What About the Stars?

The other day I was thinking about the stars and then began to think about the theme verse of this blog, Philippians 2:14-15, "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe."


As Christians we're to "Shine Like Stars", so I was thinking about characteristics of the stars.  When I went to the NASA website it was interesting to see that stars have five characteristics:  brightness, color, surface temperature, size, and mass (amount of matter).  Can these characteristics tell Christians anything about living our lives "shining as stars"?  I think they can.  Let's see!

1.  BRIGHTNESS
Just as stars shine in various degrees of brightness, Christians "shine" in various degrees as well.  Differently, but each one shining in an important way.  As Christians, we all have different jobs, different abilities, different talents....but each person is important in God's kingdom.  Yes, some jobs or talents are more "seen" by others, but that doesn't make the person more important. Through the blood of Jesus we form the one body....the church.

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 

Romans 12:3-5

2. COLOR

Who knew that stars had different colors?  I sure didn't! NASA states that stars vary in colors from yellowish, blueish, and reddish.  Interesting!  So, in our Christian life, of course we all have varying degrees of actual skin color...depending on our ethnicity, but let's think of "color" having to do with the brightness of our light.

As Christians we are to let our lights shine.  But, just like real stars sometimes are hidden by clouds, sometimes we let things get in the way where our lights aren't shining like they should.  We have to get rid of the "stuff" that gets in the way of our lights shining.  By serving others, working in a way that glorifies God, and taking the time to tell others about Jesus, we are not only living as "shining stars", but we are also pointing others in the same direction.  

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. 

Matthew 5:14-16

3.  SURFACE TEMPERATURE

Stars are hot...very hot... but, they vary in degrees of "hotness".

Christians vary in degrees, also.  We may be cold.  Maybe our desire for serving God is gone.  Maybe something got in the way of our shining light and eventually our light went out.  Or maybe we're kind of on fire for God, but it just depends.  Sometimes we are.  Sometimes we're not.  We're lukewarm.  But maybe we're totally on fire for God and Jesus!  Maybe we are letting our lights shine brightly, and we're completely committed to Him. That's what God and Jesus want from us - our total commitment.

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
Revelation 3:15-16

4.  SIZE

Stars vary greatly in size.  The variation in size and temperature determines the stars' brightness. 

When one first becomes a Christian, they are described as "babes".  We may know the elementary teachings of Christ - described as "milk" - but don't fully know about the Bible.  But, eventually the Christian will mature....or at least we should mature.  The mature Christian will move on to "solid food".  In both 1st Corinthians and Hebrews, we read of the early Christians who had some trouble with maturing.  

Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?  

1 Corinthians 3:1-3

We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.

Hebrews 5:11-13

5.  MASS (Amount of matter)

The mass of a star refers to the amount of matter it has or basically it's density.  A definition of density is "the degree to which something is filled".  

As Christians, our lives can be consumed by all sorts of things - physical and material things or spiritual things.  Idolatry is often spoken about in the Bible.  Idolatry is anything put in place of God or in front of God.  As Christians we must guard our lives so that nothing becomes more important than God and Jesus in our lives.  In everything we do, we must keep God and Jesus first.....or I like to look at it as keeping Him in the center of our lives and everything else to the outside.  Our lives should be filled up with God, with Jesus, with His Word, and by being a part of His church....the church Jesus died for.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:1-2

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20 

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

Ephesians 5:25-27

Using these star characteristics we can "Shine Like Stars".

So SHINE, Christian - SHINE!

BE THEIR BIGGEST FAN

BE THEIR BIGGEST FAN

Your children play on courts and fields,

You watch from in the stands.

Be careful of the words you say.

Be their biggest fan.

Some dads yell out in fits of rage.

They don't seem to understand.

The child is trying as best as he can,

So be their biggest fan.

Moms may scream at the top of their lungs

That the officals ruined the plan!

But boys and girls your example see,

So be their biggest fan.

It's fun to win from, time to time,

But losing we understand,

Will make them stronger every time,

So be their biggest fan.

Your child will someday go out on his own.

