A Few More Things I've Learned From A Two-Year-Old

The Power of 'No'

No is a very valuable word.  Two year olds use it a lot. I would have to say that ‘no’ appears to be Kyra’s favorite word.

I often admonish her for saying ‘no’ so much.

However, there just may be some really good reasoning behind it. 

How much do two-year-olds understand when someone tells them something or asks them a question?

If you don’t understand what is being asked of you, or what is expected of you, isn’t it better to say ‘no’ than to readily agree to something?

Pretty smart I think, to say ‘no’ in many instances.

As those same two-year-olds move into the teen years, have we so drilled into them the importance of responding in a positive way, ‘yes’  that they all too readily agree to things their peers try to pressure them into?  There are many times during those years that a very strong ‘no’ is the proper answer.

Our Heavenly Father tells us ‘no’ and He has very good reasons even though we often do not see the reasons.  Just maybe the God of the Universe has installed in small children the ‘no’ word for His purposes. 

There are things of this world constantly trying to entice us into the sludge of sin. We have to say ‘no’ from the beginning or we will find ourselves sliding into that pit of sin. 

The temptations abound.  In this world you will have trials and temptations, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. [John 16:33] That’s Jesus talking. He always knows what He is talking about.  When Jesus began His ministry, He began by saying ‘no’. The devil tempted Him with some powerful things, but He said ‘no’ and He said it quickly. 

Let your yes be yes and your no no. [Matt 5:7]  Do not be double minded. A double minded man is unstable in all that he does. [James 1:8]

And now - some good news for you

The Norwegian Curlers are back - the excitement builds

http://www.chron.com/life/style/fashion/article/Norwegian-curlers-are-back-and-so-are-their-pants-5172842.php?cmpid=lifestylehcat

Alone Yet Not Alone

Am I An Old Wine Skin?

I'm looking for that new wine but wondering if I'm not getting filled with the new wine because I'm an old wineskin.
Perhaps I should have entitled this Looking For the New Wine.

Now, I know some of you are thinking, 'well at your age, of course you're an old wineskin.  You're an old everything.'

That's your opinion.

I don't perceive this as having anything to do with the physical.  It is the nature of my spirit being and where I am in my relationship with the Holy Spirit.
I do believe that the Holy Spirit can and will fill me with new wine when I have a new wineskin.
The question that needs answering is 'How do I become a new wineskin?'

Again I think it is all wrapped up in my relationship with the Holy Spirit. He makes me into a new wineskin and He then fills me with the new wine.  Had he poured the new wine into the present wineskin, that is not ready to receive new wine, it would cause me to burst wide open.  Not sure what that means in the spiritual realm but it can't be a good thing.

In order to become a new wineskin I have to move beyond where I am at present. I feel like I may have developed patterns that are bordering on 'being religious'.  And you all know how Jesus felt about the religious types.  I don't want to fall into that category.

Walking With Jesus

WALKING WITH JESUS

His arm is across my shoulder with his hand on my shoulder to help keep me in step with Him. Jesus is a little taller than me. His head inclines toward me as if He’s listening intently to everything I say. I am very comfortable in that place. It is easy to walk like that.

As temptations, lies, things that try to pull me away, as they come, Jesus gives me a gentle tap on my shoulder to remind me that He is here with me and that together we can overcome our enemy. It is just a gentle pull – back toward Him – nothing forceful as I must make my own decision – just that gentle reminder that He is here.

Yet, yet, I find myself leaning away from Jesus, taking His hand and removing it from around my shoulder and walking toward that thing that is pulling me away from Jesus.

When I glance back I see that His hand is still stretched out to me and the look on His face is one of compassion and understanding. It is as if He is saying to me – though He doesn’t speak – ‘I know how that pulls at you. I understand that it is enticing, that it looks pretty, but please do not go there. You will be hurt – badly hurt.’ And His hand is still extended to me – an invitation to come back under His arm of love, and to continue our walk together. And, even when I stupidly turn from Him and go to that thing that draws me – when I finally come to my senses, I look back and see His hand still stretched out to me and with tears in His eyes, He says, ‘Come to Me.’ He weeps for me, for the pain I have brought on myself and He weeps for what has been lost between us.

Yet, His hand is stretched out still and He says, ‘Come to Me, let us walk together.’

I timidly turn, not knowing if I am really welcome, for I shunned Him before. I chose to walk away from Him.

As I take halting steps back to Jesus, with my head hanging in shame, I feel His eyes on me and I look up. I look up to see Jesus with both hands extended toward me and His arms open wide and a huge smile on His face., and I run – I run into His welcoming arms. He hugs me to Him and I know I am home again.

He holds me for awhile, then gently turns me and we begin our walk again, as best friends, with His arm draped gently, lovingly over my shoulder.

Walking with Jesus.

When you walk with the Lord

In the light of his Word

What a glory He sheds on our way

While we do His good will

He abides with us still

And with all who will trust and obey

Trust and obey

For there’s no other way

To be happy in Jesus

But to trust and obey

Run Unleashed

A Few More Things I've Learned From A Two-Year-Old

Kyra knows how to run. 

She runs just to run, not worrying about the consequences. She sees a place to run and she runs, not necessarily with any goal in sight. She runs for the joy of running. She runs with joy overflowing. 

Like Eric Liddell in Chariots of Fire, “When I run I feel God’s pleasure.” I think Kyra feels the pleasure of God when she runs. She may not be aware of it, but she enjoys running. 

Hebrews 12:1-2

You don’t even have to say ‘run’ to Kyra; just give her a little open space and she is into the wind, grinning and enjoying the thrill of feeling the wind blowing through her hair. This picture is an excellent example of what it means for Kyra to Run Unleashed.

I do believe that God wants us to Run Unleashed in this world. We let so many things pull us down, slow us down, thwart the joy of being alive in the world.

God created us to enjoy this world.

I encountered ‘Run Unleashed’ as I was on my way to a mountain top in Hong Kong to seek The Lord. 

It’s not unusual to have to go through a shopping mall to get somewhere in Hong Kong. And that is what I was doing on my way to the mountain. As I passed through I saw these words painted across the window of a sporting goods store - Run Unleashed.

It was in big, bold letters and almost as if the words were forcing themselves into my range, as if to say ‘Don’t miss this.’

I was going to the mountain top to meet with God and He sent me a very clear message on the way.

Just a quick aside here - Don’t miss something of The Lord because it appears in a place where you weren’t looking for it, or where you’d never expect to find it.  Stay in tune with the Holy Spirit and He will show you great and mighty things.

So, one very clear message that I received that day was to go all out. Run the race expecting to win the crown.  No one ever enters a race to finish last; or even second for that matter. Every runner wants to take home the gold medal.

That is the way it should be in life for us. We should strive to go for the gold in God’s Kingdom.  That is the race that matters the most.

So, like my sweet Kyra, run for the joy of it all. 

Run Unleashed.

Go To the People

Go to the people, live among them.
Learn from them. Love them.
Start with what they know; build on what they have .
But [for] the best leaders, when their task is accomplished, their work is done, the people will remark, 'We have done it ourselves.'
Lao Shi, Chinese philosopher. 
From the book, Biting the Bamboo by Dr. Tan Lai Yong