Are you ready? Really ready?

     When I have the honor of spending time with my granddaughter, she knows I have planned something special. This may be spending time on a slide at the park, or feeding baby ducks at the lake. But, she knows I have plans for her. More importantly, she trusts that I have plans. We go through the checklist before leaving the house. Got dolly? Snack? Sunscreen? Sunglasses? She continually nods her head. Then I say, “You ready?” Her smile reveals nearly every tooth in her mouth as she says, “I weddy!” And, as promised, I take her out for a wonderful time—complete with ice cream! My granddaughter was prepared for a trip with her Nana.

     In Light of the Supreme Court’s decision today, I ask you, are you ready? Franklin Graham had it right when he said that the Supreme Court was not the creator who defined marriage. So, the court is not the collection of men and women to redefine it. God defined marriage as the union with one man and one woman. Every time America attempts to turn her back on God, He removes more and more protection from us.

     How many human beings, created in the image of God, died today in the three terrorist’ attacks? Think it is coincidental that there have been three attacks today with multiple deaths? I think not.

       I have many friends who are believers, many who are churchins, and quite a few who practice a gay lifestyle and do not care to know anything about God. To those who will love His appearing, persevere. To those who may attend church but do not know the Savior of the world, are you ready? I mean really ready? And, to those who took victory with today’s judgement from the Supreme Court, please know that you have been deceived. God loves you. And, His people love you. Please get ready.

(Picture from FreeFoto.com)

Favor with God and man

Luke 2:51 & 52   And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

   My niece commented about some family members who possess favor in the sight of God and man. For some this is obvious. After the conversation, I pondered those words and did a bit of digging into God’s Word. What do the Scriptures teach about obtaining favor with God and man? And what does that look like when applied to our lives?
   The context of the Luke 2 passage is Joseph and family going to Jerusalem to the Feast. On the way back home they realize Jesus isn’t with them. They return to the temple and see Jesus. Notice verse 46, “after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.”
   Here we receive a clue as to finding favor with God and man. Jesus was listening. Not talking. He was listening. He wasn’t revealing His cards as being God’s only begotten Son. He was attentively listening. The Greek word is akouo. We get our word acoustic from that root. So, we understand Jesus listening to God’s Word (favor with God) and listening to the teacher (favor with man). To top things off we know he was attentive because he asked questions of the teachers. Again what we have is the Son of God asking others about God’s Word. He verbalized His interest in others and their thoughts.
   An interesting thing to note as each of us evaluate our personal life is how well do we listen? Do we listen to others just long enough to find an opening and throw in our own opinion? Or, do we listen well enough to ask more questions and dig deeper into the soul of the speaker?
   If you want a bit more study on the subject, wrap your hands around a cup hot chocolate, pull up that fuzzy afghan, stoke the fire, (I’m assuming your weather is cold wherever you are), and spend some time with Luke and 1 Samuel 2:26. And may our prayer be that we do grow in wisdom, stature and favor with God and man. Amen.

Deport the Son of Hamas?

Mosab Hassan Yousef, known as the Son of Hamas, is a best-selling author who reveals his life as a Palestinian living many frightful years as a spy for Israel. June 30,2010, he will appear before a Homeland Security Court to begin the deportation process.

Last Wednesday I had the pleasure of attending an EMET (Endowment for Middle East Truth) dinner on Capitol Hill. The focus was Rays of Light in the Darkness and honored Mosab Hassan Yousef, Son of Hamas. Also featured were Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS), Representative Doug Lamborn (R-CO), Representative Brad Sherman (D-CA), and Amil Imani an Iranian-American pro-democracy activist.

Mosab’s story reads like a spy novel, but for years this was his life. As a spy for Israel, he saw Muslims torture Muslims. He met Christians and came to love the teachings of Jesus and compared those with Islam. There was no comparison. In time, Mosab gave his life to Jesus Christ.

Having read the book and hearing from him personally, I can tell the readers of the horror ahead for him if these United States deports him. Please read the article as put forth in the Wall Street Journal. Hamas will kill him if he is deported. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703561604575282412942302170.html And, contact your Congressman urging him to sign the letter now in Congress asking for the Court to halt deportation of this child of God.

