Fall Wreath - Time to Celebrate!

Fall Wreath

Everybody likes a good celebration and there is certainly plenty to celebrate!  This is my “Celebrate Fall” wreath; a reminder on the front door of our many blessings.   I started with some twigs pruned from rambunctious vines, that were pulled and twisted together while still limber, into a continuous loop suitably proportioned to the door onto which it hangs.   The first additions were some fresh Magnolia and Nandina, broken from their live hosts and settled into a new home with the firmly secured pruned twigs.  Their former lives are now left behind, and a new purpose established. 

With a sturdy base, and fresh greenery woven in, the next addition is a bow.  Sometimes I put them on the top, with tendrils hanging down, other times to the side, this one is stationed at the bottom.  I used plain burlap and tied it into a simple bow.  Don’t you just love earthy, scratchy old burlap?  It is functional, raw and beautiful all at the same time.   It is actually a made of tiny twisted ropes delicately woven together into ribbons of useful and lovely burlap, with each rope comprised of many, many fibers tightly wound together so that each one is so tightly bound to the other, they become one continuous rope. 

With the framework and base in place, time for the main attraction, the showstoppers and music makers (well, they don’t actually make audible music, just the kind that makes you smile).  Pumpkins, nuts, berries, and fabulously colored leaves of the season now front and center, make the wreath complete.

Does it seem to you that our families are a lot like that; built on those who have gone before, but laced together with the ties of family?   The church may be even more so.  God’s tender and profitable pruning provides new beginnings and foundations for us.  When twisted together they form a single, unending loop, with no beginning and no end, although made of many individual twigs.  We leave our former lives and selves behind, and become a part of something new, each playing an integral part.   Some are in the background and guiding the way for those added later.  Christ could be the bow that is our base, and made of earthly fibers torn and shredded but woven again into an intricate and strong binding material. (Please note – you know it is a gift, when a bow is on the package!)  Together, a beautiful beacon, a call to enter the door is formed, with God receiving the glory, and Jesus, the Christ at the center, our common tie. 

Father, we have so much to celebrate.  Thank You for the change of seasons that causes us to look at and celebrate Your creation in a new light.  Thank you that when we submit our lives to You, You turn them into something much more beautiful than we ever were on our own.  Thank you for the unimaginable gift of Your Son by Whom we can be used for Your kingdom and be able to come into Your presence.  Thank you for continuing to weave us individually into Your church and use our offerings for Your glory.   Make us pliable, useable and beautiful in Your sight today. 

I hope you recognize the hand of God around you today, and worship Him moment by moment.  Please leave a note if you have seen Him today.  I’m guessing you have a great story to tell!

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Rose of Sharon

Rose of Sharon

They are stately bushes, standing tall and full of sweet teacup size blushing pink and red blossoms.  Our neighbor has a row of them planted near our common fence, so we are able to enjoy the limbs that graciously droop over to say “Hi!”.   (It’s a Southern thing.)  So, we introduce ourselves and visit awhile.  She (Sharon) had many visitors already, some stopping by to admire, some to smell, some to taste.  Knowing women frequently multitask, I did not feel neglected in the least.  This is one of those bushes you want to have in the frame when you take a picture – just standing near them makes you feel pretty and special at the same time. 

I started out as an admirer of her beauty, then came a little closer when I caught a whiff of the gloriously sweet fragrance.   Chocolate pie in the oven couldn’t smell better.   No wonder the blossoms were abuzz and aflutter, all the neighborhood critters were drawn here perhaps by the beauty, but definitely by the aroma.   During the blooming season (all summer, here in the South) there is a continual ebb and flow of blooms opening, fading and being replaced with equally lovely and fragrant blooms. 

The purpose of the delightful smell, of course, is to welcome visitors and invite them in for a closer encounter.  The honey bees, ants, butterflies, bumblebees and hummingbirds were all focused on getting their fill.  I knew right away that Oscar would enjoy them, and we came back often for him to visit.  (Oscar is a story for another time – can hardly wait to tell you about him!) Although I didn’t personally take a sip, the number of happy customers tells me she has a plentiful and satisfying product.   

Here in my Father’s world, many things speak to His interactions with us, including this particular type bush.  You may remember the phrase “I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys” from the Song of Solomon.   This book is often described as a love story between the bridegroom (Christ) and His bride – the church-  and the word Sharon (Sharown) is literally a plain, and indicating a particular area of the Holy Land along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and an area east of the Jordan in the area of Gilead and Bashan.  (Strong’s Concordance #8289.)    

A closer look at the word gives even more insight. (You are going to love this!) The word Sharon is likely an abridged form of #3474 yashar (yaw-shar’) which is also translated; to please, straight, direct, right, well, fitted, good, make straight, meet, upright, uprightly.  It is used as; to be right, be straight, be level, be upright, be just, be lawful, be smooth.  Is that not a beautiful and perfect description of the church – the bride of Christ? Being pleasing, agreeable, straightforward and upright; helping to go straight, being made straight, making straight, to direct and lead straight along. 

Oh, the beauty of that picture when you see His relationship with Israel, with the church, and us individually.   “As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.   He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.”  Song of Solomon 2:3-4.

