Updated on March 25, 2016
What Does Ecclesiastes Have To Do With Easter?
These are the words of the Teacher, King David’s son, who ruled in Jerusalem.
“Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!”
– Ecclesiastes 1:1-2
I have seen the book of Ecclesiastes used as a tool by atheists, pulling out just one verse to supposedly prove how there are so many contradictions in scripture. How cold and even cruel God is, how removed and distant. It makes my blood boil to see the scriptures misused this way.
I read Ecclesiastes often. Front to back, that’s the only real way to read it. There are some beautiful gems of glorious truth in there. But if you read it straight through and really find two things:
1. Solomon could rock some epic poetry.
2. It all, always and in all ways, comes back to God… the awe of Him, the worshipful respect.
And there’s something else… something that Solomon was missing (innocently) and something the atheists are missing, too, for whatever reason.
They didn’t factor in Jesus.
I soon discovered that God has dealt a tragic existence to the human race. I observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless—like chasing the wind.
What is wrong cannot be made right.
What is missing cannot be recovered. – Ecclesiastes 1:13b-15
Ah, but It could be made right. What was missing is now made whole.
They didn’t factor in Jesus.
And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God’s purpose is that people should fear him. What is happening now has happened before, and what will happen in the future has happened before, because God makes the same things happen over and over again. – Ecclesiastes 3:14-15
For the time Solomon lived in, I can see how he came to this conclusion. But God was up to something big, even then. And His golden thread weaving through would change everything.
They didn’t factor in Jesus.
It seems so wrong that everyone under the sun suffers the same fate. Already twisted by evil, people choose their own mad course, for they have no hope. There is nothing ahead but death anyway. There is hope only for the living. As they say, “It’s better to be a live dog than a dead lion!” – Ecclesiastes 9:3-4
We have unimaginable Hope. There is adoption instead of death. A place prepared.
They didn’t factor in Jesus.
So how about us, Dear Ones?
Does despair make you think that what is wrong cannot be made right?
That what is missing cannot be recovered?
Does grief and loss cause you to forget that God is up to something big, even now? Forget to look for His golden thread weaving through everything?
On this Good Friday, let’s remember once again the difference that old rugged cross made. Almost as huge as the empty tomb that was coming.
Don’t forget to factor in Jesus.
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.
God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan. – Ephesians 1:3-11
**I’d love it if you found some other examples in Ecclesiastes of Jesus not being factored in. There are lots and it was hard for me to choose just a few for this post. Share them in the comments, won’t you?
Heavenly Father. Oh the awe of Your patience and plan. The unquenchable love our Savior has for us. Thank You for the story to tell. May we always tell it. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
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Shelly
Updated on March 17, 2016
Put Me In, Coach!
Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.” Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. – Genesis 2:18-22
Chronic illness, pain and disability keep us from feeling like we’re “pulling our weight” in lot of areas of our life. But when a loved one is struck with sickness, it can be the worst kind of feeling.
Maybe it’s your spouse, the one who not only lives with you but provides most or all of your care. Maybe it’s that friend, you know, the one who brings you dinner and flowers and makes you smile on the hard days. Perhaps it’s your parents, aging themselves, while you remain the center of their world.
No matter who it is, it’s a guarantee that when they’re down and out, you’ll be the first on screaming, “Put me in, Coach!” We so badly want to help. We so desperately want to be for them what they have been so often for us.
And it hurts because we know that we can’t. We feel like we’re not a suitable helper. And so, today, I want to remind us all, myself included, of the invaluable ways that we remain a vital helpmeet for those that we love.
* You have the time and the compassion to offer them. You can empathize. You can listen.
* You can grant the blessing of a tender touch. You can wipe their brow with a cool cloth, perhaps with their head in your lap. You can hold their hand. You can smile as you look into their eyes.
* You can pray. Never underestimate the power there. You can kneel figuratively, if not physically, at the Father’s throne with them. Right that minute, right out loud.
* You can help them think rationally during times that they may be fevered or in deep pain. When is it time to go to the doctor? When is it time to take their next meds? Who can you call on for dinner help or a run to the store?
You are still the exact partner, friend, and help for your loved one, that God intended you to be. You are still irreplaceable and needed.
We can still be tagged into the game; we just need to play a different role than we did before, and that’s okay.
Father, help us to realize that we are still the perfect helpers that You created us to be to the people You have placed into our lives. Thank You for our helpers. Please bless them, today and always. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
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Shelly
Updated on March 10, 2016
Naked Warrior, Take Heart
For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. – Ephesians 6:12
Some days the evil and the dark that we face are flat-out terrifying. New diagnoses, condescending doctors, absent friends, daily loss and grief, unrelenting pain.
