Barbara's Banter

Short and sweet thought for the week…

As we approach a new year, I have some advice. Look forward. The past is to learn from, not to live in.

Many people want things to be the way they used to be. Well, guess what! That is not going to happen.

We can’t afford to get mesmerized by nostalgia. After all, our memories may not be as accurate as we think. That’s why nostalgia may be good to look back on, but not to live in. Believe it or not, the poodle skirt is long gone and so are most movie stars you remember as a kid.

Others wish things had been handled differently by those they feel wronged them. Well, guess what! It’s too late! Wishing does not change the past. Everyone has legitimate reasons to feel hurt. If we don’t let go and let God, bitterness will consume us. There comes a time when we need to just get over it and move on. It is foolish to be held captive by things we can do nothing about. 

Living in the past immobilizes us. It keeps us from enjoying the present and prevents us from moving into the future. Christian lives should not be held in suspended animation. Paul says to forget what is behind (Philippians 3:13-14). The old things have passed away and God wants to do something new (1 Corinthians 5:17). However, God can’t do new things with us if we keep clinging to the old.

God wants us to move forward with faith (Hebrews 11:1). We cannot see into the future, so it can feel scary. However, God is with us. God will take care of us. God knows all our needs and doesn’t want us to worry (Matthew 6:25-32). Instead, He wants us to trust Him completely (Proverbs 3;5).   

There is no better time to focus on the concept of looking forward than when we are entering a new year. Our future lies ahead, not behind us. If we don’t keep moving forward with God, then we will get left behind.

“Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your
gaze directly before you.” ~Proverbs 4:25 (NIV)

Short and sweet thought for the week…

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and I’m so glad. I love the Christmas season. While some hate the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping, I relish it. Yes, I know Christmas commercialism has gotten way out of hand, but Christmas is a time when the whole world celebrates the Savior’s birth whether they think they do or not. Without Christ, there really is no “Christ”-mas.

I especially love Christmas songs. This includes Christmas carols like Silent Night, holiday standards like White Christmas, and goofy songs like Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer. I’m not remotely offended even though I am a grandma!

Music can be a positive powerful influence. Studies show that music can boost moods, reduce stress, sharpen recall, help slow cognitive decline, and bring back pleasant memories. Neuroscientists say that music and memory are like neighbors in the brain—physically close and emotionally connected. When we hear a melody tied to our past, it affects the same regions that help us store and retrieve long-term memories. It’s not just a flashback, but more like a sensory time machine.

People will forget where they put their keys, but will remember the words to carols like O Come All Ye Faithful or O Little Town of Bethlehem, even if they aren’t Christians. I think God must smile when He hears atheists sing, “O come let us adore Him.” In some ironic way, they are giving honor to the one they deny exists. On the other hand, I’m sure it pleases Him greatly to hear Christians jubilantly sing Joy to the World!

So have yourself a merry little Christmas! Don’t be shy about singing or humming along when you hear a favorite song. After all, it’s been a rough year. So we need a little Christmas and a lot of Christ who makes the season possible.   

“Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord…” ~Psalm 95:1 (NAS)

Short and sweet thought for the week…

Most of us yearn to be understood. We want people to know where we are coming from, why we do what we do, and what we mean. Yet so many times we are misunderstood, but not by God. 

God understands us and knows us far better than we know ourselves (Psalm 139:1). He views us through the eyes of grace, so we should never be afraid to bare our souls to Him for He loves us completely. When we feel like no one else seems to understand, that’s our opportunity to draw close to the One who does. Only He can refresh us, renew us, and heal us.

However, when it comes to others in our lives, perhaps it’s more important that we strive to understand them, than have them understand us. St. Francis of Assisi’s famous prayer gives us some insight on this. Most focus on the “make me an instrument of your peace” section which is very significant, but I find the second paragraph just as meaningful.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

The Bible admonishes us to esteem others better than ourselves (Philippians 2:3). Perhaps one way to start would be to make St. Francis’s prayer our prayer, too.

