Loving the Unlovely

I love to love lovely people. 

But we as Christians are called not only to love the lovely, but to love the unlovely. This is no small feat, and for me, it requires outside help. Divine help.

A few observations about lovely and unlovely folk:

• Jesus' ministry was full of compassion and love for unlovely people. And aren't we all, in our sinful state, unlovely?

• Lovely people don't require a whole lot from us. They're pleasant to be around. The don't quarrel. They are not prideful. They even do their best to minister to you. What's not to love?

• Ahh, but unlovely people. They're needy, sometimes brash, many times prideful, arrogant, self-seeking, self-promoting, and often playing immature games that I don't want any part of.  

"WWJD?" comes the haunting question.

Jesus would love them, in spite of their unloveliness. Just as He does with me, when I am unlovely. Am I not prideful to be thinking that I never mirror any of those unlovely traits listed above? I do, in fact at times have the same sinful patterns.

And who am I to deny others in need of  Christ's love, whether it be in a lovely or unlovely state?

I Corinthians 13 says that if I have faith enough to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. Can I, in my own strength, have love for annoying, rude, impatient, self-seekers? If not, I am nothing.

Insert Diving help here

How do we receive Diving help? By not being too prideful to ask for it, being willing to do as He asks, and remembering that with God, all things are possible.

Do you have someone unlovely you need to be loving? I pray today that I will have the know-how and the strength to love the unlovely around me. I pray the same for you my friend, and I have prayed that God would bring  just the people He wants to this very infamous Prairie Tales blog today. After all, if He's powerful enough to help us love the unlovely, He's powerful enough to direct our mice to the right blogs. ;)

Love to all my Lovely (and unlovely) Lurkers,

~Brenda

A Desperate Need For Jesus

Yesterday, our Pastor preached on the woman in Mark 5:25-34 who had a flow of blood for 12 years. She was sick. She was humiliated. She was deemed unclean, and therefore quarantined. She was an outcast, and she was seriously hurting. Not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually.

For 12 years - nonstop.

She was mighty brave for going out into the crowd when she may have been discovered. But she knew Jesus was the One who had what she needed. If she could but touch the hem of his garment, healing would be hers. This was her chance to end her world of hurt.

So she pushed and shoved her way through the crowd, her sole desire being a single stroke of a finger across His hem.

She succeeded, and she was healed. Just as her faith told her she would be.

But this is obviously more than a story of physical healing. This is a story of a woman with a desperation to get Jesus.

As I sat listening to the story of this afflicted woman, I wondered ... do I live like that? Like Jesus is all Ineed? All I desire? Am I so desperate and faith-filled, that if I saw Him, I would know without a doubt that touching a tiny portion of the hem of His garment would heal all of my hurts?

This woman truly is a picture of desperation, but she's also a picture of surety in knowing where hope lies. She was so weary of, and hurt by the many physicians who had failed her. So when the Great Physician came into town, she made a bee line for Him ... because she was sure this Physician was different than all the others.

And that, Lovely Lurkers, is exactly what you and I should do when we are weary, helpless, hurting, and alone. My bet is that if you're reading this, God has orchestrated it, and you are indeed one (or all) of the above.

So make your own bee line to Jesus. Step out in faith, just as this woman did, and experience the healing that only He can impart.

He'll meet you where you are, just as He did with this afflicted woman. I'm so glad I didn't have to be perfect and whole before coming to Him.

And neither do you.

Our job is to accept and hunger for Him. It is then that He redeems, heals, and makes whole.

~Brenda

Through Rivers and Fires

I've been working on a pictorial post all throughout the day, but am having issues (or ithues, as my kids would say).

So instead, I'll share some thoughts about ... well ... about what I'm thinking.

This waiting game with the doctor is proving to be rather, shall we say ...

Ahem!

A pain in my rear.

While I was dusting today, I ran across an old card that a dear friend sent me when my Grandma died back in April. In it, she encouraged me with this verse from Isaiah 43:

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.

