March 1st, 2013
Hey, everyone!
Hope you're having a joy-filled day of praise! No matter what! Because even if something goes whacky in your day and you don't know why, you can always know this:
1) It could have been worse
2) We deserve worse than we'll ever get! We're forgiven in Jesus!
3) The God Who loves you knows what He's doing
4)He is making whatever happened work out and fit into a beautiful plan for your day and life
5) It'll all be over soon and in Heaven you won't even think about it again!
Speaking of having an awesome day, I was having one 'til I stated working of this. Then something happened. Or, it didn't happen…
I had something I wanted to share with you for my Friday CCC email to lighten your load and brighten your day and…
I forgot it!
I lost my thought!
I forgot what I was so excited about sharing with y'all!
Forgetting stuff…Isn't it crazy when that happens? And to me, it's happening more and more!
I'm not talking about forgetting the names of all the Presidents in order. (Anyone know who came before and after Millard Fillmore?) And I don't mean forgetting where molybdenum comes in the periodic table…
The things that make me nuts when I forget, are stuff like…
"Oh crud! What's the person's name? I KNOW I know it! I've heard it a kabillion times!…"Hey! How's it going? Good to see you, uh…er…Mr. B…b…b…Barnes!"
"No. It's Mr Farmer."
"Sