Harry Baker the Jeweler...

My dad’s parents, Elizabeth Baker and the late Harry Baker, have left me with many great memories. My dad grew up in Troy, Alabama where my grandparents owned a jewelry store in downtown Troy. Growing up we loved going to the store and windexing all of the many windows and glass cases or playing in the back room while drinking a coke from a glass bottle, but my favorite thing to do at my grandparents store was make gift bows. My sister would watch me and I would take turns making bows with this bad boy…

look at the quality of those bows.

So if you are in need of a gift bow and don’t feel like buying one, I have lots of ribbon (it’s from the late 80’s / early 90’s but still in good shape) and it is super fun.

My grandfather passed in 2004. I will never forget at the funeral a guy walked by my sister and me and said “You know, you might have had the greatest grandfather in the world”. My grandparents were such hard workers and always did the right thing. I loved that my grandmother would give us each a dollar to put in the offering plate on Sundays and how everyone knew and respected my grandparents in their community. I loved going to their house. My grandmother lived in the house my dad and his brothers grew up in until just a few months ago. There were still some of the same toys and books that my dad played with as a boy. She recently moved into an assisted living home and had to get rid of almost all of their things; which is why I have the bow maker in my garage. I am so thankful to have grandparents that love family and are committed to each other and the Lord. Here are some photos I took from my last visit to their home.

the formal living and dining room

the great wall of graduates. the first 3 graduates all attempted to get a frame a similar size, but they accidentally bought slightly large frames as each grandchild graduated...then the parents purposefully did it to carry on the tradition. Far distant left to right...Cousin Britt, Cousin Brandi, Brother Adam, Cousin Johanna, ME, Cousin Allison, Sister Rebecca.

about to begin the christmas festivities.

Concerning the Enemy...

But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:3

We are so easily lead astray. Distracted and sinful. We must be aware of the war that is going on around us, but even more so the God that is on our side.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me. Psalm 23: 4

This makes me think of Gandalf from Lord of the Rings at the bridge of Khazad-dum. Gandalf leads the fellowship through the mines of Moria which probably felt like “the valley of the shadow of death”. They face many troubles in the caves and would not have made it out if it were not for Gandalf’s leadership. As they make their way out of the mines, they are being chased by a Balrog (basically a huge scary demon monster). Gandalf leads them over the bridge and turns to the Balrog with his staff in hand and says “You cannot pass, I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. You cannot pass. The dark fire will not avail you, Flame of Udun. Go back to the Shadow! You cannot pass!”. I don’t know about you but if I am going to walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I want someone like that with me. We have someone even greater. There is always a battle; the enemy is always chasing after us, but with God as our guide and with his rod and staff we can find comfort! When you feel attacked, imagine Christ turning to your trouble saying “You cannot pass. I am the light of the Glory of God, in the face of Christ. The image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation and I have rescued my child from the dominion of darkness and brought him/her into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom he/she has redemption, the forgiveness of sin. You shall not pass!”

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Psalm 23:5

Not only does God protect us from the enemy, but he prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemy. It’s like Satan intended for something to distract us or bring us farther from God and not only does God save us from that, but he can take the attack and turn it into a feast; an opportunity to know God more and glorify him more than if there was no assault in the first place.

No, in all things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height no depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39

I love how this verse says that we are more than conquerors. It think it’s pretty great to be a conqueror, but in Christ we are more than conquerors. Not only does sin have NO authority over us and it has been defeated, we have the opportunity to take the struggles and sin in our life and let God use it for his good…more than a conqueror. So I leave you with this…

What then shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

Oh The Burdens I Carry...

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18

This is a good verse to memorize. So often I find myself in situations where I feel overwhelmed or frustrated because I am not doing a good job or someone is frustrated at me and if I can remember this…in that moment I can smile. I forget it though. All the time, I forget it. LORD, WRITE IT ON MY HEART. I choose to be pressured, to be burdened by losing weight, pleasing others, being the best mom in other people’s eyes, getting the laundry done, saying the right thing and blah, blah. All of these things are good in a since…when my motives are focused on the eternality of it all, but so often it is not. I could lie to you all and say that I am good and I do good things, but there is no good in me alone. Christ is my only hope of glory. Thank God (literally) that he saved me from me, but I still let my flesh win occasionally.

What would your life look like if you were burdened by NOTHING. I don’t know if I can comprehend that. I think in our culture people might think there is something wrong with you if you don't carry burdens…it’s almost like a competition for who can be the most burdened and busy. I think it is good to be busy and to work hard, but God has something special for us in our busy lives…

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-29

That is good news to me.

How do we begin to live like this, because it sounds so good, right? It is so unnatural for us to walk around with a light and easy burden and to focus on the eternal and watch our “light and momentary troubles” become just that “light and momentary”. How do we achieve an “eternal glory that far outweighs them all”? I want a life like that!

I think it requires some action…

FIX YOUR EYES-we must stop looking at the temporary…look for what God is doing and what he could do in EVERY situation.

COME TO ME- we must come to God. Read the word, pray, listen.

TAKE- receive what God has for you. Let him do a work in you. Open your heart.

I think that Romans 12:1-2 offers some sound advice as far as this is concern as well…

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.

Choose to focus on the eternal, take the yoke of the Lord, offer your bodies as a living sacrifice to the Lord, not conform to this world, be transformed by the renewing of your mind. I double dog dare you.