There will come a day;”  The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. ² It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God. ³ Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. ⁴ Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.”  Isaiah 35:1-4

We praise you our Father, Creator and Redeemer for the beautiful promises that we long to see fulfilled, yet we rest in the knowledge that You have made those promises, so we have no doubt of their fulfillment. We praise You for giving us this great hope for the future and for giving us such a great purpose here and now.  Thank You for strengthening our hands when we become weak and for standing with us so that we have no reason to fear.  Show us today how to stand tall and unashamed to abundantly bloom the gospel.  Help our speech and actions be full of sweetness and beauty, bearing Your fragrance and drawing people near to partake of the precious truth.  

Froggie Mortuary and Cement Ponds

Frogs that followed the wrong leader.

Our neighbor has a lovely cement pond (if you are too young to remember The Beverly Hillbillies, use your imagination, you’ll figure it out).  It has a beautiful blue liner and a well used diving board, even a heater for comfortable water temperatures.  They keep the water impeccably chlorinated clean, and filtered, and have lots of toys, and floats.  The landscaping is absolutely luxurious.  We call it the neighborhood resort.
 

We, on the other hand, have a little goldfish pond.  It has a liner too; “pond black” in color, but the fishes, frogs and plants seem to like it.  After all, they are the attraction, not the pond itself.  The only diving is from the frogs and one little fish I call “Flipper” who does a great dolphin imitation.  (Remind me to tell you about him and the other pond residents one day – it is a true cast of characters.) 

Our little swimmers use real water, that is, non-chemically treated water, the kind God made.  The plants include water lilies-pink, mint-chocolate, pickerel reed-blue, pennywort, and water celery.  They are all quite beautiful and serve to add oxygen and shade. The residents like to nibble the roots, and hide in the leaves, and of course, the frogs use the lily pads as their own personal floats.   The dragon flies stay nearby to swoop down to lay eggs, and eat mosquitoes (don’t forget to thank your neighborhood dragonflies for their work!).  Black swallowtail butterflies come to the pickerel reed blossoms for nectar and my dill for laying eggs( but that’s OK, I can share).  There are some rocks for tunnels and hiding places.  It’s not the neighborhood resort, but it is a happy little habitat.

The prettiest and cleanest isn’t the best.  By all appearances, the neighbors’ “pond” is much bigger, deeper, and cleaner than ours.  By froggie standards it must have seemed like an easy decision.  Yet they made the wrong, and ultimately fatal decision, landed in the filters of the resort pond and lost their lives.  Poor little guys, the promises of the easy life were false hopes and consumed them.  (did you notice that there is also a lesson about following the crowd in there too?)  It sounds like a sad little story I know, but it could be that we are like those misguided frogs in our church going decisions. Do we choose based on cleanliness, size, number of toys and the comfort and beauty of the building?  

Lots of toys shouldn’t necessarily be a drawing card.  Different programs that engage and make good use of the talents and needs are quite appropriate.  However we all know programs can be for spiritual growth or merely entertainment.  I understand the desire to reach people with “fun” things, but pray that we use those fun times to meet needs, develop relationships, and teach Truth.  If not, they are just entertainment with no spiritual value. 

 Of course, we are the church, not the building but, do we sometimes make decisions based on outward appearance of the building.  “Oh, that is a beautiful church. I could really worship there. Look at those stained glass windows…”   Do the windows create an atmosphere of worship? They can, but doesn’t that really comes from the attitude of our hearts?  Is there a precise dress code we must have in order to enter or face the scorn of our pew mates?  Is there an understood civic standing and prestigious career/salary expectation that we must fulfill to be accepted?  Is it a longstanding and historic building with no ability to grow and meet new needs?  Don’t get me wrong, I think that God’s house should be beautiful, but His presence doesn’t depend on that, and His presence is a far more precious and beautiful asset than any brick and mortar or stained glass windows.

Size of the congregation can’t always be a proper indicator of good church choice.  A truly growing church has people leaving and coming all the time.  Members leave to plant more congregations, and come because of hearing and being fed by the Word that both heals and pricks our hearts. It is much easier to develop accountability partners, true brothers and sisters with small groups than hiding in the mass of people you see now and then.  Who will know if we are out sick?  Will we notice if someone is absent?  Being involved in each others lives helps us to know how to pray for each other and develop relationships of trust and accountability.  By no means is it impossible to have a good experience in a mega church, but it is less common.  Large or small, we would be wise to put up spiritual radar before committing to a congregation based on its size.

We all know that chlorine kills germs, so we allow a bit of it in our water-even though it is a poison.   How much is enough/ and how much is too much, that depends on your point of view.  These frogs definitely had too much, and it affected their ability to do what frogs are supposed to do, swim.  Thus, they died. 

How much worse is it when some churches clean and sanitize to the point they have excluded the dirty sin, the blood, the wrath of God…and preach only part of God’s Word-the parts we all like that are full of love, forgiveness, prosperity, and health, never stepping on toes, never piercing our hearts, and always mindful of politically correctness. 

The whole counsel of God includes both the love and grace along with the sin and wrath.   How can we truly be fed if we only hear part?  It’s like having only candy instead of a healthy diet, and we lose our ability to have a true fellowship with God.  If we have sermons that tickle our ears with chlorinated stories of the love of God, – we might have beautiful sanctuaries full of happy attendees, but the flock will drown in their sin, thinking they have found a paradise.  

Father, I thank You for giving Your whole counsel, full of wisdom and truth. I pray today that we, Your church, use it wisely, and share it in its entirety. 

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Amazon

Westbow Press, a division of Thomas Nelson and Zondervan

Barnes and Noble