Memories Are All We Have

Memories are all we have
But great memories they are:

It helps us lay aside our grief
And the pain we feel
To recall the good times
And appreciate what is real.

It’s good to share about predicaments and puzzles,
Discuss advice and serious things,
But also rehearse the lighthearted times,
The humor that a good friend brings.

Remembering helps establish perspective,
And talking it over helps the soul
View the world, life and death on God’s terms
So He can make us whole.

We know some who are too busy,
No inclination to invest their time
To examine the truth of one magnificent Creator God,
So to uncertainty they resign.

We sometimes struggle to introduce them to Jesus,
But we can with confidence, pray;
Who knows if happiness or maybe sadness
Will to the Lord, point the way.

Meanwhile, tears and caring mingle
For each one, near or far;
Memories are all we have
But great memories they are.

by Elaine Hardt ©2007

Four Missing Ingredients in the NORMAL Christian Life

Boldness, courage, confidence, faith!

Four words that sound impossible to today’s men and women are the four missing ingredients. If we take time to read the Bible these strong words are there. Not only is this a description of the first believers, it identifies what you and I can demonstrate.

“Hold on,” you say. “I didn’t sign up to make a spectacle of myself. Just being normal is good enough for me.”

But, wait. Don’t sell yourself short. Nowhere does Jesus say, “Follow me and I will let you have a quiet little life, an ordinary existence that doesn’t require any belief or any actions beyond normal.”

“Well, that was then and this is now,” you interrupt.

Before you gain your composure I smile understandingly. Yes, those were my very words not long ago. I actually complained to God. Since I knew He knew what I was thinking anyway, I just blurted it out in sort of a bedtime prayer. I have tried to be honest with Him.

The very next day my routine Bible reading was interrupted by God’s Holy Spirit. It was like a bright yellow highlighter pen drew my eyes to certain words. I was speed reading through Colossians to try to keep to my schedule.

I saw “heard of your faith” and “bearing fruit.” Then it was “filled with knowledge” and “all spiritual wisdom” and “please Him in all respect.” The pinnacle was “strengthened with all power.” A strange dawning of honesty showed me my life was missing what these guys had.

Reading just those assigned verses from chapter one was enough for me. My eyes clouded up and so I closed them as I closed the Bible. “Lord, I don’t even know the basics, here, not to mention the depth.”

It was time to find out what was going on.

A yellow tablet became my outline. I wrote on the first page, BOLDNESS. On the second I put COURAGE. The third was CONFIDENCE. The fourth became FAITH. Over the next couple of weeks I read and meditated and re-read the 95 short verses of that New Testament book. I noted the verses for each topic; good food for thought.

The last verse of that first chapter gave me quite a boost. “For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.”

I wondered how many times the Bible uses these words. This Internet website let me search:
http://bibleresources.bible.com/index.php
Here’s what I found there: Boldness = 3 times
Courage = 50 times; Confidence = 39 times
Faith, faithful = 505 times, Power = 529 times
Be strong = 310 times. (NLT version)

Before this I’d seen the verse, “… you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you…” in Acts 1:8, but now the truth shined like a glorious sunrise.

If the world, so laden down with selfishness, sin, and suffering could see God’s power in you and me there’d be no more passivity in us. We wouldn’t be covered with confusion or smothered with indifference. We would be actively, eagerly asking for God’s wisdom, then actively, eagerly reaching out to our needy world.

At this point of our boldness, courage, confidence and faith the powers of darkness would make us a target. All the more reason to stand tall in the power of God’s Holy Spirit. Why does the Bible talk about spiritual warfare? For the empowered believer that is “normal.”

The message of salvation gets attention, and God gets the credit. The Gospel can change the lives of individuals and nations. You and I could be a blessing to unbelievers, pre-believers and ordinary, passive believers.

When people around us see a difference in our words and our behavior, then we have gone past the normal, ordinary, indifferent lifestyle. In embracing a true love relationship with Jesus we now display the missing ingredients of the real, normal Christian life:

Boldness, Courage, Confidence, and Faith!

by Elaine Hardt ©2007

Is Christmas Just a Kid-Thing?

Is Christmas just a kid-thing,
Doing what you did, thing?
Or is there meaning for us of older size?

Is it toys and decorations,
Gift-y celebrations,
Or does Christ’s birthday still apply?

Past the lights and past the sales,
Past the Santa fairy tales,
Finding where the truth of the holiday lies.

