Thoughts on Turning Fifty-Four

Fifty-four, 54, hmmm, what can I say about being 54? It’s great to be here? I have a few more aches than I did at 20 but oh so much more sense of myself, more confidence and less fear… I know, scary, huh… at least for those of you who knew me then. Why is it that when you finally become comfortable in your own skin—your skin isn't very comfortable any more?

But it's good to be here. It is a time of transition. Our parents are gone. Our grandchildren are coming. I miss friends from my past and family members that have passsed on, but also I look forward to meeting and interacting with the people the Lord will bring across my pathways in the days and years to come. I desire to learn more and more of His ways; to become more and more intimate with Him—and then, to have the opportunity to share Him with others.

With a few edits, I’d like to share the lyrics of one of my favorite
John Denver songs: "Poems and Prayers and Promises":

"I’ve been lately thinking about my life’s time
All the things I’ve done and how it’s been
I can’t help believing in my own life
I know I’m going to hate to see it end

I’ve seen a lot of sunshine; slept out in the rain
Spent a night or two all on my own
I’ve known my boyfriend’s pleasures
I’ve had myself some friends
Spent a night or two in my own home

I have to say it now it’s been a good life all in all
It’s really fine to have a chance to hang around
To lie there by the fire and watch the evening tire
While all my friends and all my fam’ly
Sit and pass the time along

We talk of poems and prayers and promises
Things that we believe in
How sweet it is to love someone; how right it is to care
How long it’s been since yesterday and what about tomorrow
What about our dreams and all the memories we share

The days they pass so quickly now; nights are seldom long
Time around me whispers when it’s cold
The changes somehow frighten me, still, I have to smile
It turns me on to think of growing old
For though my life’s been good to me – there’s still so much to do
So many things my mind has never known"
I’m glad I raised a family; what’s next for me today?
To love and share and give myself away.

We are given now and now is what we are all about. We have always known that we cannot do anything to change yesterday and that tomorrow has not happened and indeed, may never happen.

This person we are with in this moment, is the most important person. This decision we are making in this moment, is our most important decision. In this moment the choice is ours: regret for yesterday, care and concern for tomorrow, or to expend our energy on what the Lord has put before us to do this minute.

The Lord Jesus said, "take no thought for tomorrow."

Again, I would like to share the lyrics of a favorite song of mine:
Andrea Crouch's "Through It All":

"I’ve had many tears and sorrows,
I’ve had questions for tomorrow,
There’ve been times I didn’t choose right from wrong.
But in every situation, God gave me blessed consolation,
That my trials come to only make me strong.

Through it all, I’ve learned to trust in Jesus,
Through it all, I’ve learned to trust in God.
Through it all, I’ve learned to depend upon His word.

I’ve been to lots of places,
I’ve seen a lot of faces,
There’ve been times I felt all alone.
But in my lonely hours,
Yes, those precious lonely hours,
Jesus let me know that I was His own

So, I thank God for the mountains,
And I thank him for the valleys,
I thank Him for the storms He brought me through.
For if I’d never had a problem,
I wouldn’t know God could solve them,
I’d never know what faith in God could do"

Thank you Lord for fifty four years.

The Apple of His Eye

Deuteronomy 32:10 – He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; He led him about, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye.

Notice where He found us, and then what He did.

Side note:
We know that we (Christians) are included in this inheritance:
Hebrews 9:15 – For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

Back to the point:
The original Hebrew for this idiom can be literally translated as “Little Man of the Eye” which is a reference to the tiny reflection of yourself that you can see in other people’s pupils.

To see yourself reflected in the pupil of another’s eyes, you must be directly in front of him and looking straight at him. Our heavenly Father keeps us as the apple of His eye—He is always looking straight at us, directly into our eyes.

We are to do the same.

Proverbs 7:2 – Keep my commandments, and live; and [keep] my law as the apple of your eye.

Side Note:
In Matthew, Jesus himself told us what the greatest commandments are: Matthew 22:37-40 – Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

This is our prayer:
Psalms 17:8 – Keep me as the apple of your eye, hide me under the shadow of your wings.

