Gideon get's courage - Judges 6 & 7

I had the opportunity to visit Los Vegas a few years ago and I took this picture. It seems strangely appropriate for my thoughts today, idols and Asherah poles.
I am reading in Judges; Gideon intrigues me. His lack of courage surprised me. I know about his fleeces, but somehow they never struck me as motivated by fear. I thought he wanted to be absolutely sure he was obeying God. Reading about him this week, I think he was scared out of his mind. The wonder is that God didn't give up on him, or mock him, or even yell. In Judges 6:17 & 18, Gideon asks the Lord to stay put, if it really is Him, until he brings back an offering. He couldn't just run down to grab a Big Mac. He had to prepare and cook it from scratch. Then, when it is the Lord, and Gideon agrees to obey, what God asks of him is really scary, so "he did it by night." (vs. 27)
He tried to do the Lord's work in secret. It didn't work; he was exposed pretty quickly, but still no rebuke from the Lord. I find comfort in that. God knows my weakness and loves me still. I have to think that by the time Gideon's troops were winnowed down to 300 and God gave him the victory, Gideon had more courage than when God asked him to tear down the idols and Asherah pole.
It's all about progression, forward motion. We put one foot in front of the other, even if we are shaking, and we see God. Then we put the next foot in front of the first, and again we see God. One of these days I want to run, flat out, no fear, no shaking in my boots, no more baby steps. A full on run, complete with leaping and whooping. I wonder if God plays tag.

Life, death and life again.

This picture was taken in 1984, of a precious friend we haven't seen for many years. When I see this now I think of C.S. Lewis's book, The Last Battle. The last chapter is the most beautiful description of what it might be like when we pass from life to death to real life. The characters are stuck in a stinking shed, where they think life is as real as it gets, some of the characters have the courage to leave the shed for the unknown. Each step away from the shed takes them higher up and further in on a new adventure, where the colors are brighter, the air is fresher, the water sweeter and life more vibrant. Rob and his two sons were killed in a car crash just before Easter, leaving behind his precious wife. I cannot imagine Dusty's agony. My brain cannot grasp being a childless mother and I grieve for her and all she has lost. But as I think of Rob today, I have to smile. He's going higher up and further in with Byron and Gabriel. I can see the teasing twinkle in Rob's eyes, and some how, I am sure there is a football arching it's way through the air. There is wrestling in the grass, and squeals of delight and laughter without the bellyache. Someday we will be there too, in the best yard of all, in our Father's house, where there is no more sorrow only joy unimaginable. See ya' Rob. Dusty, you are in my heart and prayers daily.

Happy Easter. I have neglected blogs of all sorts so I spent a relaxing Easter morning preparing the leg of lamb and catching up. I laughed out loud at my favorite blog, ourliteraryjoys.blogspot.com. Family memories can be so healing and I love that they are recorded. Too many of mine are not on the page yet.
We spent the past four days, 12+ hours a day painting the basement and getting ready to become the Walton's. Grandma and Grandpa are walking kinda funny today. I really did take this picture this morning. I think we have a white Easter more often than a white Christmas, but I love a white Easter. It just seems right to see the bright, white, clean world when we wake to celebrate that Jesus made us white as the new fallen snow.
He is risen!

Stone cold stiff, but pretty

I chose this picture because I would look just like this if I were an Old Testament woman, stiff, proper and pretty, but afraid to move. I have been reading though Deuteronomy and some of the laws seems kinda' quaint and cute, and then I read on. I am so grateful that I am a New Testament woman married to a man of God. Back in the '70's there was a movement in the church that took up some of the Old Testament traditions. I remember Steve asking why some laws were chosen to be followed while others were rejected. It was a good question. We live in an age of grace and I pray that I can be a source of grace to those around me. There is enough law and Jesus fulfilled it to free me from the life of a bronze statue. I can be real, be forgiven, be loved and be effective, not because I am wonderful, but because Jesus is amazing and sacrificed it all for me, and you too. Get up off the bench and be gracious. Bless someone for no reason other than that God took the time to make him, or her.

Is there a Moses for America?

Today's reading took me into Deuteronomy where, once again, I saw something I hadn't noticed before. Israel wasn't all that.
In Deut. 9:4 Moses tells Israel that it isn't because of their righteousness that God is giving them the promised land, but because the enemy is so wicked. Then in verses 7 and 8 he reminds Israel how their own sin provoked the Lord. Further on in chapter 9 I saw that it was Moses' intercession that moved God to allow Israel to continue to exist.
I watch the news every morning and today I wonder, where is our Moses? Is someone interceding for us? As a nation we have so much but are, apparently, never satisfied. I love being an American but the truth is, we aren't all that, any more than Israel was.
Are AIG executives and bankers judged out of righteousness or envy? The anger and self-righteousness I see on the news scares me. The venom spewed from the lips of our politicians is unworthy of anyone is their position. The cry for justice seems motivated by bitterness and suspicion. I don't want that to be me. I would rather be like Moses, on my knees, pleading for God to be merciful to His people, recognizing my own need for mercy rather than becoming the accuser. I have gone to the National Day of Prayer site to find out how I can pray more effectively. Here is the link if you'd like to do the same; www.ndptf.org. Moses made a difference, so can we.
This picture of a graveyard and a church was taken in St. Andrew's Scotland. The legacy of prayer in that place left me speechless.

Get Naked

Okay, Dashiell isn't naked, but I thought a naked baby picture might get me in trouble. I read this quote yesterday and did a double take. "Eros will have naked bodies; friendship naked personalities" C.S.Lewis
I see naked, blatant adoration in Dashiell's face. I want to be like that with God. He sees what I try to hide anyway, so I don't know why I expend the energy. How freeing to be naked before Him.
How scary to be naked in the same way with friends. I will pray for one or two that I can get naked with, personality wise of course. I think that would be wonderful. Actually, there is one who knows me that well already, besides my precious Steve. I love you Lorrie.

More details

This picture shows one of God's prettier details. I managed to snap this from the back door.
I have been stuck in Leviticus, thus the delay in posting a blog. I love the word of God, and I know there is a reason for Leviticus, but it is mind numbing, and definitely not breakfast reading material. Laws for sacrifice, checking for what kind of ooze is seeping out of sores, ... you get the point.
As I waded through the laws the Israelites had to follow I remembered a very encouraging verse.
Matthew 5:17 "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill."
I looked up the word fulfill and it means to complete, finish, make complete. I am so grateful that we live under grace and not the law. Jesus completes me, and I am clean in Him.