be in any hurry at all. It takes a strong lens to even see an eye blink.

Ha! Doesn't sound like our lives at all! After all, we live in the land of the free, the home of the brave, and the world of FAST FOOD and DRIVE THRUS.

Ten or eleven years ago, I heard a sermon by Daniel Hawtree Jr. entitled "Delays In Life." This was back when wireless internet was slowly creeping into our homes---regular homes with regular pocketbooks. Everyone was excited to try it, but there were a lot of kinks and tweaks to iron out. Daniel was single at the time but still in evangelism. He was at a hotel one night in some random city trying to check his email, and the signal was down. He made a sermon on his frustration with the internet, and ended up laughing about his anxiety with something completely out of his control. I'll never forget it.

Delay by definition means: a holdup, a wait, a detention, a detainment.

When I think of the word "delay," I think of having to wait or I picture a long line of traffic. Certainly nothing pleasant comes to mind. That's just exactly it, delays never come at a good time. None of us like to wait. We live in a "microwave generation" where we want to be able to just pop our problem into life's microwave, and get it answered RIGHT NOW. Gone are the days of waiting and praying for God's answers like George Mueller and J. Frank Norris preached in their days. We want God to answer our request, solve our dilemmas, and give us our needs---by the end of lunch, please. We use Psalm 70:5 to our full advantage. "But I am poor and needy; make HASTE unto me, O God: thou art my help and my deliverer; O Lord, make no tarrying."

Sometimes delays save us from a tragedy, but that is another blog for another day. Right now we are focusing on the fact that delays are NEVER FUN.

At school, I'm one of those teachers who does not like interruptions. I study and prepare to deliver the goods all by the end of the class hour. DO NOT interrupt my teaching because I cannot get through my agenda. How dare there be a fire drill or a Code Red? What were they thinking calling ANOTHER chapel day that is going to cut into my schedule? And, oh PUH-LEASE, don't even think of giving us more announcements over the intercom at the end of the hour!!!!  I'm exaggerating a little here, but to the extent that the internet frustrated Daniel on his preaching trip, teachers hate interruptions in the middle of their lesson because there goes the attention spans of the minds we had in the palm of our hands. So, some days I have to just say (literally) to myself, "Stephanie, chill out." When Bertha (the momma hamster in our room) "throws up" on someone's desk in the middle of a great discussion on bird feathers, I have to "chill out."  When Carmela (the rabbit) wee wees on the same kid for 3 days in a row while giving test notes and we have to stop and clean up the mess, I have to smile and breathe very deeply. After all, I DID agree to let the kids hold the animals while I teach if they behave. I made a mental decision years ago when I taught my first three years in the school basement and counted how many mice we had caught in the traps the night before (it was fun), that seeing young people happy and learning was far more important than making them learn just because I COULD. Sometimes delays in the agenda happen. It is what we do at the moment of the delay that makes all the difference.

So, we are at the moment of delay. Now what? Well, our greatest example is Jesus Christ, right? Let's look at a couple of times when there was worry and stress and delay in his life.

The disciples were beside themselves with anxiety because there was no food to feed the thousands that had been following Jesus. The disciples said (please imagine intense, whiny voices here):

"And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, THIS is a desert place, and the time is NOW PAST; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals. But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, (whiny voices again) We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. He said, Bring them hither to me." 

Notice that Jesus didn't just make the miracle happen in the baskets. He could have. I believe that He wanted the disciples (even more than the people) to SEE that he was still going to provide the food in a miraculous way, but in HIS way and HIS time. Maybe God gives us delays so that we can SEE Him work in our lives and grow patience in us instead of us just expecting Him to fix it immediately.

Peter, the king of impulse, wanted to protect Jesus all the time. This Jesus whom He had followed and given up a career for---He meant everything to Peter. When Peter was flailing out at sea trying to TRUST, it was Jesus who told Him to keep his eyes on HIM to not sink. Peter learned to listen to Jesus when he was facing death, so it was natural for Peter to want to protect Christ when He was in danger. On impulse, he pulled out his sword and cut off the servant's ear when they laid hold on Jesus. But Jesus rebuked Peter in Matthew 26:52-54, and it was all about trusting in the moment of delay.

"Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?"

Jesus meant....look guys, this has to happen. Don't you think that I can call out to God and HE can deliver me IMMEDIATELY? But prophecy has to be fulfilled. This has to happen.

Why do we think that God doesn't have a plan for us? If God is in control, then He allows the delay. Look for the positive, look for the illustration that you can use ten years down the road, and chill out. It is in those moments that you can really make a difference in someone's life. Most of the time, the delay is according to some time schedule we made; therefore, we put the pressure on ourselves from the very beginning. Smile, and do what Marlene Evans used to teach us in college to do when we had a hold-up--REJOICE IN THE LORD. We can't be as carefree as the sea dragon, but we can trust while we are at a standstill that God has a reason. We can either choose to enjoy gliding through the water eating the "sea lice" that God has brought into our lives, or we can fume and flail---and end up still waiting anyway.

