“for I go to prepare a place for you.”  john 14

“do not love the world, nor the things of the world.  if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him…and the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever.”  first john 2

i spent the morning running errands around the white house.  it took me all of 30 minutes to drop off utility payments, stop in at the post office, grab a few groceries, and shop at the dollar store.

when people ask me about living in white house, i compare it to mayberry.  seriously.  lots of hometown folks, small local businesses, there’s history in this town.  farmland and trees.   and  i can walk anywhere i need to go.  anywhere.  

there’s always a tractor or two on the road, and there seem to be a lot of elderly people driving around in pick up trucks.  if you stop by hardee’s between 7-9, the same group of rowdy retired citizens will be there every morning to invite you into their conversation.  or argument.  or local gossip.  hehehe.

it doesn’t take much time to feel like you belong.  i mean, the crew at waffle house knows us by name.

we live next to the ballpark.  lots of noise, bright lights, cheering, and happy families (unless the team loses.) up the street and across the main road is sonic; we walk up there in the summertime for half-price milkshakes.

it’s wonderful.  peaceful.  safe.

it’s home.

except it isn’t.

as comfortable as it feels living here, i have to remember this isn’t my home.  this isn’t my stopping place.  this is simply the assignment for this season of my journey with God.  we may stay here.  we may not.  it doesn’t really matter.  what does matter is that i hear God’s voice over me during this season of living here and that i carry out His purposes for the season.

and i do that, in each season, until he calls me home.  to my real home.  my final stopping place.

my real home is in heaven.  it’s being prepared for me.   by Jesus.  right now.

yep.  i believe all that stuff in the scriptures about eternity and spending it with Jesus in another place,  after this place, completely different from this place.

we gotta be careful.  it’s so easy to settle in here.  to become distracted by the things of the world, the people of the world, the problems of the world.  to want to accumulate and build something of value that will last, something we can even pass on to our children.

except none of this is going to last.

the only thing that will last… is a saving relationship with God through Jesus.  if we can pass that on, if we can teach our children (and others) to build that, then we’ll leave behind something of real value.  something that will guide them through each of their seasons here.  something that will carry them into eternity.

oh, God, give me an eternal mindset.  remind me that everything of this world is temporary, fading away, gone in a moment.  only relationship with You will carry over into the next life.  give me eyes to see Your hand, ears to hear Your voice above all the others, and a heart that turns toward You.

i want to be ready to meet You.

teach me how to make disciples, how to throw courage and wisdom on others, how to leave a Godly heritage, so that those around me will also be ready.

for the place You’re preparing for us.

“for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, that no one should boast.”  ephesians 2:8,9

TODAY was all about my husband.  i worked nonstop for several hours.  i’m talking hard work.  organizing. moving furniture. cleaning out.  and attacking a very scary garage.  every project around the house was done for his benefit.  to lift his load.  to give him more time to rest.  to help his business run more efficiently.  to reduce clutter and distraction, enabling him to focus on what is most important.

he was (mostly) pleasantly surprised tonight when he arrived home.  he saw it.  took it in.  realized the intentional planning.  the time.  the effort.  the accomplishment.

as we sat on the sofa he took my hand and said, “what did i do to deserve this today?”  my response (smirking, then serious:)  “nothing, sweetie.  you don’t deserve it.  it’s just for love.  it’s that thing Jesus teaches us to do.”

and here’s the truth:  he doesn’t deserve it.  and neither do i.  and neither do you.  we all fall miserably short of being worthy to receive any special treatment or recognition.  and yet.  Jesus died.  chose to die.  yes, chose it.

don’t believe that stuff about someone “killing Jesus.”  don’t even let someone pull you into that discussion.

Jesus answered that question long before it was asked.

“I lay down my life that I may take it again.  no one takes it away from me, but I lay it down on my own initiative.”  John 10:17, 18

salvation is a gift.  Jesus’ gift of love to you.  to me.  a gift offered to us, not on the basis of anything we’ve done.  no amount of goodness, kindness, generosity, love, religion, or selflessness could ever be enough to earn the gift of salvation.  we do those things in response to His love for us, not in an effort to earn it.

part of journeying with God is learning to live that way.  the Jesus way.  loving people who don’t deserve it.  throwing grace on those who should receive far less.

gifting people with kindness just because.

just because it’s the Jesus way.

“blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer, nor His lovingkindness from me.”  

psalm 66:20

there are so many things i thank Him for.  His word, His voice, provision, wisdom, forgiveness, peace, healing.

but mostly i thank God for His presence.  His faithful, never-ending, very real presence in my life.  sometimes i feel it.  sometimes i don’t.  but if i believe the scriptures, and i do, then i can always know that i can choose to walk in the atmosphere of the presence of God.  i can dialogue with Him silently or aloud, confident that He will always love me, always hear me, always answer me, never turn away my prayer.  what a gift that is.  the best gift.

today is my birthday.  today i turn 54 years old.  if i’m still here in november, i  will have outlived my mother and my father.  there’s both sadness and celebration in that.   (mostly celebration.)  i’m still here for one reason:  there’s purpose in it.  God still has reason to keep me here.  there’s still something to be done through me, if i will allow it.

i’m celebrating today, because the God Who created heaven and earth still has an agenda that includes me!

you’re still here, too.  that must mean His agenda for you is not complete.  so celebrate!  because God is not done healing, transforming, and renewing you.

from the inside out.