notesbynora

Rainbows fascinate me. I don’t know anyone who can ignore a rainbow in the sky. The mere existence of such invokes awe whether you are Christian or Hindu or Buddhist. In my faith it is a covenant between God and man based on the story of Noah from the book of Genesis.

Noah was a man of faith who loved God and because of this, he found favor in God’s eyes. The Bible states in Genesis 6:13, “So God said to Noah, ‘I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. So make yourself an ark…”

What interests me the most about this story is the simplicity of Noah’s obedience. There was no burning bush. Angels did not appear with swords drawn. God did not come down and visit Noah’s home. The Bible states, “So God said to Noah…make yourself an ark…”

Would you build an ark?

I often contemplate what I would do in situations such as this. When I travel I imagine if I were separated from the ones I know could I find my hotel? Would I have helped slaves get to free territory during and before the civil war? When Jesus walked up the hill carrying His cross, would I have defended Him? And in the situation of Noah, would I have built the ark?

God reveals Himself to us in many ways – rainbows for example are God’s promise to us that He will never destroy the earth by flood again. But how many of us are asked to do a task but because it seems illogical, difficult, or out-of-line with the world, we shrug it off as too much pizza the night before or some hair-brained idea. How many of us are not willing to obey God because what He is asking does not make sense…to us?

The Bible tells us that “Noah walked with God,” (Genesis 6:9). It doesn’t say Noah talked to God. It implies a very quiet companionship where Noah listened to His Heavenly Father and obeyed. What an outrageous request to build an ark! Can you imagine the ridicule he received? 2 Peter 2:5 describes Noah as “a preacher of righteousness.” Noah didn’t hide what he was doing from his neighbors, he warned them. I can see him carrying a large, long cypress plank while the men of his village mocked him and Noah continued to preach despite them.

Several years ago someone told me they disliked (the word hated was actually used) the way I talked about God all the time.  Because this person was special in my life, it hurt my heart. And although their statement brought a moment of insecurity, I remember God empowered me. I felt this boldness and my words were no longer my own. My response to him/her gave me strength. It was probably at that moment that I started talking about God even more and do not intend to stop.

The question to ask yourself is “Could you be Noah?” and if not, why not? In the end, wouldn’t you rather be Noah, on the boat? in the most horrific storm of the world’s history? And as the leader of his home, I think his family was probably very proud they were a part of his life and were with him.

God is calling you to do certain things.

Be a Noah!

“If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31

Fall is ending in the Northeast Georgia Mountains, the area I call home. Recent rains have hurried the process and the once orange, red, and yellow leaves appear no more on branches above us. All signs point toward winter. Our season is changing.

Not one leaf falls without the full knowledge of God. A horse does not drop her foal or a dolphin leap above a crashing wave without the Creator’s eye looking down. All we are, all we have, all we will become are offered unselfishly by God with only the condition that we love Him in return.

“…who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” 1Timothy 6:17

There is no arrogance in His gifts to us, although there could be. My son, Will, told me a joke the other day. There was a debate between God and an Agnostic. The Agnostic said to God, “Anyone can create something.” Our God responded, “then show me.” The Agnostic bent over and picked up dirt to form a creation to which God replied, “Get your own dirt!”

The question then must surface, “Is God your ‘assistant’ or is He your ‘life’?” It is not to be answered quickly but with thought. Many of us call upon God when we need help, when times or seasons are changing in our lives and we feel out of control. We call upon Him when there seems ‘no other way out.’ We don’t speak with Him daily or pray for direction in all that we do. We don’t make our every word – His; our every move – His own.

I remember as a child my Mom requesting that we pray she be able to find a good parking spot. I love that in my Mom. As we approached down town she had no doubt that the Lord would help her find just the right space to unload three small children. Some might say we shouldn’t bother God with such trivia. To them I would reply, I have no doubt the Creator of the Universe smiles when my Mama asks for help finding a parking spot and He diligently moves just the right automobile for her because He is not her assistant – He is her life.

The configurations of the seasons, the setting of the sun, the very signs of greying hairs on our heads are all calculated by God – He has never been surprised – not once.

I remember a time when I received bad news and as I sat trying to take it all in I heard the voice of a friend, “Do you think God is freaking out?”

It took me a moment to take in his words. “Freaking out?”

