As the old saying goes, "Ignorance is Bliss." But, that's only true if you prefer to reject reality and live life with blinders on. Some of us prefer to ignore reality because we can't handle "bad" news, or we want to be in control of everything, or perhaps we want to avoid suffering or hard work. But, life is full of ups and downs, some things are beyond our control, and anything worth having is worth striving for, even if that striving is simply to get into position to receive that which we desire.
When we cease striving or pressing toward the mark because we prefer to remain ignorant or, on the opposite end of the spectrum, when we stop stretching and growing because we think we've already "arrived", we find ourselves coming far shorter of the mark than we realize. Either way, when we get complacent with where we are in life and begin to rest on our own knowledge and abilities, we stunt our growth because no matter how much we've done or how much we do know, we don't know what we don't know--and what we don't know is what can hurt us. It's not a blissful situation at all.
God tells us, "I know the plans I have for you...." and over the course of time and at just the right time He reveals those plans to us. Even though He may reveal the overall plan (the "What"), He often doesn't share all of the details (the "How" or the "When") immediately--those we discover as we step out in faith. Since we don't know exactly how God will bring forth His plans for us, we need to continually stay tuned to His voice so we can hear clearly when He says, "This is the way, walk in it" as we press toward the mark.
Today, I was driving along Capitol Hill shortly after one of the local schools had just let out. I was sitting at a stop light in the left lane and the driver ahead of me had their left turn signal on, preparing to turn left once the light changed. Suddenly, the thought came to me that I should move over one lane to the right, otherwise I would get stuck behind the car in front of me as the driver made the left turn. ("This is the way, walk in it.") I surveyed the situation and as far as I could see, everything was completely clear to the left, so in my mind, there was nothing to hinder the car from turning once the light changed, and therefore no need for me to move over.
Well, what I didn't know is that a group of school children would decide to jaywalk in the lane the driver was preparing to turn in. The students slowly (did I say, "slooowly"?) and casually strolled across the street as if to make the most of their disregard for traffic rules.
So, there it was. I relied on what I knew about the situation at hand and decided to disregard God's voice that clearly instructed me to move over one lane because of a pending traffic impediment. I reasoned the voice away because as far as I knew there was no impediment in sight. But I didn't know what I didn't know....
God knew exactly when those students' wayward feet would hit that street, and He knew that they would move at an excruciatingly slow beat. There was no way for me to know that, but God sees all and knows all. I still made it to my destination on time, despite the delay, but the lesson wasn't about me being delayed in reaching my physical destination. The lesson was about me remembering that I cannot afford to lean on my own understanding as I move toward that divine destination God has for me on this side of glory. God has given me a reasonable amount of intelligence and critical thinking abilities, but even with all that I have learned from various schools-- including the school of hard knocks-- I definitely don't know it all.
Thank God, we don't have to know it all, we just have to know the One who does know it all. And, when we humble ourselves in His sight, He will lift us up far beyond what we know, and even farther beyond what we don't know.
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Standing at the Intersection of Prayer Path, Dream Drive, and Hope Highway....
This year's Presidential inauguration was so momentous that it will likely take decades for the magnitude of it to be fully realized. In January 2013, we simultaneously celebrated:
Regardless of our party affiliation, we who were blessed to be in the land of the living on Monday, January 21, 2013 may simply have been too close to history--up close and personal with it--to realize that it is indeed history we are living. We know that history has been made in our midst, but I wonder if we really know the history we have witnessed.
Decades from now when school children read about this event and marvel at the incredible convergence of dates, we will be able to tell them that we didn't have to read about it--we were there. Prayerfully, we won't have to tell them that we were there seething like sore losers or fanning the divisive flames of hatred.
Hopefully, we will be able to tell our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren that we stood in a prodigious place in time...A place that countless African slaves fervently prayed for in the midst of whips on their backs and shackles on their feet....A place that was the substance of dreams so impossible they could only be viewed from the pinnacle of the mountaintop--a view that had been obstinately obscured by nooses, police dogs,water hoses and other tools of torture...One day, we will be able say that we stood proudly along a highway of hope where we could see just beyond the horizon an America finally living up to her characterization as the "land of the free and the home of the brave."
