Surprise

“What is so surprising about this?”  

This was Peter’s question to the astonished crowd who witnessed the healing of the lame beggar.  This favorite Sunday school story is found in Acts, chapter 3. Peter and John are going to the temple to pray when a lame man who begged at the temple gate everyday asked them for money. Peter and John look at him and then Peter says, we have no money, but we have Jesus and in his name you can walk.  Then, they help him to his feet and he begins walking and leaping and praising God. (I loved that line in the Sunday school song.) He then goes into the temple with them.  The congregation gathered there is “absolutely astounded” when they realize this is the beggar whom they’ve passed everyday on their way into the temple.  Seizing the opportunity, Peter says why are you so surprised and why are you staring at us as if we did this on our own?  Don’t you know, Peter wanted to say, what’s wrong with you people, didn’t you pay any attention to events of the last several months, and don’t you have a clue whose followers we are? In a way, he did. But he also told them, “Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed.”  He told them this same Jesus came to be their Savior.

Peter might have been surprised himself that his sermon resulted in his arrest and that thousands of peopole became believers that day.  But then again, maybe not, Jesus had been surprising Peter from the time they met on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.  Jesus had borrowed his boat, filled it with fish and them called him to follow him. (Another favorite Sunday school story found in Luke, chapter 5)

Sometimes I find myself responding like this astonished crowd, surprised by the power and goodness of God, surprised by his concern for the broken and the broke.  He answers a pray and a friend is healed, a relative is employed, a wayward child turns for home, or a difficult situation lightens up. And I asked myself, what is so surprising about this? Have you not paid attention?  I am reminded as Peter told the crowd and the Psalms so eloquently says, it is the name of the Lord that we find help, hope, direction and all that is needed for life.

Not to us, O Lord, not to us,
      but to your name goes all the glory
      for your unfailing love and faithfulness.  (Psalm 115:1)

The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
      I will protect those who trust in my name.
When they call on me, I will answer;
      I will be with them in trouble.
      I will rescue and honor them. (Psalm 91:14-15)

The Lord will work out his plans for my life—
      for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. (Psalm 138:8)

Thanks be to God!

Thanks for listening

See you next Sunday,

Ronda

Twenty-four years ago this week I had the best surprise of my life; one of God’s “goodest” gifts to me. After nine months of anticipating giving birth to a baby boy, my almost 10 pound baby girl arrived. The first words her daddy said were, “a girl ?!” Less than an hour before she was born, the doctor was still saying, gotta be a boy. The “pencil test” had been saying boy consistently for months and the doctor was 95% sure I was carrying a boy.  Nevertheless, on May 21, 1987, we took our baby girl home to her blue nursery and little Dallas cowboy outfits. Luckily, my mother had a cut out a pink dress the week before “just in case” and Stephen’s grandmother finished it so Virginia Grace could come home in pretty pink, instead of Dallas Cowboy blue!  

She is evidence that God does indeed know what is best for me!

Virginia Grace,
Ready to go home in her pink dress
May 21, 1987

What time I am afraid

Recently my mom and I were remembering an eventful trip she, my brothers and I made to my Granny’s house. Somewhere between Fort Worth and Granbury, Texas we found ourselves on a dead end road that literally ended in a field.  Being the oldest child I tried to remain calm but I was scared to death! My mother recalls me saying several times, if only Daddy were here. If we had had a cell phone, you better believe I would have been on the phone with him certain he could have guided us back to our road. My mother, however, did what she knew to do. She prayed and then she thought about where we had come from and where we must be in relation to places that were familiar to her. Then she began to make our way back in the direction that seemed logical to her. And then she stopped at the only place she could find and asked directions, a bar in the middle of nowhere!  To say the least, I was now petrified. My brother, Michael, who was 8 or 9 at the time, went in with her. (Well, someone had to stay in the car with the two younger boys!)  We eventually made it back to the right road and arrived safe and sound at my Granny’s house.

My mother taught me a valuable lesson that night about dealing with fear and anxiety.  I remember thinking how can she not be scared! Now I know she was, but despite her fear, she did not panic.  Instead before she reacted, she prayed and she thought about what she knew and then and only then did she act.  And when an opportunity presented itself, she asked for help.  Over my lifetime, she has had to teach me this lesson again and again.

