Lila Grace Arrived ...

On Friday, May 8, 2009 at 10:51 AM a special little lady arrived -- she is an 8 lb. 4 oz. and 21 inch answer to prayer. Her name is Lila Grace Morrison. She shares the same birthday as her big sister, Emma Lily Morrison. She reminds all of us of the promise of a new life -- none of us know what the future will bring and how she will bless this world. But we are all sure that she is a gift which will bring out the very best of her Mom, her Dad, her big sister and the rest of the people who already love her. It's funny, we don't really know her but we love her because of who she is and the hope of what she will become.

I expect that she will teach us all precious lessons. But for today, the fact is we love her for the joy of snuggling a newborn. Maybe that's the best lesson ever -- Lila can't do a thing for us, but her presence brings joy. Loving someone without expectations just because of who she is and who she will one day become makes us all better people.

Today I had the opportunity to catch a moment when Emma and Lila sat together in Dad's lap. Emma has no idea of how much Lila will change her life, but Emma does know that this is her baby sister. That really is enough reason to love her. When you are secure in your father's love, it's not hard to to love others.

Keep the faith

tulip lessons ...

The Dutch have a thing about tulips. The tulip isn't native to the Netherlands; it was a 16th century import from Turkey by way of Austria. Wherever the tulip began, it has become the singular floral symbol of the Dutch. One of the very neat things about the tulip is that it is most visible when Spring arrives. Along with daffodils, tulips are a key part of springtime in Rehoboth. Yesterday, I spotted a small tulip garden by the side of the road and had the good fortune of travelling with my camera. You can see the result of that encounter.

For all of the charm of the tulip, there is a part of its history that we are re-visiting. In the 1630's the Dutch developed a "tulip mania" and a highly speculative futures market in tulip bulbs developed. A "tulip bubble" inflated the prices of highly prized tulips to the point where in 1635 a sale of 40 tulip bulbs was recorded for some 100,000 florins. For reference, a skilled laborer would earn 150 florins a year and a ton of butter would sell for 100 florins. The Dutch called this the "wind trade." In February of 1637, the bubble broke and the prices of tulips crashed. Many speculators were ruined and the "tulip bubble" entered our financial language as an object lesson in the dangers of speculation. I will leave it to you to make the connections between the real estate and stock prices over the last few years, but it's pretty hard not to see the shadow of a tulip hanging over dot coms, IPO's, condos and mortgage backed securities.

When the Dutch forgot that the tulip is just a lovely flower, they set themselves up for great pain. When we treasure things beyond their real value, the price is always too high and the cost is greater than anyone ever anticipated. Where do we find a way to understand real value?

Jesus answered that with this compelling question ... What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? (Matthew 16:26) That question contains the real answer about value -- nothing we can gain in this world outweighs eternity with the Lord.

Once we understand that we are just passing through, it must change our priorities. Jesus challenges us to understand that what we possess is just for a moment and it's not all about us ...

As you look at the tulips over the next few weeks -- they will be gone soon -- remember to stop, enjoy their fragrance, enjoy their beauty, and remember a time when a tulip bulb sold for more than a man earned in a year. We can speculate on today's mania, or we can invest in eternity.

Keep the faith!

Sometimes it just takes your breath away ...

The other day I was listening to David Jeremiah on the radio as I drove home from work. Talk about redeeming the time stuck in traffic! He was discussing the book of Daniel and Daniel's long wait for an answer to prayer. He then started to discuss the heart of prayer and gave an illustration that is just amazing.

If you have a safety deposit box, you are familiar with the protocol for getting into it. You bring your key and are accompanied by a bank clerk who has the bank's key. Only when both keys are placed in the lock, and turned does the box open. Prayer is much like that. The Father has many good and precious things waiting for us in that safety deposit box of prayer. He stands with His key in hand, but we must bring our key, insert it in the lock and turn it to receive from Him. The book of James tells us that "You do not have, because you do not ask God." (James 4:3)

Jesus told us that "Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete." (John 16:24) I believe that the other key is described in that verse. We have to ask in His name. That's not a little bit of magic that, like a spoonful of sugar, make the medicine go down. There is something much deeper.

When Candace's Aunt Edith was struggling with Alzheimer's disease, we were granted the power of attorney to act in her behalf. We had the legal authority to sign checks on her behalf and make commitments for her. It was not an unlimited authority, we were accountable to demonstrate that the actions were always in Auntie's best interest and for her benefit. When we pray "in Jesus' Name" we are exercising a divine power of attorney. We have authority, but we are bound to do and ask according to His will and purposes and not ours.

The two keys that David Jeremiah talked about -- the Father's will and our prayer -- are tied to the same box which is opened only when we ask, as Jesus did in the Garden , "not My will, but Thine ..."

I stand amazed at the partnership that we are invited to join. We get to pray, to join our will with His, to seek His glory, and then see both Heaven and earth move. If that doesn't light your fireworks, you need to get on your knees more often.

Keep the faith.

look at the birds of the air ...