I will remember my own words tomorrow when one of my classroom critters has an accident in the middle of my lesson!

Have a good day!

Perfect Peace

A small bird protected in the storm

Peace isn't when everything is going right.

Peace is when you know you are going to be alright when everything around you isn't.

Have you ever seen so many despondent people in the world? It seems everyone is always running, buying happiness, escaping to vacations to get away from the stress that is inevitable......the chaos is a madness that never stops. Yet, one would think that with the newest phones, lightning- speed communication, and virtual toys, we'd all be happier. People are still searching for peace, even Christians who know where to find it.

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." Isaiah 26:3

Recently in a service in our church, we had several song specials that revolved around rest and peace. Our Music Director is very organized; he wants to know what everyone is singing/playing (instrumentally) ahead of time so that there are no conflicts. However, I am very sure that he does not dictate to our vocalists what they should sing; he allows the Holy Spirit to do that. So, when I began to realize there was a theme, I started writing down the names of the songs and began mulling over a new thought for a Bible lesson on trust.

In my digging, I found a definition that became the core of my new study.
HAVEN: A place of safety; a refuge; a place offering favorable opportunities or conditions.

We all desire to be safe. Safe from harm; safe from problems; safe from mean people; safe from the devil....safe from the STORMS of life. How do we find refuge from a storm? We seek out a haven, a place of safety.  BUT, sometimes when there is no haven immediately available, we have to ride out the storm. And to ride out the storm, we need an anchor. Yes, Jesus Christ is our haven of rest. But, sometimes, He wants to prove Himself to us through the storm, so now, He becomes our anchor.

In researching anchors these past two days, I have found that there are dozens of types of anchors. This is interesting to me because I found that an anchor is not JUST needed for the ships of the sea! Let me share with you.

ANCHOR:
1. A device usually of metal attached to a ship or boat by a cable and cast overboard to hold it in a particular place by means of a fluke that digs into the bottom .
Sounds like the anchor we first think of.  In reading about storms, I've found that it is best to ride into the storm, allowing the anchor to just slow the whole thing down. However, one needs the right anchor and enough rope and lots of patience.
How terrible to be in a storm that life throws at us and not have the right anchor. Christian, our primary anchor isn't to be another human, it is to be Jesus.
But let's say that we ARE leaning on Christ, but our relationship is not solid. We have drifted away from HIM, and our rope, our lifeline is lacking strength. It has lost length or has become frayed and useless. We have to keep our relationship with Christ tough, and to be patient with what He wants us to learn.

2. a reliable or principal support
I love this. RELIABLE. Christian friends can be wonderful supporters in times of trouble; I try to "be there" for my friends too. But we are still only flesh. People will let you down, but our God will NEVER let you down.
3. something that serves to hold an object firmly
4. the member of a team (as a relay team) that competes last
Oh, to be the "anchor" in someone's life., pointing them to Jesus Christ! Or better yet, to be the one who throws out the lifeline to the overboard Christian in times of trouble!
5. a fixed object (as a tree or a piton) to which a climber's rope is secured
Piton: a spike, wedge, or peg that is driven into a rock or ice surface as a support (as for a mountain climber)
Jesus Christ is always the same, always there.  "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." He IS that piton that helps you "anchor" yourself firmly --- and you can be someone else's PITON as they get back to Jesus.

Three Observations I've made:
1.  When in a storm of life, Stay Still.
Psalm 6:10 -  "Be still , and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. "

"Don't make a decision when your decision-maker is broken."

- Dr. Jack Hyles

"When the believer is faced with a decision regarding a questionable matter, he should never proceed unless he has complete peace about it. If there is nothing wrong with it, then God is able to give complete peace."

-Dr. Curtis Hutson

"There cannot be any peace where there is uncertainty." -

 D.L. Moody

"The reward that outdoes all others is the peace of knowing that you did right."

- Dr. Jack Hyles

2.  Before the storm hits, PREPARE for it, and REMEMBER the other storms in which Jesus proved Himself to be your anchor.

Remember when the disciples were complaining in Mark 8? They had just seen a young girl healed of a devil and four thousand people fed from just a few fish and bread loaves, but they were still complaining. Why? They forgot the goodness of the Lord . Jesus said to them, "Having eyes see ye not? and  having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?"  Mark 8:18  How quickly we forget. Don't forget. Go back and remember, and stayed prayed up. Prepare your heart.

"To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving peace."

 - George Washington

3.  Realize that just because Christ is our anchor, it doesn't mean that you won't get wet or thrown about in the storm. He goes through the storm with us, riding the waves of life and guiding our ships to safety. It just takes time and patience.

"For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock." Psalm 27:5

"If you refuse to be hurried and pressed, if you stay your soul on God, nothing can keep you from that clearness of spirit which is life and peace. In that stillness you know what His will is."

- Amy Carmichael

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To end my study, I've chosen a few special quotes from unique people whose lives have proven that they trusted God in the storm.