Here, at the intersection of Prayer Path, Dream Drive and Hope Highway we are ushering in an era in which the God of our weary years and God of our silent tears has answered the prayers of those who had to follow unmarked underground paths to freedom. Here, we see how the hand of God inspired men to have visions and dream dreams that drove our entire country forward and away from backward thinking. Here, we can more fully appreciate that the stony road we trod was actually a highway to Heaven, paved by the One who promised us a future and a hope.
This Associated Press photograph seems to capture the essence of the three distinct eras of President Lincoln, Dr. King and President Obama. The heavy, fringed ruby red curtain is reminiscent of the Lincoln era. The shot of the crowds in the distance almost appears to be in black and white as if it were taken on the day of the March on Washington.
And, while we yet stand at this divinely directed intersection, let us not be content to simply stand here. Let us run and not be weary...let us walk and not faint...let us march on 'til victory is won!
Congratulations President Barak Obama. Congratulations America!
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
- The historic second inauguration of Barak Obama, America's first African-American President;
- The national holiday in honor of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. -- who dreamed of such a day;
- The 150th anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, which set America's captives and captors on course for freedom.
Regardless of our party affiliation, we who were blessed to be in the land of the living on Monday, January 21, 2013 may simply have been too close to history--up close and personal with it--to realize that it is indeed history we are living. We know that history has been made in our midst, but I wonder if we really know the history we have witnessed.
Decades from now when school children read about this event and marvel at the incredible convergence of dates, we will be able to tell them that we didn't have to read about it--we were there. Prayerfully, we won't have to tell them that we were there seething like sore losers or fanning the divisive flames of hatred.
Hopefully, we will be able to tell our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren that we stood in a prodigious place in time...A place that countless African slaves fervently prayed for in the midst of whips on their backs and shackles on their feet....A place that was the substance of dreams so impossible they could only be viewed from the pinnacle of the mountaintop--a view that had been obstinately obscured by nooses, police dogs,water hoses and other tools of torture...One day, we will be able say that we stood proudly along a highway of hope where we could see just beyond the horizon an America finally living up to her characterization as the "land of the free and the home of the brave."
Here, at the intersection of Prayer Path, Dream Drive and Hope Highway we are ushering in an era in which the God of our weary years and God of our silent tears has answered the prayers of those who had to follow unmarked underground paths to freedom. Here, we see how the hand of God inspired men to have visions and dream dreams that drove our entire country forward and away from backward thinking. Here, we can more fully appreciate that the stony road we trod was actually a highway to Heaven, paved by the One who promised us a future and a hope.
This Associated Press photograph seems to capture the essence of the three distinct eras of President Lincoln, Dr. King and President Obama. The heavy, fringed ruby red curtain is reminiscent of the Lincoln era. The shot of the crowds in the distance almost appears to be in black and white as if it were taken on the day of the March on Washington.
And, while we yet stand at this divinely directed intersection, let us not be content to simply stand here. Let us run and not be weary...let us walk and not faint...let us march on 'til victory is won!
Congratulations President Barak Obama. Congratulations America!
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Mighty Mite
In Mark 12:41-44, Jesus shared a story about a widow whose generosity far outweighed her financial means. This was a woman who truly reverenced the Lord and understood that worship included giving of her heart as well as her time and treasure.
Mark 12:41 records that:
The crowd was probably unaware that Jesus was watching, but he saw their every move. He saw the widow of meager means come forth right along with those who were extremely wealthy. When the time came for the widow to give her offering, she gave it her all--and her "all" consisted of no more than two small coins known as "mites," worth only a fraction of a penny. The clink of the coins was probably heavier than their value, yet, Jesus said she gave more in those two mites than all of the might of the mighty men.
