A Viral Experience!

Last week I had a different  treasure hunting experience. Something hunted me!

Perhaps you’ve been hunted by the same predator – a computer virus that stalked every move I made – on the computer, at least!

The computer and I were doing fine, it flew through the commands it was given; searching, listing, downloading photos…and then a strange ad popped up. I clicked on the “x” and poof – it was gone. Or so I thought. Within seconds it was back – with friends. More ads, more clicks…I’m sure you get the idea.  I felt like I was playing a video game, trying to blast space invaders as they crawled down the screen. Even the simplest task became a slow and difficult procedure for the computer. And while I was waiting, more ads popped up – most advertising products guaranteed to speed up my computer’s performance! They sat in the middle of the screen, pushing their way into my thoughts, demanding action!

Frustrated, I frantically searched for a way to get rid of the ads, and get things back to normal.  With some help from the tech guy in my husband’s office, I was finally able to get back on track. The problem was bigger than the scope of my experience, and I was ready to throw the thing in the trash!

Of course all of this happened during an already hectic week…

I heard my husband at one point tell our out of town visitors that it might be a good idea to stay away from my office…

Reflecting on the whole experience allowed me to see it as a picture of my life.

Most of the time life is great! I go through the day able to do the things I need and love to do. Then something out of my control – like the computer virus, happens.  Illness, relationship problems, financial worries…things I can’t fix pile up – and I slow down, struggling to perform the simplest task.

However, unlike my computer,  I can choose how I deal with these pop-ups.  Will I allow myself to become paralyzed?  Or will I place my trust in Christ, realizing that whatever happens has a reason in His bigger plan for the Kingdom? It seems there’s always a lesson somewhere in my life interruptions, one that I couldn’t learn without coming to the end of my ability to fix it!

I’m grateful for the people He places in my life when I’m frustrated and ready to give up. I hope you have some of those in yours – encouragers who have been there themselves, willing to help when you are down.

Now you may be skeptical about looking at problems this way. I have my own doubts too – especially when I can’t see the bigger plan. But as I sat thinking about all of this I realized two ways that my computer virus was something  I could treasure: It kept me from sending an email I was struggling with, and allowed another to answer with much more grace than I was feeling, and it gave me a chance to reflect and write about trusting Christ – the one we can, “cast all our cares on because He cares for you!”

Great Expectations

     What is your favorite part of the Christmas season? 

     I love the decorations! The lights on a Christmas tree sparkling and bright...hung with ornaments full of memories...the nativity set of Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus placed in the manger...candles and fireplaces and the warm glow that seems to surround this holiday!

     A few years back, one of our treasure hunts yielded boxes of old glass ornaments. They were similar to ornaments my mother-in-law used to decorate her house - even the ceiling of one room! The ornaments reminded us of Christmas' past, and the celebrations with her that we still treasure in our hearts.

     The ornaments were also fragile, some shattered when lifted gently from the box!

     The ones that made it were placed into this apothecary jar-

    

     Another decoration I treasure is the baby Jesus my son fashioned out of clay when he was in elementary school -

     

     The decorations we pull from boxes and set around our homes have a special place in our hearts. Filled with memories of family gatherings past, we expect them to set the stage for a perfect celebration full of new memories.

     We have great expectations for Christmas...

     But what happens when holiday reality doesn't live up to our expectations?

     If our expectations are for a perfect Christmas experience we may find that dream shattered like one of my fragile ornaments. 

     Christmas is the celebration of a child born in a stable in Bethlehem - a less than perfect setting! In all our decorating and preparation may we remember that it wasn't the setting, but rather baby Jesus' birth that makes our Christmas celebration perfect. 

     That Jesus Christ is the only reason we are celebrating at all...

     

Globes; To the End of the Earth

     We are part of a local vintage market that takes place a couple of times a year. It's great fun to go from booth to booth, checking out what treasures our fellow hunters have found, and how some of them have re-purposed those treasures!

     One thing we see over and again is vintage globes. The kind your teacher had on her desk when you were in elementary school; the one you twirled round and round while you waited in line to ask a question. These are in demand, some for their historical value, some to be transformed with boldly written travel quotes.

     I enjoy these old globes, and have taken to collecting them when one appears at an estate sale. A globe seems to say, "...there are places to go, people and sights you need to see, just waiting..."

