Sunday, September 27, 2009

Forgiveness


Ever been wronged? Had your dander kicked up to realize that the person really didn't mean it OR that they did?

Forgiveness is the only action that can bring real reconciliation in a situation like this, and because forgiveness isn't easy, we must depend upon God to help us and to issue grace to the offender(s) in our lives.

I have someone who is on my "fifth nerve." Yes, Lady Graceful has issues at times with this~so you are not alone with the problem of interpersonal relationships that can be painful...I really have to deal with this thing too; as it can get out of hand! REAL resentments can build, and then broken relationships will occur~or maybe they already have occurred!

Forgiveness~genuine putting down the AX and giving the person the benefit of the doubt is the only way that something like this can be healed in a relationship. A healing so sound and strong that the offender is treated as if the offense had never occurred~and not just treated in some superficial way either, but genuinely forgiven, forgotten and restored to fellowship.

OK~I KNOW this is near utterly impossible! In fact, it is impossible without the grace of our Lord and Savior empowering us to forgive and restore.

If we consider that often people are not "out to get us" but are just rubbing us the wrong way innocently~and ignorantly, then forgiving may come easier, but will forgetting be something within our human-ness?

Probably not. But with God all things are possible. I John tells us that if we hate our brother who we have seen, how can we love God Who we have not? We are called to be reconciled to each other in grace.

Easy~nope!

Power from above~yup!

God alone is the source for such powerful forgiveness! The walk of faith in Christ is what brings us to the place to be able to forgive EVEN when I'm not asked to forgive, EVEN when the person continues to hit that nerve!

Forgiveness~STRAIGHT FROM our Heavenly Father~

Grace,
Lady Graceful

Friday, September 18, 2009

English Speakers and the Bible~

The Bible is the inerrant Word of God. Period~without error and God breathed communication from God to mankind. There are many translations of the Bible, from the Catholic Bible to the Bibles of the Reformation era such as Wycliffe's to the 1611 King James Version. Today many new translations have been added as well as many paraphrased versions. Paraphrases are not translated works from the oldest known documents, but are off shoots from other translation works into common speech. Preferring a solid translation will be most helpful in the most accurate forms. Unfortunately there's not been a English translation or any other translation from the original languages found without some sort of error. . .so what is the serious student of God's Word to do? It has been suggested that since so many of today's Bible students are not actual Greek, Hebrew or Aramaic readers, using a comparative method of using several translations is best to study out all the nuances of meaning a verse or word may have. The who, what, where, when and why must be answered for each verse and passage. Scripture will interpret Scripture. Remember that the Bible while a wholly holy inspired text is also a wonderful piece of literature that will inspire and instruct. Using a comparative study method (and there are Bible compilations for this that can be purchased and here's a website:http://www.auburn.edu/~allenkc/bible.html) will give the most information and insight into the intended meaning of the verses studied.

II Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth. KJV

We must put all diligence into understanding just what God intends for us to know from His Word, the Bible~

Truly God's Word is a lamp for our feet and a shining light upon our paths!

In His Grace,
Lady Graceful

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Differences

Differences in people are so vast that there really isn't a description to account for them all. Today we use the words 'special needs.' but again this term is so very broad. So broad that it is nearly impossible to describe everyone who "fit" this particular term as if some are and are not in this frame...I like the fact that we are all different creations, made by God in His image...True, no human is identical including identical twins as the twin studies have shown, but differences are many in the human condition. As we look around there are tall and every variation of tall from the very to the just a little bit. Shortness has its terms too as does weight, looks, intellect, abilities and more...we have descriptive terms and ideas about who and what is a proper way of seeing the differences around us including cultures and races as well.

"I am human!" screamed the tormented, frightened John Merrick as he is literally chased by a mob of men in his day who are shocked and drawn to him~his life of being different or with special needs was of inordinate condition. So disfigured he lived and dealt with life with its circumstances as best he could as he could. While I am not an authority on his life, I have been moved by the film concerning his life, The Elephant Man (1980) truly to tears. What torment for a soul who found so little grace and mercy in his life! I found in what reading I've been able to do on his life a call to reach within to find a way, deep and honest to look at how we deal with differences in people. All people, all differences. I have no idea if the quote is accurate from his mind or if such a circumstance he found himself as portrayed in this film, but I do know that people, all people do deserve dignity and respect and honor from all of us for whatever human condition we may find each other.

It's true that there is so much hype over the death of yet another famous person in our society who has died at the hands of drug addiction. But I am considering more than this person's life and end, but what had to have been a huge challenge in living with the disfigurement of vitiligo. Vitiligo as so much is discussed since this celebrity's passing, affects persons with a condition that destroys pigment in the skin leaving it with "spots" or albino looking patches. I have known persons with such, and it's very disfiguring. These folks were some of the best you'd ever want to know...now I am not generalizing, but being very specific about the people I knew personally. But in thinking about differences, it has led me to consider someone who somewhat like Merrick, but certainly the similarities may end here in that this 20th century famous person had money and prestige, Merrick while also in the public eye had none. No fortune to remedy his condition or to alter it...but what courage to do so and step forward as best one could...as best anyone can...and people everyday step forward with their differences to face society with altered or unalterd differences~not saying they should be alterd, just observing that some do alter...

I'd like to see more compassion and acceptance for differences among humanity. I know that this is a place that is virtually unreachable in the human condition alone because we all have preferences and ideas about who and what we can accept. But I believe that as we recognize each human being as created in the image of God~God who breathed the breath of Life into man so that man became a living soul makes acceptance of differences a much greater possibility in our world. Do I seek to become one who says there is no standard? Do I say there should be no differences? I don't think we can deny either standard or difference, but we must recognize the Creator and His righteous position to create whomever He choses. . .and treat those with such differences as unique from ourselves with the respect the Creator expects for His creation.

Throughout time and in a not too distant past those who were seen as unique were persecuted, and really in some ways this is still true today..can't we offer the olive brance of peace and the grace of our Lord to those who are unlike us? Oh, don't assume I am exclusively talking race relations either, while this issue is included here, it's NOT my sole purpose...I seek to call out to all about every difference from each of us in our own differences to offer that peace and grace to our fellow man letting God be judge and exactor of all justice in His righteousness not ours...it's walking by faith~seeing humanity as God does...

"Let me see this world dear Lord, as though I were looking through Your eyes!"
A world of men who don't want You, Lord..
A world for which You bled and died..."

God's concern with humanity is not so shallow as we make it for ourselves, and we must look to Him to help us overcome whatever prevents us from fully embracing those with differences~whatever they are~In His Name!

blessings
Lady Graceful

Thursday, September 3, 2009

How Great Thou Art

This has got to be one of the most beautiful hymns of the 20th century. For me, it holds special meaning as it was one of my brother's favorites as he felt it was a gorgeous praise song to God.

Then sings my soul...

What a thought that my soul can be so happy that it will sing~to God, HOW GREAT Thou art! How great Thou art!

Originally the song was a Swedish poem by Carl Gustav Boberg (1859-1940). Two additional verses were added by the translator, Stewart Hine which were his own.

Today as we go about our everday mundane tasks, may we find the tune in our soul to sing His praises like the sentament of How Great Thou Art!

Lady Graceful