Comments or thoughts?

Blessings,

Jackie

Suffering -- The Perfect Picture

Warning—suffering is gruesome and the top picture is difficult to see. But, the truth is suffering grows us. God uses suffering for our good. Therefore, we should embrace suffering.
What, you ask? Well, have you ever welcomed a brand spanking new baby believer into the fold and thought, “Just wait.”? And after some time of suffering that person has matured or revealed that the original dropped seed of faith never rooted? Faith must be tested.
I don’t possess the answer as to why death takes children prematurely or why drunk drivers kill hundreds of people. And, I don’t know how God weaves such horrendous sufferings into a personal tapestry. But, in the end, I desire to look like Christ. I will suffer.
Suffering—plain and simple—is one tool God uses to conform us into the image of Christ. Take a moment and look at Christ. Yes, really look at Him. Do you wince at the picture of His suffering? Touch the wounds. Feel the blood as it drips down His body. His breath is heavy and intermittent as He hangs there for me and all who will receive Him. Suffering—the perfect picture.
In the writing world, in His story, we would call the process of His relationship to each one of us a layer. Christ has millions of layers—and we see that in His suffering. In the second picture, we note contemplation. But, depth of the character of a person is unveiled through suffering.

Is there benefit to embracing suffering? If so, how does that work its way out in us—in you and me? Suffering brings humility. Suffering pulls me to a point whereby I raise my hands and acknowledge I have no control over a matter. The issue may be physical such as cancer or it may be a breaking heart as the loss of a loved one. Make no mistake—suffering brings us low to keep us aligned with God. Throughout Proverbs we learn the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord. And, we need wisdom to live our lives in a Godly fashion—righteously.
For those of you who are equation-oriented, meditate on this:
Suffering-->humility-->fear of the Lord-->wisdom-->Christ likeness
C.S. Lewis wrote concerning the principle of first and second things. The first and most important is the soul. The body is second. In a fallen world, our nature is to put the body first. We want to feel good, own large homes and chase after money. Maybe that’s why Jesus told us we can’t serve two masters—God and money.
When the first becomes second and vice versa, our values change. We covet feel-good sin and our soul is left to confess later. Suffering helps keep the first thing first.
To believe we won’t suffer because God wants to bless us is adverse to Scripture. To believe the modern wave of the prosperity doctrine slaps Jesus in the face since He had no place to lay His head. Again, note the first thing and second thing swapped positions.
Maybe we need a mind adjustment to look beyond the current trials of life. As Paul said in Romans 8:18, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
As you go through suffering in this life, stop and contemplate this verse. Better yet, pick up your Bible. Go on—do it now. Got it? If you haven’t read it in a while, blow the dust off is cover. Then read that verse in context of the book of Romans.
I would delight to know your thoughts about suffering in a comment here. Do you have a favorite Scripture on the topic? Share that too.
Blessings,
Jackie

Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas
from our home to yours!

We hope you are doing well this holiday season as we celebrate the birth of Jesus. This past year has been filled with blessings for us and the future promises blessings and opportunities as we continue sharing our lives with others.
This past summer Lee and Jackie visited Ouray, Silverton, Durango and Mesa Verde. They travelled Million Dollar Highway, a narrow road of about 25 miles between Ouray and Silverton that hugs the side of the mountains, has no guard rail and drops 500 feet to the canyon below. Definitely not a road for the faint at heart! They spent a day on the Rio Grande Railway which has been in continuous operation for 126 years.
Lee’s father Bill visited in September. Bill, Lee and Jackie spent a few days with the elk in the Rocky Mountain National Forest that backs up to Estes Park. The rutting season had just begun and numerous bull ruts were caught on film. Elk racks smacking against each other can sure wake up a forest! They also visited Bill’s old stomping grounds, Lowry Air Force Base. Bill and Lee were both reacquainted with planes they recognized and some they flew.
Christopher has had a busy semester as he pulls out 21 hours. He should graduate in May with a major in History and minor in Classics. He spent time this summer kayaking in the Northeast and joined a family reunion in Lake Tahoe. He has a busy year ahead as he and his fiancée Carolyn plan a June wedding.
Jackie is still employed at T.Rowe Price, an investment company, and enjoys her job. She writes Christian fiction in her not-so-spare time. She attended a Christian Writers’ Conference in ’08 and hopes to add another in ’09.
Lee continues at Verizon. He was able to attend a men’s retreat, survive mountain bike rides, and fishing trips for relaxation. And He really enjoys fellowship and mentoring time with men from church and Academy classmates.
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!




