Picture Perfect

It was time for a change. The photos we had used for the web and speaking engagements were at least seven or eight years old. Things change in that time...WE had changed in that time! And so the appointment was made with a reputable photographer and Linda Sweeney, Eleanor Lewis and I showed up at ten o’clock last Wednesday morning to have new updated photos taken.

I suppose when one is twelve one doesn’t mind having their picture taken. I have noticed this with our grandchildren. “Say cheese”, and the smiles and poses come quickly. Not so with my adult children. There is the usual “Not another one, Mom”, and the complaint about having a bad hair day or no makeup or just not wanting to take the time to stand still. But at the root of this complaint is that we do not like to see who we really are.

Untouched photos tell us the truth. The eye that droops slightly, the hair that is a bit unruly, the chin that sags, and the nose that is more pointed than we wish, all work against us. We have in our minds how we think we look and it is far more favorable than reality. Mirrors tell the truth but time in front of them is brief. (Actually I find if I keep my glasses off when I look in the mirror the reflection is not half bad.) But photos…well that is a different story.

And so we fixed our hair, applied makeup, sat still, changed positions, and obeyed the photographer’s every instruction. In the end there were about thirty shots of each one of us, that is about 90 shots total from which we had to choose. In years pass the photos would have taken a week for us to see. We would have had time to forget much of the experience and be able to think more clearly. But now that we are in the digital age, the pictures are ready immediately. So, the three of us sat together judging each shot. When Eleanor’s were shown on the light board she was far more critical of hers, finding faults that Linda and I would have never picked up on, but when it was our turn we each responded in the same way. Which proves my point. We do not like to see ourselves as we really are.

Now here is the truth about God. He sees me as I really am. I can hide my judgmental spirit from myself, not taking the time to look carefully at my attitude. When I harbor resentment or envy or an unforgiving heart God sees it all though I may wish to cover it up. God’s photo of me (and you) is untouched, exactly as it really is. But here is the good news. Because of the work of Christ, the photo today will not be the last and permanent one. For the day will come when you and I will be changed. And when that day comes, those of us who love and follow Jesus Christ will have one last picture taken and it will be perfect.

1 Corinthians 15:51 and 53

Behold I tell you a mystery…we shall all be changed…for this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.

Cooking Classes

Tonight I am going to Mary’s apartment with a basket full of ingredients and a homemade cookbook that I put together this morning. Mary is single, adorable, a hard worker and has never learned how to cook a full meal. But now things have changed and she has a love interest and a reason to learn the skill necessary to run a home and family. So tonight we are beginning with a simple menu and simple ingredients and simple techniques. I have thought a good deal about the skill needed to put together a meal. 

I have done it every night for forty-five years. I know how to use electric mixers, food processors, electric knives, waffle irons, microwave ovens, toasters and other dangerous pieces of equipment. I have a pantry that I keep well stocked for emergencies or occasional unexpected guests. I can whip up a meal in a matter of minutes, turn out pound cakes and perfect pie crusts and roasts and soups and salads. I am indeed queen of the kitchen.

But it hasn’t always been that way. When I was first married, I had to begin almost at the beginning. Well not really quite at the beginning because my mother was a fabulous cook and taught me a thing or two. For those girls who were not so lucky, home economics classes showed young women how to bake, cook, shop, clean and sew. But those days are long gone, many mothers work full time and have never learned to cook themselves and so… we have the young women who must begin at the beginning.

“This is a tablespoon. This is a cup measurer. This is how you whip cream and beat eggs.” It is elementary to be sure but it is paramount if anyone is going to ever learn their way around a kitchen.

So why is this skill so important? Surely first and foremost everyone has to eat. But there is more. The table is a sacred place. Yes your heard me right…it is a sacred place. It is where we sit with those we love, sample tastes that are pleasurable and leisurely enjoy the company and the food put before us. And, though many will disagree with me, it is a place where God meets with us if we let Him. I enjoy cooking because I love the people in my home and those times around the table are simply heavenly.