Then Goliath, a Philistine champion from Gath, came out of the Philistine ranks to face the forces of Israel. He was over nine feet tall! He wore a bronze helmet, and his bronze coat of mail weighed 125 pounds. He also wore bronze leg armor, and he carried a bronze javelin on his shoulder. The shaft of his spear was as heavy and thick as a weaver’s beam, tipped with an iron spearhead that weighed 15 pounds. His armor bearer walked ahead of him carrying a shield. – 1 Samuel 17:4-7
Not to mention the taunts and the threats that find us cowering in the corner! You’re useless, you’re lazy, God doesn’t care about you, if you had enough faith you wouldn’t be going through this, everyone will leave you, you’re going to die.
Goliath stood and shouted a taunt across to the Israelites. “Why are you all coming out to fight?” he called. “I am the Philistine champion, but you are only the servants of Saul. Choose one man to come down here and fight me! If he kills me, then we will be your slaves. But if I kill him, you will be our slaves! I defy the armies of Israel today! Send me a man who will fight me!” When Saul and the Israelites heard this, they were terrified and deeply shaken. – 1 Samuel 17:8-11
Photo by Fried Dough 
And it goes on and on. And on. No light at the end of the tunnel, no end in sight.
For forty days, every morning and evening, the Philistine champion strutted in front of the Israelite army. – 1 Samuel 17:16
Our enemy, he wants us to come out feeling like a young child. He wants us naked, with no armor. No shield. No sword. And most days, that’s exactly how we feel, isn’t it?
But the enemy has forgotten that with our God, nothing is impossible. Our armor, sword and shield are supernatural, just as our enemies are. He’s forgotten. He’s underestimated.
Have we?
David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us!” – 1 Samuel 17:45-47
God of the Impossible, keep us reminded daily. Help us to lean no on our own selves, but to give the battle over to You along with all glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
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Shelly
Updated on March 3, 2016
For the Languishing (Like Me)
For I satisfy the weary ones and refresh everyone who languishes. – Jeremiah 31:25
When I came across this verse this week, it grabbed hold of me and just would not let go. Especially the word “languish”.
The Oxford Dictionary defines languish in two ways.
The first way definitely described those of us who live with chronic illness:
(of a person or other living thing) lose or lack vitality; grow weak or feeble
Can I get an Amen?
But the second way… buckle up, Dear Ones. Here it comes:
suffer from being forced to remain in an unpleasant place or situation
What?? I know, right?!
I’ve submitted my photo to be considered as the picture that goes along with the definition in the dictionary. Fingers crossed.
I could go on and on about the word languish, but let’s get back to the beautiful promise that brought us here, instead. Because there’s no doubt we’re weary. There’s no question that we languish. But there are greater truths in the Bible than in our flimsy reality.
For I satisfy the weary ones…
This kind of weary, Lord, it’s more than a week of naps and spa treatments could even put a dent in. This weary has gone on so long that we can’t remember life without it. Nothing we have tried, nothing we have done has granted even the slightest relief.
Reminds me of another time…
And Jesus called His disciples to Him, and said, “I feel compassion for the people, because they have remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way.” The disciples said to Him, “Where would we get so many loaves in this desolate place to satisfy such a large crowd?” And Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven, and a few small fish.” And He directed the people to sit down on the ground; and He took the seven loaves and the fish; and giving thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. And they all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, seven large baskets full. And those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. – Matthew 15:32-38
We’re underestimating our Jesus. His compassion leads the way. It sees the problem and looks to the answer. And where does His compassion look? Upward to our Heavenly Father. He took what was available and gave thanks. God blessed His faith, and with absolutely zero pomp and circumstances, not only were all needs met, but there were leftovers, too. He is able. He has compassion. He will satisfy the weary.
and refresh everyone who languishes.
We’re losing vitality every single day. Growing weak is our new specialty. This unpleasant place we’re forced to remain in… well, not to be ungrateful, but unpleasant doesn’t even begin to cover it, it really doesn’t. We’ve had refreshing moments, but they are few and they are so small and short. We long for real refreshing and we’ve no idea how to go about attaining it.
How quickly I forget the lessons from the past.
For I am about to do something new.
See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.
The wild animals in the fields will thank me,
the jackals and owls, too,
for giving them water in the desert.
Yes, I will make rivers in the dry wasteland
so my chosen people can be refreshed. – Isaiah 43:19-20
We believe our God is limited by our surroundings, our situations. This is the same God who can breathe not only life, but purpose, into dry bones. This is the same God who made air out of… well, thin air. He makes rivers in the dry wasteland and paths through the wilderness. Not to gain some great goal, not to make some bold statement. Just so that we, His chosen people, will be refreshed. It matters… we matter… that much.
We can trust Him.
