Not a Team Sport

I want to state that I am by no means a judge of skating. I am offering my opinion and that is all.

Last night, as I watched the Free Skate Program of the Men's Figure Skating, I was struck by several things. First, the three men who where less than one point away from each other, going for the medals we so very different. There was the Russian, Yevgeny Plushenko. This man is full of confidence, seems to thrive on the media and attention, and is very vocal about his opponents. He is quick to criticize and play mind games. Then there was the American, Evan Lysacek, who appeared as a quiet, seemingly humble man, who goes about his business of figure skating without all the flair and hype. Though these two men are very different in personality and talent, their goal was the same. Win the gold medal.

Evan came out, beautifully skated his long program. He jumped, spun, virtually floated across the ice. He was not totally flawless though. He almost lost it on a simple spin. He did what was asked of him and more. He left his heart out on the ice.

Yevgeny, was the last skater of the evening. His program started out with a huge quadruple jump. That is four rotations in the air! It is simply a huge feat for a human. He landed it without problem. But as I watched his long program, he seemed to be more flailing his arms, not having the flow of the turns and just jumping around. It just didn't feel sincere to me. He seems more of show-boat, which I suppose is a terrific quality for the Olympics (look at Shaun White).

These two men looked at the same program and the same tricks the had to do, with different styles. I enjoyed both programs and both men. It is just another way to prove that God makes humans so unique, so totally different. Most of us has two arms, two legs, one body and so on, but we all have different features that make us individuals. Figure skating , men's and women's , is not a team sport. All the participants are on a country team of some sort, but each person participating in that event has the same goal; to win.

I am mesmerized by these games and the abilities. The crazy people like, Simon Aamann, the ski jumper from Sweden. I love to watch the men fly down the hill on skis, and at the end of the huge ramp, jump off and fly through the air like Superman. I love the air that Shaun White and Louie Vito gets on the half-pipe.

Being different has it's rewards. We as Christians need to remember that. We can't be like the world. We need to emulate God. We need to do what he wants us to do. Usually that alone sets up apart. Look at Billy Graham, Martin Luther, and Jim Elliott. They did what God wanted them to do and they are known for their lives. Can we do the same? Can we be willing to do a quad jump for Christ?

Psalm 139:13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.

Hope for Spring

I have noticed that the past couple of weeks or so, the 7 AM hour is getting lighter and brighter to see. Isn't it funny how that sneaks up on you? At the end of October, we turned the clocks back and instantly it was darker earlier in the day. But slowly, little by little, it crept up on us and now the days are starting to give us hope. Anticipation of what may come, of what is to come, and what will be.

We again have hope that even though we have a foot of snow on the ground and five more weeks (or more) of cold winter weather, the season will change and the air will start to warm up. We anticipate that underneath that white, frozen terrain, little roots are still formed and plants will begin to wake up. I can remember, the the not so distant past that some of us was questioning "How early Spring has come this year!" I do not think anyone will say that. I have not seen any signs of crocuses or tulips peek through the mud and muck. I do not see any of the young trees with little buds starting to form on them. All is still cold, and looks dead. But as we know, there is hope!

Hope for warmth, hope of spring, hope for new life! The same is with you. You have a hope in Jesus Christ. If you obey His word, trust in his promises, you will go from the dead of winter to the hope of spring. I pray that you will come alive and be all that God wants you to be.

Genesis 1:14 And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years...

All He Knows is Jesus Loves Me!

When I woke up this morning, everything outside looked peaceful. Peaceful and clean, covered with new, fresh snow. As I looked out and saw the snow shower that was adding to the already piled up fluffy white death (as my co-workers call it), I thought of the end of the chorus that says, "Now wash me and I will be whiter than snow."

Doesn't it seem like that in your back yard? Everything is snow-covered, white and just has this purity about it. When the sun hits it, it just seems like sparkling diamonds that are spread over the whole area. When you are covered by Jesus' blood, that is how you look to God. Pure and white, without a blemish on us. He sees us and loves us as his children; as we see and love our children.

