A Polish Wedding

I had the high honor of going on a mission project to Bielk Podlaski, Poland in the summer of 1991 with an amazing but small group of people. We helped with construction and clean up of a church there as well as evangelizing and leading worship. While there, they did not know us at all but we were invited to a wedding and we rearranged our schedule to go. What an honor. Let me tell you about it. It was at the bride’s parents’ house. We got there at 12pm and there was the ceremony there, which was quite short and simple. Afterwards, they brought out the food. It is hard to describe the quantity of food. I wondered how many football teams were coming. We all sat in long banquet tables facing each other with the bridal party at a head table facing us all. There was a microphone up and a keyboard, so I was eager to hear some Polish love songs. People started eating, buffet style and the food was fabulous. People kept eating and I wondered where they put it all. These were thin or average sized people! Then the speaking started. People took turns coming up and speaking blessings over the couple. So many blessings! It was beautiful. And I thought, we should bless our marriages here in the States like that. Anyway, they asked me to sing. So, in my English, I sang a song I had written and then Amazing Grace when asked to do another. Then I played for someone else to sing and retired myself  because I wanted to hear someone else sing. After blessings in great abundance, the musicians came up and sang such beautiful Polish songs as would bring joy to your eye or tears, depending on the speed. Such passion in the songs! Such feeling! And everyone else kept eating and interrupting the music with another blessing and we were there all day and late into the night. Magically, the food we ate all day and night long didn’t make anyone sick and it was a beautiful experience! What a treasure. If you ever have the honor of being invited to a Polish wedding, go. It will bless you too! 🙂

Out of the Ashes

When a volcano erupts, it causes death and devastation in vast quantity. However, after the allotted time, things grow back and are stronger and healthier and more beautiful and it is said that volcanic soil is some of the richest soil in the world. How can this be? How can such destruction cause such beauty? The God of the universe ordained it to be so. He knows that beauty rises from ashes and ordered that much harm can produce much vitality because the soil can only gain much needed nutrients when it is added to. And the result is a much stronger more meaningful and brilliant life. We go through our own destruction in our lives, sometimes of our own making and sometimes from outside sources and it kills our souls, though our body often makes it. However, after the allotted healing time you can rest assured that the restoration process produces within you a much wiser and more beautiful and vital you. After the fact, and there is always an after, you are less shaken and more understanding and much more capable of a person than you were for whatever task comes upon you ever after. This is how it is supposed to work. To bring it about is not always automatic. Some internalize and pity themselves so they are stuck in the destruction and not stronger through the restoration. The difference between those two is conscious choice and faith in God. When we can not see past the pain, we must put our trust in the One who can.

God’s Protection

Whatever storm rages around us or on us, we have the only protection we will ever need. God provided for us and protected us once and for all through the sacrificial death and subsequent resurrection of Jesus Christ. So, we need never fear death because there is no more death. There is only a passing from body to glorified body and then rewards and being with God in communion with Him for all of eternity. So, what is there to fear? Even in this life, we have the incredible gift of His Holy Spirit who give us fabulous presents anytime we ask such as peace and joy and unconditional love. If we listen to His Word and to Him as we pray, we also will receive guidance and wisdom to weather any storm. Life here will be a myriad or tests and temptations and badness but there is also good and happiness when we seek it out and there is always this immeasurable treasure of salvation to provide hope and comfort no matter what the circumstance. God will sometimes keep us from bad things but sometimes bad things have to happen to prepare for something worse down the line or to help so done else or grow us in maturity, whatever, but God knows perfectly well what He is doing and it is always always for the best. May His will be done. We are blessed going and coming and regardless of the circumstances. We are very blessed because we are saved, if for no other reason. This temporary life is just that, temporary, and glory is coming after. So, things smashing against you trying to rip you apart, keep your chin up and eyes to heaven, for you already have residence there and this world has nothing in comparison. Who needs a bed of roses in this life. I have a gold mansion.

True Accomplishment Looks Like…

There is a myth concerning accomplishment and that is that we should take pride in anything we invent, create, think up, are in charge of, etc. The myth is that we accomplish anything like that at all. Let me explain. God, who made us and everything we know, is the Creator and Inventor of the universe, us and everything we know about and many things we don’t. God is Creator and Inventor, Master Artist, Director, etc. and when we have performed a tiny role in any of this, it should never be for our glory or be a reason to brag or puff up with pride. Nothing is new under the sun. We constantly have to fight pride because pride destroys, one haughty thought after another, and is at the root of all evil because it was the root of the evil sin the evil one first committed. It is his language now and is the basis of all he tries to work his lying ways on us. I used to live for compliments. As I have matured in my faith, I have changed my motivation along with my goals. Instead of accomplishing my own agenda, I am most at peace and happy, joyful really, when I feel in my heart I am humbling myself enough to be working to accomplish God’s goals in the situation and allowing Him to work in me. It is counter intuitive in our culture and humility has come to be known as something vile or undesirable and unwelcome because it is not flattering or uplifting to one’s sense of identity or persona. Dribble is what that is. Pure dribble. Why? The closer I get to the Lord humbly, the greater sense of self I have because I see better the family resemblance. I know more Whose I am and so live in the most natural realm for me in the world we know, that of God’s will which we discover from His Word and prayer. Knowing we are God’s creation and humble adopted children places far greater worth on us than I could ever find following any other creation, including myself. Selfish pride robs you of your identity and joy because it distracts you with visions of grandeur and hope for meaning in self when we get that best with a personal relationship with the One who made us and designed everything. If we brag, we should brag that we got out of the way to allow God to shine through us. If I brag I want to brag that I am a servant of the Almighty and most Magnificent Holy God. He knows me by name, loves me unconditionally and will work His will through me. Wow!