The Light of the Father

THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS PAST...

It's been almost two years since my mother-in-law found her way to heaven. We are finally cleaning out her house and getting it ready to sell. As you might imagine, our progress is often impeded with random discoveries of long lost treasures which tug on our heartstrings, evoking bittersweet memories. A few weeks before Thanksgiving, the Dickman was upstairs pulling up the old dusty carpet when I stumbled upon a small Mason jar filled with two Zippo lighters and a western belt buckle. Rather than interrupt his progress, I put it away to show him later. Because I'm only a few brain cells away from senility, several days passed before I remembered the jar. I took it to him, putting it in his hands without any explanation or preamble.  Immediately, his eyes grew wide and filled with tears. He opened the jar and shook the contents into his hand.  “Robin, do you know what these are?! My Dad's belt buckle and his lighters...  I haven't seen them in over 50 years!” The contents of that old Mason jar were clearly priceless treasures to the Dickman.

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THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS PRESENT...

In between the Thanksgiving turkey and pumpkin pie, we were visiting with our son and showed him the jar full of treasures. Lucas took immediate interest in one of the lighters, thoroughly inspecting it while wondering aloud if a new wick and some lighter fluid might bring it back to life. [Now, if you don't know my Lucas, it is important to understand that he is an absolute minimalist and has no interest in collecting 'things'. Not only that, but he also scores depressingly low on the 'Sentimentality Scale'.]  I watched as he turned the lighter over in his hands, imagining his grandfather holding the same lighter so many years ago. Impulsively I asked, “Do you want the lighter Luke? You can have it!” As soon as the words left my mouth, it occurred to me that the lighter was not mine to give. I quickly glanced over at Dickie who was [thankfully!] nodding in agreement. Luke looked at his Dad and said, “If you don't mind I would love to keep it.” It was touching that our son wanted to keep this unlikely link to the past – a connection to the grandfather he never met.

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THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS FUTURE...

A few days after he returned home, Lucas sent this picture to his Dad. Not only had he managed to get that old lighter cleaned up and working again, but he and his family were using it to light their Advent candles. Our son had taken something broken and lovingly restored it to bring a glorifying light to God.

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Sweet friends, I don't have to tell you how broken our world is.  One look at the news, one headline on the internet, one trip through a forgotten neighborhood... that's all it takes to know. Satan has relentlessly filled our world with evil and corruption. Some days it feels like the bad guys are winning.

Today was one of those days. I'm ashamed to say that my heart was full of negativity as I opened my Bible.  My hopeful spirit sought to find comfort in His Word.

And man, was God ever ready for me! Only a few verses into Ephesians and this is what I found:

"... this was His purpose:  that when the time is ripe He will gather us all together from wherever we are - in heaven or in earth - to be with Him in Christ forever."

Wow.  I stand amazed that over two thousand years ago, through the inspired words of an apostle imprisoned and in chains, Jesus gives us hope for today... and for every tomorrow!

God will gather us together into ONE glorious kingdom under ONE sovereign King.  Holy. Incorruptible. Unimpeachable.

And in His perfect time, harmony between Heaven and Earth will once again be restored.

This broken old world has never been more in need of that harmony and unity.

The richness – the fullness – of that promise fills my heart with joy! And you know what's even more exciting? The gathering has already begun.

Can't you feel it... hearts that are yearning for so much more than this world has to offer? Eyes searching desperately for that which is meaningful? The increasing boldness of believers unashamed to declare His salvation in love?

It's happening, y'all. We don't always see it because satan distracts us with discord and division.  He limits our focus and depletes our hope, making us forget the Promises of the Father... His boundless mercy, His unfailing love, His piercing light.  His Perfect Plan.

The prevalent evil  in our world today is temporary. God is already transforming the world in big and small ways... the gathering has begun.

We can help Him, you know.

All it takes is a little dusting, a little polishing, some re-fueling... and God will ignite the Spirit within us with a light that defies a hopeless world and illuminates the darkness around us.

THE SISTERHOOD OF EVER-EXPANDING WAISTLINES

My Fellow Fluffy Females...

Let it be known that on this day, November 6, 2019, ROBIN IN DA HOOD, stood up for all overweight middle-aged women throughout the universe. 

I refused to be weighed at the doctor's office, y'all. 

It wasn't even planned, but as the nurse called my name and I walked closer and closer to those dreaded scales, something in me snapped. As I was silently pondering just how much clothing I could take off without frightening the other patients or getting arrested, I suddenly realized that I AM A GROWN A$$ WOMAN AND I DON'T HAVE TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE.

