writesaboutdragons

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Operation Christmas Child Interview

Our church has long been involved in Operation Christmas Child, and I discovered recently that my son-in-law was a recipient of one of the boxes, as were his sisters, down in Chile where they were already serving as missionaries. 

Here is an interview where we discussed his experiences, the impact that had on his family, and in his own life. 

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#truth

The Table Was Set, But So Was The Cross

Matthew 26:17–29 | Mark 14v12–25 | Luke 22:7–62 | John 13:1–35

The disciples thought they were preparing for Passover. They followed instructions. Found the upper room. Laid out the meal. This was tradition. A yearly rhythm. A familiar script. But Jesus came in with something deeper. He wasn’t just preparing for a feast. He was preparing to say goodbye.

Before the bread was broken, so was the silence. “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray Me.” (Matthew 26:21) That stopped the room cold. They didn’t point fingers. They didn’t scoff or accuse. Each one asked, “Surely You don’t mean me, Lord?” Even Judas.

And Jesus, calm and clear, confirmed what He already knew. Betrayal was at the table. Not outside. Not in the crowd. Right there. Close enough to dip bread in the same bowl. (Matthew 26:23) Still, Jesus served him. Then He took the bread, gave thanks, and broke it. “This is My body.” He took the cup. “This is My blood of the covenant, poured out for many.” (Matthew 26:26–28) This wasn’t a dinner. This was a declaration. Jesus was handing Himself over, piece by piece. Body. Blood. Presence. Promise.

This was the first communion. Not in a sanctuary. Not with stained glass. But in a room full of flawed, confused, prideful men. One would betray Him. One would deny Him. Most would scatter. And Jesus still said, “Take. Eat. Drink.” Not because they were ready. But because He was.

There’s something holy about this table. Not because of who sat there. But because of who served it. Jesus gave His body to people who didn’t fully get it. He poured out His blood for people who would fail Him. He offered covenant to people who still needed to be cleaned. And that is still the table today.

You don’t come to this table because you’ve earned your seat. You come because He invites you. Because He already knows the worst of you and still chooses to love you. Because the blood still covers. Because the bread still satisfies. Because grace still flows.

Examine your heart today. Not to run from the table but to come closer. What part of you still resists surrender? What fear, sin, pride, or shame are you holding back? Lay it on the table. Jesus already did. The bread was broken for it. The cup was poured for it. Come hungry. Come honest. Come humble. And take what only He can give. Real love. Real grace. Real covenant.

[writesaboutdragons]

I could have taken this pic, and wish I had. This encapsulates evening worship at the lake for me. It would make an outstanding worship album cover.

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Filter verses. The first verse in the Old Testament is like a wall some can’t get past. It isn’t a ‘Keep Out’ sign, it’s a statement of faith, on faith and by faith. If you can’t get past that verse and believe God had the power to create everything, the rest of it just seems off.

This first verse in John is like that. If you can’t get past the statement that Jesus was in that Beginning, that he was with God and WAS God, then the rest of the book and in fact the New Testament, seems off. How could he feed 5,000 with five loaves and two fish? Did he really walk on water, calm a storm, raise the dead? Rise from the dead himself? Were those miracles just part of lore, myths and fables to make little kids behave?

[writesaboutdragons]

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365 Proverbs for Daily Living

Day 50 – The Path of the Righteous

But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day. The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble. (Pro 4:18-19 ESV)

Read: Jonah 4

My wife and I were returning from the American Christian Fiction Writers (#ACFW) Conference in Indianapolis, and decided to stop at Mammoth Caves on the way home. It was a little out of our way, but we had an ulterior motive. One of my books I was about to release had an exciting scene that took place in the caverns of this popular cave network.

I’d examined maps of this cave tour, but seeing it live brought the story to life with clarity. The guided tour took us through several of the settings for that chapter, and we finally came to the Giant’s Coffin, deep in the heart of the earth. At this point, the tour guide had all the lights extinguished. Thankfully, nobody on the tour had nyctophobia, or fear of the dark. Especially since the tour guide had a significant amount of trouble getting the lights back on. Something to do with them having to warm up.

It might very well have been part of the tour, but those few seconds when the tour guide was attempting to find the switch and get the lights back on, several of us were scrambling for any source of light we could find. A cell phone, even the tiny light of a Timex Ironman watch (that was me). None of us like to stumble around in the dark, and there in the heart of Mammoth Caves, there were pitfalls just a few steps away that went down for several hundred feet. One misstep and you could easily plummet to a quick and terrifying death.

The proverb that is our key passage for today ran through the back of my mind as we made our way back up from the deep darkness to the dim light coming from the entrance, which got painfully bright the closer we got to the surface.

The people of Ninevah were like those stumbling in deep darkness. God declares at the end of the book that they didn’t know their right from their left. They needed light. God was merciful and desired to spare them, by giving them light through Jonah. Unfortunately, though the king and people of this pagan city drew near to God in repentance, we have no record that the hard heart of Jonah ever did. Though God had drawn him out of the depths, it seems his heart was still there in the deep.

Prayer:

Father God, help me to follow the path of the righteous, today. Amen

[writesaboutdragons]

Jester the Myna

So, my wife and I have done many shows as Rexx and Jester. Jester the robot myna bird has served us well, but he's getting a little worn.

Here's a picture of him as soon as we got him, on stage.

He needed yellow around the eyes, though, as Jester has that, as do most all myna birds. So I added a mask to him.

He was made by Axtell, and they did such a good job I'll be ordering another one tonight. I also ordered their EZ Talk robot stand which helped Jester to operate at my book table as an animatronic. When I get the new one, this older model will man the book table.

What do you think?

