The Ramsey's

It was a massive breakfast. Eggs, bacon, hash browns, toast, the works! Gulping it down, I noticed there was one piece of toast left that I couldn’t possibly eat. I felt guilty leaving the delicious sourdough to go to waste, but it was only one slice of bread, right? What did it matter? The server noticed it sitting there and asked if I wanted it “to go”. I told her I didn’t want to waste it, but honestly, I was too embarrassed to ask her to wrap it up. She said, “No problem, people bring home all sorts of scraps for their dogs”. I didn’t want to tell her I don’t have a dog. 

Later on, I was reminded of the story in the Bible when Jesus multiplied the 5 loaves and 2 fish to feed the 5000. It tells us in John 6:12 that  “After everyone was full, Jesus told His disciples, “Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted.” It tells us that they picked up 12 baskets of leftovers! Hmmm…12 baskets, 12 disciples? Probably not a coincidence. I wondered what they did with the leftovers. Did they carry the baskets around with them as they walked with Jesus? They didn’t have refrigerators. What did they do with all of it? The Bible doesn’t tell us, but I do think it’s noteworthy that Jesus didn’t want any scraps left behind. 

That’s true of people too. “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” ¹ He’s the Good Shepherd that leaves the 99 to search for the 1 that wandered off. (Matthew 18:12) 

No matter how you feel at the moment, no matter what you may have done, or how far you may have wandered from Him, no one is a scrap, a leftover, or insignificant. All are valuable in His sight and worth saving.  

He is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” ² From the person at the top of society to the poor soul laying in the gutter – that means all of us. He sees, He cares. Shouldn’t we? 

“In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish”

Matthew 18:14 (NLT)

Oh Lord, help us to have compassion and pick up the “leftovers” in this world. May there be no one left behind. 

By the way, in case you were wondering…The next day, I popped the leftover toast into my toaster for a few seconds and smeared on some lemon curd. It was delicious! 

¹ Luke 19:10

² 2 Peter 3:9b

I have a favorite picture hanging on my wall. It’s an illustration from the Dr. Seuss Book “Oh the Places You’ll Go”. It’s a popular book for children and graduates. Appropriately, it’s hanging by my front door. Looking at it today, I realized it only portrays North America, South America, Europe and Africa (and a smidgen of India). I never noticed that before.  So, the places I’ve been (most of Asia) – aren’t even on the map!  I thought to myself, Well hello, it’s a cartoon right? 

It made me laugh, but also kind of made me sad to think that the places I’ve lived didn’t even make it in the picture. Now, I don’t fault Dr. Seuss (again, it’s a cartoon right?). But then I thought Hey, as followers of Christ, we’re not of this world anyway.  We are headed to a place that is not on any human map and He has given us directions on how to get there!  

Jesus, speaking to His disciples, said: “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” John 14:3-4 NKJV  But then in verse 5, Thomas speaks up and says, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”  I love the way Thomas, often called “Doubting Thomas”, is so honest here. He was the only one brave enough to speak up and say what everybody else was probably thinking.  Jesus will always reward an honest question. He answers him and us:

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

John 14:6 NKJV

Seeking a secular source to find our way in life is like trying to navigate with a cartoon map. It may have a resemblance of truth but will not take you where you want to go. Contrary to modern culture and belief, truth is not relative. There’s not your truth or my truth. There’s only The Truth. The Way. The Life. It’s Jesus. It’s always been Jesus and it still is.

My dad loved orange marmalade. As a kid, I hated it. To me, it was bitter. It has orange peel in it!  Who eats that? Completely inedible, I thought. Now, I love the stuff. So much so that as I went to a local cafe to study recently, I put some marmalade in a small jar and slipped it in my bag. You see, the cafe doesn’t have marmalade, or any jam for that matter. So, I brought my own. As I sat there and took the top bun off my breakfast sandwich, getting ready to pile on the marmalade, I laughed at myself. This is something my mother did. She would take the top off of her Egg McMuffin and eat it separately so she could put jam on it. Now, here I am doing that! What a mom move, I thought. Wow, when did this happen? I’m morphing into my parents! That’s not a bad thing at all. They were awesome. But when did that happen exactly? When I turned 50? 60? When my hair turned gray?  Or, was it when I took up crochet?  Hmmm….

