A KING BABY

 Being I have been without phone, internet, and television service for the past five days, I have been somewhat in the “dark” with current events and such.  Granted I did find a radio that picked up somewhat clearly this morning.  Duh.  I could have been hearing weather forecasts and news sooner but my mental concept is with the usual modes and, be as it may, they were not working and my radio listening rarely happened.  Ahhh.

When The Girl told me yesterday morning that the “Royal Baby Watch” was on, I felt interested.   I think I’m past the glamour and excitement of royalty but still have enough of the good feeling for anyone becoming parents for the first time. 

After spending an hour or two on my cell phone researching the costs and specifics of other technology providers and in spite of my royal un-excitement, I did think a bit about this new baby.  With no phone, internet, or television, what else am I to do but think? 

It’s my opinion that this future king baby will want for nothing in his life.  The attentions of nannies, housekeepers, bodyguards, parents, and other family members will never be lacking.  This future king baby will wear the stylish and best of clothing, sleep in the most extravagant nurseries and rooms, eat the finest and healthiest of foods, and have the best education his country can offer.  He will have opportunities for the best sporting instructions and be offered the best entertainment and toys that can be offered.  Yes, and even though he will be a royal king baby and child he will have unending love of his parents.  Without a doubt.

My mind began to think about a king baby born over two thousand years ago in much different circumstances.    This baby was born of parents who had nothing to speak of in the way of worldly riches.  In fact, they were the poorest of poors.  When this young mother was ready to deliver, there was not even a bed in a room in an inn for her to be comfortable.  She made her bed in a stable, probably on the hay along with the cattle and other animals there.  There was no beautiful bed in which to lay this king baby, but a trough where the animals fed. There was no fine clothing, but rough swaddling clothes.  There was no nanny there, but a Heavenly Father instead—watching over the scene with a smile, or so I would imagine.  Heads of state, various countries in the world, news reports or other forms of media did not herald his arrival.  Angels did that to the common folk—the lowly shepherds as they watched their sheep there on the mountainside.   And his parents—oh the love they had for this little baby—their son and God’s son, too. 

I can’t begin to imagine the joy that this king baby brought to those on that night.  Instead, I can KNOW the joy this king baby brings to me even today and the love He has for the WHOLE world.  Because this king baby was born, lived, died, and rose again, I have the promise of eternal life. 

Yes, the royal king baby will hopefully do great things for his country and mankind and make a difference in the world.  I encourage you, though, not to forget THE KING OF KINGS and the difference HE makes in all our lives….if we only let Him do so.

So congratulations to the “royal” family on their new addition and praise the Lord for the baby king WE worship....our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

And maybe some day the royal king baby and our king baby can meet and become the best of friends!

BIG CHURCH

Last Sunday, I had the pleasure of assisting in The Girl’s 4 and 5 year olds’ Sunday School Class.  The Son-In-Law was substitute teacher in an Adult Class.  I never pass up the opportunity to join the little ones as I am forever learning so much from their young minds.

As The Girl taught the lesson about Moses and the Israelites crossing the Red Sea on dry ground, I was again filled with pride and thankfulness for the blessing of The Girl.  She does have a way with those kids and teaches on a level they can believe and understand.  Face it, I can’t explain how the crossing on dry ground happened except to say, as she said, that it was miracle.  I’m so glad miracles still happen in our lives, aren’t you? 

Anyhow, after the lesson the children were given a coloring sheet that would fold and be a visual of the crossing of the Red Sea on dry ground.  The conversation went on in the language of children….”Was the Red Sea red? Or should I color it blue?”  Then the conversation was…”Is there a Green Sea?  Is there a White Sea?”  And, of course, I only knew for sure there is a Black Sea.  So much for my learning geography in my school years….or should I say lack of learning geography in my school years? 

As the talk went on, the goldfish crackers were eaten, the water drank, and the coloring continued, time began to run out.  At that point, The Girl said to the children, “We need to color fast.  It’s almost time for Big Church.”  Big Church.  BIG CHURCH.  Huh, I’d never really thought of the ll:00 service like that before.

Now for all of you who are not familiar with me, in our church we have Sunday School hour and then everyone from youngest to oldest to all those in the middle meet in the sanctuary for Big Church.  Yes, we all meet together and we all sing together and we all pray together and we also listen to the preaching.  Together. 

Honestly, as I thought some this week, I liked the sound of BIG CHURCH more and more and more.  I’m betting I’ll call it that from here on out.   I thought of what BIG CHURCH really means to me.   I’ll bet you’d like to know what it REALLY means to me. 

Big Church to me means this:

Willingness to praise the Lord and follow His Spirit wherever it leads

Obedience to always do what the Word tells me

Reminding myself that God sent His only begotten Son to die on the cross for
         MY sins.  Even if I’d been the only one, I know He would have loved
         THAT much still.

Strength to draw from to face “real life” and all the joys and sorrows it brings

        and songs that lift my spirits high, higher, highest

Hearing the Word preached.  The Word of God is alive and well and still applies

         to me in ALL aspects of my life.  My Heavenly Father knows what I need to hear

         from that pulpit every time someone stands there.

I, me, myself….I am Thine, O Lord….draw my heart and life closer and closer    

         to thee.

