Cape and Boots or Crumpled Suit?

CAPE AND BOOTS OR CRUMPLED SUIT?

Mother’s dictionary of meanings:

Dumb Waiter: One who asks if the kids would care to order dessert.
Feedback: The inevitable result when the baby doesn’t appreciate strained carrots.
Full name: What you call your child when your mad at him.
Grandparents: The people who think your children are wonderful even though
you’re sure you’re not raising them right.
Hearsay: What toddlers do when anyone mutters a forbidden word.
Independent: How we want our children to be for as long as they do everything we
say.
Puddle: A small body of water that draws other small bodies wearing shoes
into it.
Show-off: A child who is more talented than yours.
Sterilize: What you do to your first baby’s pacifier by boiling it, and to your last
baby’s pacifier by blowing on it and wiping it with saliva.
Top bunk: Where you should never out a child wearing superman pyjamas.
Two-minute warning: When the baby’s face turns red and she begins to make
those familiar grunting noises.
Whodunit: None of the kids that live in your house.

Things you’ll never hear a mother say:

How on earth can you see the TV sitting that far back
Yeah, I used to skip school a lot too
Just leave all the lights on – it makes the house look more cheery
Let me smell that shirt – yeah, it’s good for another week
Go ahead and keep that stray dog honey – I’ll be glad to feed and walk him everyday
Well, if Tom’s mother says it’s ok that’s good enough for me.
The curfew is just a general time to shoot for. It’s not like I’m running a prison around here.
I don’t have a tissue with me – just use your sleeve
Don’t bother wearing a jacket – the wind chill is bound to improve.

Well, it’s that time of year again – the day where we all come together to celebrate mothers. And I wonder as I was sharing those quips from motherhood if you could relate back to them, and recall the times you’ve had such conversations and experiences with your own children or your parents have had with you.
Motherhood, so I’ve been told, or parenthood for that matter is one of the most rewarding, challenging, frustrating, heart-warming, heart-wrenching times of a parents life.

And I believe that today of all days is one of the hardest for any Christian preacher in the church today. It’s not because Mother’s Day is a bad day, it’s not because we don’t want to celebrate and rejoice with mothers and for mother’s everywhere, but I truly believe that this is one of the hardest days on the Christian calendar because whilst it can be a day of joy and celebration for some people, for others it can be a day filled with great sadness, pain and grief, and I am aware that not everyone looks forward to Mother’s Day.

Perhaps for you,
· Maybe you have recently lost your mother … and you are experiencing the pain of your loss.
· Maybe you have lost a child … and your heart grieves on Mother’s Day.
· Maybe you are having difficulties with your Mother … your Mother wasn’t the IDEAL Mother we like to preach about … and you have bad memories of your Mother.
· Maybe you have some guilty feelings about your own motherhood … and you have children problems … or marriage problems.
· Maybe you were never able to have children … and Mother’s Day isn’t a joyous occasion for you.
· Maybe you never had a real mother … and were raised in a foster home, or by relatives.
· Maybe you were a single Mom … and have struggled with being a good Mother to your children.
The reality is that we know that not every family is like The Brady Bunch, or The Cleavers, and for some families they don’t even come close to functioning (or perhaps not functioning) like The Simpson’s. Each and every family is varied and different, and we each know from our own experience that no two families are the same.

Here’s an example of two very different mothers from two very different families.

OLIVIA THE OVERWHELMED

“The alarm cut through the air like chalk on a dry board. Olivia reached over and pressed the snooze button of grace that gave her five more minutes. She pressed it one more time, then again until she became aware of the fact that her son was standing at the foot of the bed, yelling,
“Mom, we’re late. That’s two tardy slips this week!!”
She jumped out of bed, swirled some mouthwash around her gums, and pulled on the faded warm-up suit that was lying on the floor.
“Wake your sister!” she called after her son.
Olivia ran past her husband who was stretching out his bad back and headed for the kitchen. Grabbing two toaster pastries from an open box on the counter, she threw them into her purse and began the daily hunt for her car keys.
“Has anyone seen my keys?” she cried at the top of her lungs.
“The dog had them last night,” her daughter said. “He hid them in the pizza box.”
Olivia rummaged through the trash until she found her keys, well ensconced in a cold slice of pepperoni pizza.
“kids, in the car – now!” she cried.
As she sped down the road, little pieces of cheese flew up from her key ring and stuck to her glasses.
“Kate, did you ever consider removing my keys from the pizza box before they had officially set?” she asked. But her daughter paid no attention, lost in the private world her MP3 player offered her each morning.
Olivia passed the cold pastries back to her children.
“We’ve missed chapel, Mom … again,” her son said.


