Resolved

© 2018 Christy K Robinson

Since 2015, I've been writing about the benefits of being grateful. It's my one New Year resolution each year. Having only the one, it means I am more likely to keep my resolution.

Living a grateful life is a happier life, and less tense or fearful because I come to the place where God is in control, and not some negative force. For instance, I believe that our nation, and indeed the world, is headed for another financial crash that will be worse than the one that took us down from 2008 to the present--the one we still have not recovered from. Economists back this up in Forbes, Newsweek, LA Times, Fortune, and major news sources. For a self-employed person like me, who lives month to month teaching piano lessons and editing books, which are luxuries easily cut off in hard financial times, that's scary. Living the gig economy with no security net or pension fund, and no spousal income to fall back on, could be terrifying. In fact, two weeks ago, I got word that I'd be losing about $130 a month from my meager income, starting in January.

The gratitude attitude reminds me that God has brought me through impossible situations before. He's provided for me far beyond what I could earn or expect. He loves me, and calls me his daughter, and that places my welfare in his hands. I'm reminding myself that I must not be angry or resentful over a situation I can't control, and that I should be looking forward to the miracles, large and small, that God will perform on my behalf.

So though I know that a financial famine is coming, I'm planting my garden in the expectation and anticipation that God will show himself faithful again and again, with grace upon grace upon grace.

For out of His fullness [the superabundance of His grace and truth] we have all received grace upon grace [spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, favor upon favor, and gift heaped upon gift]. John 1:16 AMP 

That's something to be grateful for in advance. I know the blessings are coming just as surely as I know the crash is coming. 

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Christy K Robinson is author of these sites:

·       Discovering Love (inspiration)

·       Rooting for Ancestors (history and genealogy)

·       William and Mary Barrett Dyer (17th century culture and history of England and New England)

and of these books:

·       We Shall Be Changed (2010)

·       Mary Dyer Illuminated (2013)

·       Mary Dyer: For Such a Time as This (2014)

·       The Dyers of London, Boston, & Newport (2014)

·       Effigy Hunter (2015)

·       Anne Marbury Hutchinson: American Founding Mother (2018)

Smells like a miracle

© 2017 Christy K Robinson

What a remarkable day! I have to tell you what a blessing just occurred. On Wednesday afternoon, I was going to my dental appointment and noticed my right-front tire was half flat. I drove a bit over a mile to Discount Tire so they could fill it. (I bought two new tires last August when the sidewalls cracked from the hot, arid climate, but still had two bald ones.) 

In the evening after my choir rehearsal job, I went out to check my front tire before driving home. The tire was still fine, and well inflated, though as bald as ever! Life Church's choir members (and twin sisters) Jan DeJarnetta and Jeannie Redon offered to follow me home to make sure I got here safely. I gave them a jar of jam I had in the car’s trunk. That was a guardian angel thing, but then they went above and beyond! 

The next day they went into a Discount Tire and paid for two new tires for my car (the same brand as I'd bought previously), and today I had them installed. The store manager who called to tell me what happened was very impressed with their kindness, and he gave them a price break in honor of their loving act. And now I get to repeat the story. WOW!! What a blessing they were, and they only met me three weeks ago. 

As I unloaded the groceries from the car in my garage, I wondered for a second what smelled so strongly of rubber. Oh, yeah. Now I remember. Smells like "miracle." 

 

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Christy K Robinson is author of these books (click a highlighted title):

We Shall Be Changed (2010)

Mary Dyer Illuminated Vol. 1 (2013)  

Mary Dyer: For Such a Time as This Vol. 2 (2014)

The Dyers of London, Boston, & Newport Vol. 3 (2014)  

Effigy Hunter (2015)  

Anne Marbury Hutchinson: American Founding Mother (2018)

And of these sites:  

Discovering Love  (inspiration and service)

Rooting for Ancestors  (history and genealogy)

William and Mary Barrett Dyer (17th century culture and history of England and New England)

Editornado [ed•i•tohr•NAY•doh] (Words. Communications. Book reviews. Cartoons.)

