Neither Hunger nor Thirst

Last to be "Chosen"

During a group discussion the other morning, my husband was giving the example of children picking sides for teams to play games. He spoke of how it caused a sense of pride in the hearts of the young men who were chosen first by the team captains. As I looked around the table at the group of adults, I realized they all had been fine athletes as children and everyone at the table had been familiar with the feeling of which he was speaking.

Everyone except me.

As a child I was chunky and slow, clumsy and uncoordinated. As the teams would start to line up on the playground, dread would fill my heart. Each time a captain would look over the group to pick a team member, my hopes would soar, and each time my hopes would be turned into disappointment as someone else's name was called. Finally, I would be the only one left and the last captain would be forced to reluctantly take me on as a liability for their team.

I grew up both fearing not being chosen and being familiar with the feeling as well. Now to be fair, there were a couple of times I was chosen during my school years. I was chosen as the editor of my high school yearbook and I was in a singing group -- not the "A" group, or the "B" group, or even the "C" group, but not rejected entirely!

What a joy for me then to read these verses in Ephesians:

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: " (Ephesians 1:3,4)

Chosen, finally, I am chosen!

Ah, but let me read it again, lest my heart - like those athletic boys on the childhood playground -- turn to pride. "Chosen us in Him". Chosen in Him. I was chosen because of my relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Not because of my merit, my skill or my goodness, only because I was found "in Him".

After the Lord told Noah to build the ark, those that went into the ark with him were saved from the flood. "And Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark."(Genesis 7:23) His sons and their wives and his wife were safe because of their relationship to Noah. It was Noah who had "found grace in the eyes of the LORD" and "walked with God." (Genesis 6:8,9)

Noah and his ark are a shadow of the greater truth, that I have grace and mercy with the Father because I am found in the Lord Jesus by "redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace;" (Ephesians 1:7)

I may not have been chosen for all those teams on those playgrounds so long ago, and many tears were shed in my heart for that. But Hallelujah, I have been chosen in Him, and how much greater, how much sweeter, how much more wonderful to be a part of Him for all eternity.

"But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." 1Corinthians 1:30

Another Sunrise, Another Glory. . . October 4, 2009

GLEN: If we have our druthers, that is, if schedule and weather permit, Frances and I will see the Saturday sunrise in the water and aboard our kayaks.

Sometimes I wonder if we'll ever get tired of the dawn's first light, and if I'll ever see the rising sun without a tear falling from my eyes. I doubt it. Indeed, if we could be on the water every morning for every sunrise, we'd be there. They're all different, and all beautiful in their own special way. Some shine through clouds, and are often the most amazing to behold. Some ascend from the eastern horizon by themselves, and ignite the waters with fiery sparkles. And some do a little of both, as clouds give way to clear sky, and bless us with a varied display of light too sublimely splendid to describe.

All speak. "The heavens declare the glory of God." Without being mystical, I can hear a voice, the voice, in the sunrise. It speaks without words, and tells our spirits of glories that have always been, and will always be. It speaks of God as Creator and sustainer of all things. It speaks of His beauty and power. It speaks of His faithfulness, promising with perfect assurance that the sun will rise for us every morning, and that "day and night shall not cease."

Most of all, it speaks of the Lord Jesus, "the sun of righteousness risen with healing in His wings." This is the thought that brings the tears to my eyes, because this is the love and hope and grace and mercy and all of God so lovingly made available to us. Yes, if we had our druthers, we'd be there waiting for the sunrise on the water every morning, the sunrise that, as the One it so wonderfully images, will never disappoint.

FRANCES: As we put-in this Saturday, I had similar thoughts. I was putting the half of a paddle upon which I attach the video camera, into the scupper hole of my kayak and I had the thought, "Do I want to video the sunrise this morning? Am I getting tired of photos of sunrises?" I went ahead and put the camera on the paddle and put the second camera in the waterproof bag around my neck and paddled off.

A few minutes later, as we were paddling toward the sun, we were blessed with a new sunrise: beautiful, glorious and worthy of both the video and still camera, neither of which could capture the wondrous beauty we were watching with our eyes and hearts.

Our trip today was interesting for us. This was the latest in the season we have ever kayaked. At 58 degrees, it was also the coolest ambient temperature in which we have ever paddled. I took the opportunity to try out my neoprene shorts which I had hoped would be waterproof. They were not. They did, however, add a layer of warmth that was nice. The water temperature was still around 78, so it was not too much of a shock when we put our feet in the water. There was a steady breeze all day, turning into a good wind later on, which either hindered or helped us, depending upon which direction we were heading.

We started out about 6:30 am and low tide was at 8:34. That affected us a great deal as we entered Mobie Bay. For several parts of our 10-mile journey, we found ourselves in about 6 inches of water. I felt more like a gondolier than a kayaker. In fact, at one point, I told Glen I felt like I could move faster if I would just get out of the boat and pick up the bow and drag the kayak behind me.

With clear skies, we were able to complete our trek to the side of the bay that was interrupted last time. On the way back we were treated to a view of beautiful wildlife enjoying the sun.

Once we got back to Chacalooche Bay, we had the delightful discovery that the current was with us. In fact, we wouldn't have even needed to paddle if we had all day to just float back to the put-in. As it was, we were able to just add our steering to the current to get us back to the car.

It always surprises me that no matter how tired I am at the end of a trip, and even though I may really be ready to go home, I am never ready to get out of the water. There is just something in me that loves being on and in the water. I guess now I know why my Daddy loved being at sea so much.

A Mother's Heart in War. . .1-31-2004

The Friday entries of "The Powder Room" are currently from a journal which I started when we found out our son was going to be deployed with the United States Marine Corps to Iraq. The journal was not written with the intention that it would ever be read by anyone else, much less published in any way. There are feelings in the journal that are deep and true and I wasn't sure at first I wanted to share them. But there are many sons and daughters still serving in our armed forces and I think it might be good to share "a mother's heart" with you what those other mothers may be facing. The entries are shared as a tribute to my son and his service to our country, and to all those sons and daughters who continue to willingly place themselves in harm's way for the protection and preservation of liberty.

January 31, 2004

It is an odd thing, this specter of war which hangs over us. We do not really talk about it, but not a day goes by that it doesn't enter my mind. Then I think too, of what our son is trained to do. He doesn't repair military automobiles, he doesn't run the supply chain. he is part of the eyes and ears of the Corps. I think I would like it better if it was just "Recon". Something about adding that one little word, "Force".

Well, he is the Lord's and his safety is completely the Lord's. I pray that he will be ready for what he has been trained to do. Oh, I don't mean I pray that he has been trained enough, or I pray that his body is in good enough shape. No, I'll leave that up to the United States Marine Corps. What I mean is I pray his heart is ready. I pray that he isn't trusting in his own might and his own strength but in the Lord, I would want to hear that affirmation of faith from his lips and to know that his heart was at peace because his mind was because his mind was stayed on Him who is his real strength. I trust the Lord will use these days to work that in his heart.