MONICA THE MAGNIFICENT

The alarm cut through the air like an amplified bugle call. Monica sat up in bed and reached for the appropriate button. The clock had delivered more than a simple wake-up call; it was the start of another mission. In her mind she could hear music. It sounded like a combination of the theme song to Mission Impossible and the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s Messiah. Fully awake now, she bounded out of bed and headed for the shower. She was grateful that some companies had finally wised up and combined shampoo and conditioner in the same bottle, for she certainly didn’t have time to do both. Her hair was cut in such a fashion that with a simple flip of the head it fell into a neat, shining bob. She sprayed her face with the new foundation in a can, applied a touch of blush and lip gloss, slipped into her suit, cape, and boots, and headed for the kitchen.
As she squeezed fresh orange juice and prepared bacon, eggs, and waffles for her husband and two children, she pressed play on the cd player above the stove and a warm, comforting voice began to read a passage from the Bible. At the end of the third Psalm, the voice moved to the New Testament and delivered the Sermon on the Mount with compassion and conviction. Two hymns later, it was time to wake the children.
Hannah and Peter bowed their heads and prayed before complimenting their mother on such a delicious and nutritious breakfast.
“Good morning, Light-of-my-life!” Simon said as he kissed his wife on the cheek. “What’s on your schedule today?”
“Well, after I take the children to school,” Monica said, “I’m meeting Gloria for coffee. She is having a few problems in her m-a-r-r-i-a-g-e. Then I volunteered to take lunch to two of the shut-ins in the church. After that, I’ll collect the dry cleaning, shop for groceries, and pick up the children from school. I’ve invited your boss and his wife and three children to come over for supper.”
“What a woman you are,” Simon said, running his hands through Monica’s clean, shining bob. “How do you do it all?”[1]

I wonder which one of these women you identify with more. Are you the kind of woman who has her routine down pat – you’re super organised, always on top of things, a gifted multi-tasker? Or are you more like Olivia, running behind time, hair barely combed, doing everything you can just to get through the day?

Or perhaps, you’re more like me… I tend to sit somewhere between the two extremes of these women. I live some days like Monica the Magnificent, in the cape and suit role, determined to show God and those around me that no matter what the problem is, I am only a bugle call away. I’ve also been like Olivia the Overwhelmed- feeling some days like all I want to do when the alarm goes off early in the morning is to switch it off, snuggle back underneath the doona, and pray that a bus would come and run over the bugle and the world would go away and leave me alone. I think the truth is, if we were to all take a look over our lives we could probably say that we’ve all been one or the other of these characters at different times in our lives.
As I take a look around at the women in my own life, I discover that they fall into one of two categories: They are either content or discontent. Sounds simple enough… but I wonder what side of the fence you fall into with your own life.

We women sometimes have a very difficult job finding contentment. We often find ourselves living our lives for others. We tend to put others before ourselves and make sure their needs are met before our own. We spend our lives looking after our households, our husbands, our siblings, our children, our friends, our neighbours, our parents, our grandchildren, the list goes on and on and on, and so often women wind up feeling exhausted, feeling over whelmed, and feeling like they mean nothing… and friends, sadly, we’ve only got ourselves to blame.

We tend to measure our own self-worth on how others view us, on how we look and feel, on what we do, and in all honesty we’re so far off the mark that this kind of view leaves us feeling exhausted, broken and worthless… because at some stage or another we’re going to realise that we can never please everyone, we can never meet everyone else’s needs, and that we can never measure up to other people’s expectations… and it’s usually as we come to realise this that our lives fall in a heap and emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually we tend to fall in a heap and ‘hit rock bottom’… And if we’re constantly trying to measure up and be someone who we’re not, then is it6 any wonder we’re constantly tired?

The truth is, none of us could possibly run our lives like Monica the Magnificent. We’d be burnt out by the end of the month if we tried to live life that way. We’d constantly have to reach higher standards and we’d always be trying to please others… and no-one can live life that way forever.

On the other hand, no-one could live life like Olivia the Overwhelmed constantly and not face that same level- you’d be burnt out from constantly running and you’d be exhausted by just trying to keep up with daily living.

And you want to know why we can’t live our lives like this? It’s because we have not been created this way. When God created us, He never implanted within us an internal clock that never needs refreshing. He never put within us a long-life battery that never needs recharging, He never gave us instructions that we needed to please everyone and do everything in order to be of value. We were not created to live our lives constantly comparing ourselves with others, constantly measuring our own lives against those around us,. No. When we were created, God created us to be content with who we are as we live our lives and see ourselves as God sees us- as wonderful, as beautiful, adored, one-of-a-kind, priceless and precious children on THE King.

If we try to measure our lives by any other standards than those given to us by God, then we will never measure up. We will never be content. We’ll never quite reach the mark.

Author Steve Brown tells a story that sums up this very notion:

He writes, “"Someone tells of a king who was discontented. In fact he was so anxious, he couldn't sleep, rest, or think. He called his wise men and asked them what he could do.
One very old and very wise man said, "Find a man in your kingdom who is content, then wear his shirt for a day and a night, and you will be content."
That sounded like a good idea to the king, so he ordered some of his servants to search for such a person.
Days blended into weeks before his servants returned. "Well," said the king, "did you find a contented man?"
"Yes, sire," his servant, replied.
"Where is his shirt?" asked the king.
"Your majesty, he didn't have one." [hurdles, glitches p. 162]