I stopped dead in my tracks, firmly shook my head and said, "Nah. I don't think so. You weighed me 8 weeks ago and not one thing has changed. And you know what? I just don't need that kind of negativity in my life." 

The sweet, overweight, middle-aged nurse looked at me in surprise... then her face slowly broke into a smile as she nodded back at me, eyes sparkling in admiration.

One small step for the Sisterhood of Ever-Expanding Waistlines... one giant leap against Doctor's Scale Harassment.

CLAY POTS...

When I was in Israel last year, it was common to see potsherds (broken pieces of pottery) scattered among many of the ancient ruins.  They are so numerous, in fact, as to not be valued or protected.  Even so, I squealed with the glee of a tipsy paleontologist with each shard sighting.  It was endlessly fascinating to see glimpses of a culture which had survived centuries. I couldn't help but wonder how the pottery had been used or what treasure it may have contained.

The pieces of earthenware reminded me of Paul's words in II Corinthians, where he refers to our mortal bodies as mere “clay pots” that hold immeasurable treasure. 

Clay pots are temporary --- easily cracked and broken. Who would be crazy enough to put valuable treasure in such a fragile container? 

God. He's crazy enough to fill these temporary bodies of ours with an eternal light that reflects the Glory of Christ.

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As I  pulled into the driveway  of  the modest country home, I'll admit that  my therapy bag was filled with low expectations.   The agency nurse had  informed  me that my patient  -  an old rancher  -  was critically ill.    He had been diagnosed with  cancer  earlier in the year and the treacherous disease had recently begun to severely impact his function.  Although he was a candidate for Hospice care, he had politely declined and requested physical therapy, instead. 

His sweet wife met me at the door and led me back to their bedroom. There he was... a tiny emaciated man sleeping quietly in his recliner. He was so still and pale, my first concern was that he had stopped breathing. Hearing our chatter, he slowly turned his head. As his gaze searched mine, I smiled into a pair of beautiful, soulful gray eyes that instantly told me more than any documented health history could ever discern. Without a doubt, those eyes were weary. But instead of defeat, a bright fighting light of hope shone through. 

It took quite a while to complete the evaluation, as we had to stop and rest after every few minutes of activity. During the breaks, I began to ask about his life. As he slowly opened up, his beautiful eyes grew ever more brilliant, twinkling with humor and spirit that mocked the fragility of his cancer-ravaged body. 

As I listened, I glanced over at his wife who was sitting quietly in a corner of the room. She was watching over her husband intently with an expression of innate concern mixed with overt exhaustion. Clearly, her mind fought a truth that her heart wasn't ready to accept. I was filled with compassion for this Wife turned Watchman, Companion turned Caregiver. I wondered at their story... at the layers of years and memories which had culminated in these last difficult months. It was humbling to witness the tangible love and unwavering devotion between them. 

However sweet the moment, I knew this precious man was not a good candidate for therapy. So, I straightened my spine, put on my Official PT expression and forced myself to be professional. Or at least, realistic. 

“Sir, are you sure you will be able to participate in scheduled physical therapy? I assure you, there are other options that might make you more comfortable, right now.” 

His head popped up and he said in a firm, confident voice, “I can't wait. I'm gonna get stronger. Y'all are gonna help me.” 

Oh, man.  

I am not licensed to offer false hope. Miracles are beyond my Scope of Practice. 

But you know what? I'm really good friends with a Great Physician. One who specializes in Hope and Miracles. And I would never want to get in the way of His Healing Power. 

I looked that tired, feeble man straight in the eye and said, “Alrighty, cowboy... buckle up!” 

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"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this 

all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.  

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; 

perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; 

struck down, but not destroyed."

Isn't it freaking amazing that even while death is at work within us, the light of Jesus shines brighter and brighter through the cracks of our pitiful pots of clay?  

God never said these temporary bodies of ours wouldn't suffer.  Instead, He promised to give us strength to persevere.

Hard pressed...

Perplexed...

Persecuted...

Struck down...  

But not destroyed.  Because it's all about the treasure.

MISSING THE TARGET

I'm in the middle of a Messianic Jewish Bible study called “HaYesod” (Hebrew for “the foundation”). Just as the Bible is the foundation of our faith, the foundation of the Bible is the Torah. It is in this collection of the first five books of the Bible that Moses provides us with God's standards for righteous living, including the Ten Commandments. 

I learned that the word “Torah” comes from a Hebrew root word which is basically an archery term meaning to “take aim or shoot”, as in shooting an arrow to hit the mark. 

