Having The Heart of God

Serving others is not always easy. It requires a position of the heart bent toward unselfish gain. Servants are expected to work hard with nothing in return.

People in ministry soon come to learn that serving others, ministering to others needs can be a thankless calling. In my own life God began to teach me early on the correct position of the heart. Pride runs like a ribbon through my family as it does in others. From infancy we are taught to thrill to the sound of applause for imitating what we see or hear and we do it for the recognition and treats we receive.

We even teach our animals to perform well to receive goodies. So what a difficult lesson it is to learn to do unto others without expectation of anything in return. Harder still is to watch someone else receive recogntion for something WE have done. How sour the medicine when we see verbal parties thrown for others whose work ethic is less than ours while we get lost in the shuffle. What are we supposed to learn from such a sting?

The teaching moment comes when we must ask ourselves....why do I do what I do? Do I do it for recognition? Do I do it for glory? As a Christian leader....my answer comes back as “I do what I do because I love people.” God has called me to love his sheep – love his people. In loving others....in being Gods heart, his hands, his feet, his voice, I am given the awe inspiring privelege of loving others in bodiment as Christ, for no other reasons than to give myself wholly to God.

Dont get me wrong. I am human. I do have moments when I thrill to the sound of applause; when I sigh heavily as I feel as though life is nothing but giving and it would be nice to receive. But the truth rushes in and I come back to center with the gentle push from God with this question....”Why do you do what you do? If you knew you would get no recognition, no honor, no pay, would you still do this?” Emphatically my answer has always been a resounding yes! Lord! Yes!

When the Son of man comes in his glory and all the angels with Him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him. He will separate the people one from another. As the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to the ones on his right “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothese and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothese and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you? The King will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. Matthew 25:31-40

You may wonder...how can I serve others, how can I love others as Jesus did? 

 

Each of us has unique talents and gifts that we can use to bless the lives of others.  All around us are those in need of something.  Put the two together.  If you love to cook, cook for others.  If you are artistic, create for others.  If you have time, give your time.  We all have something we can give.

copyright Dori Albright-Cass 3-22-13

Are You A Whiner or Believer of God?

As children we often did not understand some of the decisions our parents made due to our inability to see the “big picture”. When we became adults we could look back and understand why they responded as they did. Hindsight is always better than foresight.

If we were blessed with good parents, we begin to understand that their motivation was our good as they sought to shape us and teach us how to survive with strong morals. When we ourselves become parents we gain a deeper understanding of what goes into making those decisions that impact our children. It is painful when we must correct our children, make them wait for something or teach them about integrity, hard work, fairness or injustice. But we see the bigger picture and understand it is for their good that we must teach these valuable lessons. Love demands that we impart this wisdom to ensure their survivability in the world!

Given that, why is it then that we as adults are so quick to blame God for these same principles in our adult lives? As adults we still must deal with injustices, wrong attitudes needing adjustment or lessons of integrity to be learned. Our Father in heaven loves us with an even deeper love than our earthly parentals. He see's the bigger picture. Yet when we must wait longer than we like, when things don't turn out the way we prayed them to, or life comes along and deals out another hand of injustice, we are so quick to blame God for it all.

This is not faith or belief in Gods love for us, it is just the opposite. You may SAY you love and trust God but your actions and attitude say differently. Ouch. People world wide know the exasperation of a child throwing a willful temper tantrum. Satan – the deliverer of trouble, injustice and disease --- GLORIES in us as we whine like spoiled children at Gods feet.

As an adult looking back over your childhood, the proof that your mom, dad and grandparents loved you “is in the pudding” as they say. You can go back throughout your life with a fine tooth comb and find every evidence there is to the reality of their love for you. What you find there builds your faith in their love.

Sadly, many believers in Christ today struggle to find a trusting relationship with God because of abuse from the very one's who were entrusted with their care. While I do not have all the answers, I do know that often they can look back and go over their life with a fine tooth comb and find evidence of God bringing people into their lives to feed them the love He longed for them to have. We must never doubt Gods desire to lift us above our circumstances. This side of heaven we will never know fully every time God intervened, buoyed our circumstances to make them do-able or sent angels to minister to us in body or spirit form. We must TRUST that he has been with us, interceding for us.

Though God is not tangible if you look back throughout your life with him you will see the proof is in the pudding. Count your blessings. You will see the painting of his presence in prayers answered or unanswered. Look for the doors that opened or closed miraculously. Look for the scriptures that actually played out in your life as God kept his word. Hindsight allows you to look back over the canvas of your life to see his love for you IS factual. REMEMBER how he has shown his love for you. REMEMBER where you see his fluid patterns emerge. TRUST in his love for you.

Become a better child. Strive to become a lover of your heavenly father, not a whiner.

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon you because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” Isaiah 26:3-4

“But as for me I trust in you O Lord; I say “you are my GOD”. My times are in your hands.” Psalms 31:14-15

In the Kitchen

 

They say the kitchen is the heart of the home. Its the place where people gather and comfort abides. It is the one room of the house that appeals to all senses. From the kitchen comes sustenance and life.

