Rain, Rain! Don’t Go Away – You are Welcome in this Day

Oh, the wonderful rain that has come to us in Frisco. Two days in a row means the blistering heat has subsided and I don’t have to water plants and grass. My two fur-pals haven’t been too crazy about it – they don’t like playing or walking in the rain. I've learned not to complain about the heat, the cold or rain, because, here in Texas, it's subject to change daily. We might as well brace ourselves and go with the flow!

Isn't that like our personal "climates", too? One day we are bright with a sunny disposition. Things are going our way -- even the lights are turning green before we get to them. And, another day, it's cloudy, rainy with thunderstorms overtaking us. The thrills of that "shout-hallelujah" victory can be overtaken by that "woe is me" agony of defeat.

But it's inevitable that there will be ups and downs in our lives. And, Lord, have mercy – we have had plenty of ups and downs the last few months, haven’t we? A country music legend, Lynn Anderson, made the song "Rose Garden" famous. The lyrics were: “I beg your pardon. I never promised you a rose garden. Along with the sunshine, there’s got to be a little rain sometime.”

When we read the writings of the Apostle Paul, we might think that he and Lynn Anderson partnered up in writing that song. Paul knew suffering and he wrote to us about it, but he weathered it, because he also knew God’s peace in the suffering. He was talking about a calm that comes because of God's love for us. The calm that comes even when the storm clouds gather. Paul even had the audacity to tell us to "rejoice in our sufferings"! He said in Romans 3:3-5 "We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."

Really? We're supposed to rejoice in our sufferings? Sufferings like being in isolation, having to home school our kids, an illness, a relationship break-up, a divorce, facing bankruptcy, the death of a loved one, wayward children, losing a job or even suffering through this presidential election rancor-- we are supposed to rejoice in those sufferings? God didn't mean for us to celebrate loses or even ignore pain or suffering. No, no, no. Instead, he meant that suffering is a part of life. No matter how many times we complain that life is not fair, Paul wants us to know that suffering (a little rain) is the part of our lives that helps us grow to be hope-filled people of character and determination. That rain gives us hope for tomorrow’s beautiful rose gardens in our lives.

What Lynn Anderson's song doesn't tell us, and what Paul wanted so desperately for us to know, is that God loves us so much that He promised never to leave us alone. The rain comes and suffering comes, but with God, we'll receive patient endurance. And patience leads to character. And character leads to hope. And hope will not disappoint us. That's a mighty fine recipe for pulling us from the darkest of times, to the brightest sunshine times EVER. That's when we'll be singing "Rain, rain – don’t go away – you are welcome in this day!” Because, tomorrow we’ll be singing “I’m walking on sunshine – whoa oh! – and don’t it feel good?"

They Gave Me a Blank Check

My children were heading out of town. I needed to oversee some contractors that were painting their home while they were gone. They left a few blank, signed checks for me to give them when they finished. Aw! Blank, signed checks! Good thing I'm honest and dependable because it could sure have been tempting to use one of those checks to get me to Tahiti and beyond!

If there were ever a “blank check” verse in the Bible, this is it:
Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us." I have so many of those "exceeding abundantlies" in my life. The one I am most grateful for -- that I even spoke of to my children in my early morning text message to them is the joy of the Lord that is in my heart. Seriously, I could complain about so many things. I just won't. A joy that is exceedingly abundantly has superseded any doubt, fear, loneliness, or any other negativity, is down in my heart.

A tangible "exceedingly abundantly" I recall was when we were in a season of financial crisis. We were still strong believers in the "blank check" principal of "God will do exceedingly abundantly according to the power that works in us." We did believe, and put our absolute trust in our faithful God. My husband, a man of faith, found a 6,000 sq ft spec home in a nearby subdivision, convinced the builder we should move into it and help him market that home and other homes and lots he had for sale. The builder said, "I don't know why I'm doing this -- but, okay -- let's do it!" So we moved into that home. Ron sold three homes and 13 lots within six-short months and not only did he continue to have success there, we purchased that 6,000 sqft home and made it our place of business and ministry for years. God did the exceedingly abundantly for us because God's power was working strong in us. We did not limit our "exceedingly abundant" God.

Maybe there are things that you need, but are afraid to ask and believe God for them. Just know that He is able to do far more than you could even dream of. I’m a pretty big dreamer. God says, “Donna, think of the greatest thing you could ever dream of, the greatest thing you think I could do in your life. Guess what? I can top that.”