Simple gifts, deep gratitude

© 2016 Christy K Robinson

At New Year's in 2015-16, I wrote of my intention to be more than thankful--I wanted to be grateful. Some people would argue that thankful and grateful are the same. They may be. But to me, grateful goes the extra distance and recognizes the giver for giving up some "thing" of value, whether time, talents, advice, hugs, or of a tangible nature like a service, physical object or money.

Accepting a gift with grace and gratitude is not easy for some of us.

• Maybe we've taken pride in self-sufficiency and being able to work hard and earn the things we need, so taking "charity" feels shameful. 
• Maybe we think so little of ourselves that we don't believe we deserve a gift.
• Maybe we think others need the gift(s) more than we do. 
• Maybe accepting grace upon grace is overwhelming and the emotions are too powerful. 
• Maybe we've been given so much and so often that we're a bit jaded. 
• Maybe we've been given something we didn't want or that didn't suit our tastes. 

If we have a modicum of good manners, we'll say "thank you" at least once, and possibly write a note of thanks.  To live in a state of gratitude is different.

As a recipient who understands the grace and love of the giver, and recognizes that they want the gift to encourage us and give us hope for better times, that they sacrificed something of value (time, money, work, empathy, etc.), we enter into communion with them. We set aside our pride and submit to their grace and mercy, and we return their love with a grateful heart. We "come down where we ought to be." We remember that if we'd earned it, it would be wages; but a gift is given in love and can't be earned.

Ephesians 2:4-9: "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace,expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast." 

I think gratefulness recognizes that gifts come out of love. Love of a friend or family member. Love of a church or nonprofit that takes up special collections or cultivates special donors for extraordinary needs. Love of God who has done his utmost to save everyone who will accept the gift. As the song says, "To bow and to bend, we will not be ashamed."

To be grateful is to accept grace that we couldn't earn or deserve--it's a gift from a loving heart, a gift they won't take back.

Learning to be grateful has opened my eyes to not only the value of the gifts I've received, but it's shown me the multiplicity of gifts I've been given. And, of course, when I'm feeling rich in love and awash in goodwill, I have a greater desire to give, and be a blessing to others.

Because giving or receiving gifts is never about the thing.  It's the experience between us. 

'Tis the gift to be simple  'Tis the gift to be free
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be
And when we find ourselves in the place just right
It will be in the valley of love and delight

When true simplicity is gained
To bow and to bend, we will not be ashamed
To turn, turn, will be our delight
'Til by turning, turning, we come round right

The Onesimus Factor

Well done, good and faithful [and useful] servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” Matthew 25:23 NIV

It’s often said, “I couldn’t have done it without you.” I'd like to add, “Thank you so much for helping so generously.”

The apostle Paul wrote to his friend Philemon, saying that he was returning the runaway slave Onesimus. (Onesimus’ name meant “useful.”) Mr. Useful had actually made himself indispensable to the Christian community, and his living testimony of usefulness and willingness to serve inspired Paul to implore Philemon to treat the returning runaway slave not as a criminal, but as a brother in Christ—an equal.

In our society, we might apply the principle to professional ministers and the “lay” Christians who volunteer considerable amounts of time, expertise, and financial resources. The professional clergy and their paid staff, organized ministries, or churches could not function without a community of true believers—believers in the cause of the gospel of Christ.

And what is the gospel? It's the good news that God is a personal God, who passionately desires to have an intimate experience with you now and forever.

Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount that doing the acts of righteousness and giving alms to the needy are godly acts (Matthew 6:1), but to keep them quiet. Because God acts with justice, mercy, compassion, forgiveness, and love, and because we want to be like Him in all things, we are moved to go where we are needed, to liberate those in bondage, to bring Jesus’ healing balm to His children. When we do the acts of righteousness unselfishly and without expecting reward or payment, we not only strengthen those we serve, but ourselves as well, knowing that we have been instruments in the hands of God.

