Do We Honor God With Our American Flag?

Years ago, my family and I attended a small Christian church with several military men. They were serious about their service and attended the local American Legion for military veterans. 

What I noticed was the regular tradition of posting the American flag on American holidays such as the Fourth of July and Memorial Day. 

It struck me because the few church services I attended as a child were in a posh rich church that rarely mentioned the military at all. Posting the flag was certainly not done! ;-)

While I was stirred by these moments, I realized that many others were not.

Then, recently, I read a blog and a group of responses from a few young seminary graduates regarding placing American patriotism in the church service.  

It appears that they do not agree with the long-practiced patriotism in church services during seasons such as the Fourth of July and Memorial Day.

Their foundation lies in the principle that passivity remains God's way since Jesus died on the cross in agony.  Likewise, they believe, we are to do the same as Believers.

Yet, many good people have fought for our freedoms

I refer, of course to people who have served around the world in the military. Like any group, there are both Christians and non who carry out their duties. I think that for them, this is the plan and purpose of God in their lives. 

And, some do get out of the military without truly harming anyone. 

But, is serving with violence what God calls us to? And does that mean that we need to stop honoring the American flag in the church because some people did find themselves in the position to take someone's life?

What about law enforcement? 

While I do think this is the will of God for many, not everyone understands the truth of this.

Many real heroes stand on the lines for us as citizens

I am speaking of everything from the military to law enforcement. This includes men and women who fight and have fought for our lives and our citizenship. 

Some have died for us as well. 

Does their mission in life make them less Christian than those of us who have not served?

Are men and women in the military not carrying out their own kind of mission? There are people who need the rescuing hand of personnel around the world. Further, so many are called into danger, only to escape unharmed. 

There are even staggering numbers of special needs children around the world, who are unidentified and could use the love and care of those serving overseas in the battlefield areas.  

The harvest is great in war-torn areas, where hope struggles to take hold.

But, still, do we honor God with patriotism?

Generally, it is true that most of our American holidays have nothing to do with Christ and His Crucifixion.  

Church time should prepare us for our mission to serve God during the week.  It should be a time of fellowship and general agreement that Jesus Christ was God incarnate.  Worship time is a time of praise and worship to our Lord.

Yet, it is because of the American flag, the freedom it stands for, and the people who willingly or unwillingly fought for our rights, that we have this freedom. 

Further, it was the will of God that we have this freedom in the first place, so we can worship Him and do it in complete freedom. 

So, the question still begs, does it reflect God?  

Do we honor Him with military recognition in our worship services?

Do we honor Him by wearing our uniforms to church?

Do we honor Him by singing American patriotic songs?

Do these practices have a place in our Christian worship services?

I say Yes!

Truly the foundation of our country consists of many Christians and their Biblical beliefs, which came from the American freedoms bought and paid for by the blood of many. 

We are honoring God's plans and purposes individually as American churches by recognizing the freedoms we have in our country to worship and serve a mighty God, who truly gave us all that we have. 

Is it the center of all that we do? Of course not. 

Christ is King and Lord over all. 

Further, if the Church is about the people in it, the Body of Christ, then why would you squelch this? Why would you attempt to remove the mark of God in your freedom to worship Him? Further, why would you stop the people of God from carrying out a service or ritual that honors Him?

This is a matter of the heart

No matter how you feel about churchy ideas of recognizing the military, our hearts are what the Lord is after. Because when He has our hearts, He can more effectively use us in His service.  He calls us all to be faithful.

I pray that this Fourth of July we all remember the freedoms that God gave America, and other developed nations, honoring God first, with all that we have.  

Truly, we are blessed to worship in freedom and in truth. And what better way to remember that than to honor God through the posting of the flag, which remains a symbol of our freedom?

Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness.  As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace.  With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  Ephesians 6:14-17

In His grip~Kim

Originally published on 6/30/2013

Word Wednesday: Are You One of The 144,000?

We are all members of the household of God if we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  No, we may not be the nation of physical Israel, but yes, we are now grafted in not necessarily into the nation of Israel, but we are citizens in the nation of God, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  

He died for the sins of all people, reconciling all those who believe in God to Him and to each other.

There will be 144,000:

Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. 

The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures, and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 

It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as first fruits for God and the Lamb, and in their mouth, no lie was found, for they are blameless. Revelations 14: 1-7

What does that mean? 

Hispanics

Anglos

African Americans

Africans

Asians

Australians

Latinos

Nordic

Native Americans

Slavic peoples

And anyone else not coming to mind right now...

And...special needs people.