If we want to be content in life, then we’ve got to realise that ‘stuff’ will never make us feel content. People will never make us feel content. Work will never make us feel content, until we realise that the only way to be content is to see ourselves the way God sees us and live our lives according to His purpose.
Stuff cannot make you happy. Things, will not make you happy. Elvis had three jets, two Cadillac’s, a Rolls, a Lincoln Continental, two station wagons, a Jeep, a custom touring bus, and three motorcycles. His favourite car was his 1960 Caddy limo. The top was covered with pearl-white Naugahyde and the body was sprayed with 40 coats of special paint that included crushed diamonds. Nearly all the metal trim was plated in 18-karat gold. There were two gold-flake phones, as well as a gold vanity case with gold electric razor and gold hair clippers, an electric shoe buffer. The limo also had a gold-plated TV, a record player (kids, ask your parents what that was), an amplifier, an air conditioner, its own electrical system, and a refrigerator that could make ice in precisely two minutes. But, as you know, Elvis died a lonely and deeply unhappy man.
It’s not just a male thing, of course. When Diet Coke was available only in the U.S., Christina Onassis would monthly dispatch a jet to the U.S. at the cost of $30,000 round trip to pick up fresh cases of “the real thing.” Friends who were too busy to spend all their time with her were paid $20,000 to $30,000 per month to be her pals. Yet, Christina Onassis died an unfulfilled and profoundly unhappy woman

You see, contentment comes not from what we have, not from what we do, but contentment is all about our attitude towards ourselves and towards God.

Paul tells Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:6-11,
“godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many grief’s. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness."
Paul gives wise instruction to Timothy. He tells Timothy that we start with nothing and we end with nothing. So, contentment is not about what we accumulate, it is about living with satisfaction one day after another.

Contentment is a state of satisfaction that is anchored to our confidence in God that results in a joyful celebration of life.

Paul also warns Timothy. When we focus on "stuff", all kinds of things happen. First, we become more susceptible to temptation. Then we find we more are willing to compromise our principles to get what we think will make us happy. Eventually, our appetite begins to dictate our values rather than the other way around. Discontent inevitably leads us away from God.
But let's be honest. It is hard to be content in the difficult times. We look around and see others who seem to be doing better than we are and we feel "cheated". It is hard to feel satisfied, confident and joyful when,
others ridicule us
when we are falsely accused
when the medical test results are not encouraging
when someone gets promoted to the position that we wanted (and felt we deserved)
when our plans are suddenly changed
when loss comes barging into our life
when a loved one tells you they are walking away
when a financial investment falls on it's face

Contentment Comes from Learning to Appreciate What you Have

“He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have.” Socrates

So how do we discover true contentment? We can see true contentment modelled in the life of a dog. We have a kelpie puppy at home, she’s seven months, and it never ceases to amaze me that no matter what happens throughout the day, she always seems so content with life. So, I think we can all find the meaning of true contentedness from observing the life of a dog:

The Lessons
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
Spend as much time as possible with the ones you love.
When it’s in your best interest, practice obedience.
Let others know when they’ve invaded your territory.
Take naps and stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you’ve had enough.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you’re not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle him or her gently.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back in the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
No matter how often you’re scolded, don’t buy into guilt and pout…run right back and make friends.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

I read a BLOG entry on the internet this week of a young man who ahs found for himself what it means to be truly content. His journey has not been an easy one, and yet at such a tender age I think he’s learnt a lesson that so many of us still strive to reach for everyday. Let me share his BLOG entry with you just now:

All Things Considered, May 7, 2007 · "Why don't you 'act black'?"
Since my middle school years, I've been asked this question more than any other. It seems to me that too many people have let society program into their brains what should be expected of me, a black person, before ever interacting with me. But I believe in being who I am, not who others want me to be.
On my first day of high school, going into math class, two of my classmates pointed and laughed at me. I initially thought my fly was open, or that something was stuck in my teeth. But as I took my seat, I heard one of the students whisper, "Why is a black person taking honors?" So my fly wasn't open. An honors-level class had simply been joined by a student whose skin was an unsettling shade of brown.
Many people think my clothes should be big enough for me to live in, or expect me to listen exclusively to "black music." In seventh grade, a group of my peers fixed their cold stares on my outfit: cargo shorts and a plain, fitting T-shirt. They called out to me, "Go get some 'gangsta' clothes, white boy."
In one of my Spanish classes, as part of a review exercise, the teacher asked me, "Te gusta mas, la musica de rap o rock?" Do you like rap music or rock music more? I replied, "La musica de rock." The look of shock on my classmates' faces made me feel profoundly alienated.
I am now in my junior year of high school. I still take all honors courses. My wardrobe still consists solely of clothes that are appropriate to my proportions. My music library spans from rock to pop to techno, and almost everything in between. When it comes to choosing my friends, I am still colorblind. I continue to do my best work in school in order to reach my goals; and yet, when I look in the mirror, I still see skin of that same shade of brown.
My skin color has done nothing to change my personality, and my personality has done nothing to change my skin color.
I believe in being myself. I believe that I — not any stereotype — should define who I am and what actions I take in life. In high school, popularity often depends on your willingness to follow trends. And I've been told that it doesn't get much easier going into adulthood. But the only other option is to sacrifice my individuality for the satisfaction and approval of others. Sure, this can be appealing, since choosing to keep my self-respect intact has made me unpopular and disliked at times, with no end to that in sight. But others' being content with me is not nearly as important as my being content with myself.

