The Security of a Teddy Bear

On February 15, 1903, Toy store owner and inventor Morris Michtom placed two stuffed bears in his shop window, and advertised them as Teddy bears. Michtom had earlier petitioned President Theodore Roosevelt for permission to use his nickname, Teddy. The president agreed and, before long, Teddy bears were being made by toy manufacturers everywhere.

I read that in “Vintage” Magazine. Since I’m “vintage”, I thought about the stuffed bears that I have. When my husband was travelling a lot, he gave me a 5-ft, stuffed, grizzly bear "Buxley" to keep me company while he was away. He also gave this adorable Teddy girl for Valentine’s. She sings: “L” is for the way you look at me. “O” is for the only one I see. “V” is very, very, extraordinary. “E” is even more than anyone that you adore. Love is all that I can give to you........"

Be still my heart. And, my little white bear was a gift from my granddaughter. There is a science behind a “Teddy bear”. Yes, it’s a stuffed bear with fur, a sweet face and has sentimental value for us for a long time (i.e., ME!) But, it is much more. It is also a transitional object that provides a sense of security when a baby is separated from his/her mom when she goes to work or takes the baby to a daycare or has a baby sitter. Science has proven that children who have a transitional object, like in the case of my grandchildren who needed their “blankies”. They always handled those moments easier than those without it. The theory is like a mother holding and caring for her baby, the baby cuddles his/her Teddy bear or soft item and associates it with his/her mother. The bear or blankie becomes the security and comfort needed when mother isn't present.

It makes sense, but where am I going with this blog today? Seems like a far-fetched stretch of the imagination to segue to OUR need for a sense of security, no matter how old or how young we are. Everyone experiences insecurity at times. I know what's it's like to feel insecure about myself. I grew up as that girl who was shy and not really feeling safe and secure throughout my childhood. My daddy was very sick and I was a latch-key kid. That's why it's very important for me to feel safe and secure in my life now. The good news is, I learned how NOT to live an insecure life. I know it’s God's will for us to be very secure and not to live in fear. He created us to feel safe, secure, and confident. It's part of our spiritual DNA as believers in Christ. The key to living a secure life is knowing who we are in Him, receiving God's love for us, and basing our worth and value on who God says we are, not on what we do.

I define self esteem as having confidence that I am who God says I am. It’s not dependent on my own abilities, but on knowing that God will equip me for the work He has set out for me to do. I was having one of those “I’m not enough” moments a few days ago, when lo and behold, a friend sent me this text message: “I want you to know how much I love you and am so grateful for the beauty of who God made you to be and all the gifts and talents He has given you. Thank you for loving God the Father so much.” WHAT? How did she know I was having feelings of inadequacy? Oh, I know the answer. She knows my Father and He knows me and her. He nudged her to extend her love to me that was just what I needed that day.

I’m long past having the need to have Teddy bears, though I still love them as mementos. But I’ll never outgrow my need for my Father God Who daily assures me “Donna, you are enough for me and I am enough for you." Maybe today you need to hear those words, too. YOU ARE ENOUGH! God said so!

"And you will feel secure, because there is hope; you will look around and take your rest in security." Job 11:18

The Darker the Night, the More Crucial our Light

At church on Sunday, during our public prayer petitions, we heard: “For the victims in the El Paso and Dayton, Ohio shootings, and for their families, we pray to the Lord”. I had not heard the news. I think: “Dear Lord, have mercy. More tragedy? More crazies with guns?”

I didn't watch the news, but I know gun laws are being debated again. No doubt, mental health is being analyzed again. And statements of remorse and promises of prayer are being offered. Coming up with solutions to keep us and our families safe is being considered. But where would that be? Especially since the El Paso shooting was at a Walmart and the Dayton shooting was at an outdoor food festival?

Most importantly, families are grieving the deaths of loved ones and those who were at the locations of the shootings will be wondering “What if I or my family were the victims?” Their lives have all been changed. And, what about us – where do we go where there isn’t a possibility that it could be us the next time?

But more important than analyzing, debating and trying to figure out the killers’ mental and spiritual health, gun control and keeping us safe in the future, what would Jesus do now? When Jesus encountered those who were suffering, his first reaction was not always to try and fix their problems. He typically started by listening to them, taking their hand, or simply weeping with them. He would get to the healing and bigger issues eventually but usually not before he’d taken the time to empathize with them and understand their pain. That’s who we should be for our friends, loved ones and even casual acquaintances. The darker the night, the more crucial our light.

