DO IT FOR YOU!

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Lizzie

Since it is absolutely true that no person can come between you and God; since it is true that you answer directly to God for who you are; then my hope for you is that you go for the long haul.

Believe God, believe in yourself. You can believe in yourself because you are created in His image!  Equipped with this belief, determine to go the distance in a life of walking with God.  It takes just simple obedience in what you read in the Bible and then put into your daily practice.

I also suggest that you don’t even have to understand completely what you are putting into practice  . . .  just practice what you think you understand.  God is able to make all grace abound (the Greek word means “super abound”) toward you  . . .”  His graciousness is a divine influence on your heart and it reflects in your life!  That is:  having access to the very power of God.  Your head and heart and divinely influenced when His grace abounds toward you.

Now, I think it is possible that you could be miffed at the last Blog entry. I exhorted you to be aware of whether your husband is proud of you, to be aware of your influence on him and, as a result, on others. I still believe it is an important consideration.  It’s a task; it’s sometimes very hard to do.  All of us have improvements to make.

But most of all, I work on my spirit, soul and body  . . .  for me!  I live inside; I go where ever I go; it is my expression, my personality, my spiritual growth, my developed (or undeveloped) soul and persona that I live with.  And do you know:  it is my face and hair and body that the world sees first.

So, cancer and all, I am trying to continue the course I began when I married Eric thirty-nine years ago.  I am intensely interested in improving me!

If I can just be the person with the character, faith and love that my course is geared toward, then others will not feel demeaned in my presence. Others instead will be encouraged, affirmed, and challenged to go, do and become all that God has in store for them.

Don’t miss it!  It is for you first and foremost!  Do it for you!

God go with us!

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“HE DOESN’T CARE HOW I LOOK”

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Lizzie

YOU’RE KIDDING, RIGHT?

What chemotherapy and radiation will do, the side effects, the long term possibility of changes in my health and how I look certainly gives me a sense of pause. The third of four sessions of chemo is coming up tomorrow.

But you and I have one life to invest for God, ourselves and our husbands. Isn’t it fun to be and look the best we can? I think so: every time I plop my wig over my fuzzy head I feel instant glamor.

Today, (day before chemo) I rode my ten mile trek in an hour. Keeping my bike tires inflated, checking my watch, I’m only ten minutes slower than before cancer therapy.

Here is a Blog I wrote a few months ago. Tell me what you think:

FAMOUS BRAZILIAN ACTRESS

When he takes your hand to walk across the street, is he glad he has you? The moment you step inside the door at the annual Christmas party, is he proud you are on his arm? Make your husband proud.

I was contemplating this idea as I drove to the large discount mall on the south side of town. I had some money, which was rare; and a few hours to spend shopping alone. Actually, it was the first time I could remember in my lifetime that those two factors came together. Late in the afternoon I came upon a discount Saks Fifth Avenue clothing store. When I had found a few things, I walked to the cash register. Ahead of me a young couple handed their purchases to the cashier. They spoke two languages: one to each other, and English with a strong accent to the check out girl. Their order was large; I looked down at my three pieces, and thought about dinnertime coming up very soon. I looked up when I heard the man bragging lavishly about his wife, “She is a beautiful, famous actress in Brazil. Everywhere she goes, she is known. She is too shy to talk about it, but she is very famous.” The young employees were duly impressed. I was standing right behind this beautiful woman, so I (surreptitiously) inspected her. She was wearing a simple navy blue sundress, calf length. Her black hair was slightly disheveled. She had a pretty profile, and wore little make up. She was medium height with a slim figure. Many women I know are as pretty. To her proud husband, she was the most beautiful woman in the world.

The next register opened up, so I hurried over to avoid waiting for the closet full of clothes to be added up. When I was home, getting dinner on the table I realized it: this incident was an illustration! I had just seen before me the reality of what I had been contemplating on the way over. Right ahead of me was the man every man deserves to be. He was glad he married the most wonderful woman alive.
What makes the “most wonderful woman alive”? Who cares about being the most beautiful woman in the world, there is so much more to beauty, real beauty, than the finest features. A classic face can not captivate if it represents an empty soul. Grow beautiful in spirit as you become all you can be; it carries through into the soul and body. Beauty is attitude, it is sweetness and charm, it is a clean body and charming, female clothes and shinning hair, it is achievement in womanly grace, it is growing in knowledge of important things, it is pureness of heart, and it is goodness. It is becoming all you can be, both for yourself, and for the man you marry.