He'll learn to take a stand.

Your example he'll learn - that example he'll be -

Please be their biggest fan.

A fan is one who supports and cheers

Each young woman and each young man.

Let them hear your positive tone,

Yes! Be their biggest fan!

Little eyes are watching you!

They hear you in the stands!

With every game, do all that you can

To be their biggest fan.

by Lori Waugh

October 8, 2010

I had been thinking of this poem title for a while and finally sat down and wrote it.  Hope you enjoy it :).

The Gossip Test

Did you ever watch the show "Hee Haw"?  When I was a young girl, my parents would watch it.  One of the scenes in each episode showed the actors in a corn field.  They would sing, "We're not ones to go 'round spreading rumors, so you'd better be sure and listen close the first time."  Then the actors would proceed to tell all sorts of tales for their friends to hear.  It was just for laughs on the show, but true gossip is no laughing matter.  Proverbs 16:28  says, "A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends."

Recently I was going through a file that said, "Bible Class Keepers".  I found lots of neat stories, poems, and lesson ideas that came from all sorts of places. I'm not sure where this one came from, but it's great and it makes me think about the words I say and the conversations I have with others.

Many times we talk without thinking....or at least I do.  What we fail to realize is the effect our words can have on others.  We also sometimes wrongly think that if something is "true", that it's okay to say.  Many of the things we say would most likely be better left unsaid.

Years ago an older Christian sister mentioned how prayer requests can sometimes lead to gossip.  For example:  A friend calls and tells you to pray for....lets call her "Ann".  You say that of course you will pray for Ann, but then ask what you need to pray for so that you can be specific in your prayer.....as if God needs you to relay the message to Him (He doesn't!  He knows all about Ann and about her "problem".).  Although it may have started out innocent enough, the conversation may turn to gossip.  And then, you may tell another friend about Ann....relay the "prayer need"....and then on and on it goes.  Pretty soon Ann's got all sorts of problems that may or may not be true.

So, let's strive to rid our lives of gossip.  This "Gossip Test" will help. My own thoughts are in parentheses.

GOSSIP TEST

Here's the gossip test - regarding the words that proceed from my lips:

1.  Does it edify? 

(Edify means "to instruct especially so as to encourage intellectual, moral, or spiritual improvement.")

2. Do I have permission to share what I know?

(Ouch!  That may hurt my toes and your toes, too!)

3. Is it necessary to speak about this? 

(Women are known for their "gift of gab"....much of which may be unnecessary.)  4.  Will someone be hurt by it?

(Surely none of us would knowingly hurt another person, yet the words we say may hurt someone deeply.)

5. Will it glorify God?

(Let's just make sure our "gab" is glorifying to God.)

And, here's another part of the test.  Something we should consider when in conversation with others.

When should I suspect a person gossiping?

1.  Is this "talk" about someone who is not there?

2. Does it sound like this person has avoided the Matthew 18:15-20 step of going on on one first? 

 And am I ready to stop them and ask them if they have discussed this first with the person of whom they're speaking?

3. Did they have permission to tell me what they're telling me?

4. Would this person be saying this if that person of whom they are speaking were there?

What to do if someone gossips to you:

Stop him or her BEFORE they give details and ask them,

1. "Do you have permission from ___________________ to tell what you are about to share?

.

2.  Did you speak directly to ___________ first?  And if so, what did he/she say in response?

At this point, if things were done appropriately and according to the scripture referenced above and the person didn't listen, plus it was determined that there was a real offense/sin involved, you will need to be willing to go with that person and follow through on Jesus' instructions in that passage in Matthew.

If the person hasn't spoken to the person they are talking about, then it's best to stop the conversation and encourage them to talk to the person directly.

A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.

Proverbs 11:13

Rangers Fan of the Game

The only thing Lauren wanted for her 16th birthday was to take two of her friends to a Texas Rangers' baseball game. She had a family party close to her birthday and then her Rangers' game "gift" the next week, which was this past weekend. We left our three boys with grandparents and my husband and I - plus the three 16 years old girls, headed to Arlington.

