Justice

A need for justice is absolutely built into us. It is part of the image of God we are made in. God is just.

The fact that He is judge is a less talked about fact of His identity, than the fact God is love. Noah Webster's 1828 dictionary defines justice as, "the virtue which consists in giving to everyone what is his due."

Justice requires that I be held accountable for and answer to a higher authority for every act I have committed. True and complete justice requires that every injustice done - anywhere in time - must be addressed. Noah Webster defines a just man as "...living in exact conformity to the divine will."

But what about our own inequities or departures from integrity? Have you EVER violated someone elses rights, or witheld from someone what was their due? Have you ever done damage to another (even unintentially) that resulted in impairment of soundness or health (mentally, physically or spiritually)? Injury to a man's person, rights, reputation, or goods requires justice.

So, where does that leave us? Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Guilty. All guilty.

How does one make a wrong right? It's true there are things we can do to make amends - which is correcting what can be corrected -, but we are unable to give back the condition of non-injury or to undo all the consequences we set into motion when injury was inflicted.

We can't pay.... We owe more than we can repay. Whether my sins be many or few, I am cast in to the debtors' prison with others who likewise cannot pay.

What is the answer then? How can things be made right, and how do I get a clean slate? This was the dilema God faced on our behalf!

The debt must be paid. Jesus says in Revelation 3:18, "I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful naked ness, and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see."

God in His mercy, has offered to pay our debts. Though His justice demands payment, He offers to pay the price. If I agree with Him that I have sinned, and that I am unable to make up for it in any way on my own, that qualifies me to accept His wonderful gift - forgiveness and a clean new start. The God who demands justice has in His love and mercy also paid the price.

In light of all this I ponder the injustice done to my health with this Parkinson's Disease. Who is responsible?

My disease is one of the consequences of Adam and Eve's fall. Perhaps they will in some measure be judged and have to pay themselves for my illness OR be covered by God's forgiveness.

That day will come in God's perfect time. My disease will disappear and so will all of the injustices done to me and done to you....

I cannot even imagine a world where no "right" is left undone and no wrong is done!

Boundaries

Boundaries.... A person without boundaries is like the house my family lived in, in San Angelo, TX. They left home one afternoon for a social visit, but while they were gone a sudden and unexpected dust storm blew in. The windows in the house had been left open. The result? There were piles of sand in every room that had to be swept clean. Everything that had been clean and organised had quickly been reduced to disordered piles of dirt and the whole house would have to be gone over to restore what had been lost.

Without boundaries we are open to good and bad alike. We are at the mercy of the unknown.

On the other hand, too many or unreasonable boundaries will imprison you, like Parkinson's Disease, indiscriminately and senselessly dictating what you can or cannot do.

We look to God's Word to know our limitations as well as liberties. Through the Holy Spirit we apply this truth, and lean not unto our own understanding.

Disease imposes that which, in the end, will result in death. But even in the midst of the storm of disease, He teaches us how to live and shine in a world gone wrong.

Be Aware of Who is Around You

We each have a story to tell. But not everyone should hear every part of the whole story. Discernment with wisdom and Holy Spirit guidance should tell you what to say and when.

We should not be afraid to share with people, but sometimes we are surrounded by hypocrites who pretend to be friends. Be careful that you don't cast your pearls before swine, lest they turn and trample you. A real friend will not abandon you or betray you. Anyone claiming to be a friend will not be a Judas.

When misfortune or disease enters your life, you find out who your friends are. Some are uncomfortable or frightened when faced with the inequities of life and they will run from you in your hour of need. You must forgive them. But don't entrust yourself to them. Take the opportunity to lean further into His arms, and let your trust in Him grow. Having this disease not only is the catalyst for trusting God more and more, it encourages you to release your grip on whatever is not priority and hold fast to that which is most dear to you (Jesus Himself). Our motto should be, "to know Him and make Him known".

Still waiting.........

I am still awaiting the huge rush of fans that will surely come to my blog............They will comment and stir up much discussion. They will figure out HOW to comment. Some people have already approached me complaining that my blog won't "let" them leave a comment. My husband has left two comments to try and help me out so that it doesn't look like I am bereft of a following.
Thank you to those of you who have tried! Keep on a keepin' on!! Where there is a will, there is a way.
Meanwhile, I'll just keep on blogging, imagining that there are large groups of "you" out there, restlessly awaiting my next post. Do keep checking.........I love hearing from you and knowing you are "out there".

Memories and What They Teach

At the speed of thought I arrive in the past at a precise point of my choosing. Like slipping into a warm pool I ease down into the comfort of a simple memory.

I'm aware of the warmth radiating from the slab of concrete that makes up the sidewalk in front of our house. Barefoot and bare legged, I am comfortably seated. With one eye closed, I try to gage how far Orion's Belt is from my position on the sidewalk. Hugging my knees to my chest, I listen... to the midnight owl that perches in the tree that grows outside my bedroom window. It is behind me. I love the deep throated call of the bull frog hidden in the night. I love the churriping of the crickets. These memories within a memory are so magical. But remembering a moment that is past cannot remove me from this remote present.


Having this disease that still has not relinquished its hold on me, sometimes makes the past more desireable than the present. At first I was fearful of visiting my past because it made me long so intensely for the good things that seemed to be forever gone. But I have come to realize, there is good ahead of me. How do I know this? I know Who will be the Victor of the final battle. It will be the Author of good. He will prevail over the master of death and disease. Evil will be abolished. I will not always be subject to the limitations of this disease. For every affliction, every sadness, every dear memory of a time now unreachable, there will be all that was lost and more, waiting for those who are His. I am relieved and comforted as I meditate on the truth that my disease will not win - it will have no power in the day ahead, and I will remember without the feeling of loss.........

COMMENT PLEASE

Helloooooooooooooo........... Is anybody out there? I wonder if anybody is reading this stuff that I write. And if so, I wonder if you agree with what I write. You see, no one has left any comments except for 3 after my first post. Hellooooooooooooooooooooooo......... Are you there? Am I getting this blog thing right?
What I really don't get is how is this going to help me get my book published? I've been told it helps to make you more desireable to prospective agents and publishing companies if you blog, but then it's hard to have a following when no one knows who I am because I'm not published.
I hope that someone is out there. If you are, please give me some feedback. Do comment.
Helloooooooooooooooooo........... Tell me I'm not aloooooooooonnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeeee!

My Day, and God's Sovereignty

I'm tired. I just don't have any energy to get up and do what it takes to push through the day, and accomplish something. I'm uninterested in even the things that I like to do. Everything feels a little like hauling weights up a steep incline. So, what am I going to do?
First of all, I'll rest. Even though it seems that I get more than enough of that, I will give in to this need to lay around. I'll accomplish what I can while laying around. The day isn't going the way I would have planned for it to go, but, I remember that this is the day that the Lord has made..........I will rejoice and be glad in it. I will rest in His sovereignty, and rejoice in the knowledge that it's not my job to plan out how the world will run today and just how we all fit into that grand plan.
When my day goes differently than I wanted it to go, I'll let go and let God. I am comforted in the knowledge that He knows best and He has equipped me for whatever I will face today. I don't have to worry about going it on my own, because He'll be right there with me.
Heavenly Father, I trust You with my life. I trust you with my day. Whatever happens, keep me on the paths of righteousness for Your name's sake. If disease dictates what I can't do today, then keep reminding me that without a doubt the important stuff is poured out on me in plenty. You are ALL that I need and You are everything I could want.