“Who’s First?”

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. – Matthew 6:33

“We are obligated to put God first. That’s the problem…even putting your spouse first is a form of idolatry. If you truly put God first and seek His righteousness you’ll be right with your spouse. My whole point is marriages are messed up (all human relationships really) because we aren’t right with God. If the vertical relationship is right the horizontal ones will be as well.”

This is a paraphrased comment about a Facebook post that was focused on the marriage relationship. Truthfully, with the state of the institution of marriage as it is right now with 50% of marriages dissolving within seven years, I believe that whole paragraph could apply to society as a whole. In a world so focused on popular opinion to gauge the health of relationships, maybe it’s time to get back down to basics, not as a form of regression but progression.

God first, spouse before all others.

Sure, we could bide our time with mediocrity but can you imagine what it would feel like to know you are only second to God Almighty in the eyes of your spouse? I wonder how many marriages would be saved if we sought God’s desires over our own? I wonder how many relationships could avoid the trash if God were consulted instead of people, or our own understanding? I’d venture a lofty guess.

I can do all things through him who strengthens me. – Philippians 4:13

And so can you.

“AIN’T NOTHIN’ ELSE”

I was cleaning out drawers today and found a CD-R marked “Old Documents and Photos”. I suspected I would find treasure, and I did. Included was this installment of my journal.

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November 25, 2003

This morning I took a friend downtown to the clinic for a doctor visit and to get his meds. He got out of the hospital last night. I have to say I’ve been praying for courage and strength a lot lately.

The visit to the clinic was eye opening. I was in awe, and when I left, I felt a considerable amount of gratitude. Those poor people coming in there to get their meds were coming in out of the cold, and I think most of them were mentally ill. They all had warm coats, but I heard one lady say she was having difficulty warming up. Another said she was starving for something to eat. Some sat like zombies; you could tell they were thoroughly medicated. Others chatted easily and greeted by name everyone who came in. One woman seemed perfectly normal and very conversational. Then she started chatting to herself.

The clinic provided hot coffee for free. They also had a pop machine that took 50 cents for a can of pop. One man asked if anyone had a quarter. No one did, but several said they would give it to him if they did have one. Another lady told the woman who was hungry that there were two churches nearby that gave out food. You could tell….this small group of people takes care of each other.

One woman was overjoyed that she would only have to come to the clinic once a week instead of twice to get her meds. She told everyone that she and her husband were going to their church tonight for a Thanksgiving dinner and bingo. Her husband had to wear a stocking cap at all times because he had a one-inch metal plate in his head, and it got cold and hurt when his head was exposed.

One couple invited a man to their place for Thanksgiving. I wondered where their home is, but from the looks of the man’s jeans, he hadn’t washed them in weeks, and I doubt he would mind if their home weren’t fancy.

My little one had to use the restroom, and I got a strange, almost apologetic look from the lady behind the desk when she pointed down the hallway. I understood when I opened the door to a room so filthy and trash-laden that I couldn’t bear to let my child touch a single thing. I wanted to cry.

Not long before we left, the woman who was talking to herself blurted out that she wasn’t afraid of anybody. She repeated it, “I ain’t afraid of anybody…’cept God. He has power. And Jesus. They both have all the power. Ain’t nothin’ else in the world. Nothin’ else.”

I needed to read this now.

WASHED CLEAN

After almost 24 consecutive years, 31 years total, I’ve been sober for so long that people forget.

My children were young enough to remember very little about the previous years without being told, and my youngest never saw me under the influence. The time I stumbled into darkness and relapsed was one day 24 years ago when I ended up in the hospital with clinical depression and PTSD. I was put on antidepressants for 10 years until by the grace of God, I weaned off. I’m not ashamed of being sick. On the contrary, I am overjoyed to be healed of addiction to alcohol and cigarettes, and clinical depression.

People forget, but I don’t. I can’t.

The Lord saved me from me and gave me a life to live in gratitude. He gave me empathy for the struggles of others and appreciation for the wisdom of turning our weaknesses over to Him so that He can work His healing touch on us.

The only reason I’m alive today is because of Jesus. In my infirmity, at the end of my meager limits, I submitted my life to His will and began a new journey up a different path. Choices became clear, and there was unparalleled freedom for the first time in my life. Is it any wonder He has my heart? I now need to ask Jesus to help me with my eating habits which have become more than just a fueling of my body. Food has become a liability now that I’m older. I pray for the courage and discipline to humbly hand this part of my life over to Him so my body, His temple, can be healthy and strong. I want to be able to live out the rest of my days in whatever capacity He wants me to. I can think of no better goal.

No matter where you are at or the condition you are in, nothing is so awful that Jesus can’t take you in His arms and love you to wholeness.

When you have everything to gain is when He does His best work but why wait? Allow yourself to be loved back to life. I would love to hear your story.

