What is that Fragrance?

My grandson was riding in my car with me and I let him smell the very small bottle of cologne I keep in my driver’s side door. He smelled it and said: “Papa”. I smiled because he remembered. My sweetheart wore that cologne that we deemed our favorite. I spray a little in my car’s air conditioning vents and take it in with memories of us AND to make my car smell really good.

There's a scent that, as Christians, we should all wear. It is called, "eau de Christ". Best fragrance EVER! “Thanks be to God Who always leads us to triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.” 2 Cor 2:14–15

I want to smell like that! If ever we needed to smell like Jesus – it is today. Spiritually speaking of course, but the analogy makes sense. Scent is one of the most powerful forces we experience. It triggers memories (oh, yes it does) and it influences us to pull into a certain restaurant or grab a cup of coffee. Our sense of smell is directly linked to the emotional and memory centers of our brains. I remember the Wonder Bread factory in Tulsa. Every time we drove anywhere near it, we started salivating. In fact, oftentimes, I would pull into their store where you could get some of that fresh bread. The smell drew me in.

The reason God wants us to smell like Jesus is so that the people around us will begin to become thirsty and crave what we have – the Living Water and the Bread of Life that comes down from heaven. God wants people to see and savor our risen Lord who is alive and inside our hearts. People will be drawn to our LOVE walk and talk. They will want what we have and even smell like us! I'm dousing in His fragrance right now!

Ephesians 5:2 “And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.”

I'm Walking on Sunshine.....Even in the Rain!

Last week my daughter and I were at Panera Bread having a great time of "girl talk". The sun was shining brightly when we went in, but all of a sudden we could see the winds blowing fiercely, dark clouds looming and then a torrential downpour of rain came. Yay! We needed that rain! Here in Texas -- it's been a blistering hot summer, but we've been blessed with the occasional rain shower that has sure helped our thirsty lawns. 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....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.

It's inevitable that there will be ups and downs in our lives. Country Music singer, 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 were singing the same song. Paul had plenty of suffering to talk about, but he also talked a lot about the peace of God. 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."

Are you kidding me? We're supposed to rejoice in our sufferings -- from being hospitalized because of an illness, to going through a divorce, to face bankruptcy, to dealing with a loved one's death, to losing a job. Really? We are supposed to rejoice in those sufferings? Paul didn't mean for us to go "Hip hip hooray! I've lost my job; my husband passed away; the creditors are taking my car!" 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 those hope-filled people of character and determination.

What Paul wanted so desperately for us to know, is that our God loves us so much that He promised never to leave us alone. Yes, 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 sun-shiniest times EVER. That's when we'll be singing "I'm walking on sunshine (whoa oh)! And don't it feel good!"

I Confess. I am a Martha-holic.

I Confess. I Am a Martha-holic.
I love that gal so much. She speaks up and says what I’ve only wished I could say. I toil and am busy making sure everything is just right. I spend hours in the kitchen doing pre-event planning, cooking and baking and then the day of the event, I am the first to arrive and the last to go home. I give my guests the very best of me. But, deep in my heart, I’m a little peeved at those who never say "Can I help?” They’re too busy chit-chatting to notice I’m carrying the platters, offering drinks, manning the oven, and making sure everyone is having a good time.

I have scripture to back me up! Hebrews 13:2 tells us not to forget to “entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it”. And, Jesus discusses the hospitable behavior of those who will inherit the kingdom: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me” (Matthew 25:34-36).

Dear Martha was hospitable to a fault. She opened her home to the Motley Crew of disciples AND the incomparable Man of God, Teacher, Miracle-Worker, Way-Maker, Water-Walking Jesus. There isn't much applause for her. Sure, she was peeved that her sister was just sitting at the feet of Jesus. I know that feeling. Guests are getting the scoop on all the current events of other guests' lives. They’re telling one exciting story after another, and I want to be in the room with them laughing and oohing and awing, but I’m in the kitchen because if I don’t perform, who will? I really think Martha got a bad rap for wanting her sister, Mary, to stop sitting at the feet of Jesus and start helping her because she wants to hear Jesus’ stories, too. She whined to Jesus: “Tell her to help me!” (Luke 10:40) But Jesus replies: “You are worried and upset about many things” (Luke 10:41). Martha was weary from handling all her “to do” list. Jesus, the supreme guest of honor, deserved the highest quality of service and hospitality. But, no doubt, we Marthas need to learn from the lesson that Martha learned that day.