“Yes. Do you think God is going, ‘Oh no! This is happening to Nora! What can I do? How can I help her out of this?”

The words of my friend still ring in my head anytime I face a tragedy or uncertain situation. If God already knew in advance that such would occur in my life, then He already knows what needs to be done to get me through it. I only need to roll up my pants legs, tighten my boots, and get going. And because God is not my assistant but my life, I willingly must be able to trust that He is in control and will take care of what needs to be done. I only have to do the work here and believe.

God weaves His history into our lives, preparing the way, giving the direction, providing the answer.

Several months ago I attended a meeting in which the facilitator asked for introductions. Of the twelve plus men and women in the room, the typical responses began to flow from our mouths, “I’m a mother of 6 and writer; I work for Wells Fargo, married 5 years; I’m a physician…”

We all have an identity. We’re somebody’s son or daughter; wife or husband; former wife or former husband; somebody’s mom or dad. We are coaches, teachers, carpool drivers…but is that truly who we are?

When the introductions were finished, the gentleman leading our session whispered, “Now tell me who you are called to be…”

I have two friends who travel together every year for vacation. Each year they pretend to be obscure and different people from whom they really are. The whole scheme is tremendous. They study and read all about these prepared scenarios and spend their cruise together being biologist or morticians or violin instructors. At the end of the cruise, the one who convinced the most people and has the most believable part wins $10.00.

If you were to google, “Purpose in Life,” thousands of books, articles, blogs, and devotions would appear, all attempting to help you navigate the “Steps to Find Your Purpose in Life.” But is it really that easy? And how many of us are on the right track?

In Galatians 1:10, Paul writes: “…If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

We identify ourselves according to the world’s standard, “I am this…I do this…I’ve been here…I know them.” But what we are called to be is servants of Christ. The purpose filled life isn’t complicated when we look at what we are doing and determine how we can serve Christ in doing it.

My grandmother, Mama Dolly, taught me to iron. I thought it to be one of the worst jobs available on the planet, such a tedious and unpretentious chore. I remember after a down pour of tears because I despised my chore, she told me her secret to ironing. She prayed for the person who would wear the shirt she was ironing. Instantly, the job for me became a mission, a huge responsibility, a necessary part of my family’s life. The jeans my brother would wear or the starched white collar on my Dad’s shirt all held the touch of God.

The passions of our hearts are intimately planned and directed by God. He only asks that we use those passions not for the sole purpose to make money or impress our neighbor but to serve Him. In so doing, we fulfill our calling for our lives. Like ironing, when we take what we’ve been given to do and turn it into an opportunity to serve God and His people, our purpose can’t help but be changed.

I attended a wedding recently, an outdoors ceremony surrounded by autumn colored trees. The timing was just before sunset and the streams of light reflecting off the yellow, orange, and red hues of the leaves gave an atmosphere ripe for romance.

It was the first wedding celebration I had attended since the end of my own 26 years of marriage and the mere fact that the bride
of this ceremony was one of the flower girls in mine made the day even more significant. I observed with caution and mixed emotions, not allowing myself to get involved too much in the sentiments of the moment but relishing the ambiance and excitement of those around me.

The pastor talked of love, commitment, hard days, and joy. He described the meaning of the rings and how covenants are made in
the eyes of God and he prayed that even when times are unbearable, this couple will strive to endure.

As I sat on a wooden bench, brown leaves beneath my feet, bright yellow and orange ones around me, I thought of spring – the newness, fresh and sweet, young and bursting with life. I thought of babies, little league baseball, Division 1 Swim Meets, college graduates, brides… I thought of me.

There is a song I used to sing throughout the day by Stephen Curtis Chapman,  “He makes all things new…” When I was working internationally, I came across a young girl, aged 14, who was prostituting herself in order to survive. She had cigar burns on
her skin and as I applied antibiotic ointment, I realized I was singing that song. When she asked our interpreter what the song was about, I gave the guy a brief idea with little depth because at that particular time I did not fully understand what it meant.

But on this particular day, sitting on a wooden bench, dead brown leaves beneath my feet, yellow, orange and red ones hanging
on the trees above me, and a new committed couple standing before God beginning their life covenant, I do. He makes all things new, over and over again.

