tablets of human hearts

Day 34

Thursday we accomplished a great deal. Rocky is almost done sheetrocking the kitchen. Jon and I worked on the bedrooms. We are learning a great deal about mudding and sanding sheetrock. It only takes a couple of mistakes to figure out the wrong way to do something. I remember when Jon and I watched the building of the first home we purchased: the foundation, frame and sheetrock seemed to go up quite quickly and we were excited how things were moving along. But then, the work seemed to slow down and take a long time as the details were completed. As I considered this and thought about the details I’m learning about in this house, it occurred to me how like the building of our Christian lives it is.

We become Christians the instant we believe.

(Romans 10:9-10 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.)

Christ is the foundation of our faith.

(1 Corinthians 3:11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.)

The frame work is built next in our lives and even this can be built rather quickly, as we learn the basic fundamentals of Christianity and turn away from the “bigger” sins in our lives. Then the Lord begins walking through the homes of our hearts, looking at the details of what is being built within.

We want to make sure what is built will last.

(1 Corinthians 3:12-13 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work.)

The details take the longest. In our physical home we mud and sand the walls smooth, then match the texture to the rest of the walls. We will seal, prime and paint the walls. We will install all the doors and window frames, caulking each seam. We will have to install doors, hanging them so they swing smoothly. Then we’ll install the floors and cabinets. Any builder can tell you what we are learning; the details take the longest, if we want the home to be beautiful.

Christ wants our hearts to be beautiful – in fact He wants to transform us into His likeness.

(2 Corinthians 3:18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.)

As Christ resides in our hearts, He is concerned with the details. Any mature Christian can tell you what we are learning; the details take the longest, if we want our hearts to be beautiful.

Today, we will continue work on our house. Hopefully Rocky will be over again to hang some more sheetrock. After watching and learning from Rocky, Jon thinks he’ll be able to hang some himself. We will have some additional help today, some guys who are in the area on temporary orders, to help out with recovery efforts. We would like them to help us move some of our stuff.   Jon and I have made the decision to move into a friend’s empty house.   A friend of ours (than you Mark and Brenda Burton) will be transferring to the Gulf Coast from Hawaii and he has already purchased a home in Diamondhead. His home sustained no damage from the storm and he has offered to let us stay there as needed. The house is empty, but does have a complete kitchen so we can prepare and clean up meals. After a half dozen duty stations, we and the kids have learning how to “camp out” in our empty houses, awaiting our household goods. So, we’ll camp out until our home is livable (I think when the sheet rock is hung and ready to be painted and we can get some of our stuff somewhat organized). We’ve really enjoyed Bob and Staci’s hospitality; we’ve been living together for a month now, if you count the time we all stayed at Jon’s parents’ home right after the storm. Our living arrangements were pretty peaceful until we brought all the kids back from San Antonio (in anticipation of schools opening) – then the house seemed to get a lot smaller.   It has been fun and we hope the Tyo’s continue to allow us to visit. We just don’t want to “overstay” our welcome and we are very thankful we have options.

As Jon and I look back over the last few months, we are blessed to see the ways in which God has prepared us and provided for us during this time, spiritually, financially, physically and relationally. He is so good and a very present help in times of trouble. If He is for us, who can be against us? We will not give up hope, for we know we will be rewarded.

(Hebrews 10: 35-36 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.)

May we walk in obedience to Him during these times and do His will, not our own.

God bless

Grace & Peace

Day 31

Today, as I was sending my last couple of email logs, I began thinking about my closing comment from Day 30: “Do I have the courage…?” Which got me to thinking how the word encourage is to have courage and the word discourage is to be without courage.

I looked encourage up in the dictionary:

1. To inspire with hope, courage, or confidence; hearten.
2. To give support to; foster
3. To stimulate; spur

I also looked up discourage:

1. To deprive of confidence, hope, or spirit.
2. To hamper by discouraging; deter.
3. To try to prevent by expressing disapproval or raising objections.

I then looked up some verses on courage in the Bible.

Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Why should we not be discouraged? Why should we not give up confidence or hope? Because the Lord IS with us wherever we go. God tells Joshua numerous times in the beginning verses of chapter 1 to be strong and courageous. Why? Because God knew Joshua would be facing some challenging days ahead. As we face many challenging days ahead here on the coast, we must be reminded to be strong and courageous – not of our own accord, but because the Lord is with us.

Philippines 1:14 Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.

May we be encouraged to speak the word of God courageously and fearlessly, not because of chains, as in Paul’s situation, but because of the tragedies we have suffered. So many are hurting right now, so many feel hopeless and lost, so many are questioning with “why?” This is not a time to be shy or to be worried about what others would think or to keep our faith private. Instead, we should speak of God’s mercy boldly to those who have been wounded.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Please continue to encourage those who are recovering from both Katrina and Rita (many communities in Louisiana suffered similar fate due to Rita, as those in Mississippi because of Katrina).   It helps to know we have not been forgotten as America continues on with her daily life. It helps to know that God’s people are praying. It helps even more to have someone say “Let me pray with you.”

Hebrews 3:12-13 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

So many are looking for someone to blame. They are angry about what has happened and they want to shake their fist at someone.   Take notice that the writer of Hebrews is addressing Christian brothers, telling them not to have sinful, unbelieving hearts that turn away from God.   Of course we expect non-Christians to not turn to God during difficult times, but Christians turning away from God? Yes it can happen, otherwise God would not have to warn us about it in His word. Now look at God’s remedy – “But encourage one another daily”   Why? So that NONE would be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. How can sin deceive? By causing us to think thoughts of hopelessness and helplessness. By causing us to want to blame someone, to feel sorry for ourselves, to want to give up.   The remedy, my friends, is encouragement. To inspire hope, courage, confidence, to support, to spur.

As the writer of Hebrews goes on to say in 10:24-25

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds…let us encourage one another…”

Today, be a part of God’s remedy against sin’s deceitfulness. Today, offer some encouragement to someone who needs it.

In His strength,

Grace & Peace

Day 30

It’s hard to believe that it has been a month since we were packing up and fleeing Katrina. We’re all so tired and there seems to be no end in sight.

Even those whose homes haven’t been impacted by the storm are still affected. Many have opened their homes to friends and family who no longer have a livable home. We are very grateful for Bob and Staci who have graciously opened their home to us. But we know that it grows wearisome to have continual house guests. Many people are volunteering or working at shelters, distribution centers and emergency medical clinics. The needs are still so great and even as we begin the fifth week after the storm, we still need help. Traffic is difficult. Scores of contractors, clean up crews, military and volunteers from out of town clog the once peaceful streets of communities (those that are still standing). Lights are still down or inoperable, creating stop and go traffic. Many normal commuting routes are unusable (bridges out), inaccessible (blocked because of devastated communities) or impassible (piles of debris and trees spilling out into the roads). This makes normally “quick” trips turn into long journeys.

Phones are still down in many areas, cable has yet to be restored, schools are still delayed for many communities, and grocery stores are crowded because so many stores were damaged or destroyed. Just the day to day errands are difficult. And the normal things that usually occur during this time of year (Homecoming games, soccer teams, scouting) are not even thought of by anyone.

Decisions are difficult, also. Our brains are tired, we find it hard to concentrate and we become very absent minded.

What would I desire, if asked. For someone to pray with. I think a spiritual refreshing is so needed for our weary souls. A group of folks from around the state were in Diamondhead yesterday, providing free hamburgers and drinks. What an example of Jesus, providing food for the hungry. As I took the food, I thought how wonderful it would be if the woman handing it to me would have said, “How are you? Would you like me to pray with you?” I probably would have cried, but I definitely would have said yes. There is such healing power in prayer, yet so often we feel like we are invading someone’s privacy or that faith should be a “private matter”. I guess there are people who would feel offended or uncomfortable having a stranger asking if she could pray with them. But I think equally there are many who would give a thankful yes. The thought challenges me also, as I drive down my street and see weary neighbors cleaning the messes Katrina left in their homes. Do I have the courage to stop and ask if they would like someone to pray with, if only for a few moments?