Apple of the Eye references also found in:
Lamentations 2:18; Zechariah 2:8

LOIS-OLOGY

If you could change your name, what would you change it to? Julie

Last person you talked to? Dean

Last person you hugged? Brian

Favorite Season? Fall

Favorite Holiday? Thanksgiving

Favorite Day of the week? Friday

Favorite Month? October

Missing someone? Dean, Christine, David, Cora Jean

Mood - on a scale of 1-10? Six - maybe 7

What are you listening to?
Nothing, I cannot listen to music when I am concentrating… unless it is music with no words, that never had words

If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? Yes

What is your salad dressing of choice? Ranch

What is your favorite sit down restaurant? Don’t have one

What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of? Vanilla Yogurt – with grapes

What are your pizza toppings of choice? Canadian bacon

How many televisions are in your house? 3

What color cell phone do you have? Shiny charcoal

Are you right-handed or left-handed? Right (sometimes left)

Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
Wisdom teeth, tonsils, cists & polyps

What is the last heavy item you lifted? Dean’s MSC books

Have you ever been knocked unconscious? Yes

What song represents you?
"I Hope You’ll Dance" by Lee Ann Womack

How many pairs of flip flops do you own?
Red, yellow, gold, red/blk, blue, green, coral… so 7,
I think, unless I threw some of them out at the end of last season,
I don’t remember, I’ll find out in May

Watching? Dumb question...
my computer screen; or the cars driving by outside

Worrying about? Nothing, I don’t worry much…
except maybe about never being pain-free

First place you went this morning? Bathroom, always the same… then my closet, then the kitchen, then the car, then work… except on Saturday, then I go to the laundry room after the kitchen

What's the last movie you saw? "A Walk To Remember"

Do you smile often? Yes, I make a point of smiling at people I meet… even if I don’t know them

Do you always answer your phone? Yes, unless it is a solicitor.
You can tell because the call is not identified and they always hang up after 4 rings. If it rings a 5th time, I answer it

It’s four in the morning and you get a text message, who is it? Brian or David but maybe Nate or Christine

If you could change your eye color what would it be?
Very dark brown

Do you own a digital camera? Yes

Have you ever had a pet fish? Fish are not pets, they are something to look at. I used to have 2-10 gallons in my living room. We now have a 35 gallon in the basement. My favorite are gold fish… because they are active and because of their color.
I absolutely love orange

What's on your wish list for your birthday? Bedroom remodeled

Can you do pushups? I think so. Been a while

Can you do a chin up? Yeah, pretty sure

Does the future make you more nervous or excited?
Probably neither, altho I’m working in the excited part

Ever been in a car wreck? Yes, the others died

Do you have an accent? Depends on who you ask. I would say "no"

What is the last song to make you cry?
“I’ll be there for you, When You Get Home” by GB Leighton

When was the last time you cried? Monday

Plans tonight? Life Group/Bible Study

Last time you had a run-in with the cops?
Fall 1997 and I’m still furious about it. I have very little respect for Willmar cops as a result… they obviously don’t have enough to do, or are way over staffed during the day.

Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom? Pretty close - maybe

Name three things you bought yesterday?
Door opener, spark plugs, and Chocolate

Have you ever been given roses?
Yes, by my husband and by my son... and my daughter & son-in-law! I have also received flowers from my sisters and sisters-in-law

Current hate right now? Ice on the road

Met someone who changed your life? Dean, of course

How did you bring in the new year? With Dean, of course

Would you go back in time if you were given the chance?
If I would know then what I know now, I would like to change three instances/decisions in my life.

Have you ever dated someone longer than a year? Yes, twice

Will you be in a relationship four months from now?
Yes, “if man is still alive, if woman can survive”

Does anyone love you? Yes, quite a number of people, actually

Would you be a pirate? I might be

What songs do you sing in the shower? Praise

Ever had someone sing to you? Yes

Do you like to cuddle? Yes

Have you held hands with anyone today? Yes

Who was the last person you took a picture of? Dean

What kind of music did you listen to in elementary school? Whatever Mom put on the phonograph: classical, folk ballads (like “I’ve been working on the railroad”), stories (like Puss ‘n Boots… nickety, nickety, noo, noo, noo, nickety, nickety, nickety noooo) & opera

Do you believe in staying close with your ex's? for myself? No; if you have children, definitely… unless they are a danger

Are most of the friends in your life new or old? Time is relative

Do you like pulpy orange juice?
Yeah, like any kind, but fresh squeezed is the best

What is something your friends make fun of you for? Lining everything up, having it square, centered & straight

Have you ever ridden on an elephant?
No, have no desire to… a camel either… horses work just fine

What are you saving your money up for right now?
A car and retirement

When is the last time you ate peanut butter and jelly? Yuck!

What were you doing 12 AM last night? Falling asleep

What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up?
Lord, Help me through the day… pretty much the same thing every morning

What song(s) do you want played at your funeral? I want Dean to sing “Lovin’ Her Was Easier” by Kris Kristofferson

Why did You forsake Me?

