THE NEW EWE

"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!'"

Luke 15:4-6

July 22, 2020

LIFE IN THE FOLD:

Have you ever thought you really wanted something; then when you get it, it's either not exactly what you had in mind, or not exactly what you wanted, or not as exciting as what you had anticipated? I think we've probably all had that happen, at one time or another.

Last week my great-nephew celebrated his 8^th birthday. For the longest time he couldn't think of anything he really wanted, so said that he only wanted a happy birthday balloon and honeybuns. Finally, his mom pinned him down and they came up with a list of gift ideas of things he would like to have.

His parents were out of town on his birthday and my sister (his grandma) and I were staying with him and his siblings. We made sure his day was special with balloons, his choice for lunch, and a small party with 4 of his cousins and pizza for dinner.

His grandma had gotten him some figurines from a game he really enjoys playing.... but when he opened them, she could tell that he wasn't all that impressed. Perhaps when he had seen the picture online and had chosen them, he had thought that they would be bigger than they were. I got him a game for his DS Nintendo, and I could tell when he opened it that he wasn't thrilled; although it was a game he had asked for.

Later I asked if he liked my gift and he said, "It's fine. I just wanted other gifts." The thing is, he wasn't being bratty or rude about it, but my sister and I could tell that he was just a little let down with our gifts.

We were talking about it later and could both remember similar times in our lives, so we could understand.

One time when I was in 3^rd or 4^th grade, many girls in my class were wearing black and white oxford shoes. I really, really wanted a pair! We normally didn't get new shoes in the middle of the school year, but one day I came home from school and Mama had gone to a shoe store in a small town a few miles from where we lived and found a pair of oxford shoes for me. I hated them! The soles of all the other girls shoes were either brown or black. Mama had probably found a pair on clearance or on sale, and they had red soles. They didn't look like the other girls' shoes, so I didn't want to wear them and was embarrassed. In hindsight, they were probably just as cute, or cuter, than the other girls shoes; but to an 8 or 9 year old girl, I didn't see that. I just saw that they were different. I also remember that I didn't want to hurt Mama's feelings and tell her that I didn't like them, so tried to act excited; but I'm sure I failed in doing so and she likely saw my disappointment. Honestly, they probably didn't have the extra money to buy me a pair of shoes, but she wanted to do something special for me, so had looked until she found something that she thought would make me happy. I did wear them a few times, but not often.

Janie, my sister, said when she was about 12 years old she was riding in the front seat of the car between our parents. She had fallen asleep, than woke up without Mama and Daddy knowing. She heard them quietly talking about Christmas and Mama telling Daddy, "We need to find a couple bicycles for Janie and Loretta for Christmas." Janie thought she was too big for a bicycle and that it would be really embarrassing to go back to school and tell her classmates what she got for Christmas. So she told Mama later that she really didn't want a bicycle; so they didn't get me one either. Perhaps they had thought that would be something fun that we two girls could do together. The truth is, her classmates would probably have thought, "Wow! I wish I had got a new bike for Christmas!" But Janie was afraid that they'd think she was too old to be riding bikes and that it would be embarrassing to tell them that she got a "toy" for a gift. I don't know what we got for Christmas that year, but it wasn't bicycles! I'm sure that Mama thought that would be a really special gift for them to get us and something that we would like, then was disappointed when Janie said she didn't want one.

Several months ago I decided that I would really like to have an instant pot. I had heard all the great reviews and people touting how awesome they were, and thought it would be something that I would really enjoy having and would use a lot. So Jon told me to go ahead and get one. I got it.... tried using it 2-3 times.... and found that it just wasn't for me! I started cooking when I was a young girl and was cooking supper for the family when I was 15, after my mom passed away. After that many years of doing things certain ways, I found that I didn't want to learn a new way of cooking! It was disappointing to find that this great new invention (at that time) didn't make my life easier and just wasn't something that I enjoyed using.

We all have disappointments, in both big and small ways. Sometimes we don't get exactly what we want, and feel let down. Other times we do get what we think we really want, but find that it's not as great and exciting as we thought it would be. Sometimes we may disappoint others by not allowing them to surprise us with something wonderful that they think we would like.

We can sometimes even feel disappointed in God; whether we like to admit it or not. We pray for someone to be healed, but they die instead, and we feel disappointed that God chose to take them home, instead of answering our prayers and allowing them to stay on earth with us for a while longer. Some make plans with their spouse for retirement and dream of how they will enjoy life together; then disease or sickness takes one before they are able to fully enjoy their golden years together, and it doesn't feel fair. We see the horrible events taking place in our world and cry out to God to intervene and bring about change and revival; but things seem to grow worse instead of better.

If we aren't careful, we grow weary and discouraged. Our soul becomes downcast. We may try to be cheerful when with others and may even try to sound upbeat and speak in faith, but inside our heart is hurting and we have questions. But we can find encouragement in the Word of God!

Isaiah 40:28-31 says, "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope (wait) in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

Psalm 42:11 says, "Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God."

When we put our hope in the Lord and praise Him, regardless of our feelings or what is going on in our lives or in the world around us. We don't rely on our feelings and emotions, for they often skew the truth and cause our focus to be on situations, instead of on God.

Isaiah tells us that God will not grow tired or weary. But according to this passage of scripture, we will sometimes grow weary and weak; but when we do God will give us strength and increase our power. We will grow tired, weary, stumble and fall. But those who hope in the Lord or wait on the Lord, will renew their strength. We don't have to remain in a constant state of weariness! For when we hope in the Lord, He will cause us to soar on wings like an eagle. We will run and not grow weary; and we will walk and not faint.

Disappointments, heartaches, weariness, weakness, and discouragement will come. But we don't have to allow those things to dictate our response to life. We stay focused on the Lord, keeping our hope firmly placed in Him, and allow Him to lift us up and renew our strength. We praise and worship the Lord, giving thanks to Him in all things. That's how we overcome!

JON'S PERSPECTIVE:

Matthew 5:45 says that God sends the sun on the just and the unjust alike, and sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 1 Peter 5:10 says that God will restore you after you have suffered a little while.

God is always with us. But our days won't always be sunshine and candy. We have to work. We get sick. We even die. But we do it all with Jesus by our side.

ON THE MENEWE:

Oven Baked Panko-Coated Chicken

In a gallon Ziplock bag place the crushed cornflakes, Panko bread crumbs and shredded Parmesan cheese.

Melt one stick of butter in a baking pan.

Place flour in a bowl or plate. Dredge chicken in flour; roll in butter. Coat with cornflake/Panko/Parmesan mixture. Press the mixture to chicken until fully covered.

Bake in oven at 350 for 25 minutes, or until chicken is tender and done.

THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER:

I just want to write a short note of encouragement to make yourself available during this time we are living in. What does that mean? Be available to show kindness to others! Be available to say a word of encouragement and something nice to workers who are following guidelines that you may or may not agree with. Don't take out your disgruntlement and frustrations out on those who are just doing their job and have policies their employers have given them to follow. Be available to help neighbors. Look for acts of kindness that you can do each day. It doesn't have to be something big, but sometimes even the smallest thing that someone does can mean so very much. If you know someone who may be self-quarantined, check to see if there is something you could pick up for them and leave on their doorstep. Send a card, note, email, or text to someone that may have lost a loved one or who is going through a difficult time. Don't be so focused on the negativity of everything going on in our world that we forget to be encouragers and kind!

THOUGHT TO PONDER:

God doesn't predict -- He knows! - Heather Glogau

OUR HEARTFELT THANKS TO YOU:

We love you!

Loretta & Jon

http://www.graysheep.org