You turn winter into spring
You take every living thing
And You breathe Your breath of life into it over and over again

You make all things new
You make all things new
You redeem and You transform
You renew and You restore

You make the sunrise, day after day after day
But there’s a morning coming, when old things will all pass away
And everyone will see

You make all things new
You make all things new
Come redeem and come transform
Come renew and come restore
You make all things new
You make all things new
And forever we will watch and worship You

Now and forever You are making all things new
You’re making all things new

Hallelujah…

“One man in a field is not a warrior.”  -Russian Proverb

Although we’d like it to be this way…with sword drawn and graceful maneuvers, showing our agility and flexibility to those around as we glide through battles with no opponent…it isn’t. From the increasing cheers of the crowd, our greatness would be legendary – fearless, skilled, full of energy, undeniably unbeatable – but what would we gain from fighting the wind?

King David wrote in Psalm 144:1-15 a prayer to God, acknowledging that life is a battlefield. The only way we learn to fight is in battle. It cannot be practiced, though practicing makes our swords sharper. It cannot be studied, though studying gives us an edge over our opponents. We only know that we are warriors after fighting the battle – when we lose we learn how to win the next time. And when we win, we equip ourselves for an even tougher battle in the future.

My son Bo is an athlete. In high school he divided his time between football and swimming, with a love for both. His work ethic is tremendous –  you will never see him quit on anything. He played Div 1 Football for 2 years on the collegiate level before switching to Div 1 swimming on a collegiate level. I love athletes because they teach us about life. From football games to swim meets, I have watched young men and women put their skills and hard work on the line time and time again in triumphant and defeat but the spirit within them rejoices. There is a will that stands apart from the rest of us to keep pushing, keep going, no matter the pain, in order to gain the prize at the end.

A dear friend of mine battled cancer. Her driving force was her son who is an athlete as well. She would see him fighting to win, to excel, through pain and fatigue. It inspired her to keep pressing forward and not allow the disease to over-take her. As a volunteer at a rape crisis center, I talk with women who confess that the will to survive came during the rape. Something within appeared in their hearts which proclaimed the strength to not only endure but win at all costs. There are greater forces surrounding us then we realize.

Job said it best after losing all that he had when he proclaimed, “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.” From the battle, Job realized the greatness of God and was rewarded and restored.

The only way we become skilled warriors is in the battlefield, the battlefield of life. It seems cruel in a way that God puts us in tough situations in order for us to learn to pray, to see evil for what it truly is, and to realize His promises are real. Every battle you fight has a reason and purpose behind it. Maybe it is a consequence of something you have done to harm yourself or another… maybe it is a result of actions from other people… maybe you are not responsible at all for what you are living through. The truth behind the difficulties we encounter, the struggles, the obstacles, the heartaches is God will not only get us through it but will use it to better our lives and the lives of others if we let Him.

Psalm 144:1 “Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.”

Your God is training you to be the person He needs you to be. Fight as an athlete with the will of a thousand soldiers. Do not let the enemy of your soul bring doubt of your ability to win. Know that in the end, the victory is of the Lord and He will use it to better your life. Rejoice that the training you are receiving strengthens you for God’s greater purpose in your life. And through it all, remember, praise, honor, and glory be to Him.

Barbra Streisand sang it best, “…if we had the chance to do it all again, tell me would we? Could we?” From the sound track of the movie “The Way We Were” who hasn’t imagined the possibility of doing it all over again, to step back into those photographs hanging on the walls of our homes, to hear the voice of a loved one no longer on earth, to relive, to change…oh the possibilities, if only.

Today is one of those days for me. We all have them. Days when we long to return to what could’ve been, should’ve been, would’ve been… if only.

My grandmother used to say, “If a frog had wings he wouldn’t hit his butt when he jumped.” The image of such brought laughter to me as a child. My brother Lindsey often replied, “but Mama Dolly he doesn’t.”

“Exactly…” she answered. Responding to our confused expressions, Mama Dolly would lean close to our ears and whisper, “If a frog had wings, he wouldn’t be a frog.”

Hart recently turned 15 and once again I have a live-in chauffeur. For me it is such a treat not to have to drive. As a mother of six, I have been a taxi cab service for quite awhile with no fare. When she first started, I would often remind her about the side mirrors and rear view mirror, “Glance in your mirrors off and on so that you know what’s behind you but keep your eyes on the road ahead.”