Mark 15:34 & Matthew 27:46 – At the ninth hour the Lord Jesus cried… “My God, My God, why did You forsake Me?”

In what sense did the Father forsake the Son, our Lord Jesus?
How are we to understand this passage as related to the Trinity?

TRINITY: THE FATHER is GOD; THE SON is GOD; THE SPIRIT is GOD
One does not exist without the other; They are ONE in essence, nature, character, purpose, will, and fellowship; distinct in terms of function, association, & relationship. Consider this: "There is that in the Father which constitutes him the Father and not the Son; there is that in the Son which constitutes Him the Son and not the Father; and there is that in the Holy Spirit which constitutes Him the Holy Spirit and not either the Father or the Son. These three persons in the Godhead are in a state of unity, there is but one Lord God Almighty and His name One. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are never identical as to Person; nor confused as to relation; nor divided in respect to the Godhead; nor opposed as to cooperation. The Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son as to relationship. The Son is with the Father and the Father is with the Son, as to fellowship. No Person in the Godhead either exists or works separately or independently of the others." (AG)

HE COULD NOT HAVE LEFT HIM BECAUSE OF THESE SCRIPTURES:
John 10:30 – “I and the Father are one.”

John 14:9 – “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.”

Luke 23:46 – “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”

Acts 4:10 – “It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God [the Father] raised from the dead.”

FURTHER EVIDENCE - NEVER LEAVE OR FORSAKE VERSES:
Deuteronomy 31: 6 – Moses said to Joshua: “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Hebrews 13:5 – Paul’s final exhortations: God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

Does the Father's forsaking of Christ mean that the One who remained on the cross was merely a man and no longer had the divine nature? This cannot be the situation, for if it were, then the Lord’s redeeming power would not be eternal, there would not be the divine, eternal element in it. Furthermore, if the Father could leave the Son, the Godhead would not be ONE.

The Lord Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit and was born of a human virgin. Therefore, He was born as a man with two natures: the human nature and the divine nature. (Son of God and Son of Man.) He was born of God in man. From God He received His divinity, and from Mary He received His humanity.

Matthew 1:20 – “That which is begotten [in Mary] is of the Holy Spirit.”

JESUS CHRIST'S BAPTISM - ANOINTING - POWER for MINISTRY:
At the age of thirty Jesus was baptized. Immediately after He came out of the water, a voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I delight” (Matthew 3:17). At the same time the Spirit of God descended as a dove and came upon Him (Matthew 3:16). Remember, The Lord had been conceived and born of the Spirit; the Divine Spirit was the essence of His being (He had the Holy Spirit within Him). We also know that since He had been conceived in a human virgin, humanity was also the essence of His being. His being was made up (constituted) of both divinity and humanity. Since He already had the Holy Spirit within Him as part of His being, why was it necessary for the Holy Spirit to descend upon Him? This is a crucial question. The Holy Spirit descended upon the Lord Jesus Christ to anoint Him for His ministry.

Jesus ministered on earth by the Spirit. Before the Spirit descended upon Him, He was already both divine and human. Although He was divine and human, when He was about to begin His ministry, God anointed Him with the Spirit. Even though before the Spirit came upon Him, He already had within Him the essence of God’s divinity, for His ministry He was anointed with the Holy Spirit. During the three and a half years of His ministry, He did not act by Himself as the One who is both human and divine, but by the anointing Spirit. He moved and ministered by and in and through this Spirit. As He was presenting Himself to God on the cross as the ultimate and final sacrifice, He presented Himself through the eternal Holy Spirit. When Jesus was taking our sin upon Himself - bearing our sin for us - He cried, “My God, My God, why did You forsake Me?”. I believe it was at this moment that the anointing Spirit left Him.

1 Peter 2:22-25 – “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”

BEING MADE SIN FOR US
2 Corinthians 5:21 – “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

AND TAKING THE PLACE OF SINNERS
1 Peter 3:18 – “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.”

This means that God judged Him as our Substitute for our sins. In the sight of God, Christ became a sinner. Concerning this, 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “Him who did not know sin He made sin on our behalf.” When did God make Christ sin for us? It was during this time, at about the ninth hour, that the anointing Spirit left the Jesus. However, although the anointing Spirit left Him, He still had the divine essence.

ANOINTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

OLD TESTAMENT:
2 Kings 2:9 – Elisha asked for a “double portion of your spirit.”

1 Samuel 9-10 – Samuel anoints Saul

1 Samuel 10:6 – “The Spirit of the Lord will come upon you in power.”

1 Samuel 16:13 – “The Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power.”

1 Samuel 16:14 – “The Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul.” (Saul lost the anointing.)

JESUS CHRIST:
Luke 3:22; Matthew 3:16, 17 – Baptism of Jesus: “The Holy Spirit descended on him”

Luke 4:1 – Jesus in the wilderness: “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit… was tempted.”