Our strength and power don’t come from how much we can accomplish in one day. It flows out of our relationship with our Heavenly Father. As Martha hustled around to get it all done with her culinary best, Mary was soaking up the aroma of Jesus and His life-changing words. Don’t forget Mary was once a “red-light district” gal and she had been forgiven. Who wants to eat when the “Bread of Life” is in her midst? Martha didn’t get the response she expected. "My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it." (Luke 10:41,42).

How often do we get all flustered by the have to’s, must do’s and are loaded up to the point of exhaustion? How often do we get so busy running around doing things FOR God, that we forget to spend time WITH God? Both of those women loved Christ immensely. Martha loved Him so much, she wanted to serve Him with excellence and Mary loved Him so much, she wanted to just be in his presence. Two ways of loving and showing their love. (Luke 10:38-42). I have such respect for both of those gals, because, so many times, I'm both of them!

I'm in Tulsa, today, helping to lead a big retreat. Yes, I'll be a Martha getting all the details taken care of, but I plan on being a Mary, offering praise and thanksgiving as I stay in-sync with my Lord Who is always speaking, giving wisdom and insight to us.

Both Martha AND Mary made the record book. Later on in scripture, we hear Martha make a profession of her faith: "Yes, Lord,’ she replied, ‘I believe that You are the Messiah, the Son of God, Who is to come into the world.’” When Jesus said, “I am,” she affirmed, “You are.” Her “I believe” confession is remarkable because she stated His title, His divine nature, and His calling. Martha’s faith was as solid and unshakable as her sister Mary’s. She served the food and also dished out the truth: She said, “It is for Your coming that the world has waited” (John 11:27).

Lord, teach us about balance – willing to serve in word and deed and more than willing to sit at your feet and bask in Your holiness, majesty, and amazing love and grace. Amen.

Springs of Living Water

Day 89 of Photo Inspirations -- Springs of Living Water
Each year I MUST have my annual family photo taken. This one was at the BOK Bear Plaza fountain.  To my grandchildren's delight, the fountain wasn't on, so they could climb all over the bears.  It made for such a great family adventure.

I passed by that landmark just a few days ago and the waters were flowing freely.  I thought about my photo moments just a few months before, but I also thought about the free-flowing "Living Water".  This is Holy Week, the last week of Christ's life, remembering especially His passion and resurrection, and the "Living Water" He gave during His short 33 years of life on earth.

He had been the "Living Water" to those He healed, those He restored to life, those He gave a new future, and those He forgave and made whole.  And those who drank His living water, never thirst again.

I think about the story of the woman of Samaria who had made many mistakes, and when she came to the well for natural water, she left with "Living Water".  Her story is our story too.  It's a story where God finds us also worthy of His love in spite of our mistakes.  As a result of the encounter with Jesus, she, who had been an outcast from her own people, found out what TRUE LOVE is all about.  To be wanted, to be cared for when no one, not even herself, could see anything of value in her -- was grace indeed.   Jesus told her:  "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks THE water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, THE water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life. John 4:13

And, THAT "Living Water" she experienced could not be held in, she became an evangelist of Jesus when she ran to tell others about Him.  "Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the woman's testimony" John 4:39-42

And those words are an invitation that should echo in our ears, too. Jesus stands at the doors of our hearts, offering to us these "living waters".  "If ANYONE is thirsty, let him come to ME and drink."  The first requirement is thirst.  It is an inate part of our humanity -- to have a spiritual thirst.  And, that thirst, is what we bring to our relationship with God.  Drinking that LIVING WATER means aligning with Him, trusting Him, receiving, and believing in Him.  When we believe, we open our hearts to receive what his grace offers. I urge you today..."Come on in.....THE WATER IS FINE!"