If there were tears in Heaven, it would probably be because we would get there and realize all the things that we could have done if we had just believed God a little bit more. I think I'd shed a few tears -- to see everything I could have accomplished if I had just believed God more. But there are no tears in Heaven and God gives us everything we need right now to accomplish what He has planned for us. I challenge you to dream big about your relationships, your marriage, your family, your career, and your ministry to others. Your faith can turn those dreams into reality, because God is able to do far more than we would dare to ask or even dream..

Faith turns God-given dreams into reality. Nothing happens until somebody starts dreaming! The Bible is full of people who had God-given dreams. Abraham dreamed of being the father of a great nation. Moses dreamed of setting God’s people free. Joseph dreamed of saving a nation and his own family. If we'd look around us, we'd find many dreamers who refused to quit. They stirred up God's power in them and saw the exceedingly abundantly in their lives. Why not you?

Complain and Remain; Praise and Be Raised

Complain and Remain; Praise and Be Raised
COMPLAIN: to express dissatisfaction or annoyance about something; grumble, criticize, moan, find fault
PRAISE: compliment, commend, express admiration for, applaud, speak highly of, admire, gratitude

Maybe you live with or know someone who seems to be an incessant COMPLAINER – they seem to always find something to complain about: the weather, the president, their next-door neighbor, their body aches and pains, their spouse, their children, their church. I back out of conversations as quickly as possible with those folks. They are certainly not my “besties”. Then there are those who are incessant PRAISERS – they habitually have something to be grateful for, have sunny dispositions and always seem to find the good in everything.

While there are plenty of folks we encounter each day who are filled with optimism, in spite of their negative situations, still there are plenty of “Debbie Downers” around. In case you don’t know who “Debbie Downer” is – she’s someone who frequently adds bad news and negative feelings to any conversation. She can be found everywhere. Her presence puts an abrupt end to the enthusiasm of others. She is critical of herself and others, and fails to see why people can be happy about anything when there is so much to worry about. Debbie Downer isn’t just negative: she is a pessimist to the core. She can see the downside to anything and won’t hesitate to mention it. She plans for the worse and even finds comfort in her negative mindset. Most Debbie Downers believe that they are only being realistic and everyone else is impractical and delusional.

I know there are reasons why we have innate personalities and outlook mindsets. We are products of the environment we were raised in – our homes, schools, family values, our faith. I’m so grateful that I was raised in a church-going, Bible-toting, song-singing and gratitude-lifting home. We were blessed, but not with material wealth. I was raised having a very sick daddy who couldn’t work and my Mama had to bring in the income for our little family of three (older siblings had married and left the nest). I never heard her COMPLAIN about her “lot in life”. She was a PRAISER – not a COMPLAINER. I recall hearing her singing and praying in the midst of our circumstances.

My husband and I were Zig Ziglar junkies which meant we pursued optimism and gratitude – so much so that our little girl at age 6 would correct someone who said “That scared me to death!” She’d say, “No, it scared you to life!” She did get a little annoying to those who didn’t want a 6-year old correcting them, but, no doubt, her message was clear. Debbie Downers and anyone who talks negatively, even casually, and complains about their present circumstances and challenges will determine how long they’ll get to stay right there, and, if they keep it up, they'll even get to go around the same mountain again and again and again! Remember the Israelites being stuck wandering in the wilderness for 40 years -- that should have taken them only 11 days (Deuteronomy 1:2)? They complained....and remained!

Maybe your environment was and is different than mine was and today, you feel like you’re in a desert of defeat, worry and fear. Maybe it feels like you’re getting nowhere fast. We can do something to help change that. Could it possibly be that the stalemate has much to do with negative thinking and speaking. Just maybe you've remained because you’ve complained way more than you praised God for the blessings you do have. Not that I’m suggesting that we be a “Pollyanna” or “Little Mary Sunshine” all the time, but I am suggesting that the more we catch ourselves when we’re complaining, to find ways to be praising instead, the more we’ll be blessed.

I listened to an audio book about an Episcopalian Priest who had a habit of “sighing and moaning” all the time. Rather than speaking negatively, he just moaned and those moans indicated his complaints. To create a better atmosphere of praising instead of complaining, he set up for himself a “Sighing/Moaning” jar. Every time he sighed, he’d have to add a dollar to the jar. I laughed out loud when he was up to $11 in a short period of time. He recognized that even his thoughts were complaining so he did something about it.

Maybe it’s time we do something about it, too! Here’s our options: We COMPLAIN. We remain. We PRAISE. We are raised! When our PRAISES go UP, the blessings come down.
#COMPLAIN...and remain! OR #PRAISE....and be raised!