Lee, Jackie, Christopher and………Paddy

Fruchtbar Augenblick

Good evening! I hope this finds you well and enjoying a season of thanksgiving for all the precious people in your life. I appreciate everyone God has placed in mine!

I heard two words from a radio program that I hope sprout into full bloom in my life as a writer and woman. "Fruchtbar Augenblick." Sound like something Dr. R.C. Sproul may say, huh? Well he did and those words translated into English are "Fruitful Moment."

The painting is Rembrandt's "Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem." Meditate on the picture for just a moment and you can almost feel his pain. You know where he is and the consequences that are just around the corner for Jerusalem. The painter brings us into this fruchtbar augenblick. The reason I use the German for the phrase is that when Rembrandt painted this, the habit of a painter grabbing the "moment" was in vogue. And, he did this very well. Day after day he would immerse himself in the Scriptures. He sketched scene after scene after scene until the single moment that told the story arrived.

If you're a writer, how do you do this? How do you freeze that pane? Though we have story climaxes, special still moments can be found everywhere. They may be turning points in your book or a time when your protagonist must make the decision that weighs so heavily on her heart. Possibly the hand of a man on his wife's bed gripping the sheet as he releases her into eternity? Whatever that moment is, we can write it with abundant fruit We can write it so the heart of the reader grows and overflows to others. But, it takes time and time and time. Edits. Rewrites. More edits. More rewrites.

How about those fruchtbar augenblicks from a woman's perspective? Do we take opportunities that are teaching moments for our children and make them abundant? (I know I have missed some of those.)

And still yet, there is the whole life thing--the fruchtbar augenblick of life. I don't know about you, but I have, in my mind, a still moment. A life-changing moment. All the sketches of my life came together. Crinkled newspapers with old stories~~burnt and black as coal. Embers sizzle and only a few words from the stories peek through the charcoal. No fruit in this moment~~just death. The next moment was fruitful and continues on. I remember standing and leaning toward the large picture window. The sky shone bluer than ever and the grass?~~who added all the shades of green?! Scales you say? They fell from my eyes. And, I could see. I could finally see! Do you have a moment like this in your life?

Ok, back to the writers....we are created in the image of the One who created time and holds all fruchtbar augenblicks. Let's go out there and write, write, and write some more!

Till next time,

~~Jackie

Buckingham Palace in Colorado?

It's been a while since we've been in touch and I hope you are enjoying this beautiful time of year. The Aspens invite you to touch them with the warmth of their gold and yellow leaves quaking as you pass by. I recently had opportunity to spend the afternoon chilling in the back yard with Anne Perry. Well, not actually WITH her, but I definitely buried myself in her latest in the Pitt series.


This craft of fiction writing grows a deeper passion as I study layers of characters, places and plots. Even pushing the stakes higher and higher draws my heart out even more. Originally, I purchased the book so I could mark page tension, stakes, character layers, place, etc. You know--sort of a text book of sorts. And, oh yea--antagonist layers. A great book for study or pleasure!

I discovered a neat cozy mystery from the Victorian era in England. The book stretches from England to Africa--global stakes here! Though his diplomatic skills may seem not quite up to par, Thomas Pitt is one great detective for the Special Branch. His household maid joins him in Buckingham Palace and snoops the premises to solve a murder mystery or two. The plot twists are fantastic even leading one to suspect the heir to the throne may be guilty.

Winter will soon be upon us and if you'd like a cozy book to go along with the hot chocolate and afghan while you curl up by the fire, pick up a copy of Buckingham Palace Gardens.

Till next time~~Happy reading,
Jackie