I don’t know, but it certainly got me thinking.  As I am slowly morphing into my parents (their habits and characteristics), am I slowly morphing into Jesus (His characteristics)? As a follower of Jesus, I know I should be. He is my Heavenly Father. So, a little self examination: Do I love things now that I used to dislike when I was young in the faith? (like Bible study) Do I dislike things now that I used to like when I was young in the faith?  Yes, case in point:  Have you ever told your kids (or a friend) to watch a certain movie you used to watch? You told them, “Yeah, you should watch it, it’s a really good movie”! Only to be horrified and embarrassed watching it alongside them because you forgot all the “stuff” that was in that movie.  That’s happened to me more than once. How could I have watched that stuff, and liked it? I thought. Note to self: no more recommendations.

I suppose becoming like my marmalade-loving parents has taken my whole life up to this point. And I didn’t even realize it was happening. Likewise, becoming like Jesus takes a lifetime as well. It happens slowly, over time, as the Holy Spirit transforms us from the inside out (if we will let Him). Still, there are times that I will say or do something that reveals to me how unlike Christ I really am, and I am ashamed.  I realize I’ve got so far to go! Thankfully, He’s not done with me yet. I’m a work in progress and so are you. Take heart, we’ll get there…someday. I take comfort in knowing:

“Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but He has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He really is.” 

1 John 3:2 NLT

I can’t wait for that Day!

Standing at my kitchen sink, I heard a commotion in the hallway outside. What’s going on? I wondered.  The hallway is the place where people put their trash to be taken away. Over the weekend, a family had moved out so there was a large pile of trash there.  The commotion I heard was the cleaning ladies having “discovered” the discarded items.  They weren’t upset at the large pile of trash, but rather, they were excited about the items they had found.  It was as if they had discovered a great treasure. There was a suitcase with a broken wheel, a handful of old DVD’s, last year’s Christmas candle, and a few empty cardboard boxes.

Why did they want this stuff? It’s worthless, I thought. What are they going to do with it?  In many places, the items casually tossed out by most of us westerners are a treasure to others.  To them, the value of these items is obvious. They could be repaired and sold, repurposed, or reused. The ladies were probably thinking, “Why would anybody throw this stuff out?”

The differing perspectives made me think of what is truly valuable in this world and what most people are pursuing.  Proverbs tells us: “How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.” (Proverbs 16:16 NKJV)  Really? Then it seems the whole world is pursuing the wrong thing because, if you look around, cash is king and wisdom seems to be in short supply.  Scripture also tells us that riches are “deceitful” ¹ and that they “fly away” ² . It’s true, an unexpected medical bill, a market crash, a bad financial decision or set back may take our material wealth. After it’s gone, then what? What do we have left? Well, if wisdom is better than gold, and understanding is to be chosen rather than silver…What is wisdom? What is understanding? How do we get it?  The Bible tells us:

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 9:10 NKJV

So, if we don’t have that, we don’t really have anything of value at all. But to know Him is to have eternal wealth that can never be taken by inflation, taxes, or thieves. 

I admired the ladies in the hall for their resourcefulness. And, I was a bit ashamed at how wasteful I can be at times. But I don’t ever want to be wasteful of the true riches He has given to us as followers of Jesus – 

the treasure of wisdom, knowledge, and the understanding of Him. For by God’s standard, we are rich indeed. In fact, our faith is more precious than gold.³ So, let’s share the wealth with those around us who so clearly, and desperately need Him above all else.

