It Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time

Have you ever had one of those, “it seemed like a good idea at the time” moments?  I have a lot of them.  They’re generally related to my travel schedule for work when I plan to do things like:

-          Driving to Prince Albert and back in one day (a 14 hour drive).

-          Booking a fourteen day road trip across three provinces to see customers and work trade shows (a mere 5000 km drive).

-          Booking myself on the 6:30 a.m. flight so I can arrive in Winnipeg early enough to make a 10:00 a.m. meeting (forgetting the fact that I’ll have to get up at 3:30 a.m. to make the flight).

These are all real life examples, all of which seemed like good ideas in the planning stage.

About 12 hours into the Prince Albert trip, blinding, snow flurries bouncing off my windshield and headlights functioning as well as a snow shovel in Texas in July, I started to question the sanity of my earlier decision.

As my car lurched along the last 100 km towards home, after surviving the 4900 kilometer drive through the wilds of Northern Manitoba and the treeless plains of Saskatchewan, I fought the urge to claw helplessly at the driver’s window whimpering, “let me out, let me out...I can’t drive any more...”  At that moment the fourteen day road trip didn’t seem like such a great idea.

I won’t even get into the 3:30 a.m. debacle!  I think you get the idea.  Ever had one of those moments?  I think Ezra did as he prepared to return to Jerusalem with a group of exiled Israelites.

Ezra joins the Old Testament scene after the destruction of Jerusalem.  The temple of God has been demolished and the Israelites are living in exile in Babylon.  But, the kings of Persia have re-considered the choices of their predecessors and now allow the Israelites to return to their homeland to rebuild the temple and worship their God.  

The work is underway when Ezra, a descendent of Aaron the priest, makes ready to return to Jerusalem.  Ezra has the kings’ favour, and more importantly, God’s favour, but there’s an interesting moment when we see Ezra struggle with fear and faith. 

Ezra 8:21-22 says, “And there by the Ahava Canal, I gave orders for all of us to fast and humble ourselves before our God.  We prayed that He would give us a safe journey and protect us, our children, and our goods as we traveled.  For I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to accompany us and protect us from enemies along the way.  After all, we had told the king, “Our God’s hand of protection is on all who worship Him, but His fierce anger rages against those who abandon Him.”

And there it is...the “it seemed like a good idea at the time” moment.  Ezra, a man who is sure of his faith and his God, has boasted of God’s protection to the king Persia.  He’s backed into a corner and now must weigh his fear of attack against his faith in God.  If he asks the king for protection on their journey his testimony to God’s ability to do this is worthless. 

How does Ezra respond?  Ezra 8:23 tells us, “So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and He heard our prayer.”  Continuing to verse 31, “We broke camp at the Ahava Canal on April 19 and started off to Jerusalem.  And the gracious hand of our God protected us and saved us from enemies and bandits along the way.”

Ezra trusted God.  God met Ezra in the middle of his fear; in the middle of his, “it seemed like a good idea at the time” moment. 

We all have times when we’ve made a commitment that feels like a good idea at the time but fear gets in the way...

• You’ve volunteered at the homeless shelter but when the day comes you’re afraid of what you might see or feel.
•  You’ve agreed to share your testimony with the church but that morning you’re terrified of how people will respond.
•  You’ve decided to admit you have an addiction but you’re afraid you can’t live without it.
•  You’ve promised to see a marriage counselor but you’re afraid of what you'll find out.
•  You’re determined to seek healing from past abuse but are scared to relive those moments.

These, and others, are all valid fears.  Maybe it’s even escalated to the point of terror and you’re on the verge of panic.  Doubts haunt you.  It’s a natural means of protecting ourselves from more pain.  But fear can’t be allowed to have the final say in our lives.

Sometimes you have to dig deep to find a small seed of faith in your heart.  It might take a lot of excavation, but once you find it, cling to it.  Take that tiny seed, ask God to help you push past your fears and take the next step.  Ezra chose to put God first and faith won the battle over fear.  Let’s follow his example in our lives.

