Living Ageless

By Brenda Black

Age is relative. Through the eyes of a child, I'm ancient. The perception of a stranger is based on good guesses. In my mind, I'm 20 years younger than the days I've lived on this planet. I can't be this old! I have things I want to do and places I want to go! So, I choose not to define my goals or my energy or my personality by the number of my years. Instead, I plan to just L-I-V-E, live.

Since I'm past the half way mark to 100, I have enough history behind me to afford me some great memories and pretty good lessons upon which to build my theory. Ones that help me know what real love looks like. It's parents still together and committed. It's friends I've known and cherished since childhood. It's a wonderful husband of 30 years and two amazing sons who honor and adore me, even when I don't deserve their love. It's brothers and sisters in Christ from across the globe and a God who gave it all. Yes, to L-I-V-E, is to L-O-V-E. And the longer I live, the longer I have the opportunity.

Fifty plus means I've had time to accumulate a host of interests. Faith, writing, horses, cattle, music, gardening, ministry, cooking, canning, arts and crafts, photography, poetry, fishing, and the list goes on and on. With each passing year, I find something new to explore. I continue to learn. I get to impart my expertise to others who are as interested in my interests. The by-product of time well spent is a well-rounded life full of beauty and opportunity which are only possible because the clock keeps ticking. To L-I-V-E is to walk out your days like an investigative reporter, learning and exploring and finding where you want to invest your time, mind and energy.

V – it's to L-I-V-E victoriously, vivaciously, vibrantly! In every season, there's a time to live out loud. As a child, it's all the “firsts” you attempt and conquer. As a teen, it's the fears and peer pressure you overcome to stay true to yourself. In college, it's discovering and defining your destiny. In marriage, it's investing in the heart and soul of another. As a parent, learning to sacrifice and compromise, while leading and loving completely. Grandparents get to live childhood all over again and remember it through the eyes of innocence. And in every season, laughter and love and time well spent are V-I-T-A-L-L-Y important!

In the E-N-D, though aging is inevitable, age is eternally irrelevant. So, just L-I-V-E like this is the best day of your L-I-F-E.

©2015 The Word's Out-Brenda Black

His Name Shall Be Everlasting Father

(Third in a series)

By Brenda Black

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

How can an infant son be the Everlasting Father? The notion is marvelous at its base and mind boggling from that point forward. Just think, He's an infinite infant, blessed forever to reign without end. The third name attached to the Babe of Christmas solidifies the eternal quality of this mysterious deity and gives us a glimpse of this loving and perfect parent that will never leave or forsake us.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.” (John 1:1)

Jesus did not begin in Bethlehem. He has always been. While you try to wrap your head around that, don't fret too much. So much of the person of our Lord is beyond our understanding. How can we fathom forever when “[our] days are like the evening shadow; [we] wither away like grass. But you, O Lord, sit enthroned forever; your renown endures through all generations.” (Psalm 102:11-12) Yet, God longs to reveal Himself like a loving father wishes to impart lessons for life to his son or daughter. “Call to me and I will answer you and teach you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” (Jeremiah 33:3)

Quite frankly, I don't believe God expects us to get it over the course of a vaporous life that quickly dissipates. This is just training ground for the rest of our days spent in eternity getting to know God completely. “Now we see but a poor reflection; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12)

What's exciting about this arrangement is that even in my limited, finite circumstance, the Everlasting Father sees the big picture. He is yesterday, today and forever the same. He knows my past, He's in my present, He's planned a beautiful future. What a great Daddy! He'll be guiding me forever...if I'll just listen and follow!

Jesus is the Babe. Jesus is the Beginning. He also proclaims in John's Revelation “I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” (1 John 1:l7b-18) Jesus may have manifested Himself fully in the form of a child, fragile and vulnerable to every hardship and evil in this world. But His 33 years here on earth do not negate His royal and powerful standing over all of the universe and everything, everywhere that ever existed or will exist. He has the power over life and death!

“'Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” (Revelation 22:12-13)

The Wonderful Counselor points the way to a Mighty God that will never fail. We are well advised and adequately protected by such a Savior. As believers in this multifaceted Messiah, it is especially good to know that Our Everlasting Father began before the manger to plan for our future. That should bring you perfect peace...We'll talk about that fourth amazing name next week!

Leopard Frog Vs. Lawnmower

Leopard Frog Vs. Lawnmower
By Brenda Black

It takes guts to be a leopard frog, often more guts than sense. The aptly named amphibians depart their aquatic habitat during warm, summer months and venture into fields, pastures and backyards to forage. How silly to leave cool, clear waters in the middle of August scorchers and head to hot turf. Still there's another reason they'd be better off in the pond than in the pasture. In their quest for spiders and other insects, they forget to factor one giant enemy – the lawnmower.

