PLEASE FEED ME (Psalm 3)

Never walk away from someone who deserves help; your hand is God's hand for that person. Don't tell your neighbor "Maybe some other time" or "Try me tomorrow" when the money's right there in your pocket (Proverbs 3:27-28, MSG)

Oh, boy, at times God just wants to get my attention about a subject. Today is one of those days. Notice that it's one of those always/never extremes that frighten me away?

Only last night I was confessing my prejudice against panhandlers to a friend. We were discussing prejudice. You may have noticed that I posted two versions of yesterday's nibble. The reason is that the first version included a poorly stated racial slur against Jews. That was never my intent, but when she probed, I realized I would make the same statement about a different racial group. I was shocked and convicted. (And at the moment, since I can't seem to delete the post, I reposted it with a correction.)

As we examined each other's problem prejudices, I admitted my feelings about panhandlers. She at least tries to set aside her prejudice. I hold tight to mine (and my purse strings). As a single mother, I resented young adults who could be working approaching me for money. I have offered food to those who are hungry (to have it rejected) and bus tokens to those needing a ride (also refused). Twice I took the plunge of sharing a meal with a panhandler. One of them was a sweet man whom I believe passed away soon after. (I no longer saw him at his usual haunts.) The second time, my guest ordered the most expensive item on the menu and wanted to bring food "home" to her cat and showed me the DVDs she had purchased with the money received that morning.

So today God sends me THIS verse reminding me that God plans to use me to help others. Yes, the verse says someone "deserves" help. But in case I take comfort in that loophole, it continues on to say "help your neighbor." Don't refuse to help him when you have the means to do so.

And we know Jesus's answer to "who is my neighbor?" I doubt that any religious Jew of Jesus time would have thought any Samaritan deserved help.

I hide behind the opinion that I'm not helping someone if I enable his homelessness/drug addiction/whatever by giving him money.

The problem is, I don't know what made the person destitute. Even if only one in a hundred is honestly homeless due to circumstances beyond his control, doesn't God encourage to help that one? To rejoice when that one returns to the fold of a productive society member and committed follower of Jesus?

I don't face destitute people here in the home. An occasional homeless person comes here to be restored to health. One such man left, drugs and cancer free, and reconnected with his father. His was a success story, but the only part I had in that restitution was friendship. Maybe that mattered more than anyone else.

Perhaps instead someone here wants my ear to listen and take their sad story seriously. Not to agree, necessarily, but to speak grace into a hurting heart.

Today's favorite verse: a promise to hold on to as I age: The ways of right-living people glow with light; the longer they live, the brighter they shine. (Proverbs 4:18, MSG)

MATERIALISM (Proverbs 1)

When you grab all you can get, that's what happens: the more you get, the less you are. (Proverbs 1:19, MSG)

Tada! Today we start Proverbs.

I have observed that men seem to favor Proverbs. I can understand why. Unlike the poetic extravaganzas of Psalms, Proverbs is full of pithy sayings a la Ben Franklin's "early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy and wise."

That's the reason why I don't "enjoy" reading Proverbs. It reads more like a tear-away calendar; meditate on a single principle for an entire day. Some people read five Psalms and one chapter a day of Proverbs each day. You would quickly become very familiar with them, since you would read through both books in a month.

Another reason I'm not all that fond of Proverbs: I am not given to extremes. I see shades of gray more than black and white. Give me a scale of one to ten, and I use two to nine.

And Proverbs is full of all-or-nothing statements, such as the ones I quote below. My mind tends to fill in the blanks. [All] carelessness [always] kills. [any] complacency [kills the good]

I don't handle all-or-nothing principles very well. I've fought a streak of perfectionism for years. So looking for verses from Proverbs that don't leave me feeling like a complete failure may prove to be a challenge.

So after saying all of that, I found a great verse today, warning against the dangers of materialism.

I once worked for a new-age boss with a materialistic attitude. His sole measurement of success lay in a person's wealth. For me, money and cars are a means to an end, not a measurement of success. As a single mother, I treasured "gently used" items passed on to us. And aside from family picture and books (always books and more books and . . .), I didn't really horde anything.

My son has caught that value as well. He has to; two parents and four children living in a small three bedroom, one full bath home with two dogs and a cat have to share space wisely. And he grabs what he can get by dint of hard work, actually accomplishing the goal of becoming debt-free except for their house mortgage.

I guess I'm saying I'm not someone who grabs all I can get. But if I had the money to spend, would I be? Perhaps. And put me in front of an ice cream bar? Hmm, I'll fill up my bowl several times.

But what fascinates me the most about this principle is the consequence: Grabbing more==being less.