What are your, "it seemed like a good idea at the time" moments?  Click on "comments" below.

2 Corinthians 1:4 - A Comforting God

2 Corinthians 1:4

“He (God) comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.  When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” (NLT)

Two of the letters Paul writes to the people of the church in Corinth are recorded in the New Testament.  The letter recorded in 2 Corinthians starts out with the encouraging words quoted above.  Followers of Christ were being persecuted and Paul reminds them of God’s presence and His provision of strength and comfort during times of struggle.

“For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with His comfort through Christ.  Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation!  For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you.  Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer.  We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us.” (2 Corinthians 1:5-7)

This is reassuring scripture; to know God pours His comfort into our lives even when we’re staggering under the burden of our troubles.

I’m certain however, that telling someone who’s at the end of their rope their troubles are for their "comfort and salvation" isn’t going to win you any awards in the, “Most Comforting Friend” category.   That’s not what you need to hear in the middle of your crisis!

So what do we take away from this scripture?  God never leaves us to struggle through our burdens ourselves.  He provides us with strength, surrounds us with friends, and sees us through our trials.  Only after we've emerged from the river of sorrow and pain, are we able to turn around and see the times God threw us a life preserver to keep us afloat.

Once we’ve won our battles we’re able to join others who are waging similar wars in their lives.  We remember the pain we experienced and can offer empathy.  We understand their hardships and can provide insight and greatly needed support and assistance.

Let’s write 1 Corinthians 1:4 on our hearts this week so we never forget God is our comfort and we are His hands and feet in comforting others.

Memory Verse:

“He (God) comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.  When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” (NLT)  2 Corinthians 1:4

Verse-A-Week Challenge

I’ve always wondered about people who quote scripture.  You’re having a friendly discussion and without warning they become a walking, talking version of Biblical text!  It’s like you suddenly accessed an audio version of the Bible on ITunes, complete with chapter and verse reference!   I stand there dumbly, my mouth a gaping chasm of disbelief!  How do people do that!?!

When I try to quote scripture it comes out sounding more like this, “Oh ya, that reminds me of this great scripture I read the other day.  It was in Luke...um or Mark.  No.  Wait.  John, it was definitely John.  Anyway Jesus was talking about vines and branches and branches getting cut off and burnt.  But the good branches have fruit on them and won’t get cut off.  And abiding...ya we’re supposed to abide with God...”

Isn’t that concise and Biblically sound...NOT!  It’s my reality, though.  A passage of scripture comes to mind during a conversation and I’d really like to share it but all I can remember is the general thought behind it.  I can’t give you any actual quotes, nor do I know exactly where to look to find what the Bible really says.  (www.biblegateway.com is a God send! At least you can do a key word search!) 

I wonder how credible I am in sharing the gospel story if I can’t back it up with scripture.

It’s time to take steps to change the dismal state of my scriptural memory banks.  And guess what; you, as readers of my blog, get to join me!  :)

In addition to my regular mid-week blog posts, each Sunday I’ll post a memory verse for the week.  Those of you subscribing by RSS feed will receive it as soon as it’s posted.  There’s always a delay with the email subscriptions so those subscribing by email will receive the verse Monday morning.  Each verse will be tagged with the label “Scripture”.  If you want to access an earlier verse you can get there by clicking the "Scripture" label at the right hand side of the blog.

We’ll have the week to incorporate the verse into our brains’ memory banks.  Think about it as you’re driving to work, enter it as a note on your iPhone or Blackberry, write it on a sticky note and post it on your fridge, save it as a screen saver on your computer, post it on your Facebook page...do whatever helps you retain information. 

Within a year we’ll be able to access 52 memorized verses whenever our hearts desire.  What do you think God can do in your life with this much access to His word?  

Who’s going to join me?  Watch for the first verse on Sunday.

Your Life Two Thousand Years From Now

A few years ago the band 4Him wrote a song titled, “A Man You Would Write About”.  It’s a thought provoking song leading the listener to consider what would be written about their life if scripture was still being written.  Here’s a link to read the lyrics http://www.songlyrics.com/4him/a-man-you-would-write-about-lyrics/ .