"In the midst of the awesomeness, a touch comes, and you know it is the right hand of Jesus Christ. You know it is not the hand of restraint, correction, nor chastisement, but the right hand of the Everlasting Father. Whenever His hand is laid upon you, it gives inexpressible peace and comfort, and the sense that "underneath are the everlasting arms," (Deuteronomy 33:27) full of support, provision, comfort and strength."

- Oswald Chambers (traveled the world preaching the gospel only to die  in 1917 of appendicitis because he refused to use a bed needed by wounded soldiers)

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"If God be our God, He will give us peace in trouble. When there is a storm without, He will make peace within. The world can create trouble in peace, but God can create peace in trouble."

-Thomas Watson ( a Puritan preacher who died while praying in secret)

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"Were our spirits hardy we would be able to meet the most disturbing situation with peace and rest."

- Watchman Nee (imprisoned in China for his faith until his death in 1972)

Love, Stephanie

Start Again, Don't Start Over. January 1, 2012

THE BALD EAGLE

2012--a new year brings new resolutions, new goals, and yes, even new failures. But we can learn from mistakes of the past and new ones we know we will inevitably make.

Isn't it fun to water a very dried-up plant that you think has seen its last day of sunshine, only to find that a little water brings new life? It is at this moment that we are thankful we didn't throw something away that just needed a little attention. Thank goodness Jesus didn't throw me away for a better Christian. He takes me with my mistakes and failures and keeps renewing me.

There is a difference in picking up something again that you started at some point in time and just plain old STARTING OVER. Sometimes it is best to tear something down and just begin from scratch, but more times than not, picking up where we left off is all that is needed. Fear of failure keeps us from starting again.

This year, make a goal to pick up the odd pieces and get your life back on track.

My 7th graders and I began studying birds at the end of last semester, and soon we will continue our study. It is interesting to watch videos of eagles in flight. We watched eagles lock talons and fight in complete circles in the sky as well as spot fish high above the water and swoop to make their catch without ever looking down.

I have made some observations about eagles recently, and combined with God's Word, there are some amazing truths regarding new beginnings of old, left behind stuff.

1.  A bald eagle really isn't bald. Many believe that the Europeans named them bald because they saw the white cap--and, to them, "bald" meant "white." **Although, I noticed that in Micah 1:16, the eagle is referred to as bald. According to Wesley's Notes, this is the species being represented. This is definitely before the Europeans came to America! =) 

"Make thee bald , and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee."

2.  Eagles mate for life. Great huh? However, it has been documented that eagles will assume a new mate if something happens to the old one because they realize that life must go on. Eagles don't quit and give up.

3.  Eagles will remain on the same perch for hours. They don't give up, and they wait it out when protecting their young. "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." Ephesians 6:13

4.  Eagles live on every continent but Antarctica. However, half of the 70,000 eagles living in North America reside in Alaska. Why? Fewer people and lots of coastline loaded with fresh fish and tons of trees!

5.  The male eagle chooses his home before he mates, never leaving this home. The parents will expand the nest actually--a little bit every year. They only move if the nest gets destroyed, but when they do move, they choose a nearby location. Nests can weigh up to 2 tons, by the way. Eagles are family birds even though they are definitely predators.









6.  A unique fact about the eagle is his eyelids. They have upper and lower eyelids, but the lower eyelid is bigger. He actually blinks "up." They have a third eyelid like other birds that even cats and a few digging animals have. But for the eagle, this membrane that sweeps from side to side constantly moisturizing and cleaning his eyes is instrumental in his survival. His keen and perceptive sight puts him in a whole other class of the raptors.

7.  Female eagles will lay 1-3 eggs, but usually only 1 eaglet will make it to maturity. The parents share in the responsibility  of feeding the eaglets, sometimes up to 5 kills per day.

8.  After 10-12 weeks, eaglets are encouraged to  leave the nest, but the "pushing" starts weeks before. The parents provide a soft, secure nest for their babies with daily food, but after a while they begin bringing food near the nest but not inside the nest. This is to show the eagles that they will need to get out of the nest in order to enjoy some chum. Also, they little by little pull out the soft lining within the sticks of the nest to where the nest begins to get a little uncomfortable. Cries of the eaglets are ignored, and soon the eaglet is encouraged to meet the world on his own. The mother eagle takes her time in teaching her eaglet though; it is not a one day "kicking out the nest" situation. She actually will do what a hummingbird does......flaps her wings in a hovering position for a short time for demonstration.
"As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:" Deuteronomy 32:11

God uses circumstances in our lives to grow us. If you have been a Christian for any length of time, you will agree. It is when we get comfortable in our current situations that we begin to not depend on Him for our needs. So, in order to get us back on track, He may begin to make our worlds a little uncomfortable, reminding us that a better Christian life is available out there, but changes must be made. However, God doesn't throw us away, nor does He throw us out on our own. He loves us. He made us with a purpose--to glorify Him. He wants us to succeed. Don't listen to the devil's lies that you are worthless, stained, and cannot be used by God. You don't have to start all over again--just get started. Again.

"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run , and not be weary ; and they shall walk , and not faint." Isaiah 40:31

Have a good day! Love, Stephanie