The fruit of the Spirit looks good on a woman: Love, Joy, Peace, Long-suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness and self control. All of these character qualities come from within but show on the outside, on a woman’s face and form. They work like a miracle inside her marriage! You have but one lifetime to develop these. They last through eternity, and they are all the result of God working in you.

A palace that sits on a prominent hill and shines with its constant care and polish is like a beautiful woman. Her face glows with peace and integrity. Her heart is right. She is lit with brightness of personality like a bouquet of fresh flowers; it is the presence of the Holy Spirit in her. Others are drawn to her. Her husband must change for the better just to accommodate her.

Be the “famous Brazilian actress.”

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KEEPING IT TRUE

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Lizzie

Lizzie and I were reading in the book of Ezra this morning about how the people were genuinely making their burnt offerings to God. They were grateful to have been allowed to come back to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple there. This was a time of true thankfulness to God. Yet we are always in danger of letting our rituals, or religious habits, become tainted, as shown in the Isaiah 58 chapter cited in the blog entry below. If we are sincere now, we must be vigilant to keep our sincerity fresh.

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THE BOTTOM LINE

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Lizzie

For years Isaiah 58 has both challenged and puzzled me.  I was encouraged and intrigued with the respect God and Scripture give women, I knew my life would be changed by it.  Yet when I wrote Submission Is Not Silence the focus I had had on Isaiah 58 was set aside.

Now with the challenge of breast cancer before me, chemo therapy, radiation and medications bringing into the front of my mind what is most important – - my own relationship with God – - this chapter has been coming to mind again. I’m sure of the importance of its message; but the full meaning of it eludes me.

Whatever it says to you, take it seriously, ponder it, mediate and be vulnerable before the LORD. When we become the Church called by His Name, and humbling themselves and seeking His face . . . He will hear us.

Here is a link to Isiah 58.

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CHEMO DAY

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Lizzie

This morning I awoke feeling spiritually cold, deserted or at least distanced from my Father in Heaven. Though lately, it hasn’t been so, today was chemo day. It was the second of four sessions of cancer therapy.

Ever so weakly, I prayed, still lying in bed, unwilling to get up to face it. Chemo is a mysterious “friend”; it is a spy going through the body to find and kill the cancer cells where they may be lurking.

This morning tears emerged and I felt so sad. I prayed to my Father in Heaven, but not with much faith that this would change anything.

Then it happened: I remembered the email from Josh last night: “Be positive. . . the chemotherapy is like many tiny toothbrushes, brushing the cancer away.” I was thinking about his encouragement, when another son, Zach, called. I wasn’t clear voiced yet. “Mom, are you just waking up?” He was driving to work. “I know you’re going to get chemo today. How are you feeling about it? I will be thinking about you and praying for you. I love you.” That sounded like Zach; it also sounded like encouragement sent from God.

Then my husband said, “This is the day the Lord has made . . . ,” I responded, “We will rejoice and be glad in it.”

I checked the email: Betty, had a message for me with another boost. Kathleen called. Then as Eric and I had coffee on the porch I began to tell him about a speaking engagement that I had thought to duck out of, but was beginning to think I should agree to. My husband encouraged me to do it. I began to desire to do it.

Still before chemo, we read our daily Bible reading before breakfast. It was about Asa, King of Israel who sought the Lord, obeyed the words of God and he prospered . . .in the beginning. But later this good king fell away from God and ended up failing. He fell away from the All Powerful God who had given him every success, every victory; then arrogance did him in . . . and he died that way.

How sad to make a great effort to live a successful life, to follow in the Presence of God, to know the salvation Jesus offers freely, the power of the Holy Spirit . . . and then to blow it in the end.

God help me to live faithfully, filled with hope in God, and focus on the Father in Heaven who said through Jesus, “And lo, I am with you all the days, even to the end of the world.”

Now that is success.

So after the three hour chemotherapy session, the end of my day filled with hope, sweet comfort. My meds are working, my husband is here. God is good . . . I went for a forty minute bike ride in the evening. Thank you Lord.

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