Lights! Camera! Action!

LIGHTS!  I recently participated in a research study at M.S.U. to see if light therapy will help alleviate fatigue and changes in mood for breast cancer survivors. I don't really understand the science behind all of it. I just know that after a few days - I felt more like doing things. Like the blind man who confessed, "Someone named Jesus made some mud and smeared it on my eyes. He told me to go and wash it off in the Siloam Pool. When I did, I could see." (Luke 9:11) More light in my life has helped me. 

"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)

CAMERA! We all love to take pictures. Why? Because they help us remember good times. Precious moments. They uplift and inspire us. Photos to look at again and again. To remember. To re-enjoy. Spending time in the light every day, regularly and consistently, has helped me immensely, in seeing not only a brighter future, but a "can-do" now. 

Remain in Me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself, it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. (John 15:4)

ACTION! What happened when I remained in the light - day after day? I became energized. The days became full of possibilities. I raked leaves for the first time in years. I've been trying different things. My whole spirit is more light-hearted. Why?

"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)

Remain in Me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself, it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. (John 15:4)

The light therapy simply drove home the all-important basis of hope and of living. Jesus is the Light. Jesus is the One we need to soak up, exposure ourselves to every day. Remembering Him every day. He is our energy and strength when we stick with Him.

Just as I remained in the study and received positive results, how much more must we remain in Him to receive all that we need?

"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)

What I learned about God from home improvement shows

© 2012 Julie Crane All rights reserved

The opening scene is always about a house that just doesn't work anymore. Some areas need a little paint. Some areas are a gut job. They all agree there are some good and bad points about this house. But something needs to change. (Kinda sounds like me. How I used to live didn't work anymore. I needed a Change.)

They start looking around and see no house is perfect. Every house has something they like and don't really like. Are they able to accept / compromise their ideal or keep looking, demanding it? (... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God... Romans 3:23)

Whether they stay where they are or move, they commit to the one who can help and renovations are soon underway. A tweak here, a demolish there. Weeks pass. There are ups and downs all along the way. Major setbacks. Sometimes more than one. Will they ever make it to completion? (Sounds like my life after accepting Christ, my Helper. With all life's ups and downs and mistakes made, will I ever make it?)

As they near the end of the reno project, the home owners are kept from seeing the final stages until it is completed. The excitement (or anxiety) must be at an all-time high. In the final minutes of the show, the front door is swung open and behold! They don't even recognize the place! It is so amazingly, magazine cover beautiful! What a wonderful place! And it's ours! All ours! (Do you see where I'm going with this?)

I believe that the present suffering is nothing compared to the coming glory that is going to  be revealed to us. (Romans 8:18)

God bless you in all your ups and downs along the way to His perfect gift of eternal life with Him in heaven. Until then, trust your Helper!

Who's doing the doing?

© 2012 Julie Crane All rights reserved

Jesus sends out the seventy-two. (Luke 10:1-9)
Don't pack. Don't greet. (v.4) Don't do your own thing. Don't do it your way. The great I AM is about to be doing some doing.

Stay. Eat. Drink. (v. 7) Stay there. Don't use your own judgement on whether your time is being productive / successful in your own eyes. Don't decide what is good enough, right, acceptable in your own eyes.

The kingdom of God has come near... (v.9) The kingdom. Not you. Not your doing. But as a vessel, carrying the living God to the streets, to the people that you meet, greet, eat with...

There are plenty of times when I don't understand how God does the things that He does... things that somehow align and fall into place at just the right time. Without my  conscious knowledge, decision, or pre-determined choice in the matter. Sometimes miracles at the extreme end of the spectrum. Sometimes simple delights that just make a moment smooth and easy. Miracles that are drop to my knees praiseworthy. And yet some of His other acts of love go virtually unnoticed. "Ordinary" goodnesses.

Could it also be that many of our acts of service - could be happening - unnoticed by our own selves? But the Lord flowed through us just the same? Without our conscious effort? (pause) Do our acts of service come in both conscious and unconscious obedience? (pause)

Thanks be to God!

Come, Lord Jesus, come.
Come and spread Your love to everyone I meet.
He sent out 70. But all were filled by the one active, working Spirit.
God, be about Your business of doing the doing. Today.
Let Your kingdom come near...

Luke 10:4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals
Luke 10:7 Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you
Luke 10:9 The kingdom of God has come near to you

Heaven on earth

© 2012 Julie Crane All rights reserved

We all have imaginings of what heaven will possibly be like. We know there are promises of no more tears, crying or pain (Revelation 21:4). We can all imagine such great beauty and joy and LOVE and acceptance and ...!

Heaven will be a wonderful place!

But I could sure use some of that "heaven stuff" here and now. You too?

I think about the Lord's prayer (Matthew 6:10). It says: Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Another translation puts it like this: Manifest Your kingdom realm, and cause Your every purpose to be fulfilled on earth, just as it is fulfilled in heaven (TPT)

Isn't that what we seek? The beauty of heaven to be tasted here?