Independently produced for All Things Considered by Jay Allison and Dan Gediman with Viki Merrick.

So, on this Mother’s Day, as people all over our country pause to think of their own motherly influences I their lives, and as Mother’s, Grandmothers, Aunts, Sisters, daughters and women all over the country reflect on their own journeys, I would encourage you take a look at your own life and find your own value and your self-worth not from worldly standards, but from how our heavenly Father sees you – as precious and lovely, beautiful and special, as unique, precious and one-of-a-kind… after all, Jesus loved you so much He gave His life for you. He know you were worth it and He loved you that much. Find your self-worth and contentment in Jesus today.

And whatever you do today, I want you to know that you are a A WOMAN OF WORTH. YOU HAVE ONE LIFE AND ONE CHANCE TO MAKE IT COUNT FOR SOMETHING....YOU’RE FREE TO CHOOSE WHAT THAT SOMETHING IS, FIND YOURSELF WORTH IN CHRIST ALONE AND KNOW THAT YOU ARE CALLED TO DO WHATEVER YOU CAN,...WHENEVER YOU ARE...WHENEVER YOU CAN...FOR AS LONG AS YOU CAN WITH WHATEVER YOU HAVE TO TRY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE...BECAUE THIS IS WHO YOU ARE..! ! ! - When you look at your life, view yourself as unique individual Make your life count. .Know that your life has a purpose that can only be found in Christ Believe that you did not come into this life just to take up space but you were put here to make a difference and to shine as the woman God created you to be. Know that your purpose in life is to make the world a different and a better place by being comfortable and accepting of who you were made to be, and of who you are in Christ. Believe that your life and being content with who you are will greatly influence the quality of life of those around you.

CONCLUSION
And know that true contentment can only be found in Christ, and in Christ alone. So start by turning to the Ruler of life, Jesus. Receive His grace, believe His promises and trust His providence in your life. And as you turn your eyes upon Jesus, you will find "that the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace." And when that happens you will begin to enjoy the "moments of life". You will leave worries about tomorrow with the Lord and you will accept every situation as God's wise classroom for your growth and development. And when this happens you will find that in good time or bad, pleasant or painful . .. . you will be content.

[1] I’m Not Wonder Woman But God Made Me Wonderful, © Sheila Walsh 2006, pg’s ix - xi

Caught between Pharoah and The Red Sea!

Here's my sermon for this week... I thought I'd begin posting them here so people can read them and hopefully hear what God has to say to them through His word...

CAUGHT BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE… BETWEEN PHAROAH & THE DEEP RED SEA…
Exodus 14:10-31

“RESIGNATION”

I am hereby officially tending my resignation as an adult. I have decided I would like to accept the responsibilities of an 8-year-old again.

I want to go to McDonalds and think it’s a four star restaurant.

I want to sail sticks across a fresh mud puddle and make a pavement with rocks.

I want to think M&M’s are better than money because you can eat them.

I want to lie under a big oak tree and run a lemonade stand with my friends on a hot summer’s day.

I want to return to a time when life was simple; when all you knew were colours, multiplication tables, and nursery rhymes, but that didn’t bother you, because you didn’t know what you didn’t know and you didn’t care! All you knew was to be happy because you were blissfully unaware of the things that should make you worried or upset.

I want to think the world is fair.
That everyone is honest and good.
I want to believe that anything is possible.
I want to be oblivious to the complexities of life and be overly excited by the little things again.

I want to live simple again.
I don’t want my day to consist of computer crashes, mountains of paperwork, depressing news, how to survive more days in a month than there is money in the bank, doctor’s bills, gossip, illness, and loss of loved ones.

I want to believe in the power of smiles, hugs, a kind word, truth, justice, peace, dreams, the imagination, mankind, and making sandcastles in the sand.

So…

here’s my chequebook and my car keys, my credit card bills and my bank statements.

I am officially resigning from adulthood.

And it you want to discuss it any further, you’ll have to catch me first, ‘cause…

Tag! You’re it!

Have you ever found yourself in a desperate situation? Have you ever felt, as the old clichés say, that you were ‘painted into a corner?’ or that you were ‘caught between a rock and a hard place?’ Have you ever found yourself I a situation where you felt that there was no way out?

• Financial problems
• Family problems
• Health concerns
• Faltering faith
• Halted hope
• Vanished victory

In our Scripture reading this morning, we see that this seems to be just how the children of Israel were feeling. They found themselves in a desperate situation. They felt like they were trapped with no where to turn. There seemed to be no way out. They were trapped between, not a rock and a hard place, but between Pharaoh and the deep Red Sea!
They were complaining, they were afraid, and they felt like Moses had led them not to freedom as he had promised, but into this situation where they felt there was no way out.