Run or walk to raise funds for a charity. Sign up to teach, carry equipment, lay block, or raise a roof. Sponsor a needy child or orphan in a foreign country (the picture is of one of my sponsored children). Pray for your local church, denomination, and your favorite ministries regularly. Volunteer to work one afternoon a month at the food bank. Advocate in a CASA program at your local court system. Donate blood. Tutor at an after-school program. Develop relationships with children in a poor neighborhood and mentor them on the weekends with outings, as some of my friends do.

God doesn’t need our money or our muscle to “finish His work.” He can just speak the word and it's perfectly created. But we need to exercise both action and finances to build faith and trust in His providence. Volunteering is ultimately for our own good! Simple acts of usefulness really can change the world.

The harvest of gratitude

It’s a quickstep now, to the end of the year. The Thanksgiving holidays, winter festivals, the whole Christmas season, and New Years celebrations race along, catching everyone in their path. Miss one finger crossover in that sonata, and you’ll go sideways with the metronome! 

It’s like that at the ministry where I work, as we work through budget projections, strategic planning, the end-of-year bookkeeping, the most generous time of year for our financial supporters, the everyday duties, the conventions to prepare for and attend, and big projects with too-close deadlines. Of course, it never stops, because nothing slows down in the new year, either! It’s not as easy to keep smiling (as opposed to grimacing) when there’s so much pressure during the holiday season. Surely you have experienced the same thing. Even retired people say that since they retired, they’ve never worked so hard!

But then we receive a thank-you from halfway around the world or even across the country, reminding us that we are loved, appreciated, and that someone thanks God for us! That knowledge brings a burst of energy. It’s encouraging!

In Ukraine, I watched some “church ladies” who were entranced with the message of grace they heard from their visiting evangelist. And later, when that evangelist learned of their joy, he was encouraged and strengthened in his labors. In Russia, when the social worker at Zaoksky Theological Seminary heard of the American and Canadian interest in providing Bible teaching and comfort to “her” orphans, and watched as they impetuously filled the passed hat with $2300 in rubles, dollars, and grivnas, she wept for joy. (And the people who gave were not far from tears, either.)

Nearly a hundred evangelists left their families at home, and sacrificed thousands of dollars and weeks of their time to minister in Ukraine. Yes, they enjoyed their missionary service time there, they made friends, they loved the hospitality—but when they flew home, they were unsure of the results of their investment. They were planting seeds for the Holy Spirit to nurture and harvest—but they wanted to have a glimpse of the progress. Who wouldn’t?

God loves to give us gifts. So He inspired the union president to send a thank-you letter by email, along with an Excel file of the baptism and Bible-study preliminary results. Imagine the joy they’re feeling right now! They’ll not be able to contain their enthusiasm, but will share that excitement with their church families. 

“God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you're ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done. As one psalmist puts it, ‘He throws caution to the winds, giving to the needy in reckless abandon. His right-living, right-giving ways never run out, never wear out.’ This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God.” 2 Corinthians 9:8-11 MSG.

So sacrificial giving grows great wealth? Although it seems like a paradox, that’s what Paul is saying. Investing in seed and the hard labor that goes along with farming the crop leads to a multiplied yield. The harvested grain becomes bread for your meals, even the bread of Communion. God is truly extravagant.

When we realize even a tiny bit of what God has done for us in His mercy, compassion, and boundless love by offering His own perfect, divine life to give us eternal life at His side—we have a reason to be grateful. It’s so much more than being thankful for a nice house, job, health, loved ones, or a special meal on the table. God actually gives us the attitude and action of gratitude.

The English clergyman and poet, George Herbert (1593-1633), wrote,

Thou hast given so much to me, Give one thing more—a grateful heart; Not thankful when it pleases me, As if thy blessings had spare days; But such a heart whose very pulse may be Thy praise.

