Hey, It's Good to be Back Home Again!

It’s almost two weeks in Austin's super-hyper-mode. I woke up this morning thinking “Yikes – my yard hasn’t been watered in two weeks! I didn't pack enough vitamins! A stack of mail and lots of projects await me at home!" But, oh, the joy in Austin that peaked over the weekend when my family was altogether for Mother’s Day! I'm so grateful! Did this soul so much good to have all this love around me! Here are a few pics of the fun! There has been no-social-distancing amongst us all – unlike my little quiet, solitude world back home! But, I'm singing with John Denver "It's good to be back home again!"

My home represents for me....my space, my bed, my pictures, my refrigerator, my pantry, my shower, my TV, my computer where I can type my next blog with peace and quiet, my cozy chair where I spend time with the Lover of my soul -- where "in His presence is fullness of joy"!

Yes.....there really is no place like home sweet home, but, wherever I am is really home -- because where He is, I'm HOME! I’ll drive into my garage later today and these words will ring loud and true for me: "You're not alone. You're coming home to Jesus." I mean that in the most literal way. Yes, I may be alone....but I am not lonely. That said, there is an important distinction to be established. There is a world of difference between solitude and loneliness, though the two terms are often used interchangeably. Loneliness is marked by a sense of isolation. We sure know that word from our quarantine, don’t we? But, it is possible to be with people and still feel lonely.

I've chosen "solitude" -- the state of being alone without being lonely. It is a positive way of appreciating ME. I have learned that my place of being alone is often where I find myself absolutely wonderful company. But, even more so, my aloneness and solitude is so incredibly heartwarming when I know that my Savior is there with me. He doesn't demand the remote control and His clothes don’t take up too much room in my closet. He doesn't care what food I'm eating and doesn't mind if I stay up late, or turn in early. He is such a gentle and loving friend that He doesn't even mind if I don't talk to Him that much, but He sure is ready to talk when I give Him my full attention.

This place of refuge with Him is so satisfying. It replenishes my soul and weary body. If I had chosen "loneliness" 9-1/2 years ago, I would have been discontented and sad, but I chose solitude that awaits me and my Best Friend. It's been a blast and a blessing to be with my family -- and I'm thanking God so much for this sweet time, but in a few hours, I’ll open the door of my home and I know it will invite me in like an old friend. Yes, there's no place like home.

Regaining Focus in a World of Distractions

My word for today is DISTRACTION: a thing that prevents someone from giving full attention to something or someone else; interruption, disturbance, interference, hindrance

This post today is longer than my "usual" long post (yikes!) but this message impacted me so much I just had to pass it on -- almost verbatim. My pastor started his message with these words from an anonymous author, but worthy of acclaim because of its significance to us and our world today:

“Satan called a worldwide convention. In his opening address to his demons, he said, “We can’t keep the Christians from going to church. We can’t keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth. We can’t even keep them from biblical values. But we can do something else. We can keep them from forming an intimate, continual experience with Christ. If they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken. So let them go to church, let them have their Christian lifestyles, but steal their time so they can’t gain experience with Jesus Christ."

"How shall we do this?" his demons shouted. "Keep them busy in the non-essentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds," he answered. "Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow. Persuade the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to work 6-7 days each week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their empty lifestyles. Keep them from spending time with their children. As their families fragment, soon their homes will offer no escape from the pressures of work!"

"Over-stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still, small voice. Entice them to play the radio or CD player whenever they drive. To keep their cell phones, TVs and their computers going constantly. This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ. Fill the coffee tables with magazines and newspapers. Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day. Invade their driving moments with billboards. Flood their emails and mailboxes with junk mail, advertisements, sweepstakes, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering free products, services and false hopes."

"Give them Santa Claus to distract them from teaching their children the real meaning of Christmas. Give them an Easter bunny so they won't talk about his resurrection and power over sin and death. Even in their recreation, let them be excessive. Have them return from their recreation exhausted. Keep them too busy to go out in nature and reflect on God's creation. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, plays, concerts, and movies instead. Keep them busy, busy, busy!"

"And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences. Crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Jesus. Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family for the good of the cause. It will work! It will work!"

"It was quite a plan! The demons went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians everywhere to get busier and more rushed, going here and there, having little time for their God or their families and friends. Having no time to tell others about the power of Jesus to change lives. The question is, has the devil been successful at his scheme? You be the judge!"

Pastor Rudy went on: “In today’s readings, we saw that Jesus was busy casting out spirits, then He went to Peter’s home to heal His mother-in-law, and then He met the crowds. It was a busy day. The next morning, He went to a solitary place to pray. It must have been away because the disciples told Him that the people were looking for Him. Then He traveled through Galilee. You always see Jesus drawing away from the crowd to go and pray; to wait on the Lord, to develop His relationship with His Father. Do we remember why Jesus was here in the first place? Do we remember where there is fuel for our daily tasks? He is God who gives strength to the weak. He will renew their strength. Why did Jesus go to the synagogue every week? Why did He go to quiet places to pray? Why did He withdraw from the disciples? Because that is what helped Him keep on track and to receive His strength."

Then, Pastor Rudy referred to men in our church who went on a three-day retreat to get away from DISTRACTIONS so they could focus on God. He went on…..”Why did 35 retreatants sacrifice time away from their family and 34 team members spend months preparing for this retreat? Why are we so committed to ACTS (the retreat name) at this church? Because if we get this right, then we will be better men, husbands, fathers. These men got it right. They are heroes to their families and to us. They followed the example of Christ to get away from the DISTRACTIONS to renew with God.

Following that message, he went on to say, “Now. I want to talk to you about these men who went away on the ACTS Retreat this weekend. They went away to be with their band of brothers to spend time with Christ – to draw closer in their relationship with Him. These men are heroes to their family and to us. They followed the example of Jesus because after Jesus had ministered and prayed for the sick and fed the multitudes and raised the dead, you will find in scripture that He needed to get away to pray. The priority of Jesus’ solitude and silence is everywhere in the Gospels. It’s how He began his ministry. It’s how He made important decisions. It’s how He dealt with troubling emotions like grief. It’s how He dealt with the constant demands of his ministry and cared for his soul. It’s how He taught His disciples. It’s how He prepared for important ministry events. It’s how He prepared for His death on the cross. Jesus’ solitude is how He went deeper in His love-relationship with God. Our men, this weekend, followed Jesus’ lead. Won’t you follow as well?"

At the end of that message, the entire congregation applauded the message and our heroes AND God, who is speaking to us all about DISTRACTIONS that are robbing us of what's the most important ATTRACTIONS -- our families, our friends, our own physical well being AND our God. As my pastor said, "It's time to get it right!"

Alone, Lonely or Solitude