Just like the children of Israel, there are times in our own lives when we, like the children of Israel, face our own Red Sea crossing. We find ourselves trapped by the pressures of this world, and we feel like we’re about to either be crushed from the pressures, or thrown into the Red Sea and drowned. We may even find ourselves, just like the children of Israel, whinging, complaining, doubting and why we’re in such a situation.
When we find ourselves in a similar situation to the children of Israel, there are a few things we need to remember that will enable us to cross the Red Seas in our own lives safely.

We need to let go of the past (14:12)
We need to take a faith check (14:13&14)
We need to be prepared to launch forward (14:15)

1. We need to LET GO OF THE PAST.

When Moses and God’s people arrived at the shores of The Red Sea, they could hear and see the Egyptians approaching rapidly from behind them. The children of Israel thought that this would be the end for them, and they thought they were trapped. They could see no way out- they thought either they would be killed by the impending Egyptians, or they’d face drowning in The Red Sea. They could not understand that even though this seemed like an impossible situation, an end to them, that God had a purpose.

We read in verse 10
“As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord.”

During this time, they also resorted to blaming Moses for what was happening to them, saying in verse 12,
“Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert.” (14:12)

For each one of us, when we’re faced with The Red Seas in our own lives, it’s all very easy to be tempted to go back to our ‘Egypt’…

The problem here was that the Israelites had become accustomed to slavery, they were even comfortable in it. They thought that their lives would have been better if they had of remained in Egypt as slaves, as they knew no better and could see no way out.

Sometimes, we too have the tendency to look back when we are faced with our own Red Sea moments… But the truth is, our old ways of life will not help us. When times get tough, how often do you look back and think “If only…” or remember the ‘good old days…’ Often when we’re faced with challenges we want our own lives to go back to the way they were…
Often when we’re faced with challenges, we can find ourselves looking back on the way things used to be, and what we used to have… but this won’t always be helpful to us. There are times in our lives when it’s helpful to look back at our past and see how much we’ve grown from the way things were, and how things were, but it helps no-one to dwell on these past days. Someone once said that,

“We can never overcome what is in front of us if we keep looking backwards…”

After all, remember what happened to Lot’s wife when she looked back on what was happening behind her? In Genesis we see that as Sodom and Gomorrah were being destroyed, God gave specific instructions that Lot and his family were to move forward, not to look back, but in Genesis 19:26 we read,

“But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.”

It often amazes me that when things go wrong in life, people are so often very quick to point the finger and blame someone else. And often, we find that finger being pointed towards God himself. I think this kind of behaviour can be likened to a quote I heard about a parachute…

“A parachute will not improve your flight… it will be uncomfortable in the seat – but a parachute WILL save your life when you jump from that plane.”

In order to move on, we need to let go of the past and look towards all God has for us in the future.

Secondly, in order to safely cross those ‘Red Sea’ moment sin our lives, we need to

2. We need to TAKE A FAITH CHECK.

“Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Moses tells the people, “Don’t be afraid…” Fear is one thing that tends to hold us back, but I want to let you know this morning that fear like this is NOT of the Lord. Fear a trick of the enemy.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
2 Timothy 1:7

Each time you find yourself living with fear, each time you find yourself feeling afraid, stand boldly on God’s word and look to your faith.

As they were facing the Red Sea, with the Egyptians closing in on them, the children of Israel did not believe that God would deliver them. Regardless of everything that God had done for them in the past, they allowed fear instead of faith in God to take over and they could see no way out. And here’s the key verse for this morning that I want each of us to take note of: When we allow faith instead of fear to rule us, we need only “stand still” and God will fight the battle for us. (verse 14)

Each one of us, sometime in our lives are going to find ourselves going through times when we need to be rescued. We’re each going to experience times when we feel overwhelmed, when we feel enclosed, when we feel trapped by the situations of our lives… Moses looked at the Israelites and could see that fear was written all over their faces and he realised something that I think we each need to take note of in our own lives… in order for the Israelites to move forward, Moses realised that this fear thing needed to be dealt with first, so he said to the people, “Do not be afraid…” And just like the Israelite children, we have a choice. When we’re faced with our own Red Sea moments, we need to choose whether we’ll allow fear to rule us, or whether we’ll allow faith to be our guide. The children of Israel had a choice to make: whether to go back to their lives of slavery in Egypt, or to trust and obey God.

We have the same choice to make in our own lives today: we can choose to give up or we can choose to give it to God!

The next thing Moses said to the people of Israel are a key for us today: he says to the people, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

In the same way, we too need to stand still when we’re faced with our own battles and Red Sea moments.

You’ve heard the saying, “Don’t just stand there- DO something”?

We’ll, I think we as Christians need to rearrange this statement… we need to be able to say, “Don’t just Do something, stand there.”

In order for us to learn to walk by faith, we first need to learn how to stand in faith…

“Be still and know that I am God…” Psalm 46:10

We need to learn how to stand still and let God do what He does best. We need to be able to stand still and watch God move!

We read in God’s Word that He will “Never leave us or forsake us” We need only to be still.

3. We need to be prepared to LAUNCH FORWARD (14:15)

Once we’ve learned how to be still and allow God to go ahead of us and to trust Him, then and only then can we begin to move forward.

And we not only need to move froward, but we need to move froward in God’s Presence, in His power and with His promise.