“…The Lord searches every heart and understands every
desire and every thought…” ~1 Chronicles 28:9 (NIV)

Short and sweet thought for the week…

Envy is an unhealthy desire to have something that belongs to someone else. We can envy another’s possessions, qualities, status, accomplishments, success, blessings, or even their luck. More than that, we can resent them for having what we don’t. Envy makes us miserable!

Another biblical term for envy could be covetousness. It sounds a bit old-fashioned but it basically means we want what another has. From the beginning, God said this is not a good idea. In fact, God says we shouldn’t covet anything that belongs to someone else (Exodus 20:17). That covers a lot of territory.

Once envy takes root in a heart, it can lead to works of the flesh such as discord, selfishness, dissension, hatred, rage, and many other negative actions that God cautions us to guard against (Galatians 5:19-21). That’s why we are not to have bitter-envy in our hearts (James 3:14). It’s better to fill our hearts with love for love does not envy (1 Corinthians 13:4). If we truly love others, we will be happy for their good fortune.

Okay, you’re saying! Envy is bad, but how do I conquer these dissatisfied longings? A couple of things come to mind…

First, we should stop comparing ourselves with others. Do we not know that God loves us just as much as He loves others? His love for us is not manifest in physical possessions or attributes. When God lifts another up for some reason, it does not mean He is putting everyone else down. Appearances can be deceiving. We don’t know what a person is going through. That’s why we run our own race, the one God tailor-made just for us (Hebrews 12:1).  

Next, we should learn to be truly content with our lives in Christ regardless of our circumstances. This is a lesson Paul learned through dire experiences (Philippians 4:10-12). He concluded that he could do all things through Christ who strengthened him (Philippians 4:13).

Envy will draw our focus from Christ to ourselves. If we have any hope of contentment, we must keep our eyes focused on Christ, not those around us.

David tells us not to be envious and then gives some helpful tips on how to do that (Psalm 37:1). Trust God and do good (Psalm 37:2). Fill your mind with God’s faithfulness (Psalm 37:2). Delight yourself in the Lord (Psalm 37:2). Commit your ways to God (Psalm 37:3). Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him (Psalm 37:7). Cease from anger and do not fret (Psalm 37:8).

If we concentrate on doing these things, we won’t have time to be envious!

“Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” ~Colossians 3:2

Short and sweet thought for the week…

In Exodus 3:14, God reveals Himself to Moses as Yahweh which means “I AM who I AM” or “I will be who I will be.” In other words, God is God and there is none like Him. Ancient scholars knew exactly who I AM was and what that meant.

When the Pharisees dialogued with Jesus about who He was, they were confused when He mentioned He had seen Abraham. They said, “You aren’t even 50 years old. How could you have seen Abraham?” Jesus answered with, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born I AM” (John 8:58).

This angered the Pharisees, so they picked up stones to stone Him, but Jesus hid and slipped away (John 8:56-58). The Pharisees understood the significance of Jesus saying, “I AM.” He was declaring Himself as God. They considered this blasphemous because He was making Himself equal with God (John 5:18). Of course, they didn’t know that Jesus was God in the flesh and the very Messiah prophesied to come (John 1:1).

Jesus made several “I AM” statements that have great meaning for us. He said…

• I am the bread of life (John 6:48).
• I am the light of the world (John 8:12).
• I am the good shepherd (John 10:11).
• I am the Son of God (John 10:36).
• I am the resurrection and the life (John 11:25).
• I am the true vine (John 15:5).
• I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).

Jesus very clearly tells us who He is. Each “I AM” statement reveals more about Him, His nature, and what He means to us. He is our sustenance, our sustainer, our Light in a world of darkness, our guide, our hope, our provider, our protector, our Savior, our truth, our way, our victory over death, and our whole life—not just now but in the future with eternal life.

Our future rests on recognizing Jesus for who He is. He is still the great I AM who is always with us fulfilling our needs and keeping His promises.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, who is
and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” ~Revelation 1:8

Short and sweet thought for the week…

The word practice means to do something repeatedly in order to improve one’s proficiency. Most of us could use a little practice in being appreciative. We tend to think in terms of what we don’t have, instead of being thankful for what we do have.