Praise for the King!   Praising Him for all He has done and is planning

         to do for His children!  Praising Him that I am one of His children!

Yes, put it all together and Big Church means WORSHIP!!!  Worshipping my Lord of Lord and King of Kings!

I can’t imagine my life without that worship time. How about you?

OBEDIENCE

Obedience—“dutiful or submissive compliance”

I would imagine in all of our lives at some point or another, we have been disobedient, maybe to a parent, to the government, to what we know to be the right thing, to our God. 

Admittedly, I was not very disobedient as a child.  I was in great awe of my parents and what they expected of me.  Obedience and good behavior were expected and I knew it for sure.  I did feel the pain of  whippings just a few times (my daddy's hands were quite big) and I quite deserved them all, I know.  Punishment for disobedience was tough.  I think there were times when I would have preferred a whipping rather than a ”talking-to” from my parents. 

As a Christian, I have also been disobedient to the wooings of the Holy Spirit as He might lead my heart in a certain direction.  I have decided as I have matured in my Christian walk that following and being obedient to those calls is much preferred than being disobedient.  A whipping from the Lord is the worst kind.

My treadmill book the last few days is by Beth Moore and is called “Believing God”.  The chapter I read today talked about faith, righteousness, and even obedience.  Something she said in that chapter made me think a bit more.  She says, “Sometimes we have to exercise faith to believe that obedience to God in a difficult situation will ultimately bear fruit even though it looks as though it might immediately cause hardship.”  She goes on to say that we must believe that God can handle consequences of our obedience if someone is not going to approve.  I’ve been in a situation like that lately where I prayed and without a doubt in my heart know that I did what the Lord said.  I know that  in God’s plan, He works things the way the He knows is best.  And I’m okay with that.  Romans 8:28 assures me that ALL things work together for good...  I want to always be obedient even when it is something I don’t understand the importance or the whys of.   Many times in my obedience I have failed to see the “fruit” at all.  Other times when I have obeyed at the urging of the Lord, it has yielded immediate blessings.  

I’ll be very honest with you, there was a time in the past few years when I had to REALLY step out on faith and obey.  It was a time that made my heart fearful because of the unknown even for me and those I love, but God showed exactly what He had in mind and caused a huge blessing.  It was one of those God moments I will never forget.  When I get discouraged or troubled or have that time of not understanding the immediate “plan”, I go back to that time and am encouraged. 

I know the importance of believing IN God, but I know the even bigger importance of BELIEVING GOD.  I love Him, I trust Him, and I believe Him and THAT, my friends, gives my life joy!  He is a great Heavenly Father and I am blessed to call him mine!

Amen!

A Firecracker of a Birthday

Well, since I started the birthday tributes, I'll go along one more time.  Yes, today is Independence Day  and most Americans will celebrate that, rain or shine.  Here, where I live, it will most likely be celebrated in the rain.  The heavy rain.  Still, though, we can't let heavy rain dampen the birthday spirit now, can we?

As my mother was born on Flag Day, my daddy was born on Independence Day.  They are a couple of patriotic ones, aren't they?  Or as I say, a couple of firecrackers....

My daddy is celebrating a birthday that also begins with the first number of 7 but since he is a guy and guys care less about who knows their ages, I'll say that next year his birthday's first number will be an 8.  Uh huh.  My daddy was raised very poor but has always been a hard worker.  He was licensed to preach somewhere in the neighborhood of 59-60 years ago and was ordained to pastor churches about 55 years ago.  I could say a lot about my daddy but I won't.  Just as with my mother, there's not enough time nor words.  I will say that he is a good daddy, a well respected and most loved man, and an exceptional humble servant of his Heavenly Father.

So yes, as with my mother, I have no nice gift.  I actually have no gift.  He doesn't want one so I oblige him.  I am cooking him a meal, or I should say The Husband and I are cooking him a meal, later on today.  As for you in my blogsphere, I knew you would enjoy photos of him as you enjoyed the posted photos of my mother on her "patriotic" day.  After all, I have to keep my tributes fair, don't I?

This would be him at his baptizing....on the far right....

Since I was an only child for eight years, I have some OLD photos of him and me.  Or should I say "mature" photos?  No, I should say it as it is....old.  Was I not cute?  And I loved lollipops.  Still do.

Yes, and then there were two girls.  In this photo it's obvious I had to sleep in curlers to get that Easter hairdo.  The Sister didn't have to do anything special.  She was a baby so she was cute without effort to be so.  

I just noticed that The Sister and I are sort of wearing the same style shoe in this picture.  Now THAT'S scary, isn't it Sister?  

My daddy is probably in the an elite "club" of daddies who have baptized each of their children and grandchildren.

(For all you trivia buffs who go to my church, the long haired girl right over my daddy's head in this photo is Karen D. and the boy next to the woman in glasses by her is her brother, Mark...if my memory serves me correctly.   The little girl looking up at Karen is her little sister, Sheryl.   Yes, even my sister's photos are "mature".)

He's a good husband....

...one who loves his family and whose family loves him back....

...and one who loves his Heavenly Father and loves feeling His Spirit.

I put this photo in for all of you who doubt he wears any color shirt other than white.

He has a trademark sense of humor and ready smile and seems to never meet a stranger.  Yep, that's him!

So Happy Birthday, Daddy!  Keep smiling!!!