Ancient written proclamation
Became historic declaration,
Amazing revelation to those ready and wise.

When we are sincerely seeking
And honesty is speaking
The truth of Jesus in the Bible can arise.

Invite the Lord into your heart,
Make Christmas this year your new start;
His love, forgiveness, and joy will shine in your eyes!

By Elaine Hardt ©2007

I Complain to God

“Which way shall I look?” I complained.
“Behind? Ahead? I sense some dread.
Around? There’s too much to see.
Lord, give perspective to me.”

I whined and complained and fussed,
“Life is too hard, too unjust!”
When I settled quietly in bed,
This is what He said:

“Trust Me with your life,
Lift your eyes above, receive My love,
Each new moment embrace;
Appreciate your place.

“Grow stronger, even longer,
Confess your sin, welcome Jesus within;
From irritations turn,
Ponder the process and learn.

“I am your Maker, I know what’s best,
I give the power for your testing hour;
Life eternal awaits you ahead,
Complain no more,” is what He said.

By Elaine Hardt ©2007

Recipe for Thanksgiving

This free, no-calorie recipe can’t be beat for simplicity and good results. It’s just what every busy person needs, and this means you! Go ahead, indulge yourself.

Close your eyes and count to 10.

As you open your eyes be thankful you can see. Be thankful you remember your numbers. Be thankful you can speak aloud.

Look around. Be thankful for a roof and 4 walls and a door. Got a bathroom? Be thankful. Food in the fridge? Be thankful.

Now, before you get carried away with feeling really good stop and ask yourself, “Who gave me all these blessings?”

Talk to God, out loud if possible. Acknowledge Him as the Creator of everything and Maker of you, in particular. If you haven’t been on speaking terms with Him lately now is the time to remedy that unintended neglect.

This is not the time to present Him with a list of what you want for Christmas. This is not the time to whine and complain, either.

The purpose of Thanksgiving is to sharpen your skills of awareness of what it means to be alive, and who better to thank than the One you are going to meet when you die.

As the day goes on see how many other things you can be thankful for.

By the end of the day look out the window and see the sunset, then look for the stars and moon. Be thankful you live on the only beautiful, inhabitable planet there is.

End the day by thanking God for anything else you can think of before falling asleep with a big smile on your face.

Look in the Bible at the many examples of thanking God. Especially in Book of Psalms read of people calling out to God, talking about His blessings, and giving thanks. “The LORD is righteous in everything he does, He is filled with kindness. The LORD is close to all who call on Him. . . ” Psalm 145:17-18.

The blessing of Thanksgiving is peace, contentment, appreciation, and deep inner joy. This blessing is a free gift from God, and it comes when we are in a loving relationship with Him. Jesus makes this possible. Read the Gospels in the New Testament to appreciate Him.

You may enjoy this Recipe for Thanksgiving so much you decide to do it every day, or at least one day a week. Call it Sabbath, a rest for the body and soul. When you are thankful you are bringing a blessing upon yourself, as well as giving God respect and honor that is due Him.

By Elaine Hardt ©2007

Walk in the Wind

The house crammed full of unpolished words,
noise reverberates from ceiling to floor;
Countless urgencies have pushed me to the wall,
my head complains, “Don’t do this anymore.”

A walk outdoors on a windy day,
billowing clothes and hair now have their say;
The breeze whispers softly along this stroll,
pushing stuffy accumulations away.

Clouds show off congenial gatherings,
the persistent sun smiles and warms my face;
Growing things here beckon and quietly boast,
allowing reprieve from a demanding pace.

Yes! I walk outdoors on a windy day,
turn aside from intimidating stress,
Celebrate nature’s living lessons:
Taking time to trust God more and worry less!

by Elaine Hardt ©2007

What Happened to Thanksgiving?

September didn’t used to be the start
Of holiday shopping and decoration;
Halloween didn’t get this much attention,
Christmas was more about little surprises of love,
Less of expensive expectation.

What in the world happened to Thanksgiving?
Where is the gratitude earnestly expressed,
Appreciating hard work and persistence,
Celebrating God’s bountiful hand of blessing?
We have forgotten thankfulness.

In our hurried life we speed through November,
Some will dash right on to December;
Presents to buy, cards to send, parties, and, and, and—
But I for one, will find a quiet place,
Thank God for His mercy and wondrous grace.

By Elaine Hardt ©2002