 In Philippians, we are told; “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (4:6-8) My mother certainly knows how to pray. But here’s the real secret I think she knows, just before these verses Paul reminds us that “The Lord is near”.  That scary night in Texas I was certain, if my Daddy had been near I would not have been afraid. I had complete trust in my Daddy’s ability to protect and direct us in any situation.   I’m convinced that the simple knowledge that my heavenly Father is near is the only antidote for the fears and anxieties life presents. Where ever we find ourselves, He is there!

I want to live with no fear, like I did as a child when my Daddy was near. But in the mean time I want to follow the verse my mother-in-law often quotes. “What time I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.” Psalm 56:3.

Thanks for listening,

See you next Sunday

Ronda

My mother and my mother-in-law are completely different personalities, but both have taught me much about trusting in the Lord. I am blessed with two wonderful mothers whom I love dearly! Happy Mother’s Day!

My mother-inlaw, Grace Darlene
My Mother, Virginia and
their grandaughter, Virginia Grace
Graduation 2005.

Death, where is your sting?

This week my mother’s older sister, Wanda Pearl, went home to see Jesus. There are two things that I think of most often when I think of my Aunt Wanda. One is my mom telling me how she always tried to protect her from “ugly things”.  The other is her love of pretty things. When I was a young teenager, Aunt Wanda lived in our town for a little while. I always enjoyed her love of jewelry, make-up, nail polish, hair styles and other accessories. My mother was much more practical about these things and so it was fun for me to watch and learn some things from my aunt.  And so when I learned of her death, I thought of all the pretty things she is enjoying now and the all the ugly things that are no more. It was easy for me to see the victory for her in death because of the work of Christ we celebrate at Easter.

However, this Easter morning as I stood to sing “Because He Lives”, I was face to face with deaths that leave a sting. As we sang the words to the second verse, “how sweet to hold a new born baby and feel the joy and pride he brings, but greater still the calm assurance, this child can face uncertain days because he lives”, I was keenly aware that the man leading the song had recently lost his son who was same age as my daughter. And that was the second child he had lost to death.  In front of me stood a dear friend who tragically lost her husband and two children several years ago. As I looked at my child, my heart was heavy for those who live with the sting of death.  I’ve watched other family members who have lost children and others to untimely deaths and I know that His grace is sufficient to sustain even then, but I also know there is sting that does not go away.  As I looked up, it was my friend who had her hands lifted in worship the One of whom we sing “life is worth the living just because you live.”

As if rounding a corner in my mind we began the last verse. “And then one day … as death gives way to victory, I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He lives.”  It is when we see Jesus that we will fully understand what scripture means when it says “Death is swallowed up in victory”.  There is comfort in knowing that our loved ones who have seen him know that victory fully!

The minister began to speak of those who encountered the risen Jesus and the transformation that it brought in their lives. It is true. The death and resurrection of Christ is the cornerstone of our faith and encountering that truth will change a person’s life.  And one day, we will see the risen Lord and in the twinkling of an eye we will be transformed. Then, we will fully understand the victory over death and the grave.  All ugly things gone, only pretty things forever more!

“But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye,” (I Corinthians 16:51-52 NLT)

“But thank God he gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (I Corinthians 16:57 NLT)

Thanks for listening,

See you next Sunday

Ronda

Something Beautiful

  

The pretty yellow dress &
beautiful little girl!

My love of pretty clothes has always made the hunt for the perfect Easter dress one of my favorite spring activities.  As a young mother the hunt was normally for the perfect pattern, material, lace and ribbon and of course the matching hat or bonnet for my little girl.  One of my favorites was a bright yellow satin dress with a layered lace collar. The funny thing is that one began with digging through the scraps in my mother’s box of fabric for something that would work for an Easter dress.  My mother had a piece of yellow satin left over from making a “Daisy” cape and a lot of scraps of different laces.  With that in mind, I searched the pattern book at Wal-Mart for something that would work with all the mismatched pieces of lace. Satisfied with the one with the big layered collar, I purchased a small amount of yellow ribbon and went home to piece together the scraps. The end product was a beautiful dress for a beautiful little girl.

I would like to say I saw in that experience a reminder of how God takes the pieces of our lives and makes them into something beautiful. That would have been a great Easter lessen. But nope, in 1990 I was just excited to have a pretty dress for my almost 3 year- old daughter.  I wasn’t looking for anything more. But today, thinking back on Easters past I see the symbolism in that yellow dress. Not only was it made from scraps, the yellow satin remnant was connected to a memory of broken relationships in my life at that time.

Isn’t that how it often works?  Our vision is clearer to see the good God was working when we are looking back.

