Flam Glam

Lifestyles of the rich and famous. We Americans eat this stuff up. Television shows inflate every move of anyone who even whiffs of notoriety. The tabloids and magazines share cropped and doctored photos to pique the curiosity of those far removed from the limelight. We gaze in wonderment of what life would be like at the top. Now I have ask myself “At the top of what?” I wonder who determines the pinnacle of success and trendsetting. Who is the mastermind behind the successes and “what’s hot and what’s not”? Should I allow today’s “fashionistas” to determine tomorrow’s shopping? All these questions can be guided by looking into Scripture.
The first fashion trend was designed by God –nakedness. There was no need to fancy up or cover up what God had made as beautiful. However, sin changed things. Man dissed not only God’s plan for living, but also His way for dressing. So, a second trend was unearthed. (Literally the plan came from the earth around them.) The foliage from the fig tree was man’s plan for hiding personal parts outside the body and the guilt and shame inside of the heart. God wasn’t impressed with the cover up of excuses as to the how and why the sin ever took place. He wasn’t wowed by the fig leaf cover up either. God set a whole new fashion trend both physically and spiritually. The blood of His own creation was spilled so the first man and woman would be covered. The tunics were made from creatures that God formed and called “good.” The Creator gave life, took life, only to give life back again. Man needed a sin covering. He still does. All of us cling to excuses for stepping away from God’s plan. All the excuses in the world can never wipe away guilt and shame. The ultimate sin and shame covering came in the form of God’s supreme sacrifice –His Son. His life was given for our sin, taken for sin, but given back so we could have eternal life. He was sent to be the trendsetter. The tunic of forgiveness looks great on every man.

God with Us

Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Emmanuel. God with us. I listened to the words playing in my car. I thought about God's gift of forgiveness wrapped up in human flesh. Skeptics doubt this fact. Believers bank on this as truth. Martyrs die proclaiming this message. Sometimes we act as though Emmanuel was a nickname given to Christ before "Savior", "King of Kings", "Lord of Lords", and "Prince of Peace". We wallow in loneliness, drown in fear and hurt. We text and call anyone who will listen or help. Friends are great to bend an ear,or offer an extended hand. They may even be sent by God at certain times. However, what a friend cannot do is place within us a peace and comfort that stills the soul. To expect this of someone will drain them dry and leave us even more alone. Four times in the Book of John, Jesus mentioned when He left this place called earth, He would send a Comforter. Our Creator knew our need for companionship. He knew our longing for a God who would dwell in and among us. We are not alone. Emmanuel. Prince of Peace. Counselor. Comforter. God with us.

STUCK

Rodents in your walls will drive you mad. Crazy mad. My husband bought every trap the big box home store sold. Our critter was smart and somehow bypassed the traps and scurried up pipes into the wall beside our bed. Each night she scampered back and forth repetitively. She was making trips from the outside of our house to the inside of our wall, nesting. One night I punched my husband and screamed, “Go get her!” He rushed to the basement and the known point of entry. There was a showdown. My brave warrior husband with flashlight and long stick and a squirrel caught in headlights, frozen with fear, the battle began. The squirrel mustered up enough courage to run but my husband’s stick was long. He speared her. (Sorry animal lovers, but two weeks of no sleep and the chance of a wall filled with rodents drive one to extreme measures.) To our dismay one of the sticky traps left out caught two baby sparrows. I managed to free one but the other fought my efforts. With every wiggle she glued down further. Then her legs broke. The beak and another wing went down in the unforgivable glue. I tried to free her. She breathed her last. I fought back tears and recalled that “His eye is on the sparrow.” I’ve met folks like the squirrel. They try to plant roots where they don’t belong. They run themselves crazy trying to be where they shouldn’t. Those closest to them get exhausted with the perpetual frantic panic that ensues. The end of their story doesn’t include, “And they lived happily, ever after.” Then there are the sparrows. These are the innocents who wonder off course out of curiosity. They get stuck in places, with people, or substances that trap them. The submissive ones yield to those who provide rescue. The stubborn ones resist. One is freed (never the less with a bit of glue that reminds them to stay away from danger). However, those who resist a graceful rescue, stay stuck. Until a willingness to get out of the clutching trap occurs, there is a war. We watch, wait, and pray. We can’t get them out of stuck. There is a death to self will that frees us from stuck and leads to living, to a life worth living. Jesus prayed, “Not my will, but yours be done.”

The Stage

Life is not about me. I didn't just have one of those palm to forehead moments. The moment of my birth all eyes in the room were on me. I commanded attention without even knowing it. My cries were monitored and attended to with rapid speed. In due time only certain "hootin' and hollerins'" I did even bleeped across my family's radar. Everyone had me figured out and knew my little tantrums were for attention. I was ignored and took the tantrums inside my body since all outward pleas went unnoticed. Emotions such as anger, resentment,and criticism began to fester. Little did I know I was building quite an arsenal to retaliate when my spotlight was dimmed or darkened by others. I wish I could tell you this behavior changed the moment I surrendered my life to Christ. To do so would make me a liar. I am so grateful God in His mercy has zoomed the spotlight on my negative emotions and behaviors. He has done this in private (of which I am thankful for) and also in public (where my biggest lessons were learned). I've come to realize on the stage of life not everyone can have the spotlight all the time nor do they deserve it - even moi! I am able to sit back and enjoy watching the gifts and talents of others. I can rest just in case I get another turn or help backstage so others lights shine even brighter when they get a turn and I don't. This has been humbling and a necessary life skill. The apostle Paul said he had learned to be content in whatever situation he was in. I can't say I've landed the plane on that runway yet. However, I am reading the manual to learn how to be okay with where God has me, on stage or off.