Luke 4:14 – “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit.”

Luke 4:18 – Jesus in the Temple: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.”

DISCIPLES:
John 20:19-20 - On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

John 20:21-22 - Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. (the indwelling)

Acts 1:1-5 - In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” (the infilling or anointing that gives power for ministry.)

Acts 2:1-4 - When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Clearly, there is a distinction made in Acts between the indwelling (salvation) and the infilling (anointing for service) of the Holy Spirit.

My conclusion is that the anointing of the Holy Spirit was removed from our Lord Jesus just as He took our sin and became the atoning sacrifice for our sin. Certainly it was something that He clearly felt. He was bereft.

The Great "I AM"

When Moses asked God at the burning bush, who He was: “God said to Moses, I AM WHO I AM: This is what you are to say to the Israelites, I AM has sent me to you.” (Exodus 3:14) All the Jews then KNEW WHO Moses was talking about.

When Jesus was asked who He was, He said that He, also, was the “I AM.” (Mark 14:61-64) “Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” “I AM,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. “You have heard the blasphemy.”

Jesus was claiming to be the same “I AM” who spoke to Moses in the burning bush – that is why they crucified Him. We know He was claiming to be Yahweh or Jehovah God of the Old Testament because the high priest tore his clothes and stated that Jesus had blasphemed – which is to say that you are God.

Jehovah is an English reading of (Hebrew) יְהֹוָה, the most frequent form of the Tetragrammaton יהוה, which is the name of God in the Hebrew Bible. It is Tyndale’s (1530) erroneous, direct phonetic transliteration.

By long tradition, in modern Jewish culture the Tetragrammaton is not pronounced – the full name of YHWH being too sacred for utterance. Instead the above vocalization indicates to the reverent Jewish reader that the term Adonai (Lord) is to be used. In places where the preceding or following word already is Adonai, the reading Elohim is used instead, indicated by a different vocalization of the Tetragrammaton. It is generally agreed therefore, in line with Jewish teaching, that יְהֹוָה is a “hybrid form,” created when the Jews added the vowels of Adonai to the consonants of YHWH. [this works in the Hebrew, with slight modifications, but not in English]

Early English translators, unacquainted with Jewish tradition, read this word as they would any other word, and transcribed it as Jehovah. This form was widely used in the translations of the Protestant Reformation, and although it was later regarded by both Jews and Christians as a mispronunciation, it has nevertheless found a place in Christian usage.

God has MANY names. Check out this website:
http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Names_of_G-d/El/el.html

It's Been A Year!!

It's been quite a year while David has been gone. A couple weddings; a couple funerals; and three new babies in the family. Welcome Crista, Caitlyn, Jackson, Silas, and Ayana! Best Wishes and Congratulations Joel, Rollie, Mark & Melissa, Clint & Rachel, and Carlos & Nancy!! Goodbye Grandpa Skaff and Grandpa Carlson: my son-in-law, Nate said "goodbye" to both his grandpas within the space of two month! That was/is tough.

David's home. Currently my two favorite words (to steal Christine's line). He left February 10, 2009 and returned home February 9, 2010. I am filled with gratitude. I am proud and humbled at the same time. Excitement and relief combined. It is a wonderful feeling.

Thank you, David, for you consciencious service. Thank you for giving us all this past year of your life; the world is a better place because you are in it. (Read his blog for details of the year.) www.infantry34.blogspot.com

Thank you, God, for keeping my son safe. Thank you for the verse you gave to me last February for this year: "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one." John 17:15

Thank you, Lord, for protecting David. Thank you for protecting all our children. That was your prayer; that is our prayer.

A Reason, A Season, A Lifetime

People come into your life for
a REASON, a SEASON, or a LIFETIME.

When you know which one it is,
you will know what to do for that person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON,
it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.

They have come to assist you through a difficulty,
to provide you with guidance and support—
to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually.

Then, suddenly, the relationship comes to an end.
Realize your need has been met and their work is done.

The prayer you sent up has been answered
and now it is time to move on.


Some people come into your life for a SEASON,
because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.

They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.

They may teach you something you have never done.

They give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it, it is real. But only for a SEASON.


LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons:
Lessons you must build upon to have a solid foundation.

Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person
and put what you have learned to use
in all other relationships and areas of your life.

Thank you for being a part of my life: Whether
you were for a REASON, a SEASON or a LIFETIME.