This must have been true for the women who followed Jesus through his trial, crucifixion and resurrection. These were women who had experienced the beauty of His touch. Women who knew the good he had made from the pieces of their lives. Earlier we are told he took his disciples along with some women he had healed and from whom he had cast out evil spirits on his journeys. Among them where Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna and many others who were contributing from their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples. (Luke 8:2-3 NLT)   

He trusted these women to be the first to witness his resurrection and take the message back to his disciples. Luke, chapter 24 identifies Mary Magdalene and Joanna to be among several women who told the apostles what had happened.  Jesus even appeared to them as they went to find the disciples, “Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him.” (Matthew 28:9 NLT)  What a beautiful moment!

And yet the beauty of that moment had been not visible only 3 days before. Today, we gaze upon the cross and see the beauty of what was being accomplished. These women watched from a distance and saw brokenness and strife. All the good they had seen Jesus bring in their lives must have felt like a distant memory as they watched the horrific events of his death.  “A large crowd trailed behind, including many grief-stricken women.” (Luke 23:27 NLT)  In the midst of their confusion and grief as soon as it was possible they made their way to the tomb prepared to care for Jesus one last time. It was there they were the first to witness the risen Lord and to hear his voice say do not be afraid. How sweet those words must have been. I wonder how many times along the way, he had said those words to them. The beauty of what Jesus had accomplished on the cross was beginning to be clearer.

When Stephen was pastoring Hugoton Baptist Church we often sang this chorus,

Something beautiful, something good
All my confusion He understood
All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife
But he made something beautiful of my life

One particular Sunday morning, I quietly began singing the song in the present tense. All my confusion he understands, all I have to offer him is brokenness and strife, but he is making something beautiful of my life. There are moments in life when the good and beautiful are clear. There are others when the beauty and the good are still in the making.  

We traded Easter eggs for roses.
& bright yellow for gold, but still
my beautiful little girl!

One last thought, as beautiful as Ginny’s little yellow satin dress was that Easter morning years later when it came time for prom a new yellow satin dress was required. The beauty of the past was not the right fit for that moment. Life brings changes which often include confusion, brokenness and strife.  Each time God is still making something good and beautiful of that moment. I am sure the women who followed Jesus would have preferred he stayed with them, but he knew it was for their good that he must die, resurrect and return to the Father.

Thanks for listening,

See you next Sunday,

Ronda

“And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. (Romans 8:27-28 NLT)

"The mail don't run on Sunday"

I suppose every family has quotes from family members that stick with everyone through the years.  For years I was told of the story when I was very small and my mother had given me my meal and forgot to give me a spoon. The story goes that after a few minutes, I said, “bless my heart I need a poon”. How cute is that!  Occasionally, when I am with my mother or my Aunt Bonnie and someone forgets the spoon, it’s not uncommon for one of them to say,”Bless my heart I need a poon”.  Another memorable quote in our family was when my cousin, Jerry, when told by his father to pick up his toys and go his room replied, “I will when I’m ready” only to quickly add to everyone’s relief “and I’m ready”.

Ginny, ready to hunt Easter
eggs at the Hugoton 
Baptist parsonage, our home
for 7 wonderful years. 

Years later Jerry’s niece, Bonnie, was living with Stephen and I and provided another favorite family quote, “the mail don’t run on Sunday”. The occasion was Easter Sunday. It was in the afternoon and we were hiding & hunting eggs. She was 13 but was being a good sport about hunting eggs with our daughter Ginny who was only 7. (I’m pretty sure she was actually enjoying it.)  Anyway, most of the eggs had been found and Stephen was giving hints to hurry the hunt along. So he suggested to the girls that someone check the mail and Bonnie responded, “Uncle Stephen, the mail don’t run on Sunday.”   I don’t remember which one made it to the mailbox to retrieve the hidden eggs, but we’ve never forgot the line.  Anytime someone misses the obvious, one of us will say “the mail don’t run on Sunday”

Ironically, Bonnie is not the only one that missed something that should have been obvious on Easter. I am always amazed at the how surprised the disciples seemed when they heard Jesus was not in the tomb. Granted that his words about tearing down the temple and rebuilding it in 3 days seems more like a hint than his obvious words in Mark, chapter 9.  “He said to them, ’The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. He will be killed, but 3 days later he will rise from the dead.’”.  