There’s an old legend that says God sent two angels with baskets to earth to gather the prayers of humans. The first angel was to fill a basket with the requests, wants, and desires of people. The other was to gather prayers of thanksgiving. When they returned to God, one angel’s basket was heaped high, running over with the countless petitions of men and women. The other angel had searched diligently but alas, returned with an almost empty basket.

Sometimes it’s difficult to appreciate what we have so readily available such as decent food to eat, clean water to drink, shelter from storms, and warm clothing to wear in the winter. These are basic blessings that many in the world live without. We can practice appreciation by thanking God continuously for every blessing because, indeed, all blessings come from Him (James 1:17).

Practicing appreciation means we look for something to be grateful for even in dire circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18). We aren’t necessarily thankful for each trial, but we can be thankful God is always with us. Problems can be opportunities to grow in deeper relationship with Him. Thankfulness can help us rise us above our circumstances.

We can practice appreciation by recognizing little things that come our way that lift our spirits. Today, did we behold sunshine, flowers, a smile from someone, a child’s laughter, a phone call from a friend, an unexpected note of encouragement, or find a good parking space? Give thanks!

The Bible tells us those who aren’t thankful are foolish (Romans 1:21). When angels in disguise come to fill their baskets at our doors, let’s be sure that one basket does not outweigh the other in our lives. One of the sweetest prayers we can offer God is an appreciative, “Thank You Lord!”   

“It is good to give thanks unto the Lord.” ~Psalm 92:1

Short and sweet thought for the week…

An epitaph is a phrase written in memory of a person who has died, such as an inscription on a tombstone. Have you ever thought about what you would want written on your headstone? Although, I don’t want to rush the process, we will all die at some point. How would we want to be remembered?

When my third child was born, I was exhausted. I remember telling my husband that if I died from fatigue to put “Rest in Peace” on my headstone, because it would have been the first rest I’d gotten in years.

Some think cemeteries are spooky. Not me! I love visiting them and reading headstones. For some reason, I don’t think of their deaths, but the lives they must have lived. Family plots are almost a thing of the past, but our family has one in Southeast Missouri where many of my ancestors are buried. It’s fascinating to go there with an older person who knows the history of the area. They will point out so many things that aren’t on a headstone such as that one died in the pneumonia epidemic or this one died during a feud.  

There are some very funny epitaphs scattered throughout the world…

TV personality Merv Griffin’s stone reads,  “I will not be right back after this message.”

Comedian Rodney Dangerfield has “There goes the neighborhood” on his.

Mel Blanc, who voiced many cartoon characters and would sign off Looney Tunes with the famous “Th-th-th-that’s all folks,” actually has “That’s All Folks” on his tombstone.

Even those not so famous have left some lasting impressions…

William H. Hahn Jr. of Princeton, New Jersey had the final word with “I told you I was sick.”

There is one from Ruidoso, New Mexico. “Here lies John Yeast. Pardon me for not rising.”

Another in Uniontown, Pennsylvania has an informative stone. “Here lies the body of Jonathan Blake. Stepped on the gas instead of the brake.”

One of my favorites comes from father and son dentists. The father John Denby passed in 1927 with this phrase: “I’m filling my last cavity.” When son Maurice passed in 1964, they added “Me too” to the stone. Don’t you just love dentists with a sense of humor? Actually, I don’t think many people love dentists but I guess it’s better to have one with a sense of humor.

I’m not sure what I would want as my epitaph. More than likely it will have my name, date born, and date died. Maybe I’ll have them put something like: “Loved by Jesus, Saved by Grace” or “Waiting for the Resurrection!” Fortunately, I have some time to think about it!

“For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord.
So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.” ~Romans 14:8

Short and sweet thought for the week…

When we were at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, I was mesmerized by the artwork. The basilica’s interior is elaborately decorated with frescoes in the dome and huge paintings hanging on the walls. Imagine my surprise, finding out these “paintings” are not paintings at all. They are actually mosaics. Each has a myriad of tiny tesserae (little pieces of glass) painstakingly and intricately put together. When we got very, very close we could barely see these minute fragments of glass. However, when we stood back, we could see the beautiful results of what creative craftsmen had put together from broken pieces.