The suggestion is that the price of grabbing things is high, higher than we should be willing to pay.

The more I have grabbed of becoming a good writer, the less time I have devoted to my health and my family. The more I've grabbed of reading a good book, the less of enjoying outdoors and physical activity have I enjoyed.

The more I hold onto of the $50 a month I receive, the less money I have to spend on presents for the family--something my son is asking me for.

The more I think "me, me, me" in doing and spending--the less I have left to give to others.

Oh, Lord, let me find my self-worth in You, not in what I own.

Today's favorite verse: Carelessness kills; complacency is murder. First pay attention to me, and then relax. (Proverbs 1;31-32, MSG)
Posted by Darlene Franklin

THE DANGERS OF MATERIALISM (Proverbs 1)

When you grab all you can get, that's what happens: the more you get, the less you are. (Proverbs 1:19, MSG)

Tada! Today we start Proverbs.

I have observed that men seem to favor Proverbs. I can understand why. Unlike the poetic extravaganzas of Psalms, Proverbs is full of pithy sayings a la Ben Franklin's "early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy and wise."

That's the reason why I don't "enjoy" reading Proverbs. It reads more like a tear-away calendar; meditate on a single principle for an entire day. Some people read five Psalms and one chapter a day of Proverbs each day. You would quickly become very familiar with them, since you would read through both books in a month.

Another reason I'm not all that fond of Proverbs: I am not given to extremes. I see shades of gray more than black and white. Give me a scale of one to ten, and I use two to nine.

And Proverbs is full of all-or-nothing statements, such as the ones I quote below. My mind tends to fill in the blanks. [All] carelessness [always] kills. [any] complacency [kills the good]

I don't handle all-or-nothing principles very well. I've fought a streak of perfectionism for years. So looking for verses from Proverbs that don't leave me feeling like a complete failure may prove to be a challenge.

So after saying all of that, I found a great verse today, warning against the dangers of materialism.

I once worked for a new-age Jewish boss. Just saying he didn't "get" the Christian worldview. It showed in his materialistic attitude. His sole measurement of success lay in a person's wealth. For me, money and cars are a means to an end, not a measurement of success. As a single mother, I treasured "gently used" items passed on to us. And aside from family picture and books (always books and more books and . . .), I didn't really horde anything.

My son has caught that value as well. He has to; two parents and four children living in a small three bedroom, one full bath home with two dogs and a cat have to share space wisely. And he grabs what he can get by dint of hard work, actually accomplishing the goal of becoming debt-free except for their house mortgage.

I guess I'm saying I'm not someone who grabs all I can get. But if I had the money to spend, would I be? Perhaps. And put me in front of an ice cream bar? Hmm, I'll fill up my bowl several times.

But what fascinates me the most about this principle is the consequence: Grabbing more==being less.

The suggestion is that the price of grabbing things is high, higher than we should be willing to pay.

The more I have grabbed of becoming a good writer, the less time I have devoted to my health and my family. The more I've grabbed of reading a good book, the less of enjoying outdoors and physical activity have I enjoyed.

The more I hold onto of the $50 a month I receive, the less money I have to spend on presents for the family--something my son is asking me for.

The more I think "me, me, me" in doing and spending--the less I have left to give to others.

Oh, Lord, let me find my self-worth in You, not in what I own.

Today's favorite verse: Carelessness kills; complacency is murder. First pay attention to me, and then relax. (Proverbs 1;31-32, MSG)

ROMANCE, INC. (Psalm 149)

Let true lovers break out in praise, sing out from wherever they're sitting,
Shout the high praises of God, brandish their swords in the wild sword-dance. (Psalm 149:5-6, MSG)

Today I come to the end of Psalms. Oh, my, what an amazing journey. David seems to have a poem for every mood and circumstance of the Christian life. Whether I want to question for His absence or invite the whole world to join me in song, and everywhere in between, he speaks about it. I have found it hard to add anything of meaning to his powerful words, but I have enjoyed the road. I hope you have to.

I could end with a meditation on the very last verse in Psalms: Let every living, breathing creature praise God! Hallelujah! But as always, David says it all, perfectly.

But as a writer of Christian romance, I was thrilled to read the above verses. For me and all the other romance writers out there, who doesn't perk up their ears when they hear instructions for all true lovers?

Let's see what advice the Psalmist dishes out for writers.

First, the instruction are for true lovers. Two people are committed solely to each other (at least by the end of the book). Their love has been tested throughout the book. They have had obstacles to overcome on their path to love. But their love has been proven true. When we reach the last page, author and reader alike have no doubt that their love is indeed "happily ever after," the stuff fairy tales are made of.