In God's economy, our heart-felt internal desires weigh much more than our external displays. So, according to God's standard, the widow's mite outweighed the large financial offering because her gift came out of her limitations, while the wealthy gifts came out of excess. The widow gave without knowing if or when more funds would be coming while the wealthy gave out of the security of knowing that there was plenty more where that came from. Both offerings may have been sincere--the wealthy gave as a demonstration of faith, but the widow gave as a test of faith.
It took great obedience and love for that widow to give her all to the Master. Her actions greatly delighted the Master for obedience is better than sacrifice--and she had displayed both! Her loving obedience and willing sacrifice remind me of a widow I know and love dearly, my mother, Dorothy Whitney.
Despite her limited means, my mother delights in giving what she has to be a blessing to others. On more than one occasion, my family and I have been the beneficiaries of her thoughtfulness, which always seems to be divinely timed. When my family had a specific financial need and prayed about where to turn, before I could even broach the subject with my mother she told me that she felt led to go to the bank earlier that day and deposit a "gift" into my account. The gift was the exact amount we needed, at the exact time we needed it, and I had never spoken a word to her about it!
We should never think that what we have to give is too small to make a difference. God sees all, and just as Jesus observed the crowd that day, He sees every "small" gesture and act of love done in His name. My mom praised God for helping her to be obedient to Him and was so glad that she moved when and how He instructed her to move that day. The amount we needed was significant, but not exorbitant, and the amount she had to give was significant, but not exorbitant. In a divinely orchestrated test of faith for all of us, what we needed and what she had were both just right for her mighty mite! You just can't beat Kingdom economics!
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
Mark 12:41 records that:
| Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. |
In God's economy, our heart-felt internal desires weigh much more than our external displays. So, according to God's standard, the widow's mite outweighed the large financial offering because her gift came out of her limitations, while the wealthy gifts came out of excess. The widow gave without knowing if or when more funds would be coming while the wealthy gave out of the security of knowing that there was plenty more where that came from. Both offerings may have been sincere--the wealthy gave as a demonstration of faith, but the widow gave as a test of faith.
It took great obedience and love for that widow to give her all to the Master. Her actions greatly delighted the Master for obedience is better than sacrifice--and she had displayed both! Her loving obedience and willing sacrifice remind me of a widow I know and love dearly, my mother, Dorothy Whitney.
Despite her limited means, my mother delights in giving what she has to be a blessing to others. On more than one occasion, my family and I have been the beneficiaries of her thoughtfulness, which always seems to be divinely timed. When my family had a specific financial need and prayed about where to turn, before I could even broach the subject with my mother she told me that she felt led to go to the bank earlier that day and deposit a "gift" into my account. The gift was the exact amount we needed, at the exact time we needed it, and I had never spoken a word to her about it!
We should never think that what we have to give is too small to make a difference. God sees all, and just as Jesus observed the crowd that day, He sees every "small" gesture and act of love done in His name. My mom praised God for helping her to be obedient to Him and was so glad that she moved when and how He instructed her to move that day. The amount we needed was significant, but not exorbitant, and the amount she had to give was significant, but not exorbitant. In a divinely orchestrated test of faith for all of us, what we needed and what she had were both just right for her mighty mite! You just can't beat Kingdom economics!
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Just Face It...Don't Fight It
I saw a tabloid newspaper at the grocery store last week that featured celebrity plastic surgeries gone wrong. The cover of the paper featured a collage of photos that vividly displayed just how right the headline was about how horribly wrong the plastic surgeries had gone.
I couldn't help but wonder why these men and women voluntarily submitted themselves to the pain of surgery and recovery, only to end up looking like they never fully recovered from the surgery. Some of them looked as if they were having some sort of meltdown--literally. Their faces looked as if they were melting away. Others looked like they were wearing grotesque masks designed to be exaggerated caricatures of the celebrities who, sadly, weren't masquerading underneath them, but were actually faced with displaying their own actually horrifying faces.