The Lord's blessings to you this week~Kim

Originally published on 6/26/2013 at 11:30 PM

We are The Potter's Creation

Author attribution

How many mothers prayed for a miracle in their children born with special needs, and still have children with special needs?

There are more of us in this boat than the few miracles of complete healing. I think sometimes parents with special needs children become stuck, struggling with the, Why is it my child?  God surely doesn't want bad things for me.

But, instead, I pose the question, Since when is having a special needs child a "bad" thing?

Really, all children are gifts from God, and John 9:1-3 tells us about a man born blind specifically for the glory of God.  We are all created for a purpose.

Sometimes we need our perspective re-framed for us.

God will re-frame our ideas about what is a good or bad event. It is all a struggle if it challenges us.  Not because God is a big, bad mean Creator, but because He wants to carry out His purposes for ALL of His children.  He did not create our special needs children to punish us.  

HE SIMPLY WANTS TO BLESS THE WORLD WITH OUR SPECIAL CHILDREN!

How has your special needs child blessed those around him or her?  How has your child touched the lives of those who come across his or her path?  

I know that my son was truly the Lord's plan for my life.  

Trust me, He does.

God. has. a. plan.

Yet, the Lord's plans go beyond all of our own ideas.

That is a fact.  He is sovereign and holy. He created our temperaments and our very DNA.

Truly, when it comes down to it, nothing we can do adds one day to our lives beyond His will.  He knit my son in my womb.

When the special needs life turns really dark and burdensome, we scream out at God wanting Him to bring us relief! I admit, the dark days are a reminder that we live in a human world, where things are not so rosy and our kids are still special needs.  

Life is a journey

And ours is the special needs life. You know?

Sure, I know we did not get the Soccer Mom life, or the Rich Mom life, but what we did get is a chance to feel love and pain. 

I know people that drink their pain away and completely miss out on what life is all about. What hope do they have, and in the end, who do they have to share it with? 

Life does not always go as we plan, in fact, it rarely does. But, when we see that we are on a road that gives us the eternal reward of Heaven, we know that there is hope.

I love the statue of the little boy in a wheelchair who never knew the gift of walking, but his tombstone is a release into Heaven where he walks for all of eternity.

Does that mean that we spend all of our time and energy on self-indulgence?  Sure, we could, but like the man who had everything and spent his life with no one, never loving anyone, where would that get us?

He is the potter, and we are the clay.

Instead, we received a life of miracles

God blessed us with a life of difference, so we could be on the front row of the miraculous. If we lived a normal life, we would probably be sitting on the sidelines of a soccer field, appreciating only normal life and not appreciating the real goodness of the miracles.

I think that is God's plan after all.

As He walked along, He saw a blind man from birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind?"  Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God's works might be revealed in him."  John 9:1-3

In His grip~Kim


Originally published on 6/23/2013 at 7:00 PM

Word Wednesday: I Will Fear No Evil

Sometimes we hit a roadblock, and we don't know why it is there.  

Things completely shift in a direction we really had not planned.  

Life appears to fall apart.

Then God tells us in whispers and groans:

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness

for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD

forever.

Psalm 23, ESV

HE is there with us

What we perceive as our perfect world, or life moving in the right direction, may suddenly be altered by a crisis of some sort.

We cry out in despair.

Don't let the perfectionists fool you.

It happens to all of us.

The difference comes in whether or not we overcome in the name of Jesus.

We might actually think we can move obstacles with our own ingenuity, either through our illustrious efforts, psychology, or even charm and good looks!  

How many of us ALWAYS turn to God unless things simply are catastrophic and think we have the better answer?

I think we either learn to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit, or we learn the hard way. Some of us do get it, and others, well, spend their whole lives cycling into misery and destruction.

God persists until we place Him first and listen to Him 

He woos us as the bride woos the groom.  The Lord knows that when we really learn how to walk daily with Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit, we will walk in greater and greater peace.  We will more easily overcome more and more.

It won't just happen on those mountain top experiences when everything is going great, but we will learn to find a deeper peace that rests in the Lord's provision and accommodation for us, beyond what we think we can handle.  

You may not be able to do that yet, and that is okay.  He will continue to whisper in your ear.

God will continue to gently push you in that direction, taking away all the things that keep you from listening to Him, and creating a clean heart within you.  He will re-create you beyond what you could have imagined, making all things new.  

Just trust in Him; He will not lead you astray.

The Lord's blessings to you this week~Kim

Originally published on 6/19/2013 at 11:52 PM

Word Wednesday: A Man Shall Leave His Father and Mother

It is in His Word.  

It can't get much clearer than this.  

But for Adam, no suitable helper was found.  So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh.  Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman for she was taken out of man." 

