There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  John 1:6

In a corner of my bedroom, where I can see him when waking or resting, is a Helzberg Diamonds Teddy Bear.  On his sweater are the words “You Are Loved”. Over his shoulder is a messenger bag. This messenger is bringing me good news that someone loves me.

He reminds me of another messenger, 200 years ago. His name was John the Baptist.

“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a messenger to bear witness of the Light that all might believe.”  (John 1:6.7)

John was not the Light, He was not the Messiah, the Saviour of the world. He was the messenger. When asked John told them he was “the voice crying in the wilderness to make straight the way of the Lord” (John 1:23).

John went before Jesus and prepared others for Christ’s appearance. He told the people of God becoming man and how much God loves us.

He was the messenger.  My bear reminds me  that I am loved, not by the diamond company, but by God. And this particular messenger just happens to be a teddy bear.

A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.    ~ Ecclesiastes 4:12, NLT

October is Pastor Appreciation Month.  I am not certain that one month is enough time to say “thank you” to my pastoral staff, but it is a beginning. How do you thank a pastor? A pastors life is public. Bystanders see him at the local Walmart and watch how he speaks to other shoppers,his comments to the checker, the way his disposes of his cart. A day in the park playing with his children becomes a center of discussion for all as to how he interacts with his child, even how he throws a ball.  Each speaking engagement becomes the center of conversation and critical review over lunch. “What do you mean he has family obligations? I am sick and want him here now” becomes the shout when a personal need arises.

And what about his wife and children.  A group of children are playing, all running and shouting and acting alike. How often do you focus in on the pastor’s child and comment about how “wild that pastor’s child is”? Ever do that?  Do you watch to see where the pastor’s wife is sitting and what she is wearing and how she is speaking to those around her?  Where are you when they are in need of emotional support?

How often do you stop and say “thank you” ? If you haven’t yet, perhaps you could take a moment to write a note telling your pastor of how you have been encouraged by his presence, his life and his words. Maybe you could send along a gift card for dinner at a local restaurant offering a chance for relaxation. 

Lift your pastor in prayer.  I pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy…   (Colossians 1:11 NLT)

Thank you God, for Doug and the pastoral team that teach me each week. These people encourage me to keep my eyes focused on You alone, not on them. I thank you for their strength and courage to stand up as a representative of You each day. I pray you will give then the endurance and patience needed, and give them joy.  They have been a blessing to me and demonstrated your love.

Say a prayer for your pastor today. Thank your pastor for stepping out for God.

Click the picture for a pastoral gift idea.

Click picture for another gift idea.

In an effort to expand my reading comprehension and enjoyment I joined a bookclub. One of the first books read was “ The Shack “.  I found it very interesting, though there is an extremely sad portion I wanted to avoid (because I avoid sad situations) but while tragic it was not gory (as it would have been had today’s tv or movie writers done it). 

I came away with one exciting revelation from this fiction novel; God wants a relationship with me. The others in the group all came away with the same thought and we thoroughly enjoyed the book and the way it protrayed this relationship. The Shack is a fiction novel and we read it as such.

I was surprised, then, when I started reading reviews on the book.  It seems people are reading this book as “The Gospel” instead of fictional “The Shack”.   The story tells of Mac going to a shack where tragedy struck his family. Here he meets God in the form of large black women named ”papa’.  As separate characters you also meet Jesus and the Holy Spirit. While three separate characters they also appear in relationship as one. 

Author WIlliam P. Young takes us through an inviting weekend where he speaks directly with God and gets close to Him, talking about all kinds of things. He asks many questions.  He develops a close knit relationship with God. It is this that God desires most.

This book should in no way be considered a replacement of the Bible. It is an interesting read, but as my friend Fawn Brents says “If you want to know what the Bible says, read the Bible, not books about the Bible”.

I recommend the book as a fictional novel, just like the “ Left Behind ” series. While story ideas may come from an interpretation of the Bible, they are novels written for reading entertainment.  I do, however, disagree with Eugene Peterson who endorses the book with the words “this book has the potential to do for our generation what John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress did for his”.  Sorry, Mr. Peterson, but with all due respect, it is not of that caliber.

So my recommendation: read it make up your own mind as to the authenticity or fictionality of “The Shack”. 

Other reviews of this book may be found at:

Christianity Today dot com

Christianity Today Blog

Breakpoint dot org

The Shack Mackenzie Allen Philip’s youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation, and evidence that she might have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later, in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment, he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack’s world forever. In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant The Shack wrestles with the timeless question, “Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?” The answers Mack gets will astound you, and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You’ll want everyone you know to read this book!

My favorite wacky holiday (though I do not claim it to be wacky) is National Teddy Bear Day.  A national day set aside to especially enjoy our teddy bears. This year it is September 9.

Here are a few “Teddy Bear Day” activities for you:

at Crosswalk dot com you can find this e-card to send

at A Kids Heart dot com there are many fun activities and printable color pages

About dot com offers a list of things to do to make the day filled with fun

e-How author AuntPhyl has prepared some wonderful ideas to celebrate the day.

You are never too old for a teddy bear. So grab your favorite and spend the day enjoying the love and comfort he/she has to offer.

Remember, too, there is One who loves us even more than our teddy bear does.  Jesus Christ.