This weekend Emma, Jeremy, Jacob, Bob and I went to the Butterfly Place in Westford. You can spend some marvelous time just being with the butterflies, watching them, and letting them be what they are -- amazing creations that give us nothing but pleasure and live off nectar from the flowers. The kids enjoyed the butterflies and I had a ball watching the kids and photographing these neat fluttering flashes of color.

When we returned home on Sunday, the news was waiting for us. Employment is down, terrible violence in New York, a missile launch in North Korea and an earthquake in Italy. You could forget how much of the world is right if you listen to the news too often!

Then I uploaded the pictures and remembered the butterflies. As I thought about just how lovely they are, I remembered the words of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount (the 6th chapter of Matthew's Gospel) ... He said "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you ..." (verses 26 -30)

These butterflies don't have bank accounts; they don't have 401k's; they don't have a thought beyond the next flower and yet they fly in beauty. Jesus challenges us to see the pattern of the Father's extravagance and to trust Him with our needs, our fears and our futures. He draws our mind's eye to the beauty of a world that God said was "good." (Genesis 1) and tells us to trust the God who makes beautiful butterflies as an expression of His glory. If He cares that much about butterflies, why do we need to worry? As the old song says ... His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me ...



Keep the faith!

no eye has seen ...

On my way home from work yesterday, I noticed that the sun was beginning to set as I approached Rehoboth. Fortunately, sunset was at 7 PM and I would have time to get home, eat quickly and rush out to see the painting that my heavenly Father was creating. Remembering that the sun sets in the West, I drove to an open field that faced toward Providence. The photograph of that golden sunset was my reward. I am now starting to understand why landscape photographers are so excited about the "golden hour."

As I worked on the image, cropping away the unnecessary details this amazing verse of Scripture came into my mind. It's from the Apostle Paul's first letter to the church at Corinth in the 2nd chapter, the 9th and 10th verses ... However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” -- but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.

As I was driving home, looking at the sun in the sky I knew that the sunset would be beautiful -- I didn't know just how lovely it would be. I think that the Father gave me a taste of how much greater His plan for eternity is than my idea of heaven.

If the sunset taught me anything, it is this -- I can't even begin to imagine the beauty that awaits those who are in Christ. The really neat part is that we won't have to rush through supper to see it! And like the sunset, salvation is a free gift of God.

Keep the faith.

Best Face Forward ...

Today we visited Castle Hill in Newport, RI just because the weather was so nice. There is an old granite lighthouse, built in 1890, that now has a flashing red beacon to signal the shore. This little lighthouse is only 34 feet tall. When you approach the lighthouse from Castle Hill, you actually stand at eye level with the beacon. What strikes you is that this is a petite lighthouse. It isn't impressive because of its size, but what does impress you is that it has faithfully signaled since 1890 and keeps on doing just that.

The first picture shows you the view from the coastline. This petite lighthouse stands proud on its promontory and faces the sea with its best face forward. When you approach the lighthouse from the trail side, the lighthouse shows its weary side. The metal work is rusting, the paint is chipping, and the mortar needs to be re-pointed. But this petite lighthouse keeps its best face forward and signals, rust and all. It wears its rust and its age like a badge of honor.

There's a great truth in this little lighthouse. When you are fulfilling your purpose, it doesn't matter if a little rust stains your paint. There is a beauty in doing what you were created for that exceeds what Hollywood can deliver. We call that beauty character , and to paraphrase an old commercial ... we get it the old fashioned way, we earn it!

Keep the faith

spring is coming to God's bonsai tree ...

Today was a taste of spring -- blue skies, temps in the 50's, sunshine and melting snow. We visited the state park at Fort Phoenix (Fairhaven) and this persistent tree caught my eye. It stands on a small patch of ground caught between boulders left by the last glacier and the river, and it is bent by the force of the prevailing winds. It can't stand straight and tall like the oaks and maples, but it stands. Pretty soon, it will bud and leaf out. I'm looking forward to coming back later to see what this sturdy little tree will do with sunshine, rain, and soil.

As I have thought about this tree which was crafted by the Hand of our Heavenly Father, I am reminded of the Japanese art form of bonsai trees. They are exquisite miniature trees, crafted over years, that express an inner vision for that tree. This tree has been crafted with His inner vision in mind and it has a beauty that comes from the Father's tender care. It is bent to His will and His vision. We are called to become the Father's walking bonsai trees -- fulfilling the vision that He has for us. The hard part of being His bonsai is that pruning is required! Jesus told us that I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. (John 15:1-4) This tree tells us to trust the Father's hand while He is pruning us. He has a vision for the tree that we can become, and He wants our lives to be fruitful.

When you look at the nation and all of what's going on with Detroit, Wall Street, and Main Street, it's important to remember that Spring will come. We will not continue in the current winter forever, and that all of this is about restoring us to His vision. Psalm 30 verse 5 says weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. We all can get focused on today's troubles and forget that troubles pass. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6: 34), Jesus told us Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

This persistent little tree has not given in to worry -- it just keeps growing and bending. It keeps on letting the Father craft it into that final work of art. Spring will come, and I can't wait to see what the Father's bonsai looks like with its coat of green leaves.

Keep the faith!