Of course, I know in my head that God is always with me, that whatever waters I pass through, whatever fire I walk through, He will be right there with me. Even in the valley of the shadow of death, He has promised to be with me. But the reminder helped it sink into my heart.

Waiting is hard. Having heart problems is hard. Not feeling like I can eat is hard.

But Rivers and Fires are always worse if you go through them alone.

Good thing I'm not alone, huh? Good thing that a friend loves me enough to to do some reminding. Good thing I have a husband who assures me he will never leave me, no matter how sick I get.

So while I am not rich in much of what the world tells me is wealth today, I am excessively wealthy in comfort from my Lord, in assurance of love from my husband, and in the companionship of friends and extended family.

And that, my Lovely Lurkers, is true wealth.

Walking through Rivers and Fires is scary ... at times terrifying!

Walking through Rivers and Fires with God, and friends, and loved ones by my side ... well it's still scary!

But it's bearable.

And for that I will be forever grateful.

~Brenda

I'm Calling A Family Meeting

Everyone come sit down! I'm callin' a family meeting.

With my Lovely Lurkers, that is.

Don't worry. Nobody's in trouble (that's what my family always thinks when we call a meeting).

I just wanted to specifically address some comments that were made yesterday.

So here goes:

El Mommy said:

Hi! I came to your blog from MckMama's discussion boards. And I'm actually going to check out Piper's book. I've read some really interesting things from him before. Isn't it a good sign that we ought to read something when our first reaction is, "But I might need to change!" LOL Maybe I'll go to the library today ;-)

We go through one chapter per week of the book. I usually dread my preparation time for class, because I know there's going to be plenty of things pointed out to me that I need to change, so I know the feeling!!! Good for you for not giving in and reading it anyway.

Day Photo said:

went to your store and looked at your darling clothes! They are wonderful and you are very talented.

Linda

http://coloradfarmlife.wordpress.com/

Shucks!! If only I could claim that I made those clothes!! But I didn't. I just grabbed the real seamstress' button from her blog, and put it on mine. Mostly because I thought the button was adorable, and so are her clothes that she sews. It made me want to open an Etsy shop and sell some similar items.

Perhaps when I am no longer home schooling ...

Valerie said:

I actually found the Piper book on my 16 year old son's bed stand yesterday. He had just come back from a Christ in Youth conference last week, and I was excited to see that he was interested in reading that!

I think it's totally awesome that your son is reading the book!! Good for him. My daughter, Jessie, is reading The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer. It was recommended to her by one of her friends who not only reads Tozer, but C.S. Lewis and other deep thinkers/writers. Pretty hefty literature!!

Chris said:

Sounds like a great read to me. I am in the middle of Zorro's Field.....again, just can't get enough of it. From reading your blog I know it's the kind of book you would love. Thanks for your comments over at Johnson Family Farm, been so busy I have not had time to update in such a long time. Not much time for any blog reading either, I miss that too. Following you and hope to get back here soon. Thanks.

Zorro's Field. I've never heard of it, but I plan to check it out!! I hope you get a chance to update your blog soon. I still check it, and am standing on one foot and then the other waiting patiently for your next post!

Thanks to ALL my Lovely Lurkers for being faithful in visiting, commenting, and in general just making my day.

You guys/gals rock!!

~Brenda

FYI...

Just a note to say that I hope you'll bear with me concerning all the side bar gadgets. I'm playin' around with the Blog Frog, and the new Lovely Lurker follower option (both on the right). Feel free to join either one. If you'd like to link up with me, and you choose the Blog Frog, anytime someone visits my site through your site, your link will show up on that cute little Blog Frog. Which may, in turn, generate more traffic for the both of us.

There's also a Prairie Tales Community link in the Blog Frog, and please feel welcome to post any comments, suggestions, or questions there!

Clear as Prairie Mud?

~Brenda

Prairie Pebbles

Good morning, Lovely Lurkers!

Here it is! The promised post from me to you. Me sharing with you. Getting the ball rolling. Priming the pump, if you want to say it that way.