Those true lovers are to "break out" in praise. Their faith should flow seamlessly with the story. There should be times when they pause, amazed by God, and give Him praise.

They are to sing. I thought I included music (in my current WIP, it's Scottish ballads and hymns from the Psalter)in my books because music has been the language of my heart since childhood. The Psalmist encourages us to include music in our stories as well.

The setting? Wherever they are sitting. Any part of the world. Any time. Any occupation. As long as they praise god, the setting is left to the author's imagination.

My favorite instructions have to be "brandish their swords in the wild sword-dance." That makes me think of Scottish warriors, or perhaps pirates. A good, manly hero will be ready to defend his family--and God's honor. A swashbuckling pirate or a bronco-busting cowboy bring their own brand of praise to God.

If a romance includes conflict, true love that conquers all, a focus on God, a song or two, and an epic confrontation, the author is well on the way to a grand story.

Today's favorite verse: Let them praise the name of God--it's the only Name worth praising. His radiance exceeds anything in earth and sky; he's built a monument--his very own people! (Psalm 148:13-14, MSG)

NO EXPIRATION DATE (Psalm 146)

Don't put your life in the hands of experts who nothing of life, of salvation life.
Mere humans don't have what it takes; when they die, their projects die with them.
Instead, get help from the God of Jacob, put your hope in God and know real blessing. (Psalm 146:3-5, MSG)

I need these verses at this point in my life. My fear, staring down the year to my next birthday? That I have fewer years and worse health to accomplish my life dreams.

I was thinking like a "mere human," as if my projects and dreams would die with me. As if my life consisted solely from the minutes from birth in 1954 until my death whenever it comes.

I have more than a mere mortal's life. I have salvation life, eternal life. I know that. I count on it. I look forward to it. I look forward to reuniting with my family who have gone on before.

If the question was put to me, I would even admit that my life will have ripple effects across the future. Not only my son and my grandchildren, but also my students. Children I taught for five years are reaching adulthood. Part of their impact on the body of Christ will reflect on me..

And those precious souls whom I have had a part in leading to the Lord. Them too.

But those are people. Not "projects."

My writing definitely qualifies as a project. And unless a publisher decides to commission another author to complete an unfinished manuscript at my death, my project will die with me.

But my projects--the body of my work--will outlive me. Oh, the Psalmist come out and say so, but it's implied. It's the positive implied by the negative. Life in place of death.

I have written curriculum used by thousands of Sunday school teachers around the world. At one time over 300 thousand copies of my books had sold. There must be more by now.

Any difference any of that has made in those teachers, students, readers--all of that traces back to me (and those who trained me, of course)

My books may not be read a hundred years from now. (I sincerely doubt it.) But they'll have had generations to send ripples in widening circles.

My sixty-plus years on this earth are only the beginning.

Making It Through the Day (Psalm 143)

If you wake me up each morning with the sound of your loving voice, I'll go to sleep each night trusting in you. (Psalm 143:7-8, MSG)

One (or two or even three) bad hours does not a bad day make. I learned this truth while struggling with my daughter's Borderline Personality Disorder. We had celebrated a marvelous "Jaralene" Day (Jaran + Jolene, the day between their March birthdays). Grammy was there, a rare treat. We had eaten out, opened presents, gone to a movie, and settled down to a game of Chinese checkers.

Jolene, who had behaved well all day long, fell apart. She threw the game board across the floor and stormed to her room. Mom was shaken. I was disappointed, but surprised? Not so much.

Mom said, "What a terrible day."

I said, "No, it wasn't. It was a good day, with a bad spot in the middle. I have learned to treasure the good hours--the good minutes, at times--because I rarely have an entire day that is 'good.'"

This weekend I thought about that long ago Jaralene day. For three hours, I was miserable and angrier than a hornet,to use a cliche. I needed help, and it took three hours to get it.

I decided those three hours didn't have to destroy the good day's work or the good night's rest, any more than Jolene's tantrum had to destroy our Jaralene day.

That philosophy jumped to my mind when I read the above verse. Come to God in the morning, hear His loving voice. Keep it in mind all day, so that by the time I go to sleep, I still feel like I'm floating on the cloud of His love. It reads like a seamless transition from love and God's presence in the morning to trust at night.

Sounds good. But where my life hits, my days are rarely that smooth. Perhaps if I made a better discipline of the remainder of the psalm, my days would go better.

• Stay on the road God has marked for me.
• Hope in God, not elsewhere.
• Follow where the Holy Spirit leads.
• Watch while God vanquishes my enemies.