It can’t get much, more clear than that! And yet, verse 32 says they didn’t understand what he was saying.  And when the women came on the third day after his death at the hands of his enemies to report he had risen, scripture says the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it. Even when Peter ran to the tomb and confirmed it was empty, he left wondering what had happened. (Luke 24:11&12 NLT)

So what about us? Do we sometimes miss the obvious in Jesus words?    

Here’s another thing Jesus told his disciples just before they began what would be the very difficult week, we refer to as Holy Week.

 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.  There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.” (John 14:1-3 NLT)

Recently, I’ve heard many people say it’s obvious that Christ return is near. I pray they are right, but I'll be honest I wonder if we really know everything we think we do. Things did not happen as the disciples thought they would at his first coming.

But this much is obvious, when everything is ready, he will come and get us!  Sounds a little like my Cousin Jerry’s famous line, I will when I’m ready.  And I’m waiting for the next part, when Jesus says and I’m ready.

Thanks for listening

See you next Sunday

Ronda

Bonnie & I years before she
discovered the mail didn't run
on Sunday.

P.S. Another of Bonnie’s favorite lines was “I’m special” and that she is! Special to me & special to God!





In Conclusion

Faith + goodness + knowledge + self-control + perseverance + godliness + kindness + love = Effective & Efficient Living!

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:3 - 9)

 

One of the more experienced lenders on the staff of HNB often referred to a rookie’s analysis as “elevator” analysis. By this he meant it covered all the necessary points with the proper words and ratios, but in the end it drew no useful conclusions. Hoping to avoid that rookie trap, allow me to offer some conclusions which I pray will be useful.

Christ desires that our lives produce useful results. Lives that do not waste the great and precious gifts he has given. Lives that that are actively involved in “divine” things, things that are good and right and lives that avoid corrupt or evil things.

• Goodness - the essence of something or someone. When asked to show his goodness God showed his mercy and compassion.
• Knowledge = informed action. It is knowledge of his word that helps us to know what to participate in what to avoid.
• Self Control - because of our inability to control ourselves Christ came to win control over sin and left his Spirit to produce this same result in us.
• Perseverance - never give up! When we keep our eyes on Jesus, the source of our faith, we can choose a rehab strategy over an exit strategy.
• Godliness - conforming to the wishes of God.
• Kindness -inspires us and others to participate in the divine. The absence of kindness generally yields quarrelling, outburst of anger, and selfish ambition; all on the list of the corrupt.
• Love - the great motivator for all of the above!

If you take anything from these weeks of analysis, I hope it will be that Christ has provided all that we need to live effective, useful lives. He has not only given us instructions on how to live he has provided the motivation to live this way.

My least productive days have been when a boss has given an ultimatum, particularly one that comes with no instruction. However, I have worked long, productive days a boss who elicited high performance not only with words, but with actions. One who led by example. I respond best to a boss who understands what is required to complete an assignment. One who is willing to leave the corner office and work along side me to achieve the desired result. One who provides all the resources necessary to accomplish the task, effectively and efficiently. That kind of boss demands my best effort.

While Christ has given us an ultimatum, he has provided all the instructions we need. He himself left his place in heaven not only to walk where I would walk, but to give his life to make mine possible. He understands much better than I all that is required to complete any assignment. He left his Spirit to work along side me to achieve the desired result. He provided the template for an E² life. One filled with faith, goodness, knowledge, self control, perseverance, godliness, kindness and love. That kind of Savior demands my best effort!

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20 NLT)

Thanks for listening,
See you next Sunday,

Ronda

The rules are important, but understanding the wishes of the ones who wrote the rules is critical to following the rules.

The Bottom Line

Any complete analysis ultimately comes down to a bottom line. In loan analysis, the bottom line always involves cash. Sufficient cash for a down payment, sufficient cash to start a business, sufficient cash to make the payments. Any way you slice it, the bottom line comes back to cash.

In our last component, I think we’ve found the bottom line of our analysis. E² lives do not happen without love; accepting God’s love, returning God’s love and sharing God’s love. Any way you slice it, the bottom line comes back to love. This is the message of I Corinthians 13, ,“the greatest of these is love”. If that is not sufficient evidence to support my analysis, let’s look at Jesus’ reply when asked for the “bottom line” in Mark, chapter 12.

Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! (don’t forget to put your name in for Israel) The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these.” Mark 12: 29-31 (NLT)

Faith + Goodness + Knowledge + Self-Control + Perseverance + Godliness + Kindness + Love = Effective and Efficient Living.