We had been planning for quite some time to take baseball sugar cookies to the game and send them up to the FOX Southwest announcers. We always watch them on TV as they're telling about the homemade goodies they've received. We thought the cookies might be a good idea and that they might even mention Lauren's birthday.  We put where we were sitting, just in case they wanted to zoom in to that area when they talked about it.  Pretty soon after the game started, they actually did mention the cookies, show us, and even read the little note we put with the cookies.  They even mentioned our boys who were watching the game at their grandparent's house.  They were so excited, and they called and told us immediately!  A friend texted us about it, too. 

(Note:  A funny thing about the cookies is that when we entered the Ballpark with them, one of the older workers said where to take them, but then said he roomed with one of the announcers years ago.  He wrote a note and taped it to the cookies which read:  "These are poison," and then signed his name! I assured the guard that they were NOT poison....that a friend of theirs wrote it!)

My husband also called in advance and had Lauren's name and "Happy Birthday" put on the big screen at the Ballpark.  We had done that before with one of our boys and it comes with a goodie bag, which is delivered during the 4th inning.

Well, was Lauren ever surprised when FOX Southwest Sport's reporter, Emily Jones, showed up at our seats during the 7th inning.  Lauren is a big fan of Emily.....in fact, she would like to have a job like hers someday.  Lauren was picked as the Rangers' Fan of the Game and was interviewed on live TV during the next break.  We were all excited, but Lauren was calm as could be!

She asked Lauren several questions, asked her about the cookies, and asked her about her favorite part of the game up to that point.  As soon as we heard about the interview, we quickly called family and contacted friends asking them to record the interview.  The boys and their grandparents (on my husband's side) saw the interview, as did others.  We did have a few people record it so we're looking forward to watching it ourselves.

Several have mentioned that it will be hard for Lauren to have a birthday that "tops" this one.  It was pretty special for her, for sure.  And, the fact that the Rangers won their division and are in the play-offs this week makes it even better.  She's a huge fan....a fan that really did deserve being the Rangers Fan of the Game for that one evening.  Congratulations, Lauren!  Let's go, Rangers!

Adoption

In the past week two families we know have been blessed by adopting a baby.  After waiting for approximately a year, their longing to have a child has been fulfilled.  God has blessed our friends and God has blessed this little boy and little girl each with families and extended families and friends that love them tons already.

When a woman is expecting a child, the nine month wait for she and her husband is spent preparing for the baby and attending doctor's appointments.  Preparation includes financial responsibility, insurance, and making sure everything is ready when the baby arrives.  When adopting a child, the preparation is even more intense.  In addition to getting the supplies ready for baby, there are also meetings with agencies, home visits with people from those agencies, negotiations, and often times a financial committment that is at times difficult.  There may also be conversations with the babies' biological family and doctors visits, along with the negotiations.  Either way, there is a loving couple is anxiously awaiting the birth of their child.

Child birth is wonderful.  There's nothing quite like becoming a parent.  I've heard that there's nothing like becoming a grandparent, either!  I'll know about that some day. But, there's something even more special about an adoption.  I think it's because it's because, with so many abortions all over the world, an adoption is shows that a child was given life - given an opportunity to live, to have parents and grandparents, and given the opportunity to grow up and be part of a family.  Abortion takes all of that away.  It's heartbreaking to think of that when so many families are waiting for and longing for a child.

Adoption is special.  God adopted Christians.  He decided before the beginning of the world that all Christians would be His and that His own Son would be the means of the adoption process.  Read here what Paul wrote to the Christians in Ephesians:

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. Ephesians 1:4-8

As Christians, we are adopted as God's sons (and daughters!) through Jesus Christ.  This has been God's Will for all of time.

Yes, there is something special about adoption.  A baby is given an opportunity to live and not perish.  In our spiritual adoption, we also are given the opportunity to live forever in eternity with God and not perish.

Thank you, God, for adoption and for the hope it gives us all.   On this Gratituesday, I am grateful for adoption - both physical adoption, and spiritual.

To see what others are grateful for, visit Heavenly Homemakers.