Like any loving parent, God loves us morning, noon, and night. If we wake up to the sound of His voice and go to sleep remembering His goodness, He will declare it a good day.


Today's favorite verse: I wonder why you care, God--why do you bother with us at all? All we are is a puff of air; we're like shadows in a campfire. (Psalm 144:3-4, MSG)

WHEN TEMPTATION CALLS (Psalm 141)

May the Just One set me straight, may the Kind One correct me.
Don't let sin anoint my head. (Psalm 141:5, MSG)

Temptation. Conviction. Ugh. I'd rather pretend that we don't sin, that we never need correction. I don't like receiving it, and I'm not very good at giving. I'm a good teacher of children--if you discount poor discipline.

But the truth is, of course, that we all sin. As John says in his epistle, If we say we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. (1 John 1:10, NIV)

Since I do sin and I need correction, I'll take David's prayer as my own.

When I sin--I need both the God of justice and of mercy. The God of Justice will show me how far I have strayed from the 100% holiness. He will set me on a straight path when I have made it crooked. Without the Just One to set me straight, I won't know what the right path is. I won't know what holiness looks like. I will wander aimlessly, left only to platitudes and to my sin-weakened conscience.

But I also need the God of kindness and mercy. If I only could appeal to the God of justice, I would run the other way. I'd hope I could escape, because I know He would punish to the full extent of the law. By this point in my life, I'd be sitting on death row.

When the Kind one corrects me, I know He loves me. He understands my weakness. He became like me, to restore me to wholeness. I don't have to fear His correction. He will correct me, but fairly, in a way not meant to punish but rather to rehabilitate me.

Above all, I want to ask God to keep sin from anointing me. I don't want its ugly black oil smearing my soul,distorting the image of God in me.

Amen. Lord,

Today's favorite verse: I know that you, God, are on the side of victims, that you care for the rights of the poor. And I know that the righteous personally thank you, that good people are secure in your presence. (Psalm 140:12-13)

A Very Uncomfortable Psalm (Psalm 137)

            I recently read an excellent article on the discipline of singing, “Love the Lord with All Your Voice” by Steven R. Guthrie. He writes, “For Athanasius, the first virtue of the Psalms is not that they allow me to express my emotions. Rather, singing the Psalms makes it possible for me to express Moses' or David's emotions as my own…”

            I love the Psalms because I can match my emotions, however positive or negative, with the emotions of the psalmists and gain hope and perspective. However, is it possible to go too far? Is Psalm 137 in anybody’s hymnal?

            This despondent lament ends with a cry of revenge, “Happy is the one who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks.” How do we reconcile the raw hatred of that phrase with the forgiveness urged and practiced by Jesus in the Gospels? We have his words in Matthew 5:44, “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” 

            Do we believe the same Holy Spirit inspired both sentences?

By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept
    when we remembered Zion.
² There on the poplars
    we hung our harps,
³ for there our captors asked us for songs,
    our tormentors demanded songs of joy;
    they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

            These are the lucky ones, the ones who went into exile in Babylon earlier or those who survived Nebuchadnezzar’s destruction of Jerusalem to join them. I can’t identify with loss of everything but my own life, but I imagine the world’s refugees can. I imagine Europe’s Jewish musicians, “playing for time” in Nazi death camps, could.

            In a fractionally tiny way, the actions of a bully might compare:  Someone hurts you physically and/or otherwise and then gloats and taunts you.

⁵ If I forget you, Jerusalem,
    may my right hand forget its skill.
⁶ May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth
    if I do not remember you,
if I do not consider Jerusalem
    my highest joy.

            Occasionally, nostalgia for people and places, past or lost, turns to overwhelming sadness. My mom died at the young age of 57. I mourn not only her, but also my college, which closed its doors, trivial as that grief may seem. I am pulled out of that sadness by hopeful, joyful relationships with other people and places. The psalmist had no joy other than the memory of lost Jerusalem. He had no hope, other than the desire for brutal retaliation against the destroyers and their cheerleaders, seen in the final stanza of Psalm 137.

⁷ Remember, Lord, what the Edomites did
    on the day Jerusalem fell.
“Tear it down,” they cried,
    “tear it down to its foundations!”
⁸ Daughter Babylon, doomed to destruction,
    happy is the one who repays you
    according to what you have done to us.
Happy is the one who seizes your infants
    and dashes them against the rocks

            I only find encouragement, just the slightest wisp, in verse 7, “Remember, LORD…” The psalmist is praying. Having suffered the loss of all things, experiencing ridicule from his captors, holding no hope, the psalmist is praying.

            He is still praying.