My mother was at home in the kitchen. It was her office. Her easel. Her sanctuary. Every meal was a masterpiece and was put together with great forethought, planning and execution. Holiday meals were my mother's world series and she hit the ball out of the park with each one.

As mom taught me how to cook, she bestowed upon me tools for life. Early on I learned the tools of the trade and how to equip myself and my kitchen for success. At her side she taught me the importance of following recipe's, the gift of servitude, the joy of family and yes, cleanliness is next to godliness. ha.

Considering it now I see that the kitchen was the schoolroom for life. Working alongside of her in the kitchen I learned about being a wife and mother. And just recently I found the correlation between a woman's kitchen and God's heart...the holy of holies. If you'll look closely enough you will find that God is in the kitchen.

Walk into any kitchen and you will find it stocked with a host of basic ingredients – ingredients that ensure success. Kitchens for centuries have had the following....curtains, an apron, a sink or basin, utensils, stove with the home fire burning– fridge – at least one table,, counters, cups, plates, spoons, forks, knives, perhaps a butcher block, water, spices, flour, sugar, oil and bread.

Read Exodus 25 and walk through Gods Tabernacle and you find the precise recipe God gave for The Tabernacle - colorful blue, purple and red curtains, fragrant incense burnt upon the altar or table; oil made from fine spices and olive oil which was used for anointing, the bronze basin/tub, lamp-stand, table of shew bread and the priests. God carefully chose each element for the Tabernacle in right proportions – all that was needed to bring right relationship between his people and himself.

Aaron and his sons were called forth to be the priests and they were consecrated. Loaves of bread were prepared with flour and oil without yeast. An animal was brought forth and butchered and prepared as an offering. Special garments were created with perfect precision to be the outerwear for the priests to wear. The priests were brought to the basin and washed. Throughout the chapter of Exodus 29 are precise instructions creating the perfect recipe if you will to bring about Gods blessing. A recipe for grace and forgiveness

One described the heart of the home and family, the other the heart of God. Both brought into perfect unison when adhering to the recipe's given in proper proportion. Love, forgiveness, faith, patience, kindness, compassion, truth, serving others, hope, purity. With great care, forethought and planning he gave us each ingredient in good measure to bring us the sweetest tasting, most divine life we could create.

As I stand in the middle of the kitchen and glance about I see pieces of my mama...her apron, her favorite nesco roaster, spice shakers and bowls. And as I look about my kitchen I see today's reflections of God's instructions...olive oil, my potpourri scent burner, spices, bread, a table and a basin. I am aware of the elements and aware of the blessings if I follow the instructions. And I am aware of the loving instruction given by God and my mama.

1 Thessalonians 1,2,7

“As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore anyone who rejects this instruction, does not reject a human being, but God the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.”

 

Beauty From Brokenness

How I love author Ann Voskamp. She inspires me daily with her writings and blog. I stumbled across her One Year Challenge of 1000 Gifts today which started January first. Each day she asks you to find 3 specific things for which to give thanks for and document them with pictures if you can. The premise is that at the end of the year will be a photo journal and diary that you can peruse to recall all the wonderful things you were blessed with each day of this year!  How I wish id found this on January first. Ah well. Better late than never!

Today is March 6^th and today's assignment was to find three diffeent things....something Bent, something Broken and something Beautiful.  As the day passed me by I kept my eyes peeled.  Here is what I found without leaving my recliner!

Something Bent – Today I am laid up with bursitis in my shoulders. I've been so blessed today as my husband has waited on me. He is often so bent over in his own pain, on a daily basis and yet he thinks nothing of himself when I am in need.  I have been so incredibly blessed as he has served me, even from his bent position.

Something Broken – A letter arrived today from my dear Aunt Pat who is convalescing in a special hospital in California with a compound fracture of her leg.  She has had quite a time of it with various complications.  About 2 weeks ago I sent a card of encouragement with no expectation whatsoever of getting any response from her. But here today I was so blessed to receive this envelope with the writing of someone very old and obviously broken . She sent me a short letter to thank me and did so laying in bed in a prone position. It touched my heart so.  I shall treasure the love deeply.  Her leg may be broken, but not her heart.

Something Beautiful – As I sat here with my laptop both of my fur babies were keeping me company.  My shih-tzu Hannah and kitty Skeeter shared the recliner. Hannah was on the footstool and Skeeter, he has to be as close to me as he can. I dare say he'd lay ON my laptop if I'd let him. He was curled up here on the arm of the recliner. 

 

He made a noise as if to say, “I want to tell you something...” and I reached out my hand to him and he began to kiss my finger. I thought to myself....how precious is this cat to me! A piece of my mom and dad that is still here; our fur baby, the one we all loved together. A connecting bond. And here he is, sitting with me on mom's recliner, licking my hand. He's always loved recliners and the people who used them. Being with his people, comforting and kissing them he has always been faithful to do.  The love?  Beautiful.

The life lessons and the "God thing" in the conditions of bent, broken and beautiful is as follows.....Even in a bent, broken condition we can bring love and beauty to others.  Even from a recliner with ice on your shoulder you truly CAN find something to be thankful for....if you look hard enough.  Be happy.  Be positive.  Be blessed.  There is a silver lining in every cloud.

Thanks Ann.