Why would anyone subject themselves to such butchery when there is a long line of victims whose distorted faces are a major warning sign against plastic surgery? I guess each person who goes under the knife doesn't think it will happen to them. Ah, the lies we tell ourselves, or the lies we willingly believe from others.
It was disheartening and disturbing to see women who were naturally beautiful and known all around the world for their beauty reduced to looking worse than low-budget wax figures. I can't imagine any wrinkles looking as horrible as the plastic surgery made them look.
Some of us may not have achieved the fame or fortune we would love to have because the Lord knows that if we had the funds we would promptly go to have this or that "fixed," "nicked," "tucked," "plumped," or "stretched" into what we shallowly define as "beautiful" or "handsome." When we succumb to worldly definitions of beauty, we forget that true beauty radiates from the inside.
My brother used to say that regardless of what we look like on the outside, personality/character are worth 50%. So, if someone is 100% attractive on the outside, but has a horrible personality, they would lose 50%, leaving them with a failing grade. On the other hand, if someone only ranks 50% in physical attractiveness but scores an additional 50% because of great character, they are 100% attractive.
Of course, it's all subjective because beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But, some of us have not yet beheld the eye of our creator enough to know what the real standard of beauty is:
"They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing." (Psalm 92:14)
"The glory of young men is their strength, but the beauty of old men is their gray hair." (Prov. 20:29)
We don't lose our beauty when we age, it just shifts--so we need to shift our expectations right along with it!
Let's learn from those who would give anything to turn back time--not to be young again, but to never have allowed a surgeon to mess with God's best.
Whatever it is on your face or your body that you long to "fix", ask the Lord to fix your heart and your mind instead. After all, these physical bodies are just rentals that will return to the dust when we are through with them. If there are things that can be "fixed" with exercise, dieting and better self-care, go for it. Otherwise, pray that when you look in the mirror, you will see what God sees and you will be able to proudly face it, not fight it.
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
I couldn't help but wonder why these men and women voluntarily submitted themselves to the pain of surgery and recovery, only to end up looking like they never fully recovered from the surgery. Some of them looked as if they were having some sort of meltdown--literally. Their faces looked as if they were melting away. Others looked like they were wearing grotesque masks designed to be exaggerated caricatures of the celebrities who, sadly, weren't masquerading underneath them, but were actually faced with displaying their own actually horrifying faces.
Why would anyone subject themselves to such butchery when there is a long line of victims whose distorted faces are a major warning sign against plastic surgery? I guess each person who goes under the knife doesn't think it will happen to them. Ah, the lies we tell ourselves, or the lies we willingly believe from others.
It was disheartening and disturbing to see women who were naturally beautiful and known all around the world for their beauty reduced to looking worse than low-budget wax figures. I can't imagine any wrinkles looking as horrible as the plastic surgery made them look.
Some of us may not have achieved the fame or fortune we would love to have because the Lord knows that if we had the funds we would promptly go to have this or that "fixed," "nicked," "tucked," "plumped," or "stretched" into what we shallowly define as "beautiful" or "handsome." When we succumb to worldly definitions of beauty, we forget that true beauty radiates from the inside.
My brother used to say that regardless of what we look like on the outside, personality/character are worth 50%. So, if someone is 100% attractive on the outside, but has a horrible personality, they would lose 50%, leaving them with a failing grade. On the other hand, if someone only ranks 50% in physical attractiveness but scores an additional 50% because of great character, they are 100% attractive.
Of course, it's all subjective because beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But, some of us have not yet beheld the eye of our creator enough to know what the real standard of beauty is:
"They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing." (Psalm 92:14)
"The glory of young men is their strength, but the beauty of old men is their gray hair." (Prov. 20:29)
We don't lose our beauty when we age, it just shifts--so we need to shift our expectations right along with it!
Let's learn from those who would give anything to turn back time--not to be young again, but to never have allowed a surgeon to mess with God's best.