The opposite of “Torah” is “Chata” which means: “to miss” as in to miss the target or miss the mark. Chata is the Hebrew word most commonly translated as “sin” throughout the Bible – used almost 200 times in the Old Testament. 

In Judges 20:16, a group of 700 men from the tribe of Benjamin (all left-handed) are described as being so accurate with their slings that “everyone could sling stones at a hair breadth and not miss”. 

And in Romans 3:23, Paul uses the same word when he tell us that “all have sinned and fall short of the mark”. 

ALL have missed the mark. 

The Torah leads us to our mark, our target: to love God and keep His commandments. 

So why do we keep missing the target? 

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It has been a devastating week for our bloodstained nation. Mass shootings have sadly become a heartbreaking reality within the brokenness of America. 

Shootings have become so commonplace that we have grown quite adept at identifying the root cause of each horrific event. Experts, in fact. Even before the bullet-ridden bodies have been removed from the crime scene, we've already herded our partisan sacred cows into their respective fences. Even before the carnage has been washed away, we are pointing our unstained fingers at the indisputable targets of blame: 

1. A Right Wing White Supremacist 
2. A Left Wing Anarchist 
3. An Illegal Immigrant 
4. A Rogue War Veteran 
5. A Desensitized “Gamer” 
6. A Hypersensitive Cyber-bullying Victim 
7. The Criminal Media 
8. Weak Gun Laws 
9. Not Enough Concealed Carriers 
10. Untreated Mental Illness 
11. Overtreated Mental Illness 
12. Conservative Intolerance 
13. Unlimited Liberal Tolerance 
14. Racism 
15. Bigotry 
16. Prejudice 
17. Unbelievers 
18. Zealots 
19. Poor Parenting 
20. Progressive Schools 
21. Trump 

A never-ending cycle of blame.

But if each of us is pointing to the right target, then why does the violence continue to escalate? Why does the number of murdered innocents climb higher and higher? Why do the divisions within our country grow deeper and deeper? 

Could it be that ALL of us are falling short? Might ALL our pointing fingers be missing the target? 

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As Christians, our target should be the Kingdom of Heaven. To aim for anything else is sin.

Sin as old as mankind. Sin against mankind.

Sin against God.

Cain is still slaying Abel.

LET'S GO, GOD!!!

If you are familiar with Alcoholics Anonymous, you'll recognize the affirmation “Let Go and Let God” as a popular slogan of the 12-step recovery program. After admitting that you are powerless over your disease then believing in a power “greater than yourself”, Step 3 calls for submitting control to your Higher Power. 

But you really don't have to be an alcoholic/addict to know:  letting go can be a heck of a lot scarier than hanging on. 

“Let Go and Let God” has found it's way into theological circles, as well. It is a well-worn phrase that many Christians toss out to one another like a lifeline.  Funny thing about lifelines... you have to swim out and grab hold if you want to be saved. 

Life is a battlefield, y'all. Letting Go and Letting God does not relegate us to a seat on the bleachers as a helpless spectator. Though we must relinquish our will to God, He doesn't expect us to be a passive warrior in the battle of spiritual warfare. 

So, what does He expect? 

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When I was in high school, I dabbled in athletics. I say 'dabbled', because I had zero aspirations of becoming a top athlete. I had the endurance of a slug and I was way more interested in looking cute in my uniform than in pulling a hammie. But to everyone's surprise, Coach Webb put me on the 440 relay team during my junior year. I was – without question - the weakest link, evidenced by the fact that Coach never quite knew where to put me.  He moved me from the first leg of the relay because I couldn't seem to figure out how to crouch AND hold a baton AND still look cute. I definitely wasn't a strong enough runner for the the last leg, so Coach ended up bouncing me back and forth between the second and third legs. The problem then was that I had to both RECEIVE and PASS the baton. I wasn't too bad at receiving but I really sucked at passing.  I was afraid to let go. I knew if the baton was dropped, my team would be disqualified and it would be my fault. I could never seem to reach the precise moment of faith that my teammate had full control of the baton.  It was a serious dilemma that led to a very short relay career. 

Ceding control is hard. Passing the baton takes a lot of faith. 

Unless you are Jehoshaphat. 

Remember King Jehoshaphat in the Old Testament? He was one of the Good Kings whose “heart was devoted to the ways of the Lord”. Because he turned the idol-worshipping Jews back to the Lord, he was blessed with great wealth and honor. Then, one day Jehoshaphat heard that a vast alliance of three armies was marching toward Judah to destroy him. The exact words of warning to Jehoshaphat were, “Dude!  There's a HUGE army coming straight for YOU!”. Yikes. 

