Revive Us Again

The title of an old hymn is being sung to me by the dry side of my humor as I dust off the possibility of blogging again. So, I am doing just that tonight. I'm reviving Field Lilly Press with a chorus of frogs and crickets singing background. For me, like singing and piano, especially piano, this is therapy. It's my thinking spot and my reflection pool. Its part of what He's made me to do. 

The Divided House

I am disheartened at the inability of  Christians who differ in opinions and passions to be able to discuss them in a civil manner between one another. What has happened to us?  Where did this begin?  Our speech, which is to reflect our heart, is no longer seasoned with grace, and is instead peppered with clear bitterness and anger.  Not a good sign.

This is grevious.  Now even we believers are divided. A truly un-glorifying time in the history of Christianity.

Wisdom vs. Do's and Dont's

This morning as I read Hebrews 13, my mind went back to the words I've heard so many say, even those who have "abandoned" their faith, that Christianity is just a bunch of do's and don'ts. Let's take a peek at chapter thirteen. I made a few underlines of phrases which might support that view, and here they are:

1. Let brotherly love continue
2. Show hospitality
3. Remember those who are in prison
4. Let marriage be held in honor
5. Let the marriage bed be undefiled
6. Keep your life free from love of money
7. Be content with what you have
8. Remember your leaders
9. Imitate their faith
10. Don't be led away by diverse and strange teachings
11. Let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God
12. Do not neglect to do good
13. Share what you have
14. Obey your leaders
15. Submit to them
16. Pray

I was awakened as I read this chapter. I was reminded that there are attributes which ought to characterize my life as a Christian, and this chapter summarizes some of those exhortations in list form. Call them do's and dont's if you wish but I believe a better word choice is wisdom. A wise individual can take a list such as the one from Hebrews 13 and ask themselves, "Does this describe me? Am I this kind of person as a Christian?"

Walk gladly on the path of wisdom. Be willing to inspect yourself, Allow God to kindly show you where you've deviated from His heart which is to be reflected in us. Psalm 139 begins with the words, "You have searched me," and it ends with, "Search me, O God."  May our days fall willingly  within these lines.

Worth It All

It's been over a year since I've written in Field Lily Press.  I would now consider titling this post, "Missing You Too Many Times to Count!"  My dear heaven-found friend, Mary Lee has since established her forever home in the Lord's presence, and I cannot even imagine how awesome and wonderful it is.  For all of the things that Mary Lee endured in her life of which I have no clue, they're forever in the past. For the things that I knew of that I couldn't control or fix, those too are a vapor. All things are in perspective now and she sees things through the eyes of total healing and perfection. Praise God for that, is all I can say. To my dearest friend whom I miss, every hour spent with you and for you and on your behalf, it was worth it all. I would do it all over again, yes, every suffering portion and joy shared, many times over.  You lived so well. You walked so well. You friended beyond what anyone could ever hope or ask for. Thank you.  To and for God alone be the glory, forever and ever, Amen.

 

Mary Lee taught my children to fish. Her  life's shadow crosses over ours daily. As we approach her birthday on the thirteenth of this month, it's one day in a string of  many's that we will love and celebrate her.

Mary Lee, Day Too Many to Count

Well, that was a lofty goal and an admirable one.  I'd hoped and set out to write daily on this passageway being traversed with our friend, Mary Lee. I have pages of notes on medications, dosages, nurses and doctors I've spoken with, as well as scriptures scattered throughout those notes. On some of the pages are random to-do's and grocery lists. 

 My life with Mary Lee is busy and varied. The road to the hospital is well-traveled, and even though our surface streets are fairly level, in the highway of my heart  there have been unanticipated turns and hills and valleys mixed in with a few flat tires of the soul. How I love Mary Lee, dear friend and role-model extraordinaire to my two children.