It all begins with our acceptance of his love for us. A love that makes it possible for us to participate in the divine and avoid the corrupt.

“God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life (divine) through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins (corrupt). I John 4:9-10 (NLT)

A love that makes it possible for us to help others know the divine and avoid the corrupt.

Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.” 1 John 4:11 -12 (NLT)

My younger brother sang a song when we were younger that said it this way; I am loved, you are loved, I can risk loving you, for the one who knows me best, loves me most. That’s the bottom line!

Love is the best motivator. The days I love my job and the people with whom I work have are by far the most effective and efficient, productive and useful days.

When I first starting studying financial spreads, I was not aware of the practice of dropping the last three digits of the numbers in most printed spreads. Recognizing this practice completely changed what I was looking at; $100,000 is completely different than $100. Love is the most powerful element of our formula. It is like adding zeros to a number; it completely changes the result!

This verse from Romans, chapter 12 sums up the bottom line like this. “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically .”

　

E² version
Honestly love each other. Hate the corrupt. Hold tightly to the divine. Love each other with brotherly kindness. Never be useless and unproductive, but work effectively and efficiently and serve the Lord enthusiastically.

Love that “E” word. It makes me think of when my mom would tell my brother to do something with a twinkle in his eye. E cubed, maybe? living effectively, efficiently, with enthusiasm. It’s a thought.

　

Thanks for listening,

See you next Sunday,

Ronda

　

"May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God." Ephesians 3:18-20 (NLT)

　

I hope you'll join me next week for a summary analysis of E² living. We'll take a look at an analytical tool for measuring substainable growth. 　

Kindness

Faith + Goodness + Knowledge + Self-Control + Perseverance + Godliness + Kindness + love = Effective and Efficient Living.

My first banking job was a teller position at Interfirst Bank located downtown Dallas. The ladies I worked with at the mini-bank on the corner of 4th & Akard were very kind. They taught me everything I needed to know, not just the teller stuff, but how to be safe in the parking garage, where to get the best deals on shoes and how not to wear them out walking on the concrete! They shared with me the things I needed to know about our regular customers, especially the gentlemen who gave great tips! I always thought it kind of them to share who got to wait on him, rather than fight over it. Our little team of 4 was a very effective & efficient group. We often won the awards for accuracy and customer service. Later I worked as a utility teller and would move around to different locations. That’s when I began to see why our team was so often the top ranged group. Other groups were not as kind. They fought over lunch times and other silly things. They never helped each other find mistakes. As a result, both employees’ and customers’ experiences were less satisfying. I learned that some of our regulars at 4^th and Akard walked extra blocks and waited in line just to come to our location.

Kindness definitely has an impact of the effectiveness & efficiency of a group. It inspires us to participate in the divine. On the other hand, the absence of kindness generally yields quarrelling, outbursts of anger, and selfish ambition; all on the list of the corrupt.

I believe this is exactly what scripture is teaching us in Ephesians 4. The entire chapter is about living in unity as children of the light. God wanted us to know that to operate effectively as a family, his children, we would need to be kind to one another.

“Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:31 & 32 (NLT) Another good list of things to avoid and things to embrace!

In every version I’ve read, there is an adjective in front of kindness in our formula - brotherly. For me this adjective adds depth to the component of kindness. I have 3 brothers and there is nothing I would not do for them. The kindness called for here is more than stopping to help a stranger along the way. It’s more than being nice and extending common courtesies to our co-workers. It’s about showing genuine care to those with whom we share life. Why? Because it conforms to the wishes of the One who has given us great and precious promises. The One who is our sufficient source for living. According to our key verses in 2 Peter 1, to do less would be shortsighted, forgetting the kindness He has shown us.

Last week I mentioned the hymn, “Rescue the Pershing”, the last stanza of the hymn offers further insight into the role of kindness in our E² formula.

“Down in the human heart, crushed by the tempter, Feelings lie buried that grace can restore; Touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness, Chords that were broken will vibrate once more.” Kindness can indeed inspire the divine, when we are willing to touch others.

At the beginning of our analysis I proposed the desired result of his divine power, glory and goodness in our lives to be participation in the divine and avoidance of the corrupt. I propose we add to our purpose, helping others to participate in the divine and avoid the corrupt.

Thanks for listening,

See you next Sunday,

Ronda

　

“I prefer you to make mistakes in kindness than work miracles in unkindness.”

                                                                        Mother Teresa

"Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can read."

                                                                        Mark Twain