Mews from Meowmix

It was after 4pm on Friday when Emily decided she was ready to go home, so we had her with us for 2 days.  What a joy it was to spend this extra time with her.  Now we need to do the same with her sister, Hailey.  Hailey is 10 and has a lot of irons in the fire, so it’s a little harder to get  our names on her dance card!  I happened to be by their house yesterday, and she said a little wistfully that she hadn’t seen Mamaw or Barney in a long time.  I assured her she’d be coming to our house Tuesday night because we are cooking for her family and are looking forward to it.

Saturday was taken up with very conflicting emotions, as I attended two funerals in the same day.  We were members at Macon Road CofC for many, many years.  All of Doris’ kids grew up there, were baptized there, were married (at least once) there or at our house with the long-time preacher from MR officiating!  So our family from there are very special to us, even though many of us have gone in different directions to different congregations.  Two of the long-time older members there passed away this last week, and I attended both funerals.  It is always SUCH a joy to be reunited even for a few minutes with most of these precious people.  It’s always like a family reunion; hence, the joy to be derived at being together.  On the other hand, there is the sadness at realizing how that congregation is aging, losing membership, and so many have gone on to be with the Lord.  Isn’t there a song with a line something to the effect of how quickly life’s pages are turning?  And they are turning swiftly; time is passing.  But what a glad reunion there will be one day before the throne.

Macon Road was not a perfect congregation.  I don’t believe perfect churches exist, because they are all made up of, guess what, imperfect people, one of which is me!  I kinda think if we believe our congregations are perfect, we have missed out on probably some vital information which, after all, may be just as well!  At one time, I thought MR WAS perfect.  I have it in perspective now and can recognize the flaws, as well as the oh-so-many good things about our time there and the preciousness of friendships and family attachments that were made there.  My heart is saddened for the Hopkins and Simpson families as they grieve the loss of their loved ones.

There must have been something in the air last week, because three dear sisters within our Berclair congregation lost their mother, as well.  So departures were running rampant the last few days.  Then, of course, there was Ed, Farrah, and Michael last week.  Lots of families to pray for.  And many more, I’m sure, that I don’t know about.  What a privilege it is to lift up those who are grieving to the throne.

This morning in class, I pushed the envelope a bit when a particular sentence was passed over in the workbook material.  This particular chapter has to do with knowledge of God’s word.  Good information and good thoughts, and a good premise.  I don’t believe this sentence was passed over intentionally, but it went something like this.  In 11 Peter 1:1, it says “Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ…………..”  My NIV used “received” instead of obtained.  The sentence I steered the conversation back to in class said this word ‘obtained’ meant it was obtained or received due to the GRACE of Christ rather than a meritorious award, or something to that effect.  I try to keep my comments in class short, but I just couldn’t let this pass.  I opined that, the older I get, and the more I study, the more I believe that the differences in Christendom come from the fact that, often, we are ALL so convinced our particular church is focusing on the RIGHT doctrine that we aren’t really listening to each other.  Often, I think, we are really meaning close to the same thing; we are just focusing on one thing to the exclusion of the other.  There is absolutely NO QUESTION that we are told over and over and over and over that we are saved by the grace of Christ.  Grace has become increasingly precious to me as I’ve grown older.  Hands down, grace is IT.  But, and you knew there would be one, faith that sits idly in lethargy and inaction, as I understand Scripture, is no more effective than a “working my way to heaven” mindset is without the attendant faith and love.  And there are many, many, many, many passages to uphold that view, as well.  Why, oh why, can we not all get together, listen to Holy Writ AND each other and realize it takes both.  I canNOT teach enough classes, sing enough songs, cook enough casseroles for the sick, sit by enough bedsides, etc., etc., etc. to make me worthy of heaven.  That’s just not where it’s at.  HOWEVER, as the devils BELIEVE (actually, they KNOW) and tremble, I don’t believe we can sit quietly believing, believing, believing and omit the passages like the one that says we are “created unto love and good works.”

To me, it’s pretty simple.  If our faith is real, we will be found DOING what we are capable of doing, at least some of the time.  James is pretty clear on this.  But we’ll never get it all down right, because we are human.  If we could have gotten it right by “working,” then Christ died in vain.  In other words, we ARE GOING TO SCREW UP!  But that’s where grace comes in.  It covers a multitude of sins.  1 Corinthians 13 also clearly states that “even if we give our bodies to be burned, it doesn’t profit anything UNLESS we are doing it out of love (which faith brings about, my words not Paul’s).

Anyway, I said quite a bit in class, even mentioning Abraham.  You know, the “Abraham BELIEVED God, and it was counted as righteousness” thing.  However much he believed and was counted as righteous, the process involved some action on his part……………..like moving to a land he didn’t know, like raising the knife to offer the promised son as a sacrifice.  I thought I was clear about what my intents and purposes were.  Then after class, an older gentleman, somewhere close to 90, came up to speak to me and reminded me that even Abraham didn’t do everything the way God told him to do it.  And I’m like, in my head thinking, “Isn’t that what I said?????”  Oh well. 

Maybe I ought to just keep my big trap shut, huh???

TODAY’S SMILES:

1. Lunch after church with Mae, Jean, and Farris.  That Farris is a trip!
2. Wearing a new/old outfit that made me feel pretty.
3. At this stage in life, I always assume everybody is younger than me.  But I had a reminder that today is Brigitt’s dad’s birthday, and he’s OLDER than me!
4. Farris’ (82 years old) advice to Jean, Mae, and me about men.  I asked him, “Why are you guys like that?”  That tickled him, and his only reply was, “I don’t know!”
5. Eating sparingly at lunch so I could sneak a piece of chocolate/coconut cake when I got home.  (Well, you can’t be good all the time!!)
6. Being with my church family.
7. Finding out tonight that our visiting Sunday night song leader, who was absent tonight, is older than me, too!  Man, what a treasure trove of information.  And this came from his mother, so it has to be accurate!

See you back here tomorrow evening.  May God bless and keep you.

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