Imagine if your life was recorded in Biblical history for the entire world to read. (There's a thought that chills your whiskers!)  Consider a few people whose lives were:

Adam and Eve – they’re responsible for condemning the entire human race to life outside of God’s intended plan for the world.  Genesis 3 

Cain is a murderer. He kills his brother.  Genesis 4

Sarah doesn’t believe God’s promise that she’ll get pregnant when she’s clearly past childbearing age. She has the audacity to laugh at God.  Genesis 18 

Rahab is a prostitute. Yes, she serves God when she protects the men Joshua sends to scope out the city of Jericho, but the fact that she’s a prostitute is still included in the Biblical historical record.  Joshua 2 

Abraham is generally portrayed as a man of God but even he has his weaknesses. Essentially he prostitutes out his wife not once, but twice, to save his own skin when they arrive in foreign lands. Genesis 12 and Genesis 20 

Moses – we probably know more about Moses than most biblical characters. Typically we think of Moses as a faithful, obedient servant of God, but he’s not perfect either. Before God uses him to lead the captive Israelites out of Egypt, Moses kills an Egyptian, hides the body in a sand dune, and flees the country.   Exodus 2 

David commits adultery and murder and it’s recorded in black and white for us to read 2000 years later.  2 Samuel 11 

Jesus' disciples –The two most notable are Judas and Peter.  Judas makes a deal with the chief priests to turn Jesus over to them. For this betrayal he is paid 30 pieces of silver. Peter, who has sworn he will NEVER betray Jesus, denies any knowledge of Him three times the night Jesus is taken captive.  None of the disciples seem to speak up to defend Jesus in His darkest hour of need.   Matthew 26

Paul – before his conversion Paul's (previously named Saul) life amtition is to hunt down and kill as many Christians as he can.  Acts 8 & 9  and Acts 22 

I could go on but I think you get the message.

When I listen to the song written by 4Him there are two things I stop to consider.

1)      I’m so glad these people have their personal stories recorded in the Bible. Granted it might embarrass them if they were still alive to read it 2000 years later but it’s encouraging for me.  Other than Jesus, there isn’t one person on God’s roster who hasn’t made a mess of their life at some point in time. God isn’t looking for perfect people!

I’m not saying I take pleasure in hearing about someone else’s screw ups. All I’m saying is God still considers you and me useful servants in His ministries even if we’ve got a few smelly skeletons in our closets.

2)      Two thousand years from now, if someone was reading about my life what would it say? What do my day to day activities say about my priorities, about my relationship with God, about my belief in Jesus? What would scripture write about me?

Is the life I’m living today something I’d be proud to have written down for future generations?  Is yours?

Post your thoughts below by clicking on “comments”.

Chocolate Candy Slice

This is a recipe I unearthed from my mother's recipe box. I was hosting an open house a while ago and wanted to make some squares that didn't require a lot of time or effort. This recipe fits the criteria.


Whip this slice up in 10 or 15 minutes, pop it in the fridge for about 1/2 an hour and you've got a rich (I mean sugar high for a week) treat.


Like a lot of recipes I post, this one takes me back to the basement of our small town Manitoba church. The social life of the church revolved around the UCW (United Church Women) and food. You could generally find this slice on a dainty tray casually rubbing shoulders with the peanut butter/caramel/marshamallow squares and the cherry marshmallow bars (two other favourites you'll see in future posts).

In those days no one was aware of peanut or gluten allergies. Life is a little different today so you'll find two versions of the recipe posted below. One is the original version in all it's nut-filled, anaphylactic glory. The other is a version I've adapted to eliminate the potential allergens of peanut butter, coconut, walnuts and gluten.

Here's the easy, no-bake blast from church teas past.

CHOCOLATE CANDY SLICE (The Unadulterated Version)

Melt in a double boiler:

1 pkg (300 g) butterscotch chips
1 pkg (350 g) chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup peanut butter
(If you don't have a double boiler use very low heat on your stove top).