That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Genesis 2: 20-24, NIV

Marriage is between a man and a woman; it is a reflection of Christ and the Church.

Marriage is Adam and Eve.  

Jesus is Lord over all

The single women.

The single men.

The married male and female.  

ALL come to Him first and then come together.  

Yet, the world is not perfect. Things do not always go as planned and many people people fall out of God's plans for marriage. 

There are broken-hearted single people left behind.

Divorced women and sometimes men.

Widows and widowers.

People conjure up all sorts of ideas about why marriages fail and how it must be a two-sided event. 

But, nothing could be further from the truth. 

Equally yoked marriages struggle, but unequally yoked marriages will not survive unless the unbeliever yields to God. 

Adulterers and the sexually immoral will face the judgment of God in marriage because they have yet to repent. And, let's face it, they leave a path of destruction behind, that is miles long.

Give grace to humble

They are not at fault. Lift them up in prayer and rejoice in their healing. 

While Adam and Eve are the original standard for God's marriage plan, it certainly does not hold true in today's world. 

Wolves act like sheep and sheep are deceived by them. 

If God calls us to not be yoked with the sexually immoral, why would the people who have not had to suffer through adultery beat the rest of the people up?

I have seen it occur all too often. 

No, God gives grace to His people and His people yield to His will.

In His grip~KIm

Originally published on 6/12/2013

And Jesus Said, "I Will Give You Rest"

As if to remind me that our life was far from Leave it to Beaver, the Lord sent us a goat. The lighting isn't the best in this photo, but you get the idea. 

Yep.

It started when my son went over to a neighbor's house, and a lone goat was wandering around the road. Mind you, we don't exactly live in the sticks, so this is pretty unusual anyway.  However, people have been known to drop off their unwanted dogs in our neighborhood. Goats? Not so much.

They seem to know that we will care for the lost and broken animals in our area.

The goat follows my son all the way to the neighbor's house where he was housesitting. The goat kept bleating and acting like he needed my son. So my teenager ran to the neighbor's house, forgot to shut the gate behind him, and the goat came and found him...

Then, as he left the house, the neighbor's dog decided to join in the procession.

Both dog and goat followed my son home, and as I spotted them walking up the road, I could not help but laugh at the sight of my son, the animal magnet. My son, still a bit undone by the goat was not amused at all. 

But, it gave me a moment of humor in the middle of a tough day.

Before my son trudged up the road with his buddies, I was actually having a rather difficult day. Everything was going against my need to complete my tasks and duties. My special needs son was pulling on me every minute.

And yes, the boys named him Buddy.

In fact, difficult days have been the norm more often than I care to admit this spring. My progress has been slow in too many ways, and some days frustration sets in. I even find myself "stewing."

We have all been there special needs family or not.  

Then along came that goat.

To date, he has been quite stubborn and unyielding. I would have rather appreciated a lamb or even a herd of sheep!  

In the past, I thought about getting a goat to help eat the ever-growing field of grass and weeds around us, or maybe even milk one, but I surmised, "What would I do with a stinky male goat?"  It would be yet another thing I needed to learn and another animal to take care of.

Plus, we parents all know that when push comes to shove, it won't be the kids who take care of it, it will be us!  I don't care how much they think they want an animal.

So, for now, we have him settled in a pen---until we find his real owners.  If we don't, then I guess we will have to see what the Lord has in store for us!

 
Some days we need to look for the light

Some days things are really dismal in life, and with our special needs kiddos.  

In fact, we can look around and see nothing but chaos and destruction.  Watching the news alone can stir that up.  Yet, we, as Christians, can bend our ears to the Lord, and cry out in distress to Him.  

The Word is His gift to us. It brings peace and hope. Our Bibles bless us with moments of solitude and a chance to listen to what the Holy Spirit has to say.

So, when God brings hilarity to you, or a goat, laugh and rejoice for just a few moments because things are going to turn around.

Better days will come!

What I love about moments like this is that it takes our mind off of our daily worries and shines the light on the truth that He will come and He will answer.

Sure, some days we grieve and cry out to God, but when the funny or beautiful things arrive on your doorstep, appreciate them.

They are the break in the dark and a sign of better things to come! 

We are not left without the opportunity for peace in Christ, in the midst of a world at odds with our children's needs.  

If you are in the darkness today, look for the things that make you laugh and find joy! The answers you need will come, God already knows the solutions. 

You never know, maybe God will send you a goat! Lol Well, hopefully not.

The point remains, in the dark days, take a break from what is not working, and see the truth of what God wants you to see. Then, regroup, rise up and begin a new thing. 