Thank you, Jesus.

Heavenly Father, Good Morning.

I listen to the birds outside my window and feel the breeze on my face, and I know you are near. I love how great you are. You are our creator and teacher and comforting protector. Only You deserve our praise.

Lord, bless this day as you will. Keep my family in your care, and help me to honor you in all I say and do. Knowing You are the King of the Universe and in complete control, my heart is yours.

I pray in Jesus’s Holy name. Amen.

HOME

This photo was taken the weekend we made the decision to move. Somewhere.

People say this is God’s country and it is, but God directed both of us at the same time to move somewhere else. We had no idea where, but it needed to be warmer but not too warm, and it needed to be in a central location to our families. A bonus would be lack of humidity but that wasn’t a deal breaker if we had air conditioning. Three months later, we were living in a state neither of us had been to before and we knew no one who lived there. A step of faith to a new life. A new chapter. Perfect timing.


I actually had an acquaintance suggest something must have happened to make us run away and I had to laugh because nothing happened other than a collective realization that after thirty-five years, we no longer felt like Colorado was our home. A healthy home is where you feel safe and loved and respected in spite of your differences. It was time to stretch our wings and conquer our fears and uncertainties about our future.

I think it’s sad this acquaintance didn’t even consider the Holy Spirit’s hand in our lives. So often that is the way it goes. We are quick to rationalize and justify our doubt instead of simply trusting God’s sovereignty and wishing someone well on their next journey. Why do we automatically want to think the worst of people?


That isn’t of God, and that’s the answer to the question. Colorado provided for many seasons. This new place is totally different, and even so, it looks so familiar. God is good.


We are home again.

COULD’A, WOULD’A, SHOULD’A

I am smiling.

How do you feel when someone tells you after the fact what you could have done, what they would have done, or what you should have done?
I don’t know about you, but I start to feel like a child who can’t figure that stuff out for myself retrospectively. It makes me question my ability to be competent, and I’ve been around the block a few times!

If you are already beating yourself up for making a mistake, the last thing you need is to have someone rub your nose in your shame when there is nothing you can do about it. In a work related situation, there is a time and place for a gentle response of instruction that preserves dignity. The people in our personal lives deserve the same consideration.

I learned to smile and keep my peace because most people who do this have good intentions. They want to help you know what to do if the situation happens again. So I will listen because wisdom can be found in listening.

But occasionally, a person will give you their perspective after the fact to make you feel less than and elevate themselves. We know this because we know the person. Even so, I smile and keep my peace because the peace of the Lord is more important than any word the devil inspires.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Philippians 4:13

You and I will do better next time. I love you.

CLEANING TIP

Do you like cleaning the bathroom?

How nice to take your bath in a washtub with no worries. If I had the choice between arm wrestling a T-Rex and cleaning the bathroom, it might be a toss-up. It looks relatively easy, but it seems to be a losing battle!

When we moved, our new house had a clear glass shower stall that looked very pretty, but the first thing that went through my mind was how I would keep it looking that way. I had used the daily shower cleaners before, and they are effective but only with consistent use, and they are expensive.

While digging on the net, I found a few recipes for homemade daily shower cleaners and read the reviews. The recipe I share here works very well and costs pennies to make. We may forget to use it every time we shower, but even a modest effort is effective, and it helps the memory if it’s kept handy in the shower.

DAILY SHOWER CLEANER
1/2 cup peroxide
1/2 cup rubbing alcohol
1 tsp blue Dawn dishwashing liquid
1 Tbsp Jet Dry Rinse Aid
2 cups water
Mix in a spray bottle.

It’s a great way to use all the peroxide and rubbing alcohol you bought when the Covid panic hit! The recipe calls for the original formula blue Dawn for the cleaning power. I purchase a small bottle for this recipe and also to use as a laundry grease spot remover. One bottle of this recipe lasts our household about six weeks and is so cheap to make. You can also use the daily shower cleaner less often on the tub and sinks.

So often, I’m content to have my house look surface clean rather than make an effort to do a thorough house cleaning. However, if I look at my life with introspection, that theme can be a common thread if I’m not careful.

Nothing authentically good and precious comes without hard work, perseverance, and commitment to perform consistent maintenance.

As Christians, our attitudes, thoughts, and beliefs are all part of our own spiritual house. We are responsible for the upkeep of our home, because collectively, we form a village that has no boundaries in Jesus Christ.

By wisdom a house is built, and by wisdom it is established.
Proverbs 24:3

With due diligence, we can nurture our spiritual home with prayer, fellowship with other believers, and reading the Word of God in the Bible. The daily cleaner of our spiritual house is the Holy Spirit.

Mold, mildew, soap scum, and hard water deposits are the least of our troubles without the Lord.

Let Him in.

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