Cram's Scope-O-Sphere World Globe

     

     And maybe it's not so strange that I am intrigued by these globes...

     Before Jesus left the earth to return to Heaven, He gave this instruction to His disciples:

     "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." *

     We have been instructed to share the gospel of Jesus Christ everywhere that we could point a finger to when we twirl the globe! This is a big command, one that may look impossible,  but we need to note that He didn't expect us to do it on our own. The power needed to obey Him will come from the Holy Spirit. The opportunities to share the Gospel will present themselves at His leading. We are not alone!

     So where will you be led to share His message of redemption? Your neighborhood? Somewhere else in this country? Or will He take you on a spin to the other side of the globe, and a people group that are waiting to hear His Good News...at the "end of the earth...?"

*Acts 1:8

                                                               

Another Resource Faces Extinction

     Our media is constantly reminding us that the precious natural resources we treasure are dwindling, becoming polluted, facing extinction...

     And we can see this truth for ourselves. We were placed here as caretakers, but more often than not the care we take, is of ourselves. Without concern for the effect it may have on the air, water and plants our lives depend on, we continue to violate these resources, most often for gain.

     My heart is saddened by the need for new and more that our country embraces, and that in part is what keeps me out hunting for treasure. With so many beautiful old pieces of jewelry left, things that have lasted 30 years or more, shouldn't we continue to use them?

This beautiful Victorian necklace is over 100 years old, a unique accessory you won't find everyone wearing!

     But this week end I discovered another treasure that is in peril of extinction:

     Silence.

     At a women's retreat we were challenged to spend two hours in quiet; we read, prayed and listened to see what God might have to say to us.

     As I walked away to find a secluded place my hand reached for my cell phone. It was an automatic gesture, and I was tempted to fill my time catching up with the "urgent" requests that it announced with a flash and hum. It was with great reluctance that I put it away.

    Finally, I settled into a quiet corner of the camp. The building appeared empty except for another person across the room seeking her own solitude. I started reading. I really was hoping to hear from God, there are many things going on in my life right now that require His direction. And He told me He would be there if I would just seek Him...

    The quiet was suddenly broken by music. Speakers I didn't realize were near loudly started playing Christian music. The words were beautiful, and normally soothing - but it was not the voice of God I'd hoped to hear. I debated...should I move...would I find quiet anywhere?

     And there is the problem - the treasure of quiet is becoming extinct. God tells us to "Be still and know" that He is God, that He will be exalted among the nations and in the earth. As quiet disappears, so does our ability to know mighty God. *

     He also tells us that, "In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength..."* Is it any wonder that we feel weak and overwhelmed by our lives? 

     And then there was this other thing, and maybe it explains why we are allowing silence to become extinct...

     Do we really want to be alone with our thoughts? When they remind us of unresolved conflicts in our relationships with God and people, it is tempting to just turn them off with the flip of a switch. But in doing so we turn off the One who has the ability to heal these conflicts.

    I would like to challenge you to find a quiet place this week, and spend time seeking God. Eventually I found the quiet I was looking for last week end, and I did hear from God as He confirmed His direction for me. If you seek Him, He will be there in the quiet for you too!

     "But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul"    Deuteronomy 4:29

*Psalm 46:10, Isaiah 30:15

     

The Big Picture

     The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City is a great place to find treasure! There are rooms full of antique furniture, photos, delicate ceramics, and paintings from every period by the masters of each! A few summers ago I visited for the first time;  each room seemed more splendid than the last as we progressed from the treasures of Egypt through the French Impressionists (my favorite)!

     It was impossible for me to focus on one thing - each painting drew my attention and so I flitted from one to the next, unable to concentrate for very long for fear I might miss something!

     My son was traveling through time with me that day as we viewed the great artistic treasures created by man throughout history. He humored me as I ran around exclaiming over a Roman necklace here, a Tiffany vase there...

     And all the while he was patient and focused....

     Because he had a goal. There was a painting that he would see that day. Everything else was interesting, and he enjoyed sharing our time together, but as we progressed he knew where we were headed.