What should seem to be horrifying to them, marginally stirs the brown-spotted species. They barely escape with zigzag hops away from the frog-squishing rubber tires on cast-iron front axles. They, narrowly dodge whirring, razor-sharp steel blades that just demolished their green grass cafe. One would think it would freak out a frog! But they seem no more shaken than if they had just jumped in front of a lily pad.

I wonder if that isn't part of the problem with people these days. They think they're invincible and do not fear true threats. Is it self absorption that blinds humans to danger? Or are people so arrogant to think that they can save themselves at the last minute.

Wake up America! There's a big freedom-chopping movement taking place in our nation. And if we don't take the danger seriously, we're hopping right into a death trap. Piece by piece, law by law, one mowed down path at a time, we are flippantly acting like leopard frogs, out of water and oblivious to horrible threats.

In about an hour of yard wacking, I spied at least a half dozen of the froggy rebels. And every one of them behaved predictably. They escaped by a frog's hair on their wee chins. I pray that's not your attitude in matters of freedom in our country or matters of eternity. There is an urgency to safeguard our nation and to ensure our eternal destiny.

“As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left. Even as he walks along the road, the fool lacks sense and shows everyone how stupid he is.

“There is an evil I have seen under the sun, the sort of error that arises from a ruler: Fools are put in many high positions, while the rich occupy the low ones.” (Ecclesiastes10:1-3, 5-6)

Solomon's words from the Bible basically say frog foolishness reveals stupidity. Quite frankly, I think we are being weed-whipped with some “folly that outweighs wisdom and honor” when it comes to the leadership of our nation. With all due respect to the office and utter disappointment with the one who holds it, a fool is wining and dining and smoking in the White House, while those rich in common sense are working desperately trying to stay afloat. As we veer ever farther from the safe and sensible statutes of a Christian nation and the attitudes and wisdom that evoke God's blessings, we run the risk of being totally mowed down!

God won't tolerate this sort of nonsense. He cannot bless where there is blatant and foolish, self-imposed moral ignorance and other gods are worshipped. God doesn't change. Go read his resume. But since I'm not a doomsday sort of gal, I do want to offer a sliver of a silver lining. So, here's the upside of all this stupid, legalized immorality and insensitive face-slapping: Judgment is coming! Stand for God through it all and we shall see glory!

“'So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me,' says the Lord Almighty.

“'I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,' says the Lord Almighty.” (Malachi 3:5-7)

Look before you leap, my fellow citizens. And if you are still enamored with change for change's sake, then I hope you know how to hop really fast.

Resurrection Relay

Resurrection Relay
By Brenda Black

“After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

“There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

“The angel said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: “He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.” Now I have told you.'

“So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. 'Greetings,' he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, 'Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.'

“While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, 'You are to say, “his disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.” If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.' So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.” (Matthew 28)

An earthquake had occurred. An angel did descend. He rolled away the stone and there he sat watching mighty guards tremble in their boots, disabled with immobilizing fear. When they gathered the strength, they cowardly fled to seek help and alliances that would spare their lives from certain death for a job poorly managed.

An earthquake had occurred. An angel did descend. He rolled away the stone and there he sat greeting meek women who stood in awe. When they were comforted with the angel's calming plea, they courageously crept forward to see the place where Jesus lay.

While the guards dickered for their safety, accepted bribes and vowed to lie in order to save their own hides, the women, likewise alarmed and astonished, carried out a more noble plan with “fear and joy.” They hurried to their task and delivered good news.

The contrasting responses to one single, historical event made the difference. The resurrection calls for faith in action, not ignorance, nor indifference, nor antagonism!

You see, the crucifixion was a finished event with continuing consequences. And when the angel stated that the Lord was risen, he indicated that the act was merely a simple, undefined action. No big deal to the God who is able! God did the work and all we have to do is report the truth.

“Go quickly and tell,” the women were instructed. And they followed the edict without hesitation.

Why are we more like the soldiers who have far greater interest in guarding our reputations instead of humbly submitting? Why aren't we more like the ladies who risked accusation of insanity in order to speak the truth? What do we have to fear? “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.” (Matt. 10:28) Be not ashamed of the gospel, “because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” (Romans 1:16)

The God who formed man from dirt could easily breathe life into a corpse. That same God who sent His Son as a ransom still keeps His word. If He did this, will He not be faithful to every other promise? The angel assured the women that Jesus was going ahead of them into Galilee, which meant he was leading them forward – out of the tomb, away from the grave and toward life eternal. Just as soon as they consented to believe the promise, they met Jesus face to face and fell at His feet to worship! He does the work and all Christ asks of us is to trust Him and tell others the truth so that they may be led out of death and into life too.

The Resurrection is a relay race, not a one-shot jump religion. God's only plan for spreading hope eternal is entrusted to us, as it was to Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome. “Do not be afraid. Go and tell...” Then, others will see me. Why not begin this Easter.