Whatever it is on your face or your body that you long to "fix", ask the Lord to fix your heart and your mind instead. After all, these physical bodies are just rentals that will return to the dust when we are through with them. If there are things that can be "fixed" with exercise, dieting and better self-care, go for it. Otherwise, pray that when you look in the mirror, you will see what God sees and you will be able to proudly face it, not fight it.
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
A Proclamation That Redefined a Nation
January 1, 2013 marked the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. President Lincoln's issuance of that bold declaration set in motion a historic change in how America would be defined for centuries to come.
During Lincoln's time, America was shamelessly proud of an economy that was built and sustained literally on the backs of enslaved African-Americans. During that time, there were countless edifices and inventions that were built and developed by slaves and freed African-Americans, some of which remain today --and remain overlooked. Those contributions were born through blood, sweat and tears, and indisputably helped make America what it is today. I won't let you off the hook by listing those vital contributions for you here. Instead, I challenge you to take the initiative to look them up and let me know what you find. You will be blown away.
Taking time to learn and share more about the contributions of African-Americans might be the key to helping our nation heal from some of its systemic ills. For example, if more African-American youths really grasped the full depth of our history as a people who demonstrated incredible faith, strength, intelligence, ingenuity, resolve and integrity in the face of living Hell on earth, perhaps they would be inspired to live true to those traits instead of the negative caricatures that too many have succumbed to emulating.
Likewise, if more European-Americans also fully understood and appreciated our history, perhaps some of their decisions and expectations regarding African-Americans might come from and head toward an entirely different place.
President Lincoln saw something in African-Americans that deserved better treatment. He also saw something in European-Americans that was far better and much more humane than what the institution of slavery was nurturing among their race. He realized that hatred, abuse and prejudice not only hurts those who are its victims, but it destroys the character of those who perpetrate such wickedness.
We are all created in the image of God and God is no respecter of persons. It was certainly no sin to be born of African descent, but it was sinful to brutally mistreat someone because of the color of their skin.
The Emancipation Proclamation not only set the stage for the slaves to be set free, it provided a means for the slaveholders to be freed from the demonic stronghold that blinded them to their cruel and unjust ways. True freedom comes when both the oppressed and the oppressor are set free.
When we look at how far we have come as a nation, it seems that the blight of slavery is ancient history. Yet, the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation shows us that it was only a short while ago. Consider that there are individuals living today who are at least 100 years old, some of whom still have their wits about them. If we go back just to their parents and grandparents, we are back to slavery. Friends, that is not as long ago as we'd like to think.
Today's African-Americans are really not too many generations removed from slavery, and many individuals, such as my mother who is 70-years-old, lived through the horrors of segregation, discrimination and Jim Crow. That means that a significant part of today's African-American population carry the scars of violent abuse, mistreatment, and mis-education. Those realities were simply too painful to bear--by the oppressed as well as the oppressors-- consequently most of it was simply swept under the rug.
No wonder in spite of the incredible strides made my African-Americans, some of today's African-American youths are angry, violent, and confused. They inherited several generations worth of swollen, lumpy rugs full of all the pain, anger and self-loathing that inherently marks those who have been abused.
Those young people who are turning on themselves or who are perpetrating images of fear-provoking thugs are simply playing out the emotions that the generations before them were not free to express or refuse to admit even existed--emotions which are quite typical for victims of abuse.
How appropriate that the Emancipation Proclamation was issued on New Year's Day, a time when individuals all over the world are focused on making positive changes in their lives. The ripple effects of the change President Lincoln and others wanted to see have made their way all the way to the doorsteps of the White House. But, let's go beyond external positions and examine the internal conditions of our hearts. The plight of our youth clearly indicates that we are not yet completely free.
At the start of this new year--one that some predicted we wouldn't even see after December 21, 2012--let's issue our own Emancipation Proclamations. Let us "bring good tidings to the poor...heal the brokenhearted, ...proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound..." (Isaiah 61:1)
Let's avail ourselves to be used of the Lord to help open the eyes of all Americans to see what it will take for us to truly heal from our painful past, not just sweep it aside because of our successes and significant strides.