Stir in:
1 cup coconut
3/4 cup walnuts
1 package mini marshmallows (you can use coloured or plain - it's up to you)

Pour into a 9" x 13" pan. Chill

CHOCOLATE CANDY SLICE (The Allergy Free Version)

Melt in a double boiler:
1 to 1 1/2 pkg butterscotch chips
1 1/2 pkg chocolate chips
1 cup butter or margarine
(If you don't have a double boiler use very low heat on your stove top).

Stir in:
1 cup Rice Krispie cereal
1 pkg mini marshmallows (coloured or plain - you decide)

Pour into a 9" x 13" pan. Chill.

CELIAC NOTE: Rice Krispies may still be a problem for those with Celiac disease as they contain barley. You can generally find gluten free rice cereal in the organic aisle or at a specialty food store.

PEANUT NOTE:  Check the packages of butterscotch and chocolate chips closely - the package of butterscotch chips I used still had the "may contain peanuts" note at the end of the ingredient list.

Billboards From God

Have you ever asked God for guidance in helping you make an important decision? You bring the dilemma to Him seeking a solution but instead of a definitive answer you feel like you’re twiddling the tuning button on the radio resulting in static and dead air.

Many times in my life I’ve brought important decisions to God in prayer.  I take a few minutes in the morning to say something like this,

“OK God, here’s my dilemma.  I really need to make a decision about this and it’s going to affect the next few years of my life.  I really want to do your will and make the right choice so can you tell me what you want me to do and what the right choice is?  Thank You for hearing my prayer Heavenly Father and thank You for answering it.  I know you will.  In Jesus name I pray, Amen.”  Then I rush out the door to get on with my busy life.

Isn’t that admirable?  I’m bringing my decision to God. I’m telling Him I want to choose wisely and do His will. So why don’t I get an answer. Why isn’t there a big billboard on the side of the highway that reads,

“Dear Carol…thanks for your prayer this morning. I’m really glad you took six seconds out of your busy schedule to share that with me.  Here’s a numbered, step by step list of what you should do to make that decision. And oh, by the way, here’s a link to a YouTube video of how your life will turn out if you follow my list of instructions.  Have a nice day! God"

If I saw that I’d pull over, take a picture and download it to my computer.  I’d make sure I followed it step by step so I didn’t mess up!

You know I’m being facetious.  My point is we all rush to God when we have problems or important decisions to make.  We expect a response NOW!  Then we get frustrated and disillusioned when we don’t seem to get an answer.  We think we can call on God like a Google search.  Cast up a prayer, get 10,000 hits back in the matter of a millisecond, and pick the one we like. 

God doesn’t work that way.  Max Lucado in his book, “Out Live Your Life”, says, “God has posted traffic signs everywhere we look.  In the universe, in scripture, even within our own hearts...”  Much to my chagrin Max wasn’t referring to advertising spots on billboards. 

In most cases God does answer our petitions for guidance but we’re too busy to get it.  In some cases we ignore the message because it doesn’t come like a lightning bolt out of the blue or a smack upside the head with a two by four.

Maybe God answered you through a gentle conversation with a friend or neighbor.

Maybe God’s answer is found in the persistent nudging of your conscience.

Maybe God answers in the beauty of a sunset, the majesty of a mountain top, or the gentle breeze on your face.

Maybe God answers in a quiet moment of inspiration that comes to you when you turn off the Iphone, the TV and the computer.

We tend to have a one-sided relationship with God.  How many friendships or marriages have you seen where one person does all the talking while the other person just sits and listens?  How successful are those relationships?  They’re not exactly what I’d call healthy.

Frequently we fail to be in healthy relationship with God.  We don’t read scripture every day or spend time listening.  We don’t give God a chance to speak.   We don’t hear the answer because we’re too busy doing the talking!

I still dream of my billboard by the side of the road but I know it’s not a reality.  The only way I’m going to hear God speak is by spending time with Him.  When I ask Him to tune all my senses to be ready to hear the message He has for me and when I go into the day watching for ways He might speak to me, I’ll begin to hear His answers.

