I remember the first horror movie that I ever watched.  My sister and I rented The Exorcist, when we were in junior high.  We were so afraid.  We had to keep stopping the movie to get some relief.  I am not sure that we ever finished it.

This was only the first part of a scary story, however.  When my mother found out that we had seen it, we saw part two.

So let’s return to the Israelites.  They are not just scared, they are terrified.  It is in a way that I cannot understand.  Horror movies could not elicit this type of response, because there is some comfort in that pause button.  The imagination is allowed to take a break, even if it is only closing our eyes through all the scary parts.

The same thing happens when we read scripture.  There is privilege in our safe place, specifically on my fluffy couch.  Standing between me and this lesson is 66 books and thousands of years.

Our response would be the same, though.

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When I was in the third grade, I stole chalk.

My reasoning was very simple.  Teachers had better chalk than I, as an unemployed 9 year old still living with her parents, could purchase.  My dream was to be a teacher, and I spent my time away from school trying to get people, and pets, to let me teach them.  I reasoned that teacher-grade chalk was my way to make this dream a reality.

My technique was to back myself against the chalkboard every afternoon as I left, say a hearty good-bye to my teacher, and swipe the newest, longest, whitest piece that I could find.

I was not like any of the vandals that you would see on TV.  I would call my methods, unrefined.  In fact, it was a miracle that I was not caught sooner.  That’s right, I was caught, but let me continue.

To read more, click here and head over to the wonderful bunch of ladies at Internet Cafe Devotions.

This all started the day that I discovered I had ruined my dog.

She has an active disinterest in food, and since I believe that everyone should eat, regardless of leg count, it is a dismal part of my day to see her avoid that food dish.  I find that sitting down on the floor for a few minutes, offering up little pieces of food by hand and speaking some type of falsetto baby language gets her excited about the process.  The only problem is that she enjoys it too much, and now insists on this “temporary” solution.

And, that was just what I was doing the other day.  I was hand feeding the dog.

So, there I sat…conflicted and contemplating this unnatural human behavior.  At least that is what I thought about for the first 20 seconds.  Most of that time I was somewhere else entirely. I imagined, amongst other things, my “to-do” list blooming in my computer.  One 20 second interval brought five more items to put on my grocery list and three more tasks to place neatly on its keys.

I begged my pregnant brain not to forget them before I got off of the floor.

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I love to see him have a good time. He is a wonderful laugh-er, and laughing he was when a blond woman came out of the kitchen. She purposefully strode over to my husband, knelt down, placed both of her hands on his thigh and began to sing to him. She stared adoringly into his face, and I stared, disbelieving, at her.

After the shock wore off, my husband looked up at me with wide eyes. We exchanged astounded gazes as she poured out her serenade to him. I could see his discomfort while he measured his desire to be polite with his survival instincts.

To read the rest of this post, click here to join me (one day late) over at the Internet Cafe.

The wonderful ladies over at the Internet Cafe, have put together some giveaways this week.  I am already one day behind, so you will want to move fast on this.  Here is a note that I got from Jennifer…

We here at the cafe want to help you during this glorious season to fall into Jesus and experience His love like never before. How, you ask, are we going to do this? Oh, my friends…we have some fabulous blessings in store for you. From clothing, to jewelry, to books, to movies, to music, we have treasures galore that will help you to fall into your sweet Jesus more.

This year our “Fall into Jesus” giveaway is a BLESSING indeed! “Fall” Into Jesus Giveaway runs from today, October 25, 2010 through Thursday, October 28, 2010. Two winners will be selected at random and announced on Friday, October 29, 2010.

Head on over to the Internet Café find out how you can enter for your chance to win one of two fabulous giveaway bundles.

The second is such a privilege.  I have been asked to join the Internet Cafe Devotions team.  I even have a title, Full-Time Daily Devotional Barista.  How exciting that I have a title!  I don’t even have a title on my own blog.  The faithfulness of the women inspires me, and their writing, mercy…so talented!

So, here is my maiden devotional for Internet Cafe Devotions.  Thank you so much ladies for having me aboard!

The day hit like a hurricane.  More than other days, this one had to be good.  Appointments set the pace and the grand finale was a women’s event at my church.  So much effort had gone into planning each moment of this potluck/speaker/promotional event, and I was determined to pull it off without a hitch.

I put on my superhero cape and headed for a cup of coffee.