If we each issue a proclamation that we will be agents of transformation in our family and community situations then we'll start looking more like a nation that is truly "...one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
Have a Happy 2013!
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
During Lincoln's time, America was shamelessly proud of an economy that was built and sustained literally on the backs of enslaved African-Americans. During that time, there were countless edifices and inventions that were built and developed by slaves and freed African-Americans, some of which remain today --and remain overlooked. Those contributions were born through blood, sweat and tears, and indisputably helped make America what it is today. I won't let you off the hook by listing those vital contributions for you here. Instead, I challenge you to take the initiative to look them up and let me know what you find. You will be blown away.
Taking time to learn and share more about the contributions of African-Americans might be the key to helping our nation heal from some of its systemic ills. For example, if more African-American youths really grasped the full depth of our history as a people who demonstrated incredible faith, strength, intelligence, ingenuity, resolve and integrity in the face of living Hell on earth, perhaps they would be inspired to live true to those traits instead of the negative caricatures that too many have succumbed to emulating.
Likewise, if more European-Americans also fully understood and appreciated our history, perhaps some of their decisions and expectations regarding African-Americans might come from and head toward an entirely different place.
President Lincoln saw something in African-Americans that deserved better treatment. He also saw something in European-Americans that was far better and much more humane than what the institution of slavery was nurturing among their race. He realized that hatred, abuse and prejudice not only hurts those who are its victims, but it destroys the character of those who perpetrate such wickedness.
We are all created in the image of God and God is no respecter of persons. It was certainly no sin to be born of African descent, but it was sinful to brutally mistreat someone because of the color of their skin.
The Emancipation Proclamation not only set the stage for the slaves to be set free, it provided a means for the slaveholders to be freed from the demonic stronghold that blinded them to their cruel and unjust ways. True freedom comes when both the oppressed and the oppressor are set free.
When we look at how far we have come as a nation, it seems that the blight of slavery is ancient history. Yet, the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation shows us that it was only a short while ago. Consider that there are individuals living today who are at least 100 years old, some of whom still have their wits about them. If we go back just to their parents and grandparents, we are back to slavery. Friends, that is not as long ago as we'd like to think.
Today's African-Americans are really not too many generations removed from slavery, and many individuals, such as my mother who is 70-years-old, lived through the horrors of segregation, discrimination and Jim Crow. That means that a significant part of today's African-American population carry the scars of violent abuse, mistreatment, and mis-education. Those realities were simply too painful to bear--by the oppressed as well as the oppressors-- consequently most of it was simply swept under the rug.
No wonder in spite of the incredible strides made my African-Americans, some of today's African-American youths are angry, violent, and confused. They inherited several generations worth of swollen, lumpy rugs full of all the pain, anger and self-loathing that inherently marks those who have been abused.
Those young people who are turning on themselves or who are perpetrating images of fear-provoking thugs are simply playing out the emotions that the generations before them were not free to express or refuse to admit even existed--emotions which are quite typical for victims of abuse.
How appropriate that the Emancipation Proclamation was issued on New Year's Day, a time when individuals all over the world are focused on making positive changes in their lives. The ripple effects of the change President Lincoln and others wanted to see have made their way all the way to the doorsteps of the White House. But, let's go beyond external positions and examine the internal conditions of our hearts. The plight of our youth clearly indicates that we are not yet completely free.
At the start of this new year--one that some predicted we wouldn't even see after December 21, 2012--let's issue our own Emancipation Proclamations. Let us "bring good tidings to the poor...heal the brokenhearted, ...proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound..." (Isaiah 61:1)
Let's avail ourselves to be used of the Lord to help open the eyes of all Americans to see what it will take for us to truly heal from our painful past, not just sweep it aside because of our successes and significant strides.
If we each issue a proclamation that we will be agents of transformation in our family and community situations then we'll start looking more like a nation that is truly "...one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
Have a Happy 2013!
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
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