¹ Matthew 13:22 

² Proverbs 23:5

³  1 Peter 1:7

It was near 11:00 p.m. when the emergency alert on our phones went off with a deafening tone and the message:  “EMERGENCY ALERT! Missile Launch. Missile Launch. A missile has been launched from North Korea. Please evacuate inside the building or underground.”  Next, loud speakers outside began blaring, “Emergency Alert! Missile Launch! Evacuate!”

Now, for most people, that message would cause your heart to race and your blood pressure to rise in a “fight or flight” response. At the very least, a clear thinking person would find out what was going on, right? Not me. 

I’d love to tell you that living in this part of the world, I was simply inoculated to such emergency alerts. Or, that I was so “at peace” with the situation that it didn’t alarm me one bit. But the truth is, I slept through the whole thing! That’s right, all of the alarms and loud speakers didn’t move me an inch. In fact, I didn’t know anything had even happened until the next morning when I checked my phone and saw the emergency message still blinking on the screen. Incredible.

I started to think about the situation and possible scenarios. What if that had actually been a missile launched at us, instead of the failed spy satellite launch that it actually was? I wouldn’t have even known it was coming until it was too late. Would it even matter? What would we do anyway? How can you hide from a missile? 

As followers of Jesus, we don’t need to fear.  We know that turbulent times are coming, He has told us so in His Word. And, I’m sure there will be many more “Emergency Alerts” in my future.  However, we can be confident in what the Bible declares about us and the things to come for our world. He will return for His children and He will judge righteously and justly. That’s the evacuation I want to be ready for. Don’t you? 

Jesus said…

”Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8b NKJV

Oh Lord, help us to be always mindful of You, to trust in Your Word, and may we be found faithful and ready when You return. Amen

If you enjoyed this post, you may like to order Lorie’s book, Pondering on the Way, available in paperback or Kindle.  Go to:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09RFSPLY3

It started as a dare. “Hey go over there and ask that guy with the spiked hair to take a picture with you.” 

Here we were in the largest city on earth, at the busiest intersection in the world, the Shibuya crossing.  Every three minutes, thousands of people cross the street from all different directions. It’s known as the “Shibuya Scramble” and it’s fascinating.  You see all kinds of people there…tourists, locals, and people like “Spike”. As an older person, I find you can get away with a lot more. Especially in this culture, gray hair seems to be a superpower.  So, I agreed to my friend’s dare.  

Walking towards the young man, I was wondering, Is he going to be mad? How did he get his hair like that and why? Are there wires inside? How long did that take?  I timidly approached and tapped him on the shoulder. “Excuse me”, I said. “May I take a picture with you? Your hair looks really cool.”  He smiled widely and said, “Sure!” Glad that he spoke English, I stepped next to him and asked if it was ok to put my hand on his shoulder for the picture. He agreed. I noticed he was wearing a suit jacket with no shirt underneath, revealing several tattoos on his arms and chest. We smiled together as the picture was snapped. Afterwards, he held out his hand for a handshake and as I grabbed his hand, he pulled me in for a hug. I was surprised at the gesture because hugging is not normally done here, especially with a stranger. I gladly hugged him and we exchanged a few words, but I had to leave quickly to catch up with my friends. I couldn’t risk getting lost in this crowd.

Our encounter was brief, but it stayed with me. Why did he pull me in for a hug? Maybe he thought it was funny?  Maybe he felt seen or accepted by me? Maybe I reminded him of his grandma? I’m not sure, but what I did know was that although vastly different from me, he too was created in the image of God.  And, when I looked into his eyes, I knew he was somebody who needed Jesus’ love just like everyone else. 

I was reminded:

“The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7b (NIV)

If God doesn’t look at the outward appearance, but only at the heart, shouldn’t we? 