This does two things for me. It helps me get things off my chest. And it helps me learn to share. Because (she says, leaning forward, eyes shifting left and right), I'm kind of a private person.

Don't get me wrong! I love for others to share everything with me. I am attracted to people that wear their heart on their sleeve. My closest friends are blabber mouths. And I mean that in the most respectful way.

It's not like I'm trying to be someone I'm not. It's just that I find it much easier to open up using the written word rather than the spoken word. And I think it's important to open up. At least on some level.

So without any further adieu, let me toss my first Prairie Pebble.

What's a Prairie Pebble?

I'm glad you asked.

A Prairie Pebble is just a small something I'd like to share about what is happening in my life. A tidbit, if you will. Mind you, I am not throwing stones. No...I would never do that. But out here on the Prairie, we don't have much except for Pebbles. Well, that and tumble weeds. But those are hard to catch.

So - Prairie Pebble #1:

A confession and a prayer request.

I am in debt.

It's true. Not a lot of debt. But, in debt nonetheless. My husband and I are taking a Financial Peace University class by Dave Ramsey. I'm sure you've heard of him, or perhaps heard his radio program. With the economy the way it is, the timing on taking the class seemed to be nothing short of appropriate.

Whoooo doggies! I have learned SO MUCH from this class. Some of it is exciting - dreaming of where we could one day be, financially (as in debt free, not rich). But at the same time, some of it is painful. Why is it painful? Because change is painful! And it became more than obvious very quickly that change was needed in the way I handled money.

But you know what?

I know that when all of my debt is paid in full, all that pain is going to turn in to sheer joy and rejoicing.

In fact, we now have enough money to pay off one of our vehicles. I'm just waiting for when the next payment is due, and I will relish writing that check! Never thought I'd hear myself say that..... I mean, after all, I'll be paying a bill. :-)

So, lovely lurkers, please pray that I will have the gumption to stick to the plan and continue knocking off debt and becoming a saver instead of a spender. I want to do what is right and be a good steward of what God has so richly rewarded us with. Ah, not just monetarily speaking ... but this post is getting too long.

How 'bout you? Would you have any Prairie Pebbles to toss back to me? I'm fresh out.

~Brenda

The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. ~Proverbs 22:7 (NKJV)

Lovely Lurkers

I have noticed recently that I have some lurkers on my blog.

I confess - I have always had a fear of lurkers. Lurkers behind bushes as I'm walking through a dark parking lot ... Lurkers outside my windows, peering in as they sit in the darkness, and I in the light ... Lurkers stalking my beautiful daughters ... Lurk, lurk, lurk....

I sound like I've watched one too many creepy movies ...

But you know what?

You don't scare me!!

Why?

Cuz I know that you are lovely lurkers. Friendly lurkers. I just know it!! You lurk because, in spite of the fact that I am somewhat of an amateur blogger, you are interested in something I am saying, pictures I post, or links on my blog.

Well ... I have something to say to you, dear lurkers:

Come out of the darkness. Tell me who you are. I am friendly too, just like you. If we began talking to each other, we might even find out that we have lots in common. You might learn something from me, and I will most assuredly learn something from you. Are you another little housewife on the prairie? Are you a mom of teenagers? Are you a woman? Are you interested in crafts and cooking (and Tupperware!)? Are you married?

That's just a start, my sweet lurkers. The sky is the limit! So post a comment, ask a question, tell me what you'd like to see on my blog. Tell me what you know. Share with me. Share with the other lurkers. If you have something you'd like me to pray about with you, let me know. I want to get to know you. If you are not comfortable sharing your requests with everyone, email me your prayer request to Tuppermom77@yahoo.com. In essence, I want to be a blessing to you.

I know. Monkey see, monkey do. And so I will be the first to share something with you.

But you'll have to wait. So check back, sweet lurkers. And whatever you do, keep lurking. But please be a lurker that is easily discovered. ;-)

Blessings to all,

~Brenda

There's something about shadows because you make your own mind up about what's lurking in them. ~Richard O'Brien