The more memories we have behind us, the more likely to look back and wonder if only we’d made this decision…if only we’d taken this turn, said these words, joined this group…if only we’d been in this place and not that place…but then we wouldn’t be who we are. Every experience, good or bad, imprints our souls to create the people we are today. And today’s experiences will impact the people we are becoming.

Psalm 16: 11, “You have made known to me the path of life…” 

My son Ben works as a raft guide during college breaks to earn some extra money. Truth be known, if he didn’t get paid, he would still do it because of his love of nature and adventure. To those in his raft, the currents and rocks are unknown and can be frightening but Ben knows how to navigate the river in such a way as to give his customers the best ride. I often imagine God as the guide of my life in the same way. Sometimes the rapids are rough but He knows the river and while I might think I’m going to flip over (and sometimes I do), He will always rescue me. The more difficult a current He gets me through, the easier it is to rely on Him the next level of rapid.

Memories are our rear view mirrors, they serve to give us glances of the past, reminders of where we’ve been; however, to move forward, we have to keep our eyes on the road ahead. And if we had the chance to do it all over again? We wouldn’t be frogs. We wouldn’t be who we are.

Charles Kettering, inventor of the incubator for premature infants, freon for air-conditioners, and head researcher for GM, wrote, “My interest is in the future because I am going to spend the rest of my life there.”

“I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” Psalm 16:8

     Oh the storms of life…if you have not experienced them, you will. They are inevitable to every inhabitant on this planet physically, emotionally, and financially. Storms are not selective – no matter your skin color, wallet size, place of dwelling, educational goals – storms hit unannounced in various strengths whenever they want with a fury that sometimes knocks us off our feet.

        Jesus’ disciples experienced such a storm in Mark 4:35 – 38, “That day when evening came, He said to His disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side.’ Leaving the crowd behind, they took Him along, just as He was, in the boat. There were also other boats with Him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.”

        My son Ben (20) is one of those men who can fix anything, find anything, and has a knack for getting himself out of whatever comes his way. Ben knows how to survive in nature. How to find fresh water, build structures, administer first aide – you name it – he can do it. While in Costa Rica, we had the opportunity to explore the Rain Forests. I made sure that I stayed close on his heels because I knew if we got lost, I could make it as long as I was with him.  

        “The disciples woke Him and said, ‘Teacher don’t you care if we drown?”

        Often when we are in the middle of a storm we wonder if God even knows we are in it. There are times He seems so silent it appears as though He is sleeping. “Are you even there? Do you know what I’m going through? Why are you doing this to me?” we ask.

        “He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.”

        Is Jesus in your boat? One of the toughest questions to answer sometimes comes when hurricanes hit our lives and all that we know and love is challenged by this simple question. We may know He is in the boat but it feels like He is snoozing away while the tumultuous waters rise higher and higher, the boat seems to be filled with water, and our last breath is just minutes away. We want to feel like we are walking on the heels of Ben in the Rain Forests of Costa Rica but often times doubt and insecurity make us believe we ‘go it alone.’

        “He said to His disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

        When your storms hit remember praise, prayer, and perseverance. You don’t have to wake Jesus up. He will get you to the other side.

        Joshua 1:9, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

        Let God be God…your God…ride out the boat…for ‘wherever you go’ He is with you.

In the top right corner of my Bible, at some point I wrote in blue ink, “Judgment can be seen as a type of grace.” It is a comment proposed by the verse in Hebrews 12:12 &13, “Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.”

I remember a sermon Pastor Jim Rush of Pine Forest Methodist Church preached on this very verse. Pine Forest was my first church home, where I was christened, confirmed, accepted Christ, and married. Even though I was in my early teen years when I heard his message, some 30+  years ago, I still remember it.

One of my favorite childhood friends, Tracy Lou Lamb, and I shared a love for scary movies.  Nestled in the center aisle of the Martin Theatre in Dublin, Georgia; popcorn placed strategically between us; two iced cold Tabs; we suffered through the heart raising, nail biting, silent torture of horror. To Tracy the big screen before us suggested humor. There were times she’d throw her arm up exclaiming, “Really? Like she can’t figure out he’s standing behind the door…oh! How stupid!”

