She's a Looney-Toon

Remember those wacky, wild, half-witted Looney Tunes characters? We laughed at their shenanigans. They gave us plenty of comedy relief. We often think the same thing about overzealous Christians. They are the ones who stand on a street corner waving some kind of "Jesus" sign and yelling “Do you love Jesus?” They are the ones who call attending church, small groups and Bible studies as a fun night out!

I saw a man joyfully dancing down the street and waving a sign that said, "TRUST GOD" on it. The first impression of those passing by was probably "That guy's a 'looney-tune’!" But, he inspired me. I gave him a big thumbs up as I passed him. I recognized his joy. Maybe he was deliriously happy because of an answered prayer and he wanted everyone to experience his joy, too! On the other hand, maybe he was acting in faith, simply trusting God for something that seemed almost impossible in the natural. Either way, he had the "goods" on trusting.

My own daughter can be seen as a Looney Tune because her eyes are always open for someone to encourage and bring hope to their life. Her line is usually “Is there something I can pray with you about?” And, most people are quick to say "yes". On our recent trip to Tulsa, I had to hold her at bey because we were on a time crunch for an appointment, so she kept her head down when we stopped at a service station. Seriously, I want to be more like her – bold, unafraid and unashamed of what people think, and letting my little light shine.

What causes some folks to live with such unabandoned devotion to God? I'd like to suggest that they are the ones who once were lost and now they’re found; they were on their death bed and now they’re healed and whole; they were once lonely, but now they are secure in knowing how loved and cared for by God they are; they were once an alcoholic or drug addict and now they’re free; they were once homeless and now they have a home, a job, and a family and friends.

Think about what a "looney-tune" Noah must have been to those who watched him building the ark when it had never rained before. And, here we are living in this 21st Century and many of us have become bold and fanatical in our faith and devotion to God, so much so that we wear "Victory in Jesus" t-shirts or other slogans that reference God and other branded items that makes others refer to “those Looney-Tune people”. We’re those people who are radical enough to defend the unborn; who love our Country, and those who believe nothing is impossible with God. We're those Looney Tunes who attend church regularly, read our Bibles, and share God’s good news wherever we go.

But most importantly we enjoy being referred to as Looney Tunes. We've trusted God in the storms of life and we came through it all. Actually, maybe it’s the people who don’t trust in God that are the real "Looney Tunes". Maybe people who never take a risk, never face their fears, and those who don't know how to dance in the storms are the real "LooneyTunes".

Honestly, there are days that I am so profoundly overjoyed at the answers to prayer, the blessings that come my way, and sheer delight in my relationship with God -- that I could be that guy in my desire for others to see that TRUSTING GOD truly pays off! Yes, there are prayers that don't get answered the way we'd like them to. Often we get a "No" or a "Not yet" answer, and, even so, we learn that total TRUST with complete certainty that He will work it ALL for our good, just becomes our way of life. So when others point to us as Looney Tunes – let’s own up to it. After all, we're in good company with Jesus. No feedback necessary. No need to be concerned. God is good. All the time. All the time. God is good. Now from Looney Tunes' Porky Pig: "Th-Th-The, Th-Th-The, Th-Th... That's all, folks!"

The Butterflies are Dancing -- Are You?

A couple of weeks ago, a group of us did the Walk for Life and when we were gathering our belongings to get to registration and the start line, someone said, “Donna, look at the butterfly on your car!” I quickly took this photo because I knew there would be an upcoming post from this little inspiration. Butterflies are powerful representations of life. They are seen as a symbol of resurrection and people view them as representing endurance, change, and hope.

I've been amazed at how many butterflies I've seen over the last few weeks. I'm not a butterfly enthusiast that plants foliage just to attract butterflies, but now they are attracting ME. I would think it was springtime instead of fall. They are so light and free and FAST! It seems like they're dancing on air!

We know the stages of a butterfly and transformation analogies as they change from a caterpillar to a cocoon to a butterfly and how we, in our lives transform from death to life and then emerge to be all God destined us to be. Going through physical, spiritual or mental changes is a form of metamorphosis like the butterfly. I love the "ARRIVED" stage the most when our wings have developed and we can take flight and DANCE -- just like the butterflies.

I'll never forget when my husband had to have emergency surgery to remove a tumor that was impinging on his spinal cord. His neurosurgeon said it was one of the three most life-threatening surgeries ever. But, even with the seriousness of it all, I remember God's peace that surrounded us. We knew He was in control so we were lighthearted and free of worry. In the pre-op room, we looked up at the ceiling and we saw butterflies and we became even more assured of God with us when a nurse, wearing a butterfly jacket, assisted us. The message was loud and clear: "Dance as if you don't have a care in the world."

Our spirits were "dancing" in that hospital room. We knew, like those butterflies, that transformation and resurrection was taking place in us. They reminded us to let go of worry and concern to be free to dance -- right in the middle of our circumstances.

Butterflies continue to remind us to get up and move, for if we don't move, we cannot dance. In one way or another, we are all going through transition and transformation. Maybe it's from one age to another, from one season to another, or from one stage of life to another. Some exertion is required to emerge. We can't sit still and expect to break free from doubt, fear, and worry. We know it's time for a change and with courage and determination, we'll break free from our "cocoons".

What freedom we felt during some of the toughest and most challenging times of our lives. I promise you -- it's worth it to DANCE -- to break free from worry and doubt, and simply trust that our Creator has the best possible outcome in mind. So, then, why should we worry or fret? Let's just DANCE!

Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining

It was the 3rd night of our Southern Caribbean cruise (it was our annual, romantic get-away), when, suddenly, the lights began to flicker and the engines came to a screeching halt. It was a dramatic sight as people ran to their cabins to get their life jackets. Fear consumed most of the passengers. We knew many were thinking "TITANIC!" We later learned the engine had caught on fire. Of course there was legitimate cause for anxiety and discouragement. But, Ron and I were completely calm since we were cruising veterans, and were led by our faith. We became the voice of reason to encourage and settle down passengers, and help the crew bring peace to the situation. The ship was towed to Montego Bay (150 miles away), and several 747 jets took the 1,500+ guests back to our home destinations. Many people were very upset about the inconvenience, and that their cruise had ended so abruptly, but Ron and I kept thinking "something good is going to come out of this". That’s the “thought” option we have always purposed to have when the surprises of life happen. We can join with the crowd that looks for the worst in any given situation, or, we can always believe “every cloud has a silver lining”.

And, indeed it did -- not only did we receive a full refund for that cruise, but we were given an 8-day cruise for free on the ship of our choice. And, when we took the next cruise, our flights were overbooked, so we received over $1,800 in flight dollars.

I’m not saying that every time we encounter a difficult situation, and we take the high road with optimistic thinking, that there will be such benefits at the other end, but I am saying that when “life happens”, it’s truly a waste of time, energy and emotions to stress out about it. This is what I know about God. My concerns are not a burden to Him -- neither are they a surprise to Him. Turning over my cares and worries to Him, is how I show Him that I truly trust Him, and His unwavering and undaunted love for me. And when I bring Him my attitude of praise and thanksgiving – regardless of the circumstance I’m in, He gives me peace to take me to the other side -- whether it's by boat, car, plane or bicycle. And in that case, I sincerely believe EVERY cloud really does have a silver lining.