What to Do When Your Iip is in Your Lap

Nora Denny & great-granddaughter Kathy

 There comes such a day in each of our lives when everything

gets difficult and you feel like you are in so deep a hole you

can’t see daylight. Your world shrinks down to no further than

arm’s length around you.

My grandmother used to describe those desperately lonely or

troubled times as having her lip in her lap or her nose on her

naval. Those mental images were her way of using humor to

lessen her depression until she could get her Christian faith

jump-started and get back on track.

That shrunken world view of all possible bad outcomes sometimes

left her temporarily too paralyzed to see beyond her problems to

remember the myriad of blessings available to her, even on her

worst day. Eventually she would begin to count her blessings,

look up to remember she was not alone and she could again

stand strong.

Okay, we may not have health, a houseful of loved ones and

friends or an expensive car or important job by this world’s

standards, but start with basics: fresh air, sunshine, rainbows

behind each raincloud, a Bible full of promises from our Holy,

living God who loves us even when we whine about how cruel

this world is to us. Remember who we’re talking to about our

concerns—He is the one wearing that crown of thorns! He’s

been there, done that and yet he loves us, promises to go with

us through the darkest days all the way to “happily ever after”.

And that’s no fairy tale.

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:  Philippians 1:6

Living on the edge

What is it about us humans that makes us push boundaries? I know the popular view is that’s what creates scientific progress in science, healthcare or knowledge of our universe; didn’t we walk on the moon? After all, we honor genius with Pulitzer prizes, don’t we? Isn’t this urge our best attribute?

Leave it to many of us to allow that same impulse to destroy our future bit by bit, just for the adrenaline rush of danger, based on our false assumption that we won’t carry things too far, won’t really step off that cliff.

We approach an intersection as the green light fades and know we should stop but there’s no one around so it’s safe—we aren’t running that red light, we can get through the intersection on deep orange. Maybe.

Driving into a strange town, rather than asking directions, why do we wander lost until we’re exhausted? Is it pride? A “fake it until you make it” braggadocio?

Although we know it isn’t wise or healthy, we tend to “supersize” a meal, promising to leave most of the fries—we’re really not that hungry, right? Deep in conversation, we soon look down at our plate, our empty plate.

We all know we shouldn’t get involved with someone with questionable morals, but he’s very popular and fun to be around. And I’m smart enough to draw the line and not allow things to go too far, so what’s the harm in going out to some secluded romantic spot, just to talk?

No sane person ever drives off a cliff on purpose. But for a better view or to prove we’re not afraid, but mostly just because we want to get as close to danger as possible while still remaining technically innocent, we take that risk. Without raising guilt, because we aren’t really doing anything wrong--yet. But our front tires reach the edge of the steep hill and the brakes suddenly don’t brake any more and we find ourselves careening out of control.

Our nature draws us to the edge of a moral cliff all too often and it quickly becomes more than our conscience can stop. Our desires can overrule our conscience like the law of gravity overrules our car’s brakes on that steep hill.

Again and again I ask myself, “When will I ever learn to enjoy the view from a safe distance?” Why can’t I do the math of the deadly thrill vs. risk ratio? As in Vegas, the House always wins; the player never wins in this life’s game. Maybe the thing to do is: When Temptation comes knocking, send Jesus to answer the door!

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?         
                                                                 Jeremiah 17:9
No temptation has seized you except that which is common to man. And God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear, But when you are tempted, He will also provide an escape so that you can stand up under it.
                                                                 1 Corinthians 10:13

Love in Color

 Love.

A gift

Holy God

Freely gave us

To share with others

Through Jesus His Son,

Sacrificed   for   all   men,

And yet, praise God, yes! He lives!

That   each   of   us   may    also    live,

Forgiven  the  sin   death  we  have earned,

Our   gift   in   return,   to   love   and   obey.

Father in Heaven reign victorious.

Amen

MERRY CHRIST. MAS!

Under no circumstances do I wish you a happy holiday.

You can try that if you prefer, but YULE be missing the point of the occasion.

(See above)