Then and only then will we be able to overcome our own Red Sea moments.

And we each need to remember that the crossing of our own Red Seas is for a purpose. The red Seas of our lives are there for us to learn how to become more dependant on God and less dependant on ourselves and those around us…. And when we cross to the other side, we may be able to look back and see that our faith is stronger, our song louder, our prayer time is more frequent, we feel closer to God and we’re find ourselves more and more on our knees before God.

Someone once said that, “the fine line that separates success from failure is 18 inches… the distance from our knees to the floor.”

I want to conclude this morning by sharing with you a story that I read recently about a farmer who’s donkey had fallen into a well and couldn’t get out.

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do.
Finally he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway, it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his neighbours to come over and help him. They each grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. The first shovel loads of dirt got into his eyes and mouth, and went up his nose making him sneeze and bray louder and louder. Then after a few minutes, to everyone's amazement, he quieted down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer looked down the well, and was astonished at what he saw. As every shovel of dirt hit his back, the donkey did something amazing. He would shake it off and stomp his feet, causing him to rise up higher and higher.
As the farmer's neighbours continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed, as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off.

We each have different ways of dealing with the things we are faced with in life. Some people are constant whingers and complainers. They do not handle setbacks very well. Others are defeated at the slightest difficulty they are faced with. Quite a few get confused, turned around and don’t seem to know what to do. Then there are those people who seem to be unconquerable. They are like the donkey trapped in the well. Problems can hit them fair and square on the head, and can cloud their vision and make them uncomfortable, but they don’t give up. They stomp around enough until they find themselves rising above the situation and getting on top of it.

When you’re faced with your own Red Sea moments, I encourage you to look forward, not back, and trust in God. After all, it’s only by allowing God to take control, and only after we allow ourselves to stand still and place our faith in God, that we can see God winning the battles for us.
And remember that no matter what the situation, God will part the waters of The Red Seas in our own lives, and lead us through safely to the other side.

Until next time...

Stand still and allow God to lead...

Blessings,

Ainsley xxoo

What an amazing day...

Well, another day has come and gone and I feel extremely blessed by all that has happened throughout this day. Peter and I have met together with friends for worship, we've shared some fellowship over lunch, we've provided some much loved close friends and corps members with home-made 'ministry meals', we've prayed for people, we've thanked God for all He's blessed us with, and we've seen The Holy Spirit move people in worship... and that's just been in the last 8 hours! I have no doubt that through the Spirit ministering to people we've seen lives change, people challenged, and people continuing to search and seek after God as they journey along this crazy road of life.

And throughout the day there's been a verse going through my head...

"But if you seek the Lord your God, you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and all your soul." Deuteronomy 4:29

And so, that's the verse I am feeling really challenged by today. I feel really challenged to seek God in the ordinary, everyday parts of life... and then to share with others what I've learned.

I guess if I'm honest, I've really been struggling with my Christian journey lately. I've found myself being so caught up ministering to others, that I have not really been allowing God to minister to me. I've read the Scriptures for ministry purposes, but not for leisure, not for devotion, not for my own growth. I've spent time in prayer with and for others, but have been letting my own personal prayer time slip by the way side. But I thank God that even when I stray, even when I don't do what I know I should be doing, God can still use me, and he never gives up on me. I'm not too sure what God has got in store for me next, but I get the feeling that something BIG is going to happen. After all, God is a God of the ordinary, and He is a God of the EXTRAordinary...

So, stay tuned to see what lies ahead on my own journey through life.

Blessings,

Ainsley

5 Things I'm Thankful for....

1. Forgiveness

2. Life and breath to keep on living

3. The power of prayer

4. The Holy Spirit's guidance

5. The vision God has placed within my heart for His church here in Beechworth

What's Your Name?

I have a really bad memory when it comes to remembering people's names. And it's been a real challenge to me as Pete and I have taken up our ministry roles here in Beechworth because we've met SO MANY new people, and they remember us (hey- they've only got TWO new names to remember), but I seem to forget them... I DO remember faces, but frequently forget names...

And it's got me thinking... what's in a name? I've been thinking about names a lot over recent months, as I get used to my own name change. I've changed from my previous surname of 'Fry' to my now married surname of McMaster, and I've found myself thinking about the meaning of names more and more over recent months. My parents had a reason for naming me Ainsley Margaret. They once told me that they heard the name 'Ainsley' and really liked it, so if I was a girl then that's what they would call me... however, I recall Mum once saying that if I was a boy then they were in trouble because they'd only chosen a girls name!). And they chose the middle name 'Margaret' as it is my Mum's middle name and one of dad's sisters' middle names as well. And overall, I think they did a pretty good job in choosing my name. 'Ainsley' is of Scottish origin and simply means 'my own meadow' and my middle name 'Margaret' is of Greek origin and means 'pearl'... LOL... so does that mean I am a pearl in my own meadow? Or maybe that I'll discover a pearl in my own meadow? Lol... Mmm... I think it's a very appropriate name for me, considering that I really like pearl jewellery, and I received a very special gift of a pearl necklace that belonged to my grandmother, Mamma, as we affectionately called her, and I treasure it dearly and wear it with pride. I also really enjoy being on my own at times, and have a love for all things outdoors- the beach, the bush, camping, fishing, swimming, walking, so i think my name serves me well.