So tonight we will begin at the beginning because Mary has a goal. She wants to feed those she loves and experience those times of togetherness. It will take time and effort but in the end she will be the queen of her kitchen and it will all be worth it.

All skills have to have a starting point. I love to read but first I had to take the time (painstakingly) to learn letters, nouns, verbs, sentences and paragraphs. Then I could enjoy reading. And so it is also with spiritual growth. How often I hear someone say “I just wish I knew the Bible better.” “I just wish I knew more about God and had a deeper relationship.” I wish I understood God’s ways better.” It starts with the willingness to take the time to start in the beginning. “Here is a Bible. Now turn to page one…”

It is not that we don’t have enough helps, programs, classes, Bible versions, etc., etc. We are totally inundated with everything anyone could want. We have enough. But do we really want spiritual maturity enough to make the time and take the steps necessary?

Tonight Mary will take her first step. In a year she will have all the simple steps down and will have moved into the more complicated. And with each step she will have ever developing skills to delight herself with the creativity and joy cooking offers, but also nourish and gift the people God brings in her path.

And so it is with our own growth in Christ. For those who begin the journey through God’s Word as a serious student, every step will bring them closer to the God of the universe, more confident in His ways, greater wisdom and life skills, peace, joy, patience, etc., and have greater love and joy in the people around them. It starts with one step. Here is the Bible, now turn to page one…

1 Peter 2:2

As new born babes desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

Imagining the Infinite

It is difficult in my finite state to imagine a God who is truly in control of the universe. It is so vast. In fact Atlanta is so vast; so, I have a hard time imagining being in total control of what is going on among the five million people who live here! But God controls the world, all that is in it, the heavens and all that is contained there. My mind cannot grasp it. But occasionally I get a glimpse of His omnipresence and omnipotence. Last month was one of those times.

Africa is a long way from Atlanta. I personally don’t know a single soul who lives there; but my sister visited once and returned with reports of lions and giraffes and lush land and brilliant colors. And yet God has this ability to live everywhere. And so a month ago I received an email out of the blue from a Mr. Darius Koekemoer who just happened to be content manager for TBN Africa (not related to TBN in America), a Christian broadcasting company in South Africa. TBN Africa broadcasts Christian programs throughout the entire continent. He had been on the web and had come across The Amazing Collection as it was being broadcasted in New Zealand! He was very impressed and wanted to know if perhaps they could partner with us so they would be allowed show the program over their satellite. And I stood amazed!

I remember the number of times Eleanor, Linda, Margie and I sat at my dining room table and asked God to use this study for His glory…and to send it around the world. We prayed week after week every year of production and continued to do so even after the project was completed. And yet we never dreamed that God would say yes. Furthermore we had never considered television. But here we go again! TBN Africa is the ninth overseas broadcasting company in which we have partnered. Each one came to us not by any efforts of our own but because they had “found” us over the web and played a part in the resounding YES of God.

God says the day will come when all of the nations will come before His Throne. At that time I am looking forward to meeting Mr. Koekemoer. But then I also can’t wait to see John Green who originally saw that this study would make a good television program and took a chance and put it on UCBTV in England. Mark Patterson and Maxim Maximov from Russia (CNLTV) were introduced to us through most unusual circumstances, and they not only have shown the program over their three satellites in Russia for several years but also translated all of the programs into both Russian and Ukraine. Terry Cobham in Auckland, New Zealand saw the program on ACCTV in Australia that ACCTV manager Neil Elliott had been broadcasting and was able to get the program from them and show it on Shine Television in New Zealand. T.J. Burnett saw the program on the web and contracted with us to show it on Miracle Channel in Canada. Herman Soegeng manager of U-Channel Television in Indonesia also “came out of nowhere”, translated the programs into Indonesian and broadcasted it over U-Channel. Michael Youssef and Magad Atalla at Leading the Way translated the programs into Arabic and now offer the study throughout the Middle East over Kingdom Sat.

John, Terry, Herman, Neil, Michael, Maged, Maxim, Mark. T.J., and Darius, all from different countries, all over the world, all connected to us by an Almighty God. Simply amazing!

Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

Mark 16:15