A little research reveals that mosaics were first developed around 3000 B.C. by the ancient Sumerians in Mesopotamia. The Egyptians and the Greeks adopted the technique, and later, the Romans created even more elaborate mosaic designs that skilled artisans used in larger patterns that actually looked like paintings. 

What most people don’t know is that God is the greatest artisan of all! He takes the broken pieces of our lives and puts them together in an intricate design to form a beautiful masterpiece. We humbly offer our broken hearts, bodies, and souls to Him (Psalm 51:17). Then He lovingly makes a new creation, a mosaic out of the old chards of our lives (2 Corinthians 5:17). Our new lives in Christ make us valuable works of art (Ephesians 2:10).  

That alone would give us reason to praise God, but then He goes way above and beyond. He replaces our ashes with a crown of beauty. He replaces our mourning with the oil of joy. He replaces our sadness with a garment of praise (Isaiah 61:3).

Our spiritual mosaics are still being formed today. God continues to combine all our experiences into a bigger picture. It is comforting to know that God has begun a good work in us and will faithfully complete it (Philippians 1:6)!

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite
heart–These, O God, You will not despise.” ~Psalm 51:17

Short and sweet thought for the week…

As we age, we become aware of quotes that are supposed to make us feel better about getting older. Many say, “The older the fiddle, the sweeter the tune.” However, I think the original quote was, “The older the fiddler, the sweeter the tune.” After all, an old fiddle doesn’t sound all that good if the one playing it is tone deaf. It’s the musician that makes the bigger difference. 

But whatever… The point is that growing older doesn’t have to be depressing. While it’s true that the aging process can be disconcerting, it’s doesn’t have to be defeating. There may be things we can no longer physically do, but there must be plenty of things we can do or why would my “to-do” list be so long.    

Since this is my birthday month, the subject of aging is on my mind. A lady doesn’t tell her age, so I’ll spare you my details. Let’s just say I am no longer a spring chicken. I take heart in scriptures like Psalm 92:14 that says, “They shall bear fruit in old age. They shall be fresh and flourishing.” The original King James says, “fat and flourishing” which I’m sure was some sort of compliment in ye olden days. However, that may be one reason newer translations are so popular. But I digress…

Because the world around us is always changing, it can be difficult for many of us seniors to navigate. However, Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). His strength helps us to do what we need to do. His love gives us hope and comfort. His presence helps us remain significant in a youth-oriented society. God’s purpose for us has no age limit (Isaiah 46:4).

So happy birthday to me! Growing older does have its challenges, but it beats the alternative. You know what they say, “The older the grape, the sweeter the wine.” I’ll drink to that!    

“So teach us to number our days, that we
may gain a heart of wisdom.” ~Psalm 90:12

Short and sweet thought for the week…

A song we often sang in church when I was a child had the phrase, “I’ve anchored my soul in the haven of rest. I’ll sail the wide sea no more.” Of course, I really didn’t know what it meant. I just liked the tune and the words. However, I learned that an anchor in the early church was very symbolic. It represented the hope they had in Jesus. Hebrews 6:19 (NIV) says, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure…”

In biblical times, one of the main forms of transportation was by ship. When a ship reached its destination, an anchor was thrown overboard to keep it in position so it wouldn’t drift. The anchor was also used to stabilize a boat during a storm, to slow it down in turbulent waters. No wonder the author of Hebrews uses an anchor as a metaphor of hope and stability for our lives.

Early Christians understood this. They were persecuted and had to hide their faith, so symbols were very significant to them. They never lost their hope, even when forced to worship in underground Roman catacombs. Archaeologists confirm that one of the most common signs carved into the walls of those darkened chambers was an anchor. Even tombs of dead Christians had anchors chiseled on them.

Early Christians understood that although they experienced trials and turmoil in this world, their lives in Christ were secure. If we anchor our souls to Christ, we don’t have to worry about drifting away when the storms of life come. He will keep us centered and steady. We, too, can anchor our souls in God’s haven of rest. We can rest with assurance that our faithful God, who cannot lie, will fulfill His promises to us (Titus 1:2).

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul,
firm and secure…” ~Hebrews 6:19