“Carrying out this social relief work involves far more than helping meet the bare needs of poor Christians. It also produces abundant and bountiful thanksgivings to God. This relief offering is a prod to live at your very best, showing your gratitude to God by being openly obedient to the plain meaning of the Message of Christ. You show your gratitude through your generous offerings to your needy brothers and sisters, and really toward everyone. Meanwhile, moved by the extravagance of God in your lives, they'll respond by praying for you in passionate intercession for whatever you need. Thank God for this gift, his gift. No language can praise it enough!” 2 Corinthians 9:12-15 MSG.

Yes, thank God for His gift of a grateful and gracious heart. Thank Him that we live in a country that recognizes that giving money, time, and thanks is a blessing to not only the recipient, but the giver as well. Thank Him that He has given you extravagant blessings in order that you may have the same joy of giving that He does.

Thank you, Lord, for making us grateful. Thank you for sharing brilliant glimpses of eternity and what our puny labors have wrought. Thank you for the very pizzazz and vibrancy that comes from giving—and from receiving thanks. Remind us to share that gratitude, that grateful heart, with those around us by thanking them.

Published elsewhere in November 2007

Hearing God’s voice

I'm thanking you, God, from a full heart, I'm writing the book on your wonders. I'm whistling, laughing, and jumping for joy; I'm singing your song, High God. Psalm 9:1-2 MSG

In 2004 and 2005, I was so blessed to write and edit the devotional book, We Shall Be Changed. It will be published in hard cover by Review & Herald Publishing Company in 2010. So grateful to God!

Although I wrote more than 90 of the 365 daily essays, this book is an anthology of many authors’ spiritual insights. Planning the content and theme, developing the author guidelines, finding the cover art, pushing the authors to meet deadlines, tweaking (often rewriting) their essays—it was a challenge, but a positive one.

Then, when it was accepted by R&H in 2009, I worked hard on the manuscript again, reformatting, finding 365 new Bible texts in the best version to illustrate the articles, fine-tuning articles again, replacing weaker articles with strong new ones, and much more. I’m so grateful for the contributions of talent and time by all of the 50 or so We Shall Be Changed authors.

But the best and biggest blessing was unexpected. Many in my denomination are fairly inhibited about showing emotion in religion. Raising hands in worship or prayer, clapping, even saying “Amen” louder than a murmur—usually frowned upon. If I claimed to have heard God speak, well, break out the restraints and haul me away, boys!

There have been times when the Lord spoke to my mind or made a Bible text almost jump off the page. But this book experience has been different. I’ve found God everywhere since I started this book. When I’m walking the dog, cuddling the cat, driving, listening to a song, pruning the garden, watching a secular show on TV—I’m in a mindset where I see lessons from the Lord. God speaks to me in His whisper, His still, small voice.

This is a fulfillment of the promise of the New Covenant, that God Himself would personally speak to our hearts and minds. Some people call it conscience. Others know by experience that there are supernatural messages from God that cannot be explained or understood in the same way by any other person. Some messages were just for me. The Bible verse I read meant one thing to the original audience, and another thing to me when God directed my mind to its meaning for my life. An instant messaging session or phone call becomes a way for God to speak to a hurting person through me.

The miracle is: I hear Him! And it’s my heartfelt prayer that you will hear His voice speaking to you when you’re exercising, lying wakeful in bed, waiting for your plane, or doing dishes, but especially while reading these blog articles—and the book when it’s released. The Lord is there, speaking all the time.

I wonder if God speaks to everyone in a continuous stream, and only rarely do we perceive a word or phrase as being from Him.

This GOD says: “I am GOD, the one and only. I don’t just talk to myself or mumble under my breath. … I work out in the open, saying what’s right, setting things right… I promise in my own name: Every word out of my mouth does what it says. I never take back what I say.” Isaiah 45:18-23 MSG

Thanks be to God for His words to us, whether written, painted in nature, or exhibited in the actions of those around us. Open your eyes and ears—He’s got words for you!