I enjoy following the daily blogs of Dr. Jim Denison who brings spiritual insight and perspective to current events. He said this: “While society should obviously take all effective measures to protect itself, here’s my biblical point: Jesus can change any life He touches. He can heal any trauma. He can redeem any crisis. The God who turned a murdering Pharisee (Paul) into a missionary of grace can transform anyone.

The more secularized our culture becomes, the more evangelistic our churches must become. The more that people ridicule our prayers, the more they need our prayers. The more traumatized and victimized our society, the more vital our compassion. The greater the threat of violence, the more urgent our message. That’s why we must do all we can to reach the next shooters before they strike. We must use our influence to permeate our broken culture with biblical truth and grace. We must share God’s Word and love with everyone we can in every way we can.

One lesson of El Paso and Dayton is that every community is a mission field. As a result, every Christian is a missionary. Jesus is weeping beside twenty-nine graves today. He is calling us to join him with heartbroken compassion for the victims and their families and a renewed commitment to our gospel mandate. We are still the only “light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). The darker the night, the more crucial our light.

This morning, I hear our Lord asking, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” (Isaiah 6:8). What is our answer to Him?”

Our Secret Place

I receive daily emails from a ministry that sincerely seeks God for His daily thoughts. These were the words God gave them for us yesterday that really resonated within my heart: “When you feel vulnerable, make a concerted effort to do what it takes to be as safe as possible. However, you must not forget that abiding in Me is your ultimate security. I am your safe harbor in the midst of a storm. Come and hide yourself in Me, says the Lord." ~~ Psalm 27:5 “For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.”

Like me, do you ever feel vulnerable – even just a little bit? My vulnerable times are when I come home late at night and have that initial eerie feeling of walking into my dark home; driving in torrential rain; waiting for a doctor’s diagnosis; when I’m speaking up in a meeting; or the times when I’m about to go on stage to speak for an event. And, what I do to be and feel as safe as possible, is to pull out the “big girl antidote” of praying for the sense of peace that comes from He Who is our peace.

God really is our safe place and when we abide in Him, He does bring us ultimate security. I love that line “Come and hide yourself in Me!” I was with my computer technician yesterday and while he was explaining new features he had added to my computer, I was explaining my 911 emergency number to him. It’s Psalm 91:1 “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” When I need peace and a sense of safety, I quickly resort to my Secret Place – to the place and to the One who quickly restores my peace.

The shepherd boy, David, and later, King David, knew that peace from an early age. And so did I. I don’t know what’s going on in your world today, but I’m quite sure I know that there will be times when you feel vulnerable and afraid. But, rather than staying there, we quickly realize those feelings don’t come from God, and we, assertively demobilize them by placing them in God’s hands in the Secret Place and sweet peace comes. It’s not a mind-over-matter moment. It’s a God-over-matter moment.

At my church, we say “The peace of the Lord be with you” and in reply we say, “and with your Spirit”. That is – God’s peace be with you – spirit, soul and body! That’s the full meal deal God gives us – without measure when we go to His “secret place”.

Child Like Faith -- I Wanna' Live Like That

Daddy says, “Jump! Trust me!” A leap of faith means the child has to put aside all inhibitions and fears. But, no problem. She has child-like faith. That faith that shows all-out, undaunted trust that her Daddy is going to catch her. And she jumps to her beloved Daddy. No fear – only trust! And sure enough, she lands, safely in her father’s arms.

Remember that kind of trust? We had that trust because of the secure relationship we had with our parents. We completely trusted in their words and promises. Did we ever think our father would miss us, and we would fall? Not hardly. We believed, and we had faith because we trusted in who He was to us.

I know there are those who didn't experience the love of a Godly father like this, but I know how we all can know this love. That’s the kind of faith we can, and should, have in our Heavenly Father. Having childlike faith isn’t perfect faith. There's room for doubt, but the doubt doesn’t win – hope, trust and belief prevails! What pleases Him the most is our heart of sincerity that says, “God, I know You have my best interests at heart. Please bolster my faith in You." He answers that kind of prayer. Bottom line, no matter how impossible our situations may seem, if we have that unwavering faith of a child, we believe He can accomplish anything.

And, there is something so precious about the thought of getting to be a child again, and knowing we have a Father who will take care of us. He can bear the burdens of life while we can just enjoy ourselves, like we did when we were children, without having to worry about the nitty gritty details. God will take care of all that. We don’t need to perform, we don’t need to be constantly striving for this or that; the burden is on God’s shoulders -- not ours. I wanna' live like THAT!