At the funeral we went to on Saturday, hymns were being played. I looked at the kids and said, "Name that tune." Allie got it right. It was Amazing Grace. Timm looked at me with a twinkle in his eye and said, "Jesus Loves Me." I told him he needs to be in regular church more.

Sunday morning, our organist played a version of Amazing Grace, but it is called My Chains Are Gone. I looked at Timm and said, "Name that tune." He said, "Jesus Loves Me." A little while later, the Williams Sisters sang a song, and near the end of it the sang part of "Jesus Loves Me." I looked at Timm and he said, "See, I told you."

I said, "Yeah, they sang that just for you."

But, isn't that why we have amazing grace? Because Jesus loves us? The more I thought of it, the more I realized that though he was teasing, Timm was right. Jesus Loves Me can be the name of almost any song we sing in praise and any thing we do to obey God can be called...Jesus Loves Me.

JESUS LOVES MY

Traditional, Words By: Anna B. Warner

Jesus loves me! This I know,
For the Bible tells me so;
Little ones to Him belong,
They are weak but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! He who died,
Heaven's gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin,
Let His little child come in.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! loves me still,
When I'm very weak and ill;
From His shining throne on high,
Comes to watch me where I lie.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! He will stay,
Close beside me all the way;
He's prepared a home for me,
And some day His face I'll see.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Love them tomorrow too!

Yesterday at our church was a special day. The kids especially love it. We call it Love Sunday. It is always the Sunday closest to Valentine's Day and we encourage our members to bring things to show our love for each other. usually people bring baskets of candy to pass out to everyone. Sometimes we bring cards or little gifts. It is a nice way for each of us to make sure we see others and express our appreciation and love for each other.

Showing love and appreciation on a designated day is easy for most of us. You do not feel weird about giving or receiving this expression because you are not the only one doing it. Others around you are doing the same thing. But what about those times when you want to show your love and concern but do not want to make a big show of it? Do you still do it? Do you write the person an email or do you give them a call? Sometimes a little note makes all the difference. Timm has one friend at church who emails me to find out how he is doing. This person makes sure I tell him "hi" and they are wanting to know if he is feeling better (he has been having a lot of headaches). Tim, being a (almost) thirteen year old boy, kinda grins when I tell him about the messages, and I know it makes him feel just a little special. It isn't something anyone else knows about, but he knows and feels the love this friend has for him.

It is so nice for people to show their love on Valentine's Day, birthdays, anniversaries, and all. But what about the non-designated days? That that extra step and tell someone you appreciate them today. Write them a note and show your concern for them. Just a couple of lines will do it.

John 13:34 - 35 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

Teach Them

This week, our little office of 66 workers, has been doubly blessed. Two new beautiful babies were born. One on Monday and one last night (it is sketchy as to the exact time yet, MEN!). The parents of Monday's Child, both work here in the office as engineers. This is their first child and they are excited and nervous. Monday's Child even came two weeks early. Friday's Child's father works here and was just a few days early and is also a first child. I am so happy for them.

Monday's Child is a boy, which was expected. Friday's Child, was expected to be a boy, but...either they were just telling us that, or boy were they surprised! When I was told the name of Friday's Child, I said, "That isn't the name he told me." SURPRISE! Trusting that ultrasound isn't always the smartest thing. Things are hidden, or what they think they are looking out, isn't what it really is.

Do you think the following poem is correct?

Mondays child is fair of face,
Tuesdays child is full of grace,
Wednesdays child is full of woe,
Thursdays child has far to go,
Fridays child is loving and giving,
Saturdays child works hard for his living,
And the child that is born on the Sabbath day
Is bonny and blithe, and good and gay.

I think that we call be all of these things. It is interesting to see what traits are brought out of a child though. Both my children were born on Saturday. Allie works hard at all she does. Timm? Well, he sometimes works, but never too hard. He is more into making others either do the work for him or how easy he can do it. He has many other good traits.