For I satisfy the weary ones and refresh everyone who languishes. – Jeremiah 31:25
Deep breath. Smile. Let’s begin.
Mighty God, we just can’t seem to wrap our minds around the fact that we mean so much to you. Satisfy us in eternal ways. Refresh us in surprising ways. Go beyond just our limited imaginations and our physical longings. Thank You for being You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
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May God Bless You,
Shelly
Updated on February 25, 2016
Are You Haunted By Your Past?
“Through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2).
I’m haunted by my past. Not in the way you might think. Jesus has done a marvelous job of assuring me of my salvation and the cleansing power of His blood.
It’s the specter of my feet pounding against the earth as I run; of effortlessly joining in a song of praise; of pulling fresh cookies out of the oven to share with my children.
Can you relate?
Hop on over to Rest Ministries to read the complete post.
See you there! <3
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Shelly
Posted on February 25, 2016
When Sleep Doesn’t Love You Back
“I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep:
for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.” Psalm 4:8
I love Sleep.
It’s not the fickle kind of love,
not puppy love,
not the kind that dims with time.
But Sleep, it does not love me back.
I’m over on Bestie Barb’s site today!
Hope you’ll join us! <3
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Shelly
Updated on February 4, 2016
The Kind of Faith This Takes
So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. – 1 Peter 1:6-7
A precious friend, who is more like a sister to me, inspired this post.
She told me this story…
I remember when I first got saved, my roommate had a picture of a cat hanging on to a rope with one paw… “Tie a knot in the rope and hang on”… Faith”.
It was easy to not worry back when I was 21 years old and a brand new Christian.
You and I and the friends we know who are suffering…well, for us it’s more like “Take a step off the cliff and let yourself fall (into Jesus’ arms)… Faith”.
Wow, right? Just wow. That gave me chills, it was so profound.
She’s absolutely right. Tying a knot and hanging on seems like a clever saying when we’re breezing along through life, when maybe our biggest stress is what to make for dinner. Not that can’t be stressful, you understand, but I mean, it’s not, well… THIS.
There comes a time when hanging on with our own strength is simply no longer possible.
There comes a time when trusting the strength of that rope is downright foolish and irresponsible.
Photo by John Donges
THIS calls for something bigger, deeper… more.
Although he was crucified in weakness, he now lives by the power of God. We, too, are weak, just as Christ was, but when we deal with you we will be alive with him and will have God’s power.
Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith. – 2 Corinthians 13:4-5
Jesus Christ is among us. And that leap that THIS requires? We’ll fall right into His arms. And it will be oh-so-worth-it.
Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life. – Revelation 2:10
Dear God, Thank You for these amazing, insightful friends You have placed in my life. They are constantly pointing me back to You. I’m leaping. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
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Shelly
Updated on February 3, 2016
Even When It Hurts
Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heaven!
Praise him for his mighty works;
praise his unequaled greatness!
Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn;
praise him with the lyre and harp!
Praise him with the tambourine and dancing;
praise him with strings and flutes!
Praise him with a clash of cymbals;
praise him with loud clanging cymbals.
Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord!
Praise the Lord! – Psalm 150
I’d covet your prayers today. I have a doctor visit that may bring scary news. In the meantime, I can’t think of a better thing to do than to praise Him… no matter what. <3
Below is my favorite song these days. I hope it blesses you.
Lord of all, we come before you, absolutely in awe of Your greatness. Whatever’s in front of me, I choose to sing Hallelujah. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
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Shelly
Updated on February 2, 2016
Hide and Seek
I can never escape from your Spirit!
I can never get away from your presence!
If I go up to heaven, you are there;
if I go down to the grave, you are there.
If I ride the wings of the morning,
if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
even there your hand will guide me,
and your strength will support me.
I could ask the darkness to hide me
and the light around me to become night—
but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
Darkness and light are the same to you.
– Psalm 139:7-10
Each of my children, when they were very, very young, loved to play hide and seek. Their version was different to the one you may be familiar with, though.
They thought that if their eyes were covered up, they became invisible. It was adorable, really. I’d look over and see them sitting with their hands over their eyes and big goofy grins on their faces. Then I’d say, “Austin!! Where are you, Austin? Brian, have you seen Austin? He was just here a minute ago!”
All the while, whichever child it was would erupt in giggles, finally flinging their hands away from their face and proclaiming, “Here I am!” Then we’d hug and kiss and talk about how much I’d missed them and was so happy they were back. Such fun memories.
It’s more than just memories, though. I’m certain I acted exactly like that just last month.
Maybe I closed my eyes in weeping. Maybe in despair. Perhaps I was just too plain old exhausted to hold them open anymore. For whatever reason, I refused to look. And the longer I sat there, the more I felt as if I must surely be invisible to my Savior. I began to wonder where He was and if He even cared to try and find me.