I don't know about you, but I'm pretty sure my first instinct would be to turn around and run! Call 911! Alert the Space Force!! 

Not Jehoshaphat. Although the Bible tells us he was “alarmed”, the first thing Jehoshaphat did was to call for a prayer meeting and nationwide fasting... EVEN WHILE THE ENEMY WAS ON THE WAY!!!

King Jehoshaphat gathered all the people of Judah together and led them in a beautiful prayer.  He cried out to God in distress, admitting that they were powerless against the enemy and didn't know what to do. He ended his prayer with these powerful words, “...but OUR EYES ARE ON YOU”. 

You know what God did? He said, “Hey y'all … don't let that big ol' army scare you. THIS BATTLE IS MINE."

Essentially, God told the people of Judah to let go of the baton and pass it to Him. 

He promised they would not have to fight, but that they should prepare to march against the enemy, take up their positions and stand firm. 

Stand firm in FAITH. 

The next day, Jehoshaphat met with his people for a pep rally.  He got them all pumped up, and then he did the craziest thing ever in all the annals of war strategy:  Jehoshaphat  moved the choir to the front of the army and told them to praise God with all their might. 

I bet there were more than a few twinges of anxiety among the altos and tenors. But once they started singing, their fear dissolved into faith and their collective strength grew in unison with their voices as they praised God in song.  Can't you just imagine the beautiful praise growing louder and louder as they marched toward the battlefield of En Gedi?   Voices became weapons.  Songs of worship became a radical act of warfare. 

So much for the element of surprise, huh? 

It didn't matter, because when Jehoshaphat and his people came within view of the battlefield, all they could see was a desert full of dead bodies.

God had turned their enemies upon each other and all of them were destroyed. Hundreds upon hundreds of corpses. NO ONE HAD ESCAPED.

War ain't no joke.  It's real and it's happening now, all around us... the omnipresent battle of Good vs. Evil. You may not always be aware of it, but it's always there. And on those days when we feel overpowered and outnumbered, when we're not ready for battle and filled with despair at the strength of our enemy, we must never forget... THE BATTLE BELONGS TO THE LORD.

Let Go.  Admit to God that you are powerless against the enemy. 

Then, Let's Go! Get your butt off the bleachers, cast your eyes toward Him in faith and let's join our voices together in mighty weapons of praise and worship...  LET'S GO, GOD!

SPIRITUAL GIFTS

What is your Spiritual Gift? Do you know? 

The Apostle Paul tells us: “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the COMMON GOOD.” (1 Corinthians 12:4-7) 

A few days ago I was filling out a volunteer application for a ministry I support and wish to serve. One of the questions was "Why do you want to join our ministry?". Without thinking I wrote, "I want my life to make God smile." 

Our Spiritual Gift (or gifts) is not about us. Nor is it necessarily of our choosing. As much as I wish God had given me the voice of an angel to minister in song... it just didn't happen. I have the voice of an alley cat screeching on a picket fence. Instead, God gifted me with a spirit of exuberant encouragement for those who actually do sing like angels. 

The gifts I see in others edify me - challenge me - humble me. 

Last week, my son was in Peru building a worship center, my brother & sister-in-law were in Brazil with a mission team and my cousin was leading hundreds of campers in songs of worship. 

My son is an optometrist. He uses his knowledge as an optometrist to serve others wherever God leads him. But he's just as happy pouring concrete and running electrical wires in 3rd world countries who need a sanctuary...

My sister-in-law thought she was a weak link in the ministry team. But then, she brought out her needlework and God worked His magic. People surrounded her and relationships were formed, opening the door to His Word...

My beautiful little cousin is introverted and shy. But when she opens her mouth to sing, she becomes a 10-Foot Warrior for Jesus, sending His message straight as an arrow into the hearts of young and old, alike... 

Don't ask yourself what you can do for God. Ask God how He wants to use you. He may surprise you. He will likely take you out of your comfort zone. He may send you across the street or across the world. But our orders are clear: To Win As Many As Possible. 

And yes, to make God smile.

Patching Up Superman...

Another chapter has been added to the Haney Chronicles of Near Hits and Misses whereby God has once again swooped in to save our worthless butts. This tale is a bit convoluted (really, aren't they all?) filled with fear, faith, reckoning, gratitude, love, laughter and a not-so-small dose of embarrassment. Pop some popcorn, grab a DP and settle in.