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

In His grip~Kim

Originally published on 6/9/2013

Word Wednesday: The Lord's Purpose Prevails

Do you ever feel like you have a plan for your child, or even for your life, that you work extra hard to accomplish it, only to have it fall apart?  

There is a fine line between seeking out the Lord's will, only to finding out that was not His plan and purpose.  I know I have done this many times, only to wake up to God's plan, and boy, I am glad I did!  LOL

Sometimes, I see people with these people that follow Old Testament principles in their Christian lives, and I think, wow, wouldn't that feel nice and secure?  You would never lack anything...or would you?   

Or, how about the modern life of more than enough money, an expensive home, a luxury car, or a vacation home?  And don't forget the neon Christian fish on the back of your Cadillac!  

Erma Bombeck had it right, The grass is always greener over the septic tank! 

Lack brings miracles

Sometimes when we remember all the things we don't have, we forget that perhaps we need more of God in our lives, than the things we feel we are lacking.  I don't mean accepting poverty and lack as God's standard, but I mean, placing the Lord first above all, working hard, and He will provide!  

None of those things listed above have anything really, to do with the Kingdom of God.  I mean, they might signal that we are Christians, but what really makes us part of the Body of Christ, is salvation.  Further, when we do receive Jesus Christ as Lord and King of our lives, then how are we living it out? 

God gave us all spiritual gifts, but He has placed us in many different stations and cultures around the world.  Otherwise, how would we bring in the harvest?  How would we share the Gospel?  

Being empty-handed simply means that God will fill our bucket up again!

Waiting for the 3-month doctor's appointment to open up and your kid needed it yesterday.  Or, request a re-file with the insurance company with grace and truth in Christ.  Even needing a miracle for the health of your family is an opportunity for faith!

Whatever the issue is of the day, week, or month, sometimes, we have to seek the Lord's will, but also learn to wait on His timing, in faith.  

The funny thing is, when we do trust Jesus for our needs, our problems work out much better than we could have imagined!

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” Romans 1:16-23, ESV

The Lord's blessings to you this week~Kim

Originally published on 6/5/2013 at 12:38 AM

The Great Commission: Go and Make Disciples as a Special Needs Family

I was left thinking about hope today...

Some mothers have children who are dying.

Some have children with lifetime disabilities.

Some have children with chronic diseases.

Others wait for the day of their child's death.

Some have children who have no labels, don't qualify for insurance, or even qualify for specialized medical care.

Some, have children who struggle with multiple disabilities, which make them high maintenance.

As I read some of the stories of other parents, I am left with the reminder that

God is the Author of Life.  

Sometimes when I look at other people's lives, outside of Special Needs Land, I feel kind of sad, because my life doesn't look that way.  I don't get many personal trips out of the house without my son.  It takes incredible effort to take a long-distance trip, like to my typical son's basketball tournaments, or gasp, a vacation!  

We cannot slip into any place incognito; we stand out.  For me, it feels like we are under neon, flashing lights saying,  Look!  We are a special needs family.  

While I am generally accepting of how the Lord has directed us, I sometimes feel sorry for myself---wishing for something that just won't happen.  Normal.  I could depress myself with that idea...but I don't.

I pray until I find peace

It isn't about fitting into normal, but it is carrying out the Great Commission, just where the Lord has us. You know, Go and make disciples...

Only since some of us cannot physically go out of the house very much, does God gets creative.  Or rather, we actually discover alignment with His purpose for our lives.  We end up going to places with a specific purpose that includes our special needs child, such as general errands or a medical or therapy appointment, only to share our mission.  

Further, we run errands with our children only to share our testimony.  Or even place a photo of our special child on our work desk, only to share our story and Christ's amazing love for us.  

The real purpose of a special needs mom and family is to carry out a ministry that far surpasses anything we dreamed of.  Some of us even end up realizing that yes, carrying out our everyday duties is a ministry.

When our lives begin, we have youthful dreams.

I am not really talking about age, but about dreams that do not include a Special Needs Life.  Dreams that include traveling to faraway places, or just plain ordinary life.

For most of us, that simply included normal, and that involves a level of grief.

What the Lord keeps reminding me on the days when I am tired and fed up with life in Special Needs Land, is that His ways are better, and His plans for our lives are perfect.  It isn't the ideal life of normal that is perfect, it is following God's purpose for our lives.

Why?

First of all, because it is a better life.

Second, He has called us to a deeply rewarding life of carrying out the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

He handed you the keys to the Kingdom---that and your special needs child, now Go and make disciples...

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.  Matthew 28:18-20

The Lord's blessings to you this week~Kim

Originally published on 6/2/2013