They Will Bear Fruit in Old Age

It's been an interesting Spring Break. We visited my "snowbird" parents in Florida, my son turned 18, and I ate my first waffle at the Waffle House.

But what impressed me most on this trip was being able to observe how retirees live out their days. It got me thinking about how God might want me to spend that stage of my life (Watching my son turn 18 made me realize that that stage of life is not that far away!)

As I observed the retirees--at restaurants, in the parks and at their homes--something became very clear: this stage of life, from around age 65 to 100 and more, can be a monumental time of service to God. In just the retirement community alone in which my parents live there must be approximately 750 couples: Most of them not only quite able to live on their own, but live vibrantly and active. Many zoomed around in golf carts. Others walked in the morning and then again at night. They dined gaily in large groups and entertained visiting children and grandchildren. I marveled at the possibility and potential of all this maturity, vitality and life being put to God's purpose. I mean, think of the collective wisdom of these thousands of people who have years of life experience behind them! Think of the mentoring, teaching, and sharing they could do (and no doubt some already are) to younger people and to those who are struggling! Think, with all the time they have, what they can do and where they can go for God. It boggles my mind.

And so I thought, that's what I hope God has in store for me in my later years: Not a retiring from life and into leisure, although there's nothing wrong with leisure now and then (as long as it doesn't make us too busy for God); Not a pulling back from life, but a continuing in life; Not a retreat...but a leading into more, much more, adventure with God.

Psalm 92:12-15 says "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, 'The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.'"

When I grow old I want God to still bear fruit through me. And another visit to the Waffle House might be nice too.

Ireland

"I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders." Psalm 9:1

"...the hills are clothed with gladness. The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing." Psalm 65:12-13

Movie and Media Review Website

I had the opportunity this past week to hear a presentation by Bob Waliszewski, Director of Media and Culture for Focus on the Family.

He began his talk by saying "Jesus cares about what we watch and listen to." Waliszewski, after saying that, said he could basically just go home and not say another word. Because it's really pretty simple: if we remembered that Jesus really does care what we feed on via the media, we'd think twice before giving our time and money to some of the movies, television shows and other media that we watch or listen to.

Waliszewski and his team review movies, television shows, CD's and video games at Pluggedin Online, a website devoted to providing what I think are very objective reviews from a Christian Worldview. And lest you think this site or what Waliszewski has to say is just for parents or youth pastors, it's not. Both of my teens attended his presentation and said they would like to hear even more of what Waliszewski has to say. They, too, want to use this website for future reference, which will certainly come in handy when my oldest is off at college next year and won't have his parents to dissuade him from certain movies.

Go to http://www.pluggedinonline.com/ to see all of the latest reviews, especially an excellent and very thorough review of Watchmen. I must caution you that the review leaves nothing out, and you may find it disturbing. If the review is disturbing, imagine the movie itself! Waliszewski made special mention of this movie in his presentation, calling the advertising trailor very deceptive. The previews for Watchmen make it look similar to just another Batman flick. It's not. It's exceedingly violent, pornographic and disturbing. My son told me that one of his friends told him that he walked out of the movie. Please go to Pluggedin Online and read the review if you or your children are thinking of seeing Watchmen.

Pluggedin Online bases itself on Colossians 2:8 which says,

"See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ."

Prescription Drugs in the Hands of Kids

Those of you who live in Wisconsin have most likely been following the story of Maddie Kiefer's death due to drugs. Today's TMJ4 Milwaukee has done a report on teen "pharm parties." Watch it here:

http://www.todaystmj4.com/features/iteam/41041077.html?video=YHI&t=a

"Jesus wept." John 11:35

The Breath of God

Barb Harwood, photos, taken March 9, 2009

"From whose womb comes the ice?
Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens..." Job 38:29

March Mildness

Photos by Barb Harwood

These were taken this morning in my yard and garden. The early birds of spring are, in order of appearance, Lamb's Ear, Pansy, Cherry tree buds, an unidentifiable perennial, Stonecrop and the invasive weed Creeping Charley (hey, if it's green at this time of year, it's welcome!)