I am not young, not young in my faith, either. And this is definitely not a game.
He does see me.
God looks down from heaven
on the entire human race;
he looks to see if anyone is truly wise,
if anyone seeks God. – Psalm 53:2
And while I’m searching for Him,
O God, you are my God;
I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you;
my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land
where there is no water. – Psalm 63:1
I have His promise that He will be found.
For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. – Matthew 7:8
I think it’s safe to look now. I think it’s safe to giggle. We have some memories to make, God and I. We’ll start with hugs and kisses and Him talking about how much He missed me and is so happy I’m back.
Even though neither of us actually went anywhere, the reunion will be sweet. Because my God is.
Heavenly Father, You are an amazing Parent, an amazing King, a perfect God. Thank You for taking the time out, anytime, to let me know that I’m special and that You love me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
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Shelly
Updated on February 1, 2016
A Few Things That Are Making My Life Easier These Days
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. – 1 Peter 1:3-4
As stagnant as this life feels most days, one thing can be counted on; as soon as you start to feel comfortable and get a routine, things are bound to change.
I’ve had a lot of changes these days. A lot of hard changes. Definitely not the direction I want to be going in, and I’m having to process at the same time, that this is the way it’s going to be. I know that my inheritance is safe from all of this change and decay, and that gives me great peace.
I shared in my first book, a list of things that I have accepted as aids that have made my life easier and better. With so many changes flying at me, there have been needs that required new aids. I hope this post will encourage you to give yourself permission to let old aids go and embrace new and more involved ones. You are worth it.
Shower Chair and Shower Bar… sometimes bigger is better. My simple shower chair was no longer working for me. I now have a larger bench-style chair, still with a back and arm rest. It has a small seat that sits outside the shower so that I can sit while drying off and make an easier transition from shower to mobility chair. I also can no longer hold my wonderful handheld shower head. I was sad to see it go, but what I got instead makes me feel like I am at a spa! There is a shower head that will move up and down a bar, so that you can set it at the perfect height for you in the chair, and it sits right over you! These two items have really helped a difficult task (showering) to be more accessible and more enjoyable.
Laptops… what do you do when you no longer have a functioning lap? My legs could no longer take the weight and my arms could no longer shift the laptop on my lap. I now have an ingenious device which is an arm that attaches to the table next to me. It holds the laptop and can be positioned however I need it to be. If I am laying down, I can even position it pointing down so that I can use the laptop while resting my body. Arms like the one I have are also available for tablets or cell phones! Since I can no longer reach or hold my arms up, I have a cushioned lap desk with a wireless keyboard and a wireless mouse. I can position these anywhere I need to in order to be able to comfortably use them and not have to reach for the laptop.
Long-Handled Things… or I guess the proper term is “Reach Extenders”. I have hit the jackpot in this area! One of my favorites is a long-handled hairbrush. I can brush all my hair without lifting my arm even a smidge! It’s amazing. Keeping independence for as long as possible is very important to me! I also recently acquired a long-handled shoe horn! Have you seen these? Yay! I have to wear shoes all day every day, since my feet are doing their best to contort and we want to hold that off for as long as possible. The shoe horn gives me independence. Brian surprised me with an AWESOME gift a few weeks ago! It is a special nail clipper that has a large bar to hold in a fist grip instead of my clumsy fingers that have no strength. The head of the clippers will twist any which way, so I can easily adjust them depending on what my hands are doing that day and can flip them around to clip left or right handed. They are magical. Last but not least, I have a bath puff on a long handle. This helps me to be able to soap up without having to move my arms around much, or twist my body every which way. Love it.
Insomnia… how to self-sabotage a little less. I found an amazing FREE software that helps with insomnia. See, electronic devices can stimulate the brain and make it even harder for it to receive the signal that it’s bedtime. Mostly, this is due to blue light produced by the screen. What this software does is take your time zone into account, and treat the screen more like natural ambient light. It tones the blue light way down, and the screen colors get warmer and less bright as evening and then night approach. It really has made a big difference in the ability to feel sleepy. The name of this software is Flux and it’s just a quick, simple download onto your computer. You can find it here:
https://justgetflux.com/
You’re welcome.
What changes do you need to make in relation to your aids? Is it time for a few upgrades?
Don’t forget that many of these items can be found at second-hand stores or garage sales. Many churches keep these items on hand and are more than willing to help if they can. If all else fails, make a wish list and use it for each holiday and birthday. I’m praying you can get each and every item that would make life more doable.
King of kings, thank You for every blessing you enable each of us to attain. Please help us to shift the roadblock of our pride right out of the way. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
**All links above are affiliate links, which means I earn a small percentage of any sales made through the links.
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May God Bless You,
Shelly