If you enjoyed this post, you may like to order Lorie’s book, Pondering on the Way, available in paperback or Kindle.  Go to:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09RFSPLY3

While living abroad, and especially in closed countries, we realized the need to have all our important documents (diplomas, passports, birth certificates, visa documentation, etc.) all in one place.  That way, if we need to get out of the country, or if there is a threat of some sort, we could just grab it and go. It works equally well in the U.S. to have everything in one place. We call it “The Football”.  We named it after the satchel, or the so-called “Football”, that every U.S. President carries and never travels without.  That mysterious briefcase is said to contain emergency procedures, documents, and nuclear codes in case of an emergency. We thought the name was fitting for us, even though ours is just a plastic portfolio.

In a similar way, God has given all of us everything we need to be “thoroughly equipped”¹. It’s all in one place, and never needs updating. I’m talking about, of course, His Word.  So, with all respect, I’d like to suggest that the Bible is God’s “Football”! Here’s what I mean:

The Scriptures contain God’s plan for us, His provision, salvation, and the future He desires for us. It has Books of History and Prophecy.  Those tell us where we’ve been and where we’re headed, giving us strength for today and hope for the future. His Word has Books of Wisdom, Poetry, and Songs that I turn to again and again to soothe my soul.  The four Gospels tell us about the earthly life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, His teachings, and His words (precious indeed). The Epistles (Letters) give valuable and practical instruction for living the abundant life that He desires for us. And sprinkled throughout, are “great and precious promises” ² I love to discover, remember, and hold onto. In addition to all of that, He has given us His Holy Spirit to teach and guide us through it all! (John 16:13) 

So, when the world seems like it’s on fire, and it does…pick It up! I think you’ll see that:

“The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.” Psalm 19:7 NLT

Now that’s good news for all of us!

¹ 2 Timothy 3:16-17

² 2 Peter 1:4

If you enjoyed this post, you may like to order Lorie’s book, Pondering on the Way, available in paperback or Kindle.  Go to:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09RFSPLY3

I knew the streets would be muddy after the recent storm, so not wanting my feet to get dirty, I passed over my flip flops and grabbed a pair of canvas slip ons. As I began to slide them on, I immediately felt something inside.  Ugh! What is that? Sand!  How did that get in there? Then I remembered… The last time I wore these shoes, we were at a beach in California with my daughter.  Now months later, I was on the other side of the world, and there was still sand in my shoes!  I suppose most people would have immediately dumped it out. But not me. Instead, I slid my feet in deeper, squishing my toes in the gritty stowaways.  The sand brought vivid memories of that day and they were something I wanted to hold on to. It’s been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. That may be true. But, I think my sandy shoes were worth 10 times that.

There’s a Carrie Underwood song that goes, “Don’t forget to remember me”.  I love that song.  Jesus said something similar to His disciples at what we know as “The Last Supper”. As He gave them the bread and wine, (common elements that would take on profound meaning) He said “Do this in remembrance of Me”¹.  The first thing I think of when reading this, is how could they ever forget You? They walked and talked with You for years! They saw You perform miracles! Really Lord? Did they need something to remember You? Do we?

The second thing that strikes me is what He didn’t say.  He didn’t say, “Remember this moment”, or “Remember what I’m about to do” (go to the cross), He didn’t even say, “Remember what these things mean” (although He told them). No, He said “Remember Me”. Perhaps it’s because He desires a relationship, not just a ritual. 

My sandy shoes reminded me of more than the beach, they reminded me of my loved one. Likewise, when we gather together in our churches to receive the bread and wine, sharing communion together, may we not forget to remember Him.

“In the same way, He took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and His people–an agreement confirmed with My blood. Do this to remember Me as often as you drink it. For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until He comes again.” 

1 Corinthians 11:25-26 NLT

Amen! Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus.²

¹ Luke 22:19-20

²  Revelation 22:20

I don’t like dentists. Sorry friends, but who does? Recently, I discovered a problem that required an exam by a local dentist here.  I’ve always been blessed with good teeth. In fact, I have escaped most of my adult life with nothing but an occasional cleaning. Still, I was anxious about it.

