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

May 12, 2021

LIFE IN THE FOLD:

There is a saying along the lines that one man's junk/trash is another man's treasure. What one person sees as being useless and not worth keeping, someone else may look at it and see value and beauty in it.

On the other hand, someone else may have things that are special and sentimental to them and they think of them as having value; but other people may look at those same things and not see them as being anything special. Many times it's the memories connected to those items that cause the owner to see the value in it.

People can often view various holidays and special events very differently. For instance, I love celebrating my birthday and try to make it last as long as possible. Others absolutely hate having a birthday and their only consolation is, "It's better than the alternative."

I have a couple of aunts who had lied about their age so much that I'm not sure they even knew their real age! In fact, after one of them passed away, their children found documents with different ages on them. Neither of them wanted anyone to know their real age.

I love Christmas and decorate our home several weeks ahead of time, so that I can enjoy them as long as possible. I love everything about Christmas.... celebrating Jesus, the lights, the decorations, the music, the movies, etc. But many people deal with depression over this particular holiday. Others have suffered tragedy or trauma in their past over the Christmas season, and it's difficult for them to get through.

On the other hand, Mother's Day is a very special holiday for many families as they celebrate and honor their mom. For me, it's been a tough holiday for many years. My mama died when I was 15 years old, and Mother's Day often makes me feel grief and I greatly miss her. I didn't get married until I was almost 40, so not having children was a mutual decision for me and Jon. It was God's plan for us and we have accepted it and it's okay. But at times during Mother's Day, there is just a little bit of deep-seated sadness that I don't have kids and grandkids, as many my age do. It's okay; it's just how things are and had God wanted me to be a mother, He would have worked out those details.

My sister's husband's grandparents lived through the depression. Many years later, his granny would keep all leftovers from meals, even if it was just a couple of spoonfuls of food. She kept all butter bowls after the butter was gone, for storage containers. They had two refrigerators and they had lots of little butter bowls with just a little dab of food in them. She just couldn't make herself throw it out, after those tough years of living through the depression and the impact it had upon her and her family.

My point is that often many things in life have many different perspectives and emotions attached. Not everyone feels the same, think the same, have the same viewpoints, etc. At times it may be due to past circumstances and upbringing. Other times, it may be due to personalities. What may seem silly and useless to someone may be very valid and important to another person.

Spiritually, we may not always understand where someone is in their relationship with God. We may not understand their faith, whether it seems overly strong or if it seems weak. They may be at totally different place in their walk with the Lord than we are. It may be easy to judge or criticize; but we don't know what Jesus is doing in their life. We may not know their past or trauma that they've experienced or why they are at the place that they are. If only we could encourage, instead of compare.

Matthew 7:1 is a scripture that most of us are familiar with, but often hard to consistently put into practice. "Stop judging, so that you may not be judged." Verse 2 continues, "For with the judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

God has created us all different, with different likes and different interests. We all have different things that are important to us. We've all had different life experiences. We have different personalities and don't deal with emotions and feelings the same. Some of us are sentimental, while others aren't. We are all at different places in our relationship with God.

Let's learn to be tolerant and love one another; showing kindness and giving encouragement. Let's embrace our differences and cheer each other on in life's journey. We don't have to be best friends with everyone, but we can love and be kind.

JON'S PERSPECTIVE:

One of those things everyone sees differently is myself. I see myself in one way. Loretta sees me differently. My boss another way. And customers another way.

There is a lot of value in having others respect me. But that isn't everything. I want my boss to respect me and appreciate my hard work. I want friends to respect and like me. But if I have to sacrifice my relationship with God to gain that respect, it is worthless.

How God sees me is the most valuable. And that is worth sacrificing anything else.

Another thing everyone sees differently is Loretta. And each and every other person. We all get seen and thought of differently by different people. Sometimes it's important to take a step back and consider how important that is.

ON THE MENEWE:

Avocado, Corn & Tomato Salad

Place corn, avocados, cherry tomatoes, and diced onion in a bowl.

Mix the remaining ingredients together and pour over the salad.

Garnish with cilantro, if desired.

THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER:

Growing up, my sisters and I were all raised in the same home with the same parents, but we had different personalities. Now being the youngest, some of these things I know from hearsay, not personal experience. My oldest sister was a pouter. When she got upset she would walk up the road to be alone and pout. My next sister was an instigator. She loved starting arguments between two of the other sisters, then would back away and laugh, after they got mad at one another. She never got in the middle of them herself. Another sister was the one who would be one of the ones who would always be in the argument. She would do things like chase me off out of the house with the fly-swatter, then lock the front door and not let me back inside. She was also the one most likely to sass. Then the last sister had a temper and would fly off the handle in a split second. When she was a teen, Daddy told her one time that she needed to go for prayer at church, that she would be delivered from her temper. She did, and God did! She didn't have problems with her temper after that time. Then I was the baby and a tad spoiled. Isn't it cool that God is so creative and none of us are created as clones, but are all different and unique!

THOUGHT TO PONDER:

Let us believe that God is in all our simple deeds, and learn to find Him there. - A.W. Tozer

OUR HEARTFELT THANKS TO YOU:

We love you!

Loretta & Jon

http://www.graysheep.org