Plastic Pop Beads

God keeps slapping me in the face with Mark 8:35: "For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it."

It's been over a year now since that verse got stuck in my devotional craw. I think this means that the truth of it hasn't sunk in enough to actually change my heart; God has to keep bringing me back to it until I learn the lesson.

Today I made a list of everything that I fear this verse might mean in my life. All the things that I fear God could, is, will call me to give up for His sake. It was a depressing list. It filled me dread.

But it was also freeing. All of the best things in life are nothing compared to Christ and the surpassing worth of knowing Him. That is the truth.

Big things, little things, He wants them all. He wants all of me, my dearest treasures, my fondest hopes. He wants me to bow my knee to the truth that He is better than any of those things and by faith live out the consequences of this belief. He wants me to put my hope in Him.

I read this story today and I wanted to share. It's from a transcript of a message given at Urbana 1984 by Joanne Shetler.

"I will never forget the story of the little girl whose daddy had given her some plastic pop beads. Now they were poor but she loved her daddy. And so she loved those beads. She wore them everywhere. She wore them to church; she wore them to school; she wore them to bed. She never took her beads off. They were the thing she loved most. One day her daddy came home, and asked her for those little beads back. She was incredulous. He asked again, and she got tears in her eyes. He asked a third time, and she was torn. She couldn't understand. Why is this? She loved those beads. She loved her daddy. Finally, sobbing, she took off her beads and put them in her daddy's hand. And then, he reached into his pocket, and pulled out a string of real pearls and put them around her neck."

What is getting in the way of truly knowing Him and making Him my treasure? What are the plastic pop beads of my life? I've made a list, although, undoubtedly I'll have different priorities at different times of my life. I will constantly have to lay my treasures down.

But, amazingly, I want to. I want to show others the surpassing worth of Jesus by not making the things of this world my treasure. It's hard, of course, because everything worthwhile is costly. But it is worth it. God's Word testifies to this truth, and so do countless Christians before and beside me. And I want to be one of those who have counted it all loss, and found riches untold at the foot of Jesus.

Pearls for my pop beads.

Sacred Places

Note: I wrote this post a month ago, but today seemed like a good day to post it.

I think it was Emily Dickinson who said "my friends have made my life". I have found this to be so in my own life. My friends bring color and vitality to what at times can prove to be a menial existence. One of my favorite life-experiences is Bible study with "the girls" headed up by Darlene McDonald, whom I consider to be my spiritual mom. I have grown up in her house as much as my own and her family has proven to be invaluable to my growth as a human being. God has blessed me time and time again through them.

Anyway, I wanted to record a little picture diary of Bible study for when I am far, far away in Arkansas. I also wanted to share with anyone who happens to read this blog the fun we have studying the lives of saints and sinners, men and women, husbands and wives, and Jesus. I also think it will be good for those who are even now far, far away (Lauren, Adrienne, Lydia, and Sarah - we miss you!) to remember their time there fondly.

This is one of many entrances to the "Secret Garden", so dubbed by Mrs. McDonald. The best Bible study always happens here!

Delightful surprises abound in Mrs. McDonald's garden. I don't quite know how she does it, but she is a master homemaker. I always like to observe the little touches that make her house a home.

Bible study gets underway as Stephanie brings the treats! Mrs. McDonald is a wonderful hostess. I don't ever remember a time I felt out of place or unwelcome in her home. She always makes sure we have lots of delicious treats on which to snack!

Mrs. McDonald teaches. She probably doesn't like this picture much, but it was the only one I had of her and I had to include it for when I am somewhere deep in the recesses of Arkansas!

Joanna and Allison look on as Mrs. McDonald teaches. Joanna looks slightly perturbed because I had been trying to induce her to smell some fresh dill I had just picked from the garden. One of my favorites activities during Bible study is the time we take to exchange prayer requests. Last month Joanna's prayer request was that I would stop harassing her with dill.

This cow has been a staple of the McDonald's backyard since before I can remember. I have always harbored a secret desire to get married in their backyard with this cow looking on.

I don't know if you can read what it says on this rock, found nestled in the Secret Garden, but the reference is from Isaiah 58. I think Mrs. McDonald has been a living testimony of these verses:

"And if you give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness and your gloom will become like midday. And the LORD will continually guide you, and satisfy your desire in scorched places, and give strength to your bones; and you will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail."

Yes, some of my better memories have been made in the Secret Garden. It is a sacred place.