But, as a women walking along this crazy journey of life, I often go through phases in my life where I find myself searching... searching to discover who I am... searching to discover where I fit in... searching to discover who I am in Christ... and the journey of searching seems to me to be a life-long one. So, at this latest point in my rediscovery of who i am, I've spent many moments asking God to reveal who I truly am, and who He wants me to be... and over and over again these two words appear... "BEAUTIFUL WARRIOR"... Beautiful Warrior... that's who I am in Christ. God sees me as a Beautiful Warrior, called and set apart for His purposes, serving Him wherever, whenever and however I can at all times.

And so, that's where I'll leave this blog... and I want to challenge you to consider and seek and search and pray about who you are, and as how Christ sees you... what name has God given to you? In what ways are you already living this out? In what ways do you need to change so you can live up to your name?

Blessings,

Beautiful Warrior xxoo

6 Reasons Pastors Should Blog

Here's an article I came across that I thought may be of interest to those of you who read my blogspot... I can't remember what the link was though, so my apologies to Abraham Piper...



6 Reasons Pastors Should Blog

March 31, 2008 By: Abraham Piper Category: Commentary

In this article I want to convince as many pastors as possible to sit down and start a blog today. If I can’t convince them, then I want to convince churchgoers to hound their pastor until he does.
OK, all that’s overstatement, perhaps. You can still be a good pastor and not blog.
However, here’s why I think it would be good for you and your congregation if you did.
Pastors should blog…

1. …to write.
If you’re a pastor, you probably already know the value writing has for thinking. Through writing, you delve into new ideas and new insights. If you strive to write well, you will at the same time be striving to think well.
Then when you share new ideas and new insights, readers can come along with you wherever your good writing and good thinking bring you.
There is no better way to simply and quickly share your writing than by maintaining a blog. And if you’re serious about your blog, it will help you not only in your thinking, but in your discipline as well, as people begin to regularly expect quality insight from you.

2. …to teach.
Most pastors I’ve run into love to talk. Many of them laugh at themselves about how long-winded they’re sometimes tempted to be.
Enter Blog.
Here is where a pastor has an outlet for whatever he didn’t get to say on Sunday. Your blog is where you can pass on that perfect analogy you only just thought of; that hilarious yet meaningful story you couldn’t connect to your text no matter how hard you tried; that last point you skipped over even though you needed it to complete your 8-point acrostic sermon that almost spelled HUMILITY.
And more than just a catch-all for sermon spill-over, a blog is a perfect place for those 30-second nuggets of truth that come in your devotions or while you’re reading the newspaper. You may never write a full-fledged article about these brief insights or preach a whole sermon, but via your blog, your people can still learn from them just like you did.

3. …to recommend.
With every counseling session or after-service conversation, a pastor is recommending something. Sometimes it’s a book or a charity. Maybe it’s a bed-and-breakfast for that couple he can tell really needs to get away. And sometimes it’s simply Jesus.
With a blog, you can recommend something to hundreds of people instead of just a few. Some recommendations may be specific to certain people, but that seems like it would be rare. It’s more likely to be the case that if one man asks you whether you know of any good help for a pornography addiction, then dozens of other men out there also need to know, but aren’t asking.
Blog it.
Recommendation, however, is more than pointing people to helpful things. It’s a tone of voice, an overall aura that good blogs cultivate.
Blogs are not generally good places to be didactic. Rather, they’re ideal for suggesting and commending. I’ve learned, after I write, to go back and cut those lines that sound like commands or even overbearing suggestions, no matter how right they may be. Because if it’s true for my audience, it’s true for me, so why not word it in such a way that I’m the weak one, rather than them?
People want to know that their pastor knows he is an ordinary, imperfect human being. They want to know that you’re recommending things that have helped you in your own weakness. If you say, “When I struggled with weight-loss, I did such-and-such,” it will come across very differently than if you say, “Do such-and-such if you’re over-weight…”
If you use your blog to encourage people through suggesting and commending everything from local restaurants to Jesus Christ, it will complement the biblical authority that you rightly assume when you stand behind the pulpit.

4. …to interact.
There are a lot of ways for a pastor to keep his finger on the pulse of his people. A blog is by no means necessary in this regard. However, it does add a helpful new way to stay abreast of people’s opinions and questions.
Who knows what sermon series might arise after a pastor hears some surprising feedback about one of his 30-second-nuggets-of-truth?

5. …to develop an eye for what is meaningful.
For good or ill, most committed bloggers live with the constant question in their mind: Is this bloggable? This could become a neurosis, but I’ll put a positive spin on it: It nurtures a habit of looking for insight and wisdom and value in every situation, no matter how mundane.
If you live life looking for what is worthwhile in every little thing, you will see more of what God has to teach you. And the more he teaches you, the more you can teach others. As you begin to be inspired and to collect ideas, you will find that the new things you’ve seen and learned enrich far more of your life than just your blog.