                        

"Washington Crossing the Delaware" -Emanuel Leutze-1851

     This magnificent painting of George Washington crossing the Delaware was the treasure he was there to experience. And that he did to the fullest, as he took in the expression of each man captured by the artist's brush strokes. The painting stirs feelings of patriotism and a gratefulness for those who sacrificed all, that we might know the blessing of calling this place home! I was thankful for his determination to see this masterpiece, it is a memory I will always hold dear.

     And like that day at the museum I will sometimes find myself fluttering here and there through life, wanting to see it all...

     God has a purpose for each person, and that purpose is leading us toward a goal. As my son was interested in all the things around us, he didn't get distracted by them; he knew something great was waiting for him further on.

     I need to be reminded of what God has waiting for me further on -

      " Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.  Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.  And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”   Revelation 21:1-5

     Someday, I will be with God in Heaven. No more tears, no more pain or death or sorrow. And  Heaven will be a place more beautiful than anything we could possibly imagine - or that the great masters were able to depict on canvas.  Even Michelangelo! 

     But while I am still here, God has a purpose for me, and while I am easily distracted by all that life involves, my purpose is to share...

     ...that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life...that no one can come to God the Father, except through Him.* To encourage everyone He puts in my path,  to press on through all those beautiful distractions that life offers,  toward the big picture...the eternal life we will have with God...in a place that is the most beautiful of all!

*John 14:6
  

     

Compartments

     I always cringe just a little when I'm paying for items at an estate sale and the cashier drops all the old jewelry into one big clump. OUCH!

     It usually means I'll find a chip here, a tangle there, sometimes a random rhinestone just pops right out of its setting! These treasures need their own space, gentle treatment, a bit of wrapping!

     At home I place them in dividers:

An assortment of brooches from early 1900's - 1960's.

     Dividing these aging beauties gives me some control over their condition, and condition is everything to the collectors looking for these pieces.  

     Sometimes we try to separate life into dividers...

     This does not have the same results!

     We become a different person at work than we are at home. Our friends would be surprised to know we attend church on Sunday. Our belief in Jesus Christ has no bearing on our world view. Each facet of life neatly placed in its own box- just like these brooches!

     Jesus told his disciples that, "All authority has been given to Me in Heaven and on earth." 

     His authority opens all those boxes we try to shut. Recognizing this frees us to live a life of integrity where we are honest with Him, others and ourselves!

     The condition of my vintage jewelry may be better separated, but the condition of my heart is at its best undivided, completely given to Him! 

     

     

     

Radiant Beauty!

     Estate sales have taught me a valuable lesson - don't judge a book by its cover. Or in this case, don''t judge what is inside a home by a vanilla stucco exterior!  A home on a street where all homes shared a strong resemblance, was unique when the front door opened - because it had been filled by an artist and collector of modern art! Like stepping into a museum, it was hard to know where to look first - each wall holding something more interesting than the next!

     Okay - of course I knew where to look first - at the jewelry! But before I was able to head in that direction something caught my eye. Two cobalt blue Lucite sculptures...

"Gems" 1 & 2 of 25 by R.R. Reynolds Jr.

     Modern Lucite sculptures do not interest me. Normally. These, however...had this glow that radiated from the inside out. Of course seeing their name, "Gems" engraved in the bottom when I flipped them over was a sign that they needed to go into my "hold" pile by the cashier.

     On further inspection, I was able to see that the inside had been carved out, and with some clever sculpting, Reynolds had been able to make the carved areas shine brighter than the dark blue surrounding them. 

     There are people who seem to radiate a kindness, love, and compassion as they move through life. I'm sure you've met one...and were drawn to them. Usually, when you hear their life story, it isn't one of privilege - most often they've been touched by pain or tragedy. But instead of letting tribulation leave them in darkness and defeat, they've allowed Jesus Christ to turn it into something beautiful.That carving out of self allows His beauty to radiate in us. The work of art He creates may look like Elisabeth Elliot, a woman who went to Ecuador to share Jesus Christ with the same tribe who had earlier killed her husband, missionary Jim Elliot. She allowed a carving away of the anger and bitterness she might have been justified in feeling; instead,  the same love Jesus Christ has for a people dying in sin and without hope, radiated through her to them.

     Paul shared, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18)

"Something beautiful, something good

All my confusion He understood

All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife

But He made something beautiful of my life."

                                                          - Bill Gaither