How does God speak to you?  Post your thoughts by clicking on “comments” below.

A Slave To Debt

In January I wrote a post on acquisition addiction (part 1 and part 2), which typically results in debt.  Are you haunted by bill collectors? Stalked by credit card companies? Have a sick lump of dread in your stomach every time the phone rings because you’re afraid it’s another collection agency?

Do you take a cash advance on one credit card to meet the minimum payment of another? Are you using the 1990’s Roseanne Barr method of avoidance by not signing the cheque when you put it in the envelope to the utility company because you know there’s not enough money in the account for it to clear? You have to LOOK like you’re trying to send them money…so you pretend you FORGOT to sign it.

Are you living on payday cash advances with inflated interest rates of 29% or more and administration fees that gobble up your pay cheque before it hits your bank account?  Are you sinking a little deeper every day in the sea of debt? Is the water closing over your head in spite of all your efforts and hard work?

If you find yourself mired in desperation brought on by debt I want you to know there’s still hope.  I’ve been there and admit to using all of the various tactics listed above. I’ve also experienced all of debt's negative emotional friends:

        Shame                      Fear                      Anger

        Frustration                Desperation           Panic

        Depression                Apathy                   Dread

        Helplessness              Worthlessness

I dug myself out of the pit once. Now my husband and I are back in because of choices we made during the last two years. It’s so frustrating! We’re slaves to debt.

The money we make isn’t ours to spend, share and give; instead it’s going to lines of credit and credit cards. It’s sickening! We’re no longer free to be generous the way we’d like. We’re no longer free to use God’s money in ways that please Him. Until it’s paid off debt is our master.

We kicked 2012 off with the decision to start the process of getting out of debt.  It’s not easy to take charge of your finances when you’re overwhelmed.  You don’t want to know just how deep the hole is; but if you’re ever going to be free from debt’s shackles this is where you need to start. 

Gather up your statements, your bills, your loan documents, and your IOU’s. Get a sheet of paper and a calculator and sit down at the kitchen table. On the sheet of paper list every creditor to whom you owe money and write down the amount you owe beside it.  Now punch those numbers into the calculator, add it up, and finally face your foe - the total dollar value of your debt.

I understand this is a terrifying process.  When you live in debt for an extended period of time the only way to survive is by refusing to face reality. Right now your stomach’s churning and panic lurks around the corner. It’s OK, take a deep breath.  Half the battle is facing reality.

Now take it a step further - beside each creditor write down your minimum monthly payment. Add this amount up. Beside it write down your total monthly take home income.

Some of you are relieved to see your monthly income exceeds your monthly debt payment. Others feel your heart sinking because that’s not the case. Your monthly debt payment exceeds your monthly income.

At this point I’d recommend seeking help from a professional. There are a lot of good financial counselors who can set up a debt repayment plan or determine if you should file for bankruptcy.  In Canada you might want to check out www.creditcounsellingcanada.ca as a starting point.

I also recommend you visit Dave Ramsey’s website at www.daveramsey.com .  Dave has some great resources to help you get on a budget and systematically tackle your debt. He hosts a daily talk show via podcast giving callers advice on their debt scenarios. You'll learn alot just by listening. You can pick up his book, “Total Money Makeover” or find a church near you offering the Financial Peace University course.

Dave speaks from experience and his advice is sound. I highly recommend his website if you’re looking for a method to stop the debt madness and re-gain control of your finances.

You’re probably feeling discouraged, demoralized, and defeated. So here’s a pep talk. Just because you’ve made some financial mistakes doesn’t mean you’re a worthless person. Even if it comes to the point of bankruptcy God still loves you. Money doesn’t define who we are in Christ and it shouldn’t define who we are as people. Don’t lose your identity just because you’ve lost control of your finances.

You don’t need to be a slave to debt for the rest of your life. Are you ready to break its chains? Share your thoughts by clicking on comments below.