Which brings me to the scripture I read this morning which set this all in motion.
Truly I tell you, whatever you forbid and declare to be improper and unlawful on earth must be what is already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit and declare proper and lawful on earth must be what is already permitted in heaven. (Matthew 18:18 AMPC)

Many other translations of this verse aren't as clear as this one is for me. They use words like "loosed" and "bound". But I think what they're all saying is bring heaven down here. Bring the beauty and the love we will see in heaven into the present. Where you are. Don't wait until you're gone from this earth to love everybody and everything that is heavenly. 

Cherish now.
Relish now.
Love as we will in heaven.

Let there be peace on earth...
Let there be love and hugs and all that stuff... on earth
And let it begin with me.

Where's the fire?

© 2012 Julie Crane All rights reserved

This morning as I was getting ready for my day, I realized I was literally "scrubbing" my face cream into my skin, in vicious circles - as I was thinking about my to-do list. I caught myself. And thought, "Would one minute of gentle massage of my favorite scented cream really throw off my whole day?" So I slowed down. Smoothing my orange vanilla goat milk cream across my forehead, my temples, under my eyes, my cheeks. And gently down my throat. Oh, what a moment of complete serenity. Instead of heart-racing, rattling thoughts about what needs to get done, I enjoyed a moment of soulfully preparing for the day. Calm. Cool. Collected. Where's the fire, indeed!

Perhaps we can all learn from this. A reminder that a moment of prayer can do the same thing. Let His words, like oil, run down your face (and into your beard! - as it did for Aaron in Psalm 133:2). Will a moment or two of prayer really throw your whole day's schedule off? Or will it gather you up in a hug of calm, cool and collectedness? Where's the fire?

The fire should be in our approach to our days. The fire should be in our health, mentally and spiritually - our very heart. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:21).

Like the to-do list, sometimes our thinking about prayer seems to include everything all at once. I don't have time to thank God for everything, and prayer for everyone I know in need. And my own set of worries on top of all that.

But for a moment, thank God for a few things.
In a different moment, prayer over someone who comes to mind.
Later, let God know your personal concerns.

Pray at all times, and in all circumstances... Make your life a prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
Talk to God in moments.
Take a moment... and see how refreshed you will be.

Where's your fire?

Let the sun shine in

© 2012 Julie Crane All rights reserved

Started off today with some anxious thoughts. How easily they can come sometimes, right? But I stick with my usual routine and walk up to the post office at 10:00. It seemed a little gray outside but I grabbed my sunglasses anyway - in case it decides to show its face while I'm out.

Walking along, still anxious thoughts bombarding me. I recently started following some yoga on YouTube. So I told myself to just concentrate on my breathing. Then I told myself over and over, "I'm fine. Everything right now is fine. Right now, all I need to be concerned about is that I'm walking. And breathing."

And I noticed through the big window at the restaurant people eating and having coffee and chatting away. The gentleman next door was watering the flower box in front of the barber shop. Someone else walking their dog. And yes, the sun came out. Peaceful. Just simply - peaceful.

It is well... with my soul... the sweet refrain washes over me again and again. Where did that come from?

It's very easy, too easy, to stay and feed those more unsettling thoughts. I've done it too many times. But today, today I sought out something else. Something more. And it came. It came.

The sun. The Son.

Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and will bring you back from captivity. (Jeremiah 29:12-14)

If we desire, seek, expect the Son, will He come? Give it a try.

Do you hear what I'm saying?

© 2012 Julie Crane All rights reserved

Haven't we all played the game "Telephone" where you whisper something into a person's ear and they pass it on. The last person to receive the message - receives something completely different from what the first person said. Right?

Texting. Young and old alike use it as a form of communication. But is it really? How often I wonder what a person really means half the time. I can't tell if they're kidding or not. Really upset or not. Even the addition of an emoji can be sarcastic and I wouldn't be really sure. We read it and decipher what we can from it.

How often do we read our bible the same way? Someone recently shared with me (through a book they wrote) about studying the passage where Peter walks on water. (Matthew 14:28-31) Many of us are familiar with it. Peter starts walking toward Jesus on the water. Gets scared. Sinking! Jesus grabs him and says, "O you of little faith!"

If you're like me, those last words are what I remember most. Yep. That's me. Failing again because I have little faith.

But what happened before that? Jesus grabs hold of him. Many translations say He IMMEDIATELY grabbed hold of him. The first thing Jesus does is rescue. Rescue!

I was in a bible study once discussing this very passage and the conversation turned to how to soften the "blow" of Jesus' words. Because, think for just a moment - your little one takes a spill off the tricycle. Don't you first run over and scoop them up, hug them, brush the dirt off their knees. And then say, " Silly goose! You need to be more careful next time. I will remind you again to not go so fast." 

Now, can you picture Jesus scooping Peter up, tousling his hair, kissing his forehead and saying, "O you goosey head! What happened? I'm here and I care. Let's be more attentive next time. I will help you."

Can Jesus be as gentle, as understanding, as a parent?

I love the commercial on TV where the dad puts a band-aid on his daughter's knee and then takes the magic wand she's been playing with and taps it to her knee. Can Jesus be as sweet as that - with us?

Let's remember the gracious and compassionate character of Jesus when we read His words. Instead of assuming He's tired of us and all our failings - let's remember He keeps no record of wrongs ( 1 Corinthians 13:5) and delights in us - every step of the way. You are precious in His sight. Yes, Jesus loves you!