I'll probably get cancer

Thoughtful Thursdays

I’ve decided I’m probably going to get cancer.

I'm not wanting to sound insensitive to those fighting the battle, but as I think about everything in life, it just seems like it's inevitable.

My non-stick pots are starting to chip, and looking into their replacements has sent me on this path of cancer causing items.

For example, they say that fast foods and chemically processed foods cause cancer.

Ok, I could stop eating those for the most part.

But what about,

·         The vegetables I eat. They may provide needed nutrients, but they cause cancer.

·         The meats I eat may give me protein, but they cause cancer.

·         The products I use on my lawn keep the weeds out, but they cause cancer.

·         The sprays I use in my garden keep away the mold and bugs, but they cause cancer.

So I suppose I could go all organic and free range with my food and lawn. Eat “clean” and pray harder against bugs.

But what about…

·         The sugar I consume. It creates a breeding ground for cancer.

·         My improperly made coffee causes cancer.

·         The wheat and grains I eat may provide fiber, but they cause cancer.

·         The dairy products I eat may give me calcium, but they cause cancer.

The “best” choice would be to go sugar free, gluten free, dairy free, and buy expensive coffee – and drink it black.

But even then…

·         The pots and pans I use cause cancer.

·         The plastic I drink my water out of – though helping me hydrate - causes cancer.

·         The plates we eat off of cause cancer.

·         Grilled food causes cancer.

Ok, I could spend some money and replace those with safer alternatives, based on what is deemed safe today.

But what about…

·         My deodorant and makeup and shampoo and toothpaste and household cleaning products – they cause cancer.

I could go all-natural, using oils and minerals and baking soda and the like. And do I need to wear makeup? Really?

But sun exposure itself causes cancer, and so does sunscreen that was created to protect me. I guess that means I need to stay inside all the time. Oh wait, what about needing vitamin D or else I might -- get cancer?

In the end, though, when I get down to it,

·         My cell phone causes cancer. I’m not getting rid of my cell phone.

·         My microwave causes cancer. I’m not getting rid of my microwave.

·         Second hand smoke causes cancer. I can’t get away from all second hand smoke.

·         Pollution causes cancer. I can’t stop breathing, can I?

·         And medical treatment to fight or identify cancer… can cause cancer.

So.

What to do?

I suppose I’ll just live how I want and resign myself to the fact that I’m probably going to die of cancer. Besides, if I worry about it too much… well, I hear that anxiety and stress can… you guessed it… cause cancer.

As to what pots and pans I'm going to buy? I still have no idea.

 

When not to sing

Thoughtful Thursdays

Is there ever a wrong time to sing? Isn't music uplifted in the Scripture? The Psalms are full of songs of praise, and a joyful heart is good medicine.

But my daughter doesn't think so.

The other day when we were having a heart to heart, I asked her for feedback. She said, "I don't like it when you sing to me when I'm mad. You always sing to me."

Well, she's probably right, and I started catching myself.

I think I do it to try and lighten her mood. She gets so down and dark, I try and cheer her up. Little songs, like "Smile and show your dimples" and "I want to be happy, but I can't be happy, til I make you happy too."

I know better than to sing the old Music Machine "Have Patience" song. Who wants to hear that when they're impatient?

This morning, a verse jumped out of the Proverbs like lightning.

"Like one who takes off a garment on a cold day,

or like vinegar on soda,

is he who sings songs to a troubled heart."

Proverbs 25:20

I can't wait for her to wake up. I'm going to share this with her, and then I'll see if she can hep me come up with other ways to lighten the mood. Usually, she just wants me to listen to her side, to understand. Boy oh boy, I've said those very things.

So there are inappropriate times to sing. Lesson noted.

"But he did it first!"

Thoughtful Thursdays

I glance up at the pool to see my three year old son furiously splashing another youngster by leaning back and kicking his feet like a motor. I immediately stopped the activity, explaining that we don't splash others like that. It isn't kind. But my little guy felt completely justified.

"But he went like this to me!" And then he stuck out his tongue and spit.

And that's what we do. Someone spits at us, and we splash them back.

In yesterday's post, we talked about overcoming evil. We try to overcome evil with evil, but like Jay Adams says, you can't fight against evil with its own weapons. We need to use God's.

Blessings. Kindness. Love.

But what if you've been spit at and you don't feel very loving? All you want to do is splash back?

"Love is doing whatever good God says you must do for another, to please God, whether (at first) it pleases you or not. You must do so because He says so, and you don't wait until you feel like doing so. Love begins with obedience toward God in which one gives to another whatever the other needs. Love is not a gooey, sticky, sentimental thing; it is hard to love. Often, it hurts to love."

Jay Adams, How to Overcome Evil, page 35

The idea of overcoming means we don't just swim to the other side of the pool and ignore the person. We love them. It's an action. We overcome with good.

We can't do it alone. We need to be firmly tied to our Ultimate Lifeguard, the Savior of our Souls. Afterall, love comes from Him.

I Give Up!

Thoughtful Thursdays

For today, I'm going to share an excerpt from an essay I wrote for NANC certification. This part still gets me excited...

When we have faith in God, we are choosing to not depend on ourselves for our salvation. As Grudem explains, we essentially say:

“I give up! 

I will not depend on myself or my own good works any longer.

I know that I can never make myself righteous before God.

Therefore, Jesus, I trust you and depend on you completely

to give me a righteous standing before God.” 

(Wayne Grudem p 730, Systematic Theology)

This is the beauty of the Gospel.  It is the beauty of the grace of God, and it should cause us to love Him all the more.

Listening through the Bible

 Thoughtful Thursdays

Did you know that you can read the Bible out loud in 76 hours? 

At www.BibleGateway.com and http://www.audiobible.com, you can listen to the Bible online for free in a few different formats. What does that amount to a day?

12.5 Minutes

In just 12.5 minutes a day, I can listen to the Bible in a year. Now, that seems doable! What if we made it 30 minutes a day? We could listen to it twice. I might take this challenge with my kids this fall. Anyone want to join me?

Looking for a new house?

Thoughtful Thursday

The housing market might be down, but here's a deal worth looking into.

I was talking to a friend tonight about what Jesus did for us. She just doesn't feel worthy of that kind of amazing love. She feels like she needs to be a better person first.

The conversation rolled around to visiting other people's houses unexpectedly when they're messy. She said, "Honestly, I don't care what their house looks like. I just want to see them."

And that's how it is with Jesus. He wants us. He doesn't want us running around hiding the dishes in the sink and throwing away the trash first. He's knocking, and He wants us to answer the door and let Him in.

We laughed together that then, He cleans the house for us, but in reality, He actually gives us His house! That's justification, my friends!

And then, as we grow to look like Him, we learn a thing or two about house cleaning. That's sanctification.

So if you're looking for a new house, look no further than to Jesus. He's offering us His perfect, sinless home by believing in Him. That's a deal in this market that is too good to pass up.

When I'm the Peony

Thoughtful Thursdays

Have you ever felt like a transplanted peony?

I do not have a green thumb, but every once in awhile I go out on a limb and try to attempt something garden-ey.

I recently transplanted a peony bush. It was living a wilted, shallow existence in the shade, and I knew a sunnier location would be good for it. Apparently, it disagreed. It looks pathetic, all bent over, without a single petal left on its branches. 

I tried to tell it, “Don’t worry, little flower. I know this is hard on you, but it’s for your good. Sure, you had to leave the safety of the other location, but in time, when you regain your strength, you’ll find it’s really much better here.” But for the peony, I think it feels like death.

With garden hose in hand, I thought, “I am so often the peony.” God moves the puzzle pieces of my life in some way, and He provides me with water and sunshine, and yet I feel pain. But it’s for my good! Can you relate? If we let Him, He’ll restore us again and our faith will be strengthened, growing stronger than ever before.

So I’ll keep watering my little plant, and I'll trust that God is watering me too. What does this look like for you?