2012 Newsletter

Isaiah 6 Ministries 2012 Newsletter “For time and the world do not stand still. Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future.” John F. Kennedy President Kennedy was certainly right when he quoted that time does not stand still. How often we’ve heard the quote, “that time stands still for no man.” This has been a year of reckoning with that truth for me. My first born turned 30 and my husband turned 60. For some reason I have wondered how everyone around me could be getting so old so quickly. I need only to compare pictures from Christmas’ past to this year’s photos and see that I, along with the rest of the world, have continued in time and age. Time didn’t stand still for me. As I reflect on this past year I am glad that God kept the pages of the calendar moving. Last year at this time I had no idea what 2012 beheld. I found myself in a much more God dependent place in the midst of life’s changes. As the world turned in the Mooring house hold I have had a question mark in front of me and behind me. My nanny job of 2 & ½ years ended. My employer’s mom wanted to return to taking care of the grandbabies after a time of absence. Now what???? I have been looking for work and begging God to show me what, when and where. Many of my friends and family understand this question all too well. Mark has continued to work in his non-profit part time, continue as a part time insurance auditor, as well as raise support so that he can do Daybreak, his non-profit, full time. I have realized that my desires are still the same – to speak, teach, and write. Why? So that all may know that He is the Lord! God didn’t put me here to live an entertained life. He put me here (and He put you here) so that others may know Him through us. Mark and I work with the Young Singles at our church. The teacher is a 27 year old seminary graduate who loves teaching the Bible. One thing he has continued to teach is how the Savior is revealed through each book of the Bible. God continues to reveal Himself so that all will know His love, His grace, His mercy, and His plan for salvation. While the last word in the Bible was written many centuries ago, God is still at work. Our lives are for the continuance of the Gospel to be made known! Whatever I do in 2013 I want to make God known. My calendar is beginning to be marked with places to go and speak. I am currently working on my first book. I have written two Bible studies but never a book. I need prayer to be consistent in writing and to not give up when there seems to be no flow left in my thoughts. I need prayer to follow the Lord’s lead and not just grab the first job that opens its doors to me. So far they’ve all been shut or slammed in my face. I remind myself that God has a better plan when I get those rejection letters. I am thankful for the pride being stripped out of me. Pride looks good on no one. As I look to the future I do so knowing that my Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer already knows what the future beholds. He holds me in the palm of His hand and nothing or no one can rip me out of that secure place. Philippians 1:6 brings me great comfort, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” May this bring comfort to you as well. Approach 2013 with the confidence you are here to make Christ known!

Mind over Mouth

The Bible has much to say about our thinking and our speaking. I have been studying Scripture to understand the reason why my mouth often gets me into trouble. I know plenty of people who suffer from this malady as well. I, along with countless others, struggle to keep a bit on the mouth when doing so would be most beneficial. Nouns and verbs don't just assimilate themselves and randomy fly out our mouths. What we say stems from what we think and what we feel. In the Old Testament book of Numbers there is a repetition of instances when God put words into the mouths of people. God did so in order that these individuals would speak His thoughts and commands, not the mere fleshly thoughts of these less than perfect people. Oh how I wish I would wait on God to put words in my mouth. I know that often what I am thinking and feeling does not line up to what God thinks and feels about my dilemma. How many times I have opened my mouth before going to my Savior and asking Him to direct my conversations. Sadly enough I have given folks "a piece of my mind." This saying is an idiom that means to tell someone off. This is when you let your mouth spew the vomit that is churning in your mind. God doesn't speak verbal vomit. The words He puts in my mouth, your mouth, are for edifying others, correcting others, and imparting grace to others. Our mouth can expose us in the same way looking in a mirror can. A mirror reflects the image in front of it. The mouth reflects what one is thinking and what the heart's condition is. The Bible tells us to guard our hearts and minds. To not do so is a set up for disaster. However, by setting our minds on things above (Col. 3:2) and guarding our hearts (Prov.4:23) we can speak in a way that honors God. Our goal is to build up with our words- not tear down. Psalm 19:14,"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer."

Enduring Temptation

How would you define temptation? Would you say it's the desire to go after things or experience you shouldn't? Perhaps it's going for the dessert when you're on a diet, late night websurfing on forbidden sites, flirting outside of your marriage, speeding to get where you want when you want... Certainly these are examples of going after what we shouldn't go after. What I know to be true as well, temptation is not going after something we should go after. Daily I get directives from God to send a note, make a call, put in the offering plate, love the unlovely BUT I don't. I don't go after what is best. I settle for laziness, procrastination, living in fear of risk... So temptation then can be either active or passive. Giving in to temptation either way yields poor endings. At age 55 I am still memorizing Scripture. I want to stay sharp both spiritually and mentally. Crossword puzzles may help my mind but not my spirit. I kill two birds with one stone. Right now I am attempting to take on James Chapter 1. My verse today, "Blessed is the man who endures temptation..." The word blessed means to be truly happy. To endure is to successively and victoriously survive a trial or testing. And temptation is that trial or testing. So when you put this altogether you have great words of wisdom. You will be the happiest when you go through a tempting time and don't give into it. Your choice to be active when God speaks or be passive when God speaks will determine your true level of happiness, success, and victory. Self denial doesn't get easier with age, or at least at 55 I am still struggling denying my fleshly desires. So today I ask myself this question,"Do I want the temporary happiness that temtation is flaunting me with, or the true happiness of endurance with success and victory that may take awhile?" Today I pray to endure!