[writesaboutdragons]

365 Proverbs for Daily Living

Day 49 – No Rest for the Wicked

For they do not sleep unless they have done evil; And their sleep is taken away unless they make [someone] fall. For they eat the bread of wickedness, And drink the wine of violence. (Pro 4:16-17 NKJV)

Read: Psalm 29

One of the most villainous characters in print is Smeagol, also known as Gollum, from the Lord of the Rings. Gollum is the way he is because he has been completely enthralled to The Precious, the One Ring that Sauron forged to rule all the other magic rings. His evil life essence is joined to that ring, and through it, so is Gollum’s.

Nobody has carried the wretched artifact as long as this skinny, demonic-looking bug-eyed creature from the darkness under the Misty Mountains, and only the loss of that ring could have drawn him out of those caves. For decades he searched for it, his will bent on having it back at least as much as Sauron wanted it. At last he discovered where the ring was, in the possession of Frodo and Samwise, as they make their way back to Mount Doom to destroy it.

He follows them at a distance, and finally is forced to join their company, as an untrusted guide. Frodo makes him swear on the ring not to harm them. And due to the power of the ring, Gollum cannot truly break that promise. But he leads them by a deadly path, one that will be their undoing. To the letter of his promise, he will not harm them directly, but Shelob, a giant spider, will surely kill them, and then The Precious will be his again. Samwise wants Frodo to kill Gollum, insisting that he is not trustworthy, that he is a villain, that he is SNEAKING, and will slit their throats in the night.

In one poignant night, while Sam and Frodo lie asleep, Gollum struggles with himself over the dilemma that faces him, arguing with his reflection over his desire to serve the new master, and his desire for his old master, The Precious. He looms in the darkness over them, staring down at them from mere inches away, when Sam wakes up and sees him there. He quickly draws his sword, shouting an alarm and yelling at Gollum, demanding to know what he was doing. “SNEAKING,” Gollum nastily replies.

I believe all of us can identify with Gollum, frankly, to an extent. As the holiness of God’s love penetrates us, the old voice of Gollum fades to a whisper in the wind. As we listen to the voice of the Lord, through the Word, and prayer, that old voice should be easy to ignore. But if it’s not, if you find yourself unable to sleep in the dark, if you find yourself SNEAKING, and unable to sleep until you make someone else fall, check your pulse.

Prayer:

Father God, thank you for rescuing me from my old life. Help me listen to YOUR voice, today. Amen

[writesaboutdragons]

Happy Pi Day!

May the PI be with you!

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Because, #coffee

~ Yellow and Brown ~

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365 Proverbs for Daily Living

Day 48 – The Path of the Wicked

Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil [men]. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. (Pro 4:14-15 KJV)

Read: Numbers 25:1-9

Years ago, my mother-in-law used to live down in Cleveland MS, and we would travel to her house periodically to see her, driving down Highway 61. Invariably, as we drove back late in the evening, we’d pass the casino strip in Tunica. You couldn’t miss it. One of the casinos had purchased a bank of high-power searchlights, and those things would make brilliant fingers of light waving across the sky as we drove by.

One of the old leaders in my scout troop worked as chief of security at one of the casinos, and I asked him if he was ever nervous protecting winners from robbery on the way to their vehicles. He said there wasn’t much of that. The largest part of his job was protecting the casino from the sore losers. And protecting husbands from their wives, when they’d just gambled away the welfare check. You see, the gambler isn’t the only one who pays, it’s the whole family.

I tend to get addicted to stuff, it’s one of the reasons I’ve avoided smoking and drinking, two other vices not outlawed in the bible. Added to this, for obvious reasons, is gambling. Though the casinos do their best to draw the eye and get your attention, even from miles away, though they festoon their buildings and gambling floors with bright lights, exciting music, and cheers when anybody wins, though it’s perfectly fine for you to go there if you want to, I will continue to pass by the way to their establishments, and not take the path to their doors.

The prophet Balaam was hired to curse Israel by Balak, King of Moab. While the prophet found it impossible to do, he suggested a course of action to Balak to cause Israel to BE cursed by God himself – by causing them to fall using the women of Moab. Our reading today covers the culmination of that disaster. The women led the men into whoredom, and from there into idolatry. It came to a head when one man brought a Moabite woman into the TABERNACLE to make out with her, and Phinehas the priest ran them both through with a javelin. God sent a plague to destroy Israel because of their sin, but this act of zeal stopped it, and ONLY 24,000 died.

Sin requires a heavy toll, dear Christian. Don’t take the road to it. Pass by it, move on. Stick to the path of righteousness. Because you aren’t the only one who might pay that toll.

Prayer:

Lord, help me avoid the path to evil, and stick to the straight and narrow, today. Amen.

[writesaboutdragons]

[writesaboutdragons]

First Arrival

Well, the first sample item for my online shop arrived. I laid it out to take a pic of it draped over our couch, and immediately this guy had to try it out. It's a 365 Names blanket, and features a beautiful background picture of a nebula loaded with stars, with many comforting verses and names of God on it. It's available in my shop on my website www.lynvia.com

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I am a Christian When I say... “I am a Christian” I’m not shouting “I’m clean living” I’m whispering “I was lost, Now I’m found and forgiven.” When I say… “I am a Christian” I don’t speak of this with pride. I’m confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide. When I say... “I am a Christian” I’m not trying to be strong. I’m professing that I’m weak and need His strength to carry on. When I say… “I am a Christian” I’m not bragging about success. I’m admitting I have failed and need GOD to clean my mess. When I say... “I am a Christian” I’m not claiming to be perfect, My flaws are far too visible But, GOD believes I am worth it. When I say... “I am a Christian” I still feel the sting of pain. I have my share of heartaches So I call upon His name. When I say… “I am a Christian” I’m not holier than thou, I’m just a simple sinner Who received GOD’S good Grace, somehow.