Stay Vigilant!

So I’ve gotten into the habit now (see blog #1) of running for 2 miles on Monday, Wednesday and Friday’s. It takes me 28 minutes to do so then I cool off for about ¼ mile. Clyde (beloved mutt) is my companion and a good one at that, with a rare exception. This isn’t “exercise” as I have a negative connotation with the word, but actually a time of enjoyment and sensory rest for me. This morning I wasn’t paying too much attention to my surroundings partly because it’s the same route I run frequently or perhaps because I was listening to a sermon. I recently finished a six part Andy Stanley pod cast series called Break Away and have now started a 3 part called PAUSE. The series is Matthew’s account of Jesus’ time of temptation in the desert. Andy S. offers awesome application of those events for us now-it's good stuff.
Anyway, so here I was running this morning with my earbuds in and before I realized it I ran upon a snake in the road. I saw it just in the nick of time to run around it. I can’t believe I wasn’t paying attention. I always look ahead so I can watch my step, but got lazy this time. I let my guard down doing the routine.
God warns us of this in His Word, telling us to Be Careful! Stay Vigilant! Don’t Get Lazy! Why? The serpent will creep into your path to cause you harm, or throw you off track or accept what is less than God’s best. To make you fall and perhaps next time be more hesitant to go running because you might run into something that scares or intimidates you and me.

My jogging path cuts through the woods, I should be watchful for snakes and other creatures as it is their home. Why should the snake surprise me. I should EXPECT it's presence and be ready to act. We as Christians also run in a world that isn’t our home, so beloved, be watchful out there!
1 Thessalonians 5:6 (NIV) So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.
Hebrews 12:1[ Jesus, the Example ] Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,



p.s. the snake happened to be my favorite kind...come on..you know...:)

My December calendar

So today I'm finally putting together my December calendar. Are you kidding me?! This is fun and relaxation? To be honest, personally I can only handle so much fun in a month. I'm already looking for "break days" and it has't even started. Is this the propensity of our culture or is it just me? Go-go-go. I've penciled in parties, luncheons, dates of many varieties and a production. Don't even think, 'Wow Karen your schedule is packed'...look at yours! I've covered the kids, family, co-workers, friends, ministry partners, neighbors and then some. Did I schedule time for everybody? Have I missed scheduling time with someone this Christmas season?

In our busy schedules, lets make sure we don't overlook two important truths. This is a season to reflect on peace and the Prince of Peace. Peace as in a stillness. Quiet. Serene. This is what I feel as I run down my road. There is a crisp chill in the mornings, but not too cold. I'm stretched and am anticipating that sense of...quiet; to all my senses. A little fog hangs in the treetops and the road winds gently through the woods with the treetops arching over the roadway. Green, orange, red and yellow is the variety of color that awaits me. Beautiful, peaceful and quiet. Thats what I'm talking about. Or is yours sitting by the ocean and watching the ebb and flow of the water? Or maybe the best you can shoot for today is simply getting all the kids out of the house!!

The second truth we need to focus on this Christ-mas is well, staying Christ-focused. Lets remember to "schedule" our time with Him. Priority. First Choice. Prime time. My best to offer. Or, perhaps you struggling to fit Him in? Actions speak louder than words. Show Jesus that you offer Him your time, your schedule and your priorities, not that He get's the left-overs.

“Wash Away Your Sin” lip balm: $6.00 what a bargain!

I am a lip balm user. I prefer the chapstick cherry flavor brand and I also like Burt’s Bees lip balm. My least favorite is the green ‘mint’ flavor. In addition to me, an unnamed brother in our church is also seen frequently using lip balm. Did I mention frequently? I saw Jo... oops that was close, the brother use the stuff recently in church and it made me reflect on a gimmick lip balm I recently purchased. It is the “Wash Away Your Sin” lip balm.
I wish you could see the tube and packaging. The packaging on the front says: “Handy Salvation for a sinner on the go!” “Anointment Ointment” and the bottom front says it is “For liars, cheaters & wrong-doers”.

The back of the packaging: Wash-Away Your Sins lip balm: redemption in a stick. It moisturizes as it soothes guilty conscience. The warning: Re-apply balm frequently especially during prolonged sin exposure. And finally, the Directions for use:
1.engage stick 2. bow head 3. reflect upon wrong-doing 4. anoint thy lips with blessed balm 5. rub lips together to boost powerful sin-purging action and 6th, raise head and go forth cleansed from sin and ready to do it again.

No kidding! All this for a mere price of $6.00 per tube. What a bargain! Can you imagine? What a steal for six bucks! Six bucks can buy few things these days..One Starbucks Eggnog Latte Grande with change, Two happy meals (maybe), 2 hrs of garage parking at the airport, 1 ½ Diet-Coke at a Jags game! But for 6 bucks, you can buy a tube of forgiveness, repentance and redemption. All in one! Living in sin during the week and want some religion on for Sunday? Just slap some on!

You’re thinking one of 2 things: Where do I get this stuff or what craziness!! Sometimes we do, more indirectly and to a much lesser degree, have an attitude of such ingratitude...even as a child of God. We trample the grace of God. We forget the incomprehensible sacrifice of a Heavenly Father. To punish his one and only Son, who was not guilty? Not just punish Jesus, but to have him killed as atonement for my and your sin. Romans 5:8 (a verse in the Holy Bible) says “BUT God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
The willing SURRENDER of a Son to be a sacrifice because he knew that in and of ourselves, we will perish. It is a choice we must make to ask His forgiveness of our wickedness and turn from our sin. To ask Jesus to be our Lord (surrender to Him) and Savior from the wrath we deserve and will surely receive without a personal relationship with Him.
All this for a mere 6 bucks? Not hardly. Maybe we need to spend some time thanking Him for his forgiveness and His sacrifice. It wasn’t at a $6 dollar cost but at a cost far greater than we can imagine.