We quickly care for each need of a newborn. Even before they cry, we sometimes check to make sure they are wrapped up tight, eating right, and clean. But that gets weary. The two a.m. feedings, the constant making of bottles, the doing everything for them is very tiring to us. As newborn Christians come into our family, do we feel the same way? It is hard to keep up with someone new and help motivate them, to show them what God says and where he says it. Sometimes we say "let someone else do it this time". But who? If you just leave it to chance, then they are without a mentor. Will you help the newborn grow? Will you help guide the new family to feel at home and become active members in your church?

Titus 2:1-10

You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine. ²Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.

³Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. ⁴Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, ⁵to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

⁶Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. ⁷In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness ⁸and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

⁹Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, ¹⁰and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.

Are You An Olympian?

I will have a love fest for the next few 16 days with my television. I know that sounds very odd, and some of you already think I have this going on, but this is special. It only happens every 4 years in February. The 2010 Vancouver Olympics start tomorrow evening! I am so excited about it. I want to watch everything! Everything. I will set the DVR and the 4 different channels it is set on so that when it is time for an event, I can see it.

For me, the Olympics are the epitome of everything sports (except for American football). My husband thinks the Winter Olympics has nothing good to offer. Of course, he is being sexist about it because it is cold and everyone wears clothes. But he fails to realize that the clothes are thermal and half-naked women are not as exciting to watch as the hockey teams slamming each other against the fiberglass, or the suspense and intensity that goes with curling or the triathlon. I love how the countries who never see snow or cold weather want to compete. Like the man from Ghana who is in the Alpine Skiing event. His nickname is Snow Leopard and he has only been in snow for a short while. His name is Kwame Nkrumah Acheampong. Snow Leopard will be coming to a tv near you very soon.

The Olympics brings the world together, if just for a brief blip. The memories will last longer. It seems only last month that we watch the opening ceremonies of the Chinese Summer Olympics, but it was actually August of 2008. I vividly remember the drums and that amazing feat by the runner Bolt. So every night (except at 9 PM on Mondays) I will be watching some form of Olympic games for the next 16 days. The competition will be fierce and I will be rooting for who I always root for. First, the USA and second, the underdogs that have their 15 minutes of fame.

God brings the world together too. Not for just days, but for eternity if you let him. We talk about him with our neighbors, we send missionaries around the world. His athletes need no special training, no special knowledge other than the Bible. That is our tool. All you have to do is believe and obey.

Matthew 28:19-20 ¹⁹Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Aleah Masters

Update: Timm had a day without a headache yesterday. Praise the Lord! Hopefully we are starting to see some positive results.

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Yesterday, a dear family friend of my husband's went to be with the Lord. Aleah Masters was a wonderful woman. She, her husband, and kids were long-time neighbors and friends of Mike, his parents, sister and brother. All the kids still keep in touch. His sister, Jodi and Sharon are best friends. They talk a lot, are there for all the joys and tragedies and heartaches. Tom and Darrell are close and we are all thrilled every time we see them. I know that sounds weird, but it is true. Even in the sorrowful times, we love to see them. They are extended family.

Even though funerals are sad times and I cry at most of them, it is nice to see our friends and family. Sad to say, but sometimes it is the only time we catch up. Everyone is so busy and moved around and away, and none of us seem to be able to make time for everyone. So we get together and see each other for a few hours during the visitation and funeral. Is this not a sad commentary of life in the United States?

Aleah was like a mom to Mike. When the kids were born, Aleah and Harrell were one of the first people Mike took them to see. Aleah never minced words, was a wonderful cook and I always thought she was funny. She always told of how she came up to Ohio with her husband, did not know a soul. How she moved in and set up house and got to know her neighbors. That was when neighbors really got to know and depend on each other. She developed Alzheimer's several years ago, but in the last few months, just not done very well.

We pray for the Masters family.

Psalm 116:15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.