6. …to be known.
This is where I see the greatest advantage for blogging pastors.
Your people hear you teach a lot; it’s probably the main way that most of them know you. You preach on Sundays, teach on Wednesdays, give messages at weddings, funerals, youth events, retreats, etc.
This is good—it’s your job. But it’s not all you are. Not that you need to be told this, but you are far more than your ideas. Ideas are a crucial part of your identity, but still just a part.
You’re a husband and a father. You’re some people’s friend and other people’s enemy. Maybe you love the Nittany Lions. Maybe you hate fruity salad. Maybe you struggle to pray. Maybe listening to the kids’ choir last weekend was—to your surprise—the most moving worship experience you’ve ever had.
These are the things that make you the man that leads your church. They’re the windows into your personality that perhaps stay shuttered when you’re teaching the Bible. Sometimes your people need to look in—not all the way in, and not into every room—but your people need some access to you as a person. A blog is one way to help them.
You can’t be everybody’s friend, and keeping a blog is not a way of pretending that you can. It’s simply a way for your people to know you as a human being, even if you can’t know them back. This is valuable, not because you’re so extraordinary, but because leadership is more than the words you say. If you practice the kind of holiness that your people expect of you, then your life itself opened before them is good leadership—even when you fail.
Conclusion
For most of you, anything you post online will only be a small piece in the grand scheme of your pastoral leadership. But if you can maintain a blog that is both compelling and personal, it can be an important small piece.
It will give you access to your people’s minds and hearts in a unique way by giving them a chance to know you as a well-rounded person. You will no longer be only a preacher and a teacher, but also a guy who had a hard time putting together a swing-set for his kids last weekend. People will open up for you as you open up like this for them. Letting people catch an honest glimpse of your life will add authenticity to your teaching and depth to your ministry.

It's Been A While...

Mmm... well so much for my new blogging adventure! I had only entered one blog and could not enter any more because I had forgotten my password!!! Welcome to my world... forgetting things is the story of my life really... anyway, after FINALLY working out how to reset my password, I am back in the BWWOB (Big Wide World Of Blogging).

It's been a busy time since my last blog. Since my last entry, we've celebrated Easter (and what a busy time that was) and spent some time with my parents as they came to stay with us for Easter, we've had more visitors (Catherine and Lauren- you girls rock and are welcome to come back anytime!), we've been back to my old ministry ground, Maryborough, where we celebrated our God-children's birthday parties (I'[ll post some pics soon), I have been busily trying to train Georgia after her disgraceful antics last week, and now we're preparing for the rest of the week and Sunday worship, as well as tidying up a bit before our friends Lyn and Richard and their son Hamish come to visit tomorrow... oh what a busy time.

So, what has the infamous Georgia been up to you ask? Well, apart from weeing in excitement every time we have visitors she has also taken to jumping on anything that moves (including the old man across the road who was out in his garden - nearly knocking him over) and last week when she was walking off the lead (which she USED to do quite well) she saw a lady getting into a car and decided to make a run for it, bounding along and jumping into the car, much to the horror of the poor unsuspecting lady! Needless to say, Georgia was in the doghouse (literally) for the rest of the day and now she is undergoing some very serious training before being allowed out on the lead again. Oh, the joys of puppy hood! Things may start to settle down (hopefully!) in a few weeks though, as she is having a little trip to the vets... Mmm... need I say any more?

Well, apart from the antics of Georgia, life in the McMaster household has been pretty uneventful. I've been feeling HEAPS better lately and have SO much more energy, thanks to a visit to a naturopath and some herbal supplements that have made a HUGE difference already to my life. OK, OK, so the downside is that most of the tablets and stuff taste horrible, but I don't mind too much becausethey are working well at this stage. Praise God!

Mmm... what else can I tell you?

Oh, I have been out digging in the garden recently... after some fairly good rainfall a week or two back I went out and dug over my veggie patch and turned over the soil (with Georgia's "help"), and am now waiting for another nice day when I can get out there and do it all again... and I also can't wait to start growing some very yummy fruit and veggies of my own. Food always tastes better when you grow it or make it on your own.

Peter and I have also set ourselves a challenge this month- we are participating in "NO JUNK APRIL". We've decided to avoid all junk foods for a WHOLE MONTH in order to try to eat more healthily, and so far, so good, although it's only officially day one today, we started a few days early and so far so good! Anyone want to join us? It's not too late to start!

Well, that's about it from me at this point, so I'll sign off and get a bit more planning done before lunch.

Lots of love and blessings,

Ainsley

P.S. My friend Megan issued a challenge last year to think of 5 things each day to be thankful for... so here's mine for today...

5 THINGS I AM THANKFUL FOR...

1. Fresh food and drink in abundance
2. The love of great friends and family
3. God's wonderful provisions
4. A wonderful, gorgeous, and very supportive husband
5. A church full of people bursting with God's love

Here we are...

Well, here I am once again in the big blogging world.

Pete and I have decided that the only way we can keep in touch with all of our friends and family is to blog from time to time about what is happening in our lives.

So, here's to the McMaster News...

Stay tuned for more updates!