To my surprise, something stopped me, and my swirling accessory, dead in our tracks.  It was an inkling that if I did not kneel beside my bed at that moment, my morning would go by without any time with the Lord.  At the risk of accomplishing less, I knelt down.

Oh, how the words flowed.  I told God of my task list.  I told Him of my vast responsibilities and my desire to meet each one.  I told Him how important my efforts were in the grand scheme of things and how grateful I was that He trusted me in these areas.  God was really teaching me to do it all!

To read the rest of this article, click and  visit Internet Cafe Devotions.

A harvest is simply a time for gathering.

Seemingly, we are talking about a physical gathering, God’s provision as the apex of God’s abundance. He gives and, therefore, we have. As I read the bible, I cannot separate the physical act of giving with spiritual circumstance. Instead of an exclusive relationship, they seem to breath the same air.

This physical provision even stands intertwined with the laws of nature. If fear is the beginning of wisdom, then one who knows the Lord is familiar with His providence and His harvest.

Harvest demonstrates our relational God. He initiates and reciprocates love of His people. While our love is demonstrated through our capabilities, such as prayer and song, His love is demonstrated through all of His. To be loved through His creation looks like harvest. The autumn rain and the spring rain arriving in their season, granting the blessing of predictability to His people.

All of His resources combine to display the wonder of His love for us. Thinking further, I know little about harvest. I know Him from the vantage point of one in this world. I know Him through His Spirit. I am limited by my flesh, but I see that He is not limited in how He loves me. By unimaginable means, he has saved me for eternity to show me the harvest.

There are a few precepts to the harvest that I have found to be true.

To read the rest of this article, go to Exemplify’s October Edition.

My mentor blessed me when she gave me a little devotional book called, Jesus Lives by Sarah Young.  When I say little, it is similar to a large index card, and perhaps an inch or so in depth.  If this were made of gold or lead, it would resemble the emotional weight that I am experiencing in its pages.

She talks about adventure, “When unexpected events shake up your routines, rejoice.  This is exactly what you need to wake you up and point you toward Me.  Recognize that you are on the threshold of a new adventure, and that I will be with you each step of the way”.

Undoubtedly, I have been on an adventure.  Our pastor left in July, and although we did not experience membership loss or dissension, we longed for a shepherd.

Personally, the last 8 months have felt like a roller coaster.  I don’t know whether to throw my hands up in euphoria or get sick.  If you have been through this, then you probably know what I mean.

I have, also, seen a dear friend lose a staffed position.  Adventure has come at a price for us.  It was my privilege to volunteer under him for several years.  My husband and I are now swapping off youth Sunday School with another couple.  It appears that part of adventure is flexibility.

I ache for our church body.  I pray for our body.  All the while, I am so grateful that God has given this body to share such an adventure.  I could not imagine sporting this alone.  Collectively, they assure me that Christ does love this spiritual house, even if have a couple of broken windows or our roof line is crooked.

Without a doubt this church, this group of people, are on an intentional course together.  We do not always see events in the same way.  That is not the job of the body.  Their job is to walk faithfully alongside one another in adventure, corporate and personal.

Every single believer belongs in a spiritual house.  Undoubtedly, we are called to let Christ build us together.  This is one of the most difficult parts of being a Christian, but instead of difficult I prefer to say that it is one of the great Christian adventures.

This Sunday, it was announced that a pastoral candidate was hired.  This new adventure is a call to rejoicing.  We have an earthly shepherd coming to us in October.  This is such a gracious gift.  I will let you know as the adventure unfolds.

The theme of September is endurance.  I wrote about The 4 Requirements For Spiritual Endurance, as I read about them in Mark 4. Right now, I am in that boat.  Are you?  I find myself swimming in a sea of deadlines, along with the emotional and physical requirements of my day.

Endurance is essential to seeing Him.  This issue can help us run the race well.

Check it out when you have time.  Have a great weekend!

God is fair.

This is not what we, as a culture, want to hear.  We don’t want for the standard of righteousness to exist.  We want for the unrighteous to have climbing abilities to the places of holiness.

I want for my behavior to be excused as a convenience to my association.

In this, the very nature of holiness falls to subjectivity and we weigh the value of a God who sets such a standard.

But, I don’t want a God under my approval.  That is not a trustworthy God.  God, alone, is fair.

Our mistake: the standard is irrevocably set, as it exists within and never apart from the Creator of righteousness.  We live within the paradigm over which we covet judgment.  We live within it, never above it.

From the outside, we must look like angry little royalty slinging air at the walls of Truth.