In the midst of the hustle and bustle of San Francisco we found this Japanese Tea Garden, a quiet setting of beautiful flowers and greenery.

We walked on paths through beautiful flowers and streams.

That’s my hubby.   ReedyBear

There was a sign telling us to follow the path through the garden

And a statue of Buddah to guide those following his path

And through all the beauty I was reminded of the One who created the rivers and streams, the plants, flowers and trees.

The One true path to heaven, Jesus Christ.

“Jesus answered, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”  John 14:6

I have had the pleasure of spending a few day in the San Francisco area.  There is so much to see. I don’t know if my pictures and descriptions can do it justice but I plan to give it a try over several postings.

To start out the trip my knitted teddy bear “Purl” helped pack my bags and jumped into my carry on so she wouldn’t be left behind.  She was excited when over the past 2 days we visited not 1, not 2, but 3, yes 3 Build A Bear Workshops.   In each she was able to purchase another accessory for herself and view the latest fashions. I know she will go back to the bears at home and brag about her visits.

Because I am unable to walk any distance comfortably hubby bear pushed me and Purl across the Golden Gate Bridge in a wheelchair. We went 1/2 way then turned around and headed back. It was windy, and cold (remember I left Kansas City at 100 degrees the previous day) but we completed the walk. It was a great adventure.

Purl posed at several stops along the way. 

A recent news report commented on the number of suicides by jumping from this great bridge.  We saw several of these Crisis Counseling phones along the path.  Sometimes it is easy to dwell on hopelessness when it appears everything in your life is failing.  It is important to remember there IS hope. His name is Jesus Christ.  “For God so loved the world He gave His only begotton Son, that whoever believes will have everlasting life.”   John 3:16.

There is much more to see. 

Until next posting,

I have hidden your Word in my heart that I might not sin against you.   Psalm 119:11 NIV

I received this in an email recently and the fluff in my head started whirling around thinking about it. Read it, then check out my thoughts:

CELL PHONE vs. BIBLE
I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cellphone?
What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we flipped through it several time a day?
What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
What if we treated it like we couldn’t live without it?
What if we gave it to Kids as gifts?
What if we used it when we traveled?
What if we used it in case of emergency?
This is something to make you go….hmm..where is my Bible?
Oh, and one more thing. Unlike our cell phone, we don’t have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill.
Makes you stop and think ‘where are my priorities?
And no dropped calls!

With the advances in technology today I keep my cell phone AND my Bible with me all the time. My Bible is on my cell phone. It can also go on a PDA, Pocket PC and/or your computer.  Of course the question then becomes, which do you use more often?  Hmmmm, What if I used half as many minutes in my Bible as I do using the voice portion of the phone? OK, the fluff in my head just got all knotted up. I wasn’t even going that direction when I started this blog entry!! How can I possibly use the excuse “I don’t have time” when I don’t even have to go looking for my Bible? If you are like me you have no trouble locating your cell phone. So, what would prevent me from studying? That would have to lay completely at my own heart. If there is time to talk to friends and family maybe I need to make it a point to take time to talk to my Father, Lord and Savior.  I think I need to stop and think about this.    But in the meantime, if you’d like to add the Bible to your PC, PDA or Cell Phone click on the link below. Laridian offers several translations as well as commentaries, Bible Studies, devotionals and a memorization program. Priced very reasonably and easily downloadable the program keeps God’s Word very close to your heart, your ear, your eyes and your hands.

Click here

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.  Ephesians 5:8

I have never been one to like darkness. I don’t like to drive in the dark, I don’t like dark rooms. As a child I always had my teddy bear and a night light.  Today I have teddy bears all around my room and I still have a night light of sorts. There is the light illuminating from the digital clock. There is light flowing in the through the doorway from the kitchen. There is even a small glow of light from coming from the Wii, the cable box, my electric toothbrush in the adjoining bathroom and from my cell phone.

  In the world there is much darkness; the darkness of sin. Jesus said ,”I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” John 8:12.  We have a responsibility to this Light. We are commanded to “Bear witness of the Light that all may believe.” Jon 1:7.

A light cannot be overtaken by darkness, but darkness can be overtaken by light.  Walk into a room of absolute darkness. Light a candle in one corner of the room. That light can be seen throughout the room. As christians it is our duty to be “the light of the world” in Matthew 5:14.  Now with that candle burning, try to make the darkness distinguish it.  You cannot do it.

Your good deeds done in the name of God will make others praise Him according to Matthew 5:16. It is not our job to save people, that is Christ’s responsibility. It is our duty to bear witness of Him that is the way, the truth and the life (Matthew 14:6).

Take your teddy bear and your candle and be reminded that we are not trapped in darkness.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 2Cor 1:3

I suffer chronic back pain that on occasion makes it difficult to move.  As this condition has continued I have learned more and more that no one on earth can truly comfort me. I can cry in my husband’s arms when the pain is extremely high but the comfort he can give me is very limited. Others who see me during these times try to say the right words but those words are often more discouraging.

One day I was in extreme pain. As I lay in bed and cried into my pillow holding tight to my favorite teddy bear, I prayed for comfort. I could the hands of Jesus on my back, offering the comfort that only He can give.

Today I found a wonderful post at "Windows to My Soul", a blogspot entry, that was very encouraging. She reminds us that true comfort can only come from our Lord and Savior. Click here to view her post.