Clean Hands and a Pure Heart

We’ve all found little finger prints on our glass doors or windows or walls. No sooner do we get those glass doors cleaned, than a little one comes along and puts his hands all over the door again. Little chocolate, play dough or muddy hands had left their imprint. The evidence was real. We recognized those finger prints. They were placed there by some little person that we loved.

Those were the times when those little ones had no idea of what those little finger prints could do. It took some repetitive correcting and maturing for them to finally learn to use a napkin or washcloth to wipe away the evidence.

Now, that we’re all grown up -- we know better. We do pretty well with keeping our hands clean. Today, even grocery or big box stores, provide antibacterial wipes to clean off that grocery cart before you use it. And, many of us carry little bottles of hand sanitizer. But, really – I’m not talking about those little dirty hands.

Psalm 24:3, 4 says “Who may climb the mountain of the Lord and enter where He lives? Who may stand before the Lord? ONLY THOSE WITH CLEAN HANDS AND PURE HEARTS, who do not practice dishonesty and lying.”

Clean hands. Pure hearts. How can we clean up our hearts? There are many ways: medications, self-help books, therapy, counseling, and mental affirmations. Of course all those ways help our physical and mental thoughts, but when we let God use His super-powerful cleaning system do the work in us, then we’ll show up with those “clean hands and pure hearts”.

Clean hands and pure hearts. Those are the hands and hearts who know better than to allow the stains and dirtiness of the world – lying, dishonesty, cheating, envying, complaining, and deceiving – to “mess up” our relationship with God. We do our best to keep our hands and hearts pure and clean, because the rewards for being God’s good kids are so great. We get to sit at the “adult” table where the benefits are so many. He finds pleasure in His kids when they desire to please Him.

My prayer is from Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me!” Clean hands. Pure heart. Sounds like someone had a good “cleansing” shower!

We Can Do This!

There's a lot of folks out there complaining about the weather, the economy, the government, their job, their co-workers, their spouses, their children or their neighbor. And, then there are folks who are always optimistic, "can-do", undaunted in their attitude to win, and whether the sun is out -- or hiding behind a cloud -- they always see it shining. They walk into a room and the sun comes in with them. When the worst of the worst happens -- the best of the best comes out of them. I'm just sayin' -- WE CAN DO THIS! We can be conquerors and overcomers and always see the glass FULL. You ask "HOW?" Let THE SON come into your heart -- then the GREATER ONE will live in you, and He will give you the confidence and strength to live above the fray....COME WHAT MAY!!
We really CAN be difference makers. Come on....WE CAN DO THIS!

Learning to Dance in the Rain

When the storms of life come, it’s quite easy to nestle down all snug as a bug in a rug, and just wait for them to pass. After all, who wants to go outside when it’s lightning and thundering and the winds are blowing 90 miles an hour? It’s also quite easy to complain about the weather. In the winter – we complain about the cold, and in the summer we complain about the heat. Don’t you love it when you see little kids, completely CARE-FREE, bundling all up for winter fun, or running out, dancing and splashing in the rain? And, don’t you love it when little kids play in the summer – not paying any attention to the heat – so much so, that we have to remind them to put on sunscreen?

I’ve figured it out. Life isn’t about waiting for the storms to pass, or the winter or summer to pass – or STUFF that comes our way to pass. It’s about learning to enjoy the journey, whatever season it is, or whatever the weather might be -- and even while going through the storms of life. Then what is it about? It's about learning how to dance in the rain, in the storms of life and in the seasons of life.

I’ve been through some real downpours in the last few years, and this gal has become quite the accomplished “dancer”. I know how to bend, and not break; I know how to do the “quick step” and I know how to “slow dance”, and, best of all, I’ve learned to depend on my Dance Partner, and how to follow His “lead”. And in case you’re wondering who my Dance Partner is ----- He’s the ONE Who created the dance!!

Remain, or Be Raised?

Tested, tried, and proven fact:
How we talk and complain, and talk and complain about our present circumstances and challenges......determines how long we'll get to stay right there, and, if we keep it up, we'll even get to go around the same mountain again and again and again! Remember the Israelites being stuck wandering in the wilderness for 40 years -- that should have taken them only 11 days (Dueteronomy 1:2)? They complained....and remained!
Oftentimes, we, too, are out wandering in the desert, complaining -- and wondering why it's taking us so long to get from Point A to Point B, and why it seems we're getting NOWHERE fast? Could it possibly be that we're remaining because we're complaining? Wouldn't it be better to try another, tested, tried and proven fact.....when the PRAISES go UP, the blessings come down?
Here's the deal......
#COMPLAIN...and remain!
OR
#PRAISE....and be raised!