In His strength

Grace & Peace

Day 27

An up and down day. Down, because Jon and I woke up with different agendas. I planned breakfast for the kids, to get them up and motivated. He planned on an early start to the house. We compromised, had breakfast and still got to the house fairly early. Down, because at the house I wandered about looking at all we still had to do and it seemed so overwhelming. We made good progress today, though and that is encouraging. Down because I finally cleaned out a container of pictures that were ruined in the water, pictures that I had yet to sort and put away. How much better, though, to be able to hug my children, rather than just look at pictures. If I had to choose, the choice would be obvious.

We did get a lot accomplished. Our bedroom, bathroom and Jonny’s bedroom, save the small closets, have all been sheetrocked. Jon picked Heather up at college yesterday. She and Samantha scrubbed mold off trim, cleaned muck off the bathroom floor and were a great help in our work on the house. Daniel, Matthew and a few of Daniel’s friends continued to bag debris. Jonny and Spencer were helpful also, doing some of the smaller jobs that needed done.

During one of our breaks, I played with Jonny’s little brown mouse. Since Jonny has always liked the brown mouse, she has survived many a snake feeding, the white ones being fed to Daniel’s snake instead. Now that Daniel’s snake has disappeared, the little brown mouse has become Jonny’s pet. I’m trying to get her to trust me; I hold my hand near her and talk quietly to her, trying to get her to stop running from me. I hold food in my hand out to her, to see if she will trust me and take it. I place my hand over her, talking soothingly to her, trying to calm her fear of me. If only she would just rest in my hand and let me pet her, she would see that she is safe. As I do so, I think of our loving Father, who also tries to calm us.   So often, life’s storms have caused us fear and tribulation and we run about like a mouse in a cage, seeking safety. If we would only stop long enough to realize that our Father’s hand is upon us, wanting to give us refuge and rest. He speaks quietly to us, desiring to sooth our fears, but we are so busy running, we do not hear. How He must long for us to just stop and allow Him to calm us, so we would realize we are safe and He is in control.

During these difficult days, we on the coast must pause in our cleanup, and find a quiet place to meet our Lord. He will give us the strength and courage we need to face each moment, each trial, each long day. He is our fortress, our refuge, our rest. The burdens of this life are so heavy. But our precious Savior tells us “come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

What a wonderful promise from our Lord. So many need rest for their souls right now. Pray that our Lord would speak to their hearts and take them to those quiet places, where they might find rest. Pray that we would cast all our cares upon Him, because He cares for us.

Grace & Peace

Day 26

Rain bands from Rita are whipping through the area, dumping rain on everyone and their efforts to recover (if possible) from Katrina.

The levees broke in New Orleans, flooding it again. Searches for bodies or survivors had to stop because of Rita. The interstates are clogged again with people running from a hurricane’s fury. This is what Florida must have felt like last year.

As I read the news coverage and watch radar, (no cable or satellite yet where I’m at) I find myself having the same anxious thoughts and feelings that I did the morning we arrived in San Antonio, running from Katrina. We want to pray. But for what? For the storm to dissipate or at least to weaken? While the Lord can do miracles – He is the master of the wind and the waves – the question is, will He? For no destruction? Little chance in that, with the storm surge and winds. How does one pray in times like these? We know that people will perish; homes and businesses will be impacted to one degree or another and people’s lives will be changed. As Rita moves inland, will another coast soon have a similar landscape as that of the Mississippi Gulf Coast?

We trust manmade levees and sea walls, we trust manmade buildings, thinking we built them bigger and stronger, we trust our technology and communication capabilities. However, we find out that we are not as smart as we think we are and all that we can build can also fail. I am comforted by the fact that our Lord is unchanging. He has ordained a time for everything.

Ecclesiastes 3
A Time for Everything

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

In our lifetimes, we will experience each. Many have new meaning, as I read them today. A time to die, a time to tear down, a time to weep, a time to mourn, a time to search, a time to throw away…
a time is ordained for each and we here on the coast have moved through these times. As days turn to seasons and seasons to years, we can only remember that the Lord is sovereign and He should be our refuge in all times. May He grant us the wisdom, strength and peace we need each day, whatever it may bring.

Have a blessed weekend, take a day of rest and be sure to worship our Lord and Savior, giving thanks for His many blessings.

Grace & Peace