At my examination, the dentist told me that I have a problem with one of my teeth and probably a few more! What?  Evidently, the old childhood fillings are no longer adequately protecting my teeth. Some of them were cracked, chipped, or worn down and over time have allowed decay to creep in. I could see this in the x-rays. But I still couldn’t believe it.  I thought once you had a filling, it was one and done. Apparently not. He informed me that I may need at least one crown and possibly a root canal as well.  A crown!? A root canal?? How is that possible?  I’m not in any pain! I’ve always had good teeth! I use a sonic toothbrush! I floss! I use Listerine! Is he trying to rip me off?  These thoughts raced through my mind as he spoke and I tried not to hyperventilate.

He explained to me that decay can happen slowly over time. You may not experience any pain at all, until you do! He was trying to help me avoid pain and additional problems by taking care of it now, before it got any worse.  

The same thing can happen in our spiritual health.  Sin creeps in slowly over time. Chips or cracks in our faith have allowed little compromises here or there. Perhaps over time we have become worn down and are no longer as diligent in reading the Word, going to church, or praying.  We think we are still doing okay.  We’re not experiencing any crisis or pain of any sort from our behavior. But that’s the problem, we don’t see it in ourselves. We don’t see the decay that has begun to spread until we are in pain.  Then, we wake up one morning and wonder how we got there.  

I think the key is regular checkups.  David had it right when he prayed:  “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24 NKJV  Our Father loves us. There’s no need to be afraid.  Let Him x-ray our hearts and reveal to us areas of our life that need His touch, His cleansing.

Well after discussion, I agreed to the treatment plan that the dentist prescribed for me.  I will get my crown this week.  I told him, “Oh well, at least now I can truly feel like a queen cuz I’ve been crowned!”  I’m not sure he got my humor.  But one thing I do know, someday…

“And when the Chief Shepherd [Jesus] appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.” 

1 Peter 5:4 NIV

I can’t wait!

If you’ve never gotten a haircut in Asia, I highly recommend it.  Primarily because most all hair cuts include an extensive scalp massage.  I’m not talking about a violent scrubbing, although I’ve experienced that once or twice as well. No, I’m talking about a deeply relaxing scalp massage. The kind that drains the tension and stress right out of you. 

Recently, I went in for my usual haircut. They took me back to the washing stations where they began washing my hair, followed by the luxurious scalp massage. As I began to relax, I closed my eyes and started to feel the tension drain right out of me. But in a few minutes, I heard something that alerted me. Someone is snoring! Oh no, how embarrassing…Wait, is it me? No it can’t be, I just opened my eyes! Phew! Humiliation was averted when I realized it was the woman next to me. She had succumbed to the shampoo slumber. 

I grinned, but began to wonder…Should I rescue her from this social faux pas and wake her somehow? Should I cough, or start talking loudly? Not knowing what to do, I did nothing, and was soon taken to the chair for my cut. Amazingly, she remained asleep at the shampoo station the entire duration of my appointment. No one woke her.

Although sleeping is normal (we all do it), there are definitely times when it’s not a good idea.  Like, falling asleep on the passenger sitting next to you on the plane (I hate when that happens), or when someone is trying to share their heart with you (even when it’s super late at night), or during a sermon (even when you haven’t had your morning cuppa), and especially never, ever when you’re driving! Yikes!

The incident at the hair salon reminded me of an old Keith Green song, “Asleep in the Light”. If you don’t know it, it’s worth a listen.  Here’s some of the words that always get to me:

The world is sleeping in the dark

That the church just can’t fight

‘Cause it’s asleep in the light

How can you be so dead

When you’ve been so well fed?

I begin to wonder, Is that me, Lord? Am I asleep in the light?  Am I too comfortable? Am I in danger of being lulled to sleep?  As I look at the world around me right now, clearly, it’s not the time to be in a spiritual snooze.

Oh Lord, open our eyes and help us to see what the prophet Joel saw:

“Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.” Joel 3:14 NKJV