These last nearly 8 weeks now have been dedicated to walking out devotion. I decided last night that I would set my alarm for seven this morning. I'm happy to report that I didn't get up until 8 a.m. Ah, rest. Rest is needed on devotion's way.  A morning for coffee. The windows are open. The birds choose their notes carefully and with unpredicted punctuation, they sing.  As I sat waiting for the coffee to brew, I opened my Bible to Isaiah 61, where I'd also read last night, and re-read the passage. It didn't take long to find the verse that my soul needed to camp on. Verse one says, "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good new to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound..", and the passage continues to verse two. Upon reading it, I closed my eyes as the tears began to fall. And in my weakness and slight weariness, I cried. " I can't do this, I can't do it." It was a quiet plea for help. I can't be any of this: I can set no one free, I can't bind anyone's wounds, I can't open anything for anyone. Not me. Labor without God is just that, labor. Labor with God brings life. So today my prayer is that the Spirit of the living and sovereign Lord would be on me, and that the outgo of labor would be an overflow of God's life, the life of Christ in and upon me. 

God, if  you don't do it through me, then it's merely labor and in labor there's no freedom, no liberty, no binding up of broken things. Let this labor of love result in life; life for anyone whose heart is touched and awakened as devotion is walked out in sincere love before them.  

Dear Mary Lee, Day 8

Yesterday, was park day for our family. Daniel stayed home because he had a cold, but Bethany went and then she had a dog training session with Carly at which Bethany was there to assist and learn. Danny took her to the session as I was having a Mary Lee visit.

Yesterday, I came up after your bronchoscopy. They found no mass and the secretions were minimal. They sampled those and sent them off to see what they look like....looking for infection etc.  Of course, we're praying that it will be minimal. We should know by Sunday or Monday on the results.  I had Colleen call and check in on your nurse, just kind of quiz her, ....it just throws me a little when they're  young looking....I just wanted to make sure you had the best.  She was very pleased with who you had. Said she was matter of fact and straight forward, and that ER nurses, even when they're young and fresh out of school, are excellent nurses and are usually kind of cutting edge.  That brought me lots of comfort.

While I was there, I opened my Bible to read, and came upon the scripture where Jesus was explaining to His disciples to continue to pray and not give up hope. That was a good word for ALL of us!

You got a new bed yesterday.....a blow-up mattress type of a bed. You look SO much more comfortable.  You also stood up for a little today which I think wore you slap-out!

I came back in the evening for about an hour, and you asked to have your phone plugged in with the blistex nearby. :)  I moved fluffy brown dog to the table so it wouldn't be in your way. It felt SO great to be with you yesterday.

I've come to love your family even more.

Dear Mary Lee, Day 1

The next  posts, which I hope to write daily, will be in honor of our one and only best family friend ever on the planet, any planet, actually, Mary Lee Glassburn.  Mary Lee, following chemo and radiation for esophageal cancer, recently went through a very serious surgery: an all-out esophageal remodel! It's not nearly as unexciting as I just made it sound. It's....well, Mary Lee will have to fill in that blank someday.

Anyway,  when our family went on an 8 week trip to Georgia about 3 years ago, Mary Lee wrote daily posts called  The Vacation Chronicles, and posted of her daily events in our absence. I should mention she house sat for us as well.  So, in her honor and during each day of recovery, I'm writing Dear Mary Lee posts. It'd better not take 8 weeks of her being in the hospital, by the way! We miss her terribly, and we're praying for her full recovery and healing.

Dear Mary Lee, Day One:

I  transported your humorous self to the hospital for a 6 a.m. checking with an 8 a.m. scheduled surgery. Much of our discussion prior to that was whether or not I should pick you up at your house,
 or if you should meet me here and leave your car. We eventually decided that you would come here, and then we could keep our eyeballs on your car. A couple of times I've look outside of our kitchen window which faces the cul de sac and I have seen your car. Your lovely orange Element! It's so you!  Anyway, as I have seen your car, it's been my God-reminder to pray. Yes, pray. Even more than I'm already doing so.  Each time I drive into the cul de sac, the sight of your car brings me comfort.We miss you. Your car is cool. Hurry up and get well soon!