It's good to be in the garden again!

"It is the first mild day of March
Each minute sweeter than before...." Wordsworth

Joyfully Biblical or Pridefully Legalistic?

It seems there's a bit of a circus infiltrating Christianity, and it's not the kind of circus that brings joy. It's militant, full of finger pointing, false conclusions, agendas and spiritual pride. And it's robbing God of His Joy.The problem, as I see it, is the tendency to honor legalisms over God's Word.

Legalisms are human constructs, and I challenge anyone to ever see genuine joy come out of them. On the one side are the traditional legalists, who go as far back as the Pharisees in Jesus' day. In today's world, these folks often put more weight on not shopping on Sunday and taking notice of who's skipping Good Friday services than on curbing their own penchant for gossip and spreading ill will. But does that justify the opposing response, equally legalistic, which believes that only church services that offer coffee, allow the wearing of jeans and use electric guitars in worship are truly "God-centered, relevant and seeker-friendly?"

The Bible says a house divided against itself cannot stand (Matthew 12:25, Mark 3:25, Luke 11:17). Isn't this pitting of agendas against one another within the church exactly what Satan wants? Yes. Why? Because it not only saps our joy, it replaces a dedication to the Bible with a selfish dedication to ourselves. 

Traditional legalists as well as contemporary, emergent-church legalists have fallen for the lie that humans know better than God. They like to think they're better at doing Christianity than the last guy or the next guy. They disregard certain aspects of God's Word so they can finger point: "post-modern" contemporaries at the "fundamentalists;" and traditionalists at the contemporaries and "those who aren't Christian." And in the middle, where the majority lives or would most benefit from living, are those who ask, "What has any of this got to do with the Bible?"

But again, if God's Word isn't the authority in a person's or church's life, then agendas, legalisms and denominationalisms quickly demean and minimize it. Even some who call themselves Christians bristle at even the mere mention of the Bible. They see the bringing up of the Bible as being "fundamentalist" or a hostile invitation to debate. Naturally, if the Bible is what one wants to focus on and live out, and someone else doesn't, merely bringing it up will, unfortunately, be misinterpreted as wanting to argue or debate. 

Some traditional legalists fall on their sword over things like when to mow the lawn and their contention that Christians cannot be found in public schools. Wouldn't it be nice to focus on what God says, without all the legalistic fall-out and confusion? Wouldn't it be nice to just get back to Biblical Truth instead of human hearsay?

I need to be constantly on guard of my rebellious nature and thinking I have all the answers. I have to be very careful that, when the day is over and all is said and done, I don't find myself years down the road spiritually haughty instead of spiritually mature. That is why I cling to my Bible, without embarrassment. I guess I don't understand why President Obama's comment was seen as offensive. Of course I cling to my Bible--not just in bad times, but in good! Because my sinful nature can turn on me and others with a snap of the fingers, just like that! The fact that God knows my heart sobers me…greatly. But the fact that he knows my heart in all its range of sin, emotion and struggle, and loves me anyway and still wants to work with me--not against me--is pure joy!

Being joyful is not an invitation or call to be a doormat, tolerating "every kind of evil" and void of Biblical conviction.

To have joy in all circumstances, as the apostle Paul did, we must rely on God, His Son Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit and His Word. Joy is a call to stop looking so readily at and jumping to sweeping and often unfounded conclusions that only seek to find fault in order to justify a legalistically new or old way of doing things. Joy comes out of a humble and prayerful obedience to God (not legalisms) in living--as a church, a family, and an individual--in Christ.

Are we joyful, or just legalistic? To answer that, we must first ask, “Are we Biblical?”


"You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence..." Psalm 16:11

"The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart." Psalm 19:8

"Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me." Psalm 51:12

"Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart." Psalm 119:111

"You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence." Acts 2:28

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22