It all began in February, at our Concerts at Sea cruise. This is an annual rock and roll cruise we have been enjoying for a dozen years and many of the cruisers have become very close friends. One such friend – Dave – took the Dickman aside and made him promise to get a stress test. Dave had recently suffered a heart attack and was on a mission to save his friends from the same fate. Dickie explained that although he is freakishly healthy, he has always expected to die with a heart attack... just like his Dad. And frankly, he was fine with that.  Dave brushed away Dickie's bullsh*t and made him promise to get checked out.   Dickie promised. 

The Dickman always keeps his promises.

After returning home, Dickie was single-minded about scheduling a stress test but kept running into obstacles. Three months later, he finally went in for testing. To his surprise, an abnormality showed up on the EKG, indicating possible cardiac issues. The doc wasn't worried, but thought it would be prudent to undergo a heart cath for further diagnosis.

We went in for a radial heart cath and I fully expected to hear nothing but Good News. Not just because of my rose-colored glasses, but also because over the years, the Dickman had somehow managed to convince me that he truly might be Superman.

Even so, there was that tiny niggling reminder of how God is always working in our lives to put us right where we need to be at the right time... placing people in our lives to direct our paths. I couldn't help but wonder if God might be using our friend Dave as His messenger. There was that.

Sure enough, the heart cath revealed Superman's kyptonite: Plaque. Coronary Artery Disease. Blockage in All Three Main Arteries.

Yet, God was already at work. Dickie's RCA had become totally blocked, but over time a network of collateral blood vessels had formed around the blockage, creating a thoroughly efficient bypass. God's bypass. 

Isn't He amazing??

As for the other blockage, it was decided that stents and medication would be sufficient at this time.

The diagnosis was a bit overwhelming. As the Dickman and I walked out of the heart clinic, we felt the ground shifting beneath us. So, we did what any self-respecting heart-clogged Texan would do: we went to eat Mexican food.

While munching on tacos, I looked across the table at my Dickman. My dear, sweet, crazy, beloved Dickman. I have been looking at his pretty face, staring into those gorgeous eyes since I was 14 years old.

“How ya doing, buddy?” I asked. 

“I'm awesome!” he replied while wiping queso off his chin.

“This is the worst part...” I told him. “Finding out that you're human.  I've suspected for years, ever since you made that wrong turn coming back from Dallas and we got lost in Paducah.”

He swore me to secrecy. I understood that he would need some time to process all of this.  It would take a while to readjust his super-hero cape. I complied. Because he's mine, I walk the line.

His stent was scheduled for Thursday. Our family surrounded the hospital-gowned Dickman while he told tall tales from his gurney and flirted with nurses. After hours of delay, a surgical tech finally came to take him back for the procedure. She asked him his name and he said, “Chris McDonald”. Without missing a beat, she replied, “Yessir. Taking you back for your hysterectomy.”

I sat with My Tribe in the waiting room, covered in prayers and cookie crumbs.  I would be lying if I told you I felt no anxiety. Unlike Chris McDonald or whoever that guy is - I am very human. Though there are few things that unsettle me, the thought of being on this earth without Dickie is devastatingly unsettling. I wouldn't last a day. We're the Dynamic Duo: Dickman & Robin. Are there times I want to kill him? Certainly. But I never want him to die...

The doc finally came out and briefed us on the surgery. All went well, except that he had to tell Dickie to stop talking so that he could concentrate on the procedure. Bottom line: the Dickman is now sporting an extra long stent in his 'Widow Maker' and has to stop eating chicken fried steak with extra gravy.

It had been a long day. A long couple of weeks. But once again, God made everything okay in the end.

As we got in the car to drive home from the hospital yesterday, we were a sorry sight.  My wonky eye was blurry and his right femoral artery was still clotting. We decided that if we worked together, we could efficiently and safely operate a 2-ton vehicle. I worked the pedals and Dickie helped me steer.  Which is pretty much a metaphor for the rest of our life together... 💗

Why am I allowed to share all of this now? Well, since he's all patched up and ready to go, the Dickman has determined that he is, once again, indestructible. And like his friend Dave, he wants to spread the message to all you other mere mortals to GO GET A STRESS TEST! (And also get your eyes dilated while you're at it.)

FOOTNOTE: After his surgery and while under the influence of morphine, Dickie asked me to send a text to update his friend, Brian. I didn't have Brian's number in my phone so Dickie rattled it off to me. I typed in Dickie's message as he dictated it to me, rolled my eyes and hit 'send'. When Brian didn't reply, I asked Dickie to check the phone number. Imagine my embarrassment when I realized I had sent this message to the wrong number...