For me, the images before me were as real as breakfast cereal in the morning and the masked man driving the white station wagon could easily be the guy sitting next to me in Miss Holt’s Social Studies Class. For days I walked in a sort of stupor wondering if the next doorway would bring my demise, 27 dagger wounds to my chest, but the thrill of the scare kept me coming back. Tracy Lou teased me unmercifully, “How can you be scared? It was so obvious!”

“Therefore strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees…”

Provision for our known weakness…Pastor Rush probably wasn’t talking about horror films the day he preached his Hebrews 12:12-13 sermon, but it was how I saw sin and the fallible influences of  my life – always lurking behind bushes, hiding in corridors, sneaking up unsuspectingly – that put me in harms way.  Masked in a way that we cannot see its true self, the dangers we knowingly or unknowingly invite into our lives, cripple us.

Realizing where frailities are, the chinks in our armors, allows us to muscle up, see them coming, face them boldly, or run as fast as we can away from them.

“Make level paths for your feet…”

My brother and his wife experienced a house fire early in their marriage. Awaken to smoke so thick they could not see their own hands, they crawled out of the bedroom and safely out of their home. He once told me that before he goes to bed he makes sure the floor is clear because of his experience.

There are times in life when we ourselves choose obstacles, we repeatedly walk where we know we shouldn’t,  entertaining the notion, “it is innocent fun.”

While in New York I took a group of girls to the M&M Store. Those who know me, know my weakness is M&Ms. I laughed as I stood wall-to-wall with the daggers of my life. Talk about a sinful dwelling! I envisioned putting my mouth under an M&M spout of plain colorful candies and leaving the girls to wander around New York without me. Thankfully, the image was only momentary and I got through the store without a single purchase.

“…so that the lame may not be disabled but rather healed.”

If we want to stay safe, there are certain places we cannot go. Whether it is inappropriately texting a co-worker; visiting sites on the internet; eating unhealthy foods; hanging out with people we know are wrong for us; drinking too much alcohol; smoking; gossiping; judging others; stretching the truth – whatever the flaw, we know what ours are. How we view them significantly impacts us as well. Whether we see it as Tracy Lou did ‘all in fun’ or as I did ‘the thrill of the scare,’ it is still sin and will destroy us.

Pastor Rush closed his sermon with the simple remarks that I still quote today, “What used to make us stumble, God can use to make us stand. What once made us shameful, God can use to make Him shine.”

I like to consider myself “the plant rescuer.” Odd title, I know. It wasn’t exactly self-determined but motivated by finances. To put it simply, at some point in my life, I needed some plants, didn’t have the money, saw where the staff at Lowes had pulled plants to discard because they were ‘sickly’ and I jumped, “Are you throwing those plants out? Can I have them?”

 Boom – the plant whisperer was born.

My grandmother loved trees. They were life lessons for her. Because they are the longest living things on earth, trees probably have withstood and endured more than anything else on the planet. The sturdiest trees are not the pampered ones but the ones who have been through droughts and storms. In a season of little rain, trees grow the deepest roots because they have to reach further into the ground for water sources; and those with the deepest roots have the strongest foundations to stand firm in the harshest storms.

Matthew 15:13, “He replied, ‘Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots.”

Recently, I spoke to a group of women about perseverance.  As survivors of  rape, daily existence can be remarkably difficult. One of them commented, “Could a God who loves His children put them through such ‘hell?’”

It is a question only God can answer and one I can only speculate as to an answer. It ranks up there with, “Who causes bad things to happen?”

My immediate thought was of Paul who suffered beatings, stoning, imprisonment, and countless episodes of torture; yet, he knew God’s plan was bigger than him and was made stronger. I would probably classify Paul as the most powerful voice of Christianity other than Christ Himself.

Could it be that the storms of life are God’s mercy in disguise? There is a song on Christian radio, written by a female vocalist Laura Story called, “Blessings.” It has become an anthem of sorts to me because it speaks to the heart of life. The pampered tree does not have the deepest roots and as it matures, it is easily toppled by the first sign of distress.  It is the tree that has endured pests, turbulence, heat, little water, storms, lightning, and fire that stands in magnificent glory for 100s of years.

When I walk through my yard, I realize my most sturdy and beautiful plants are those I found on ‘death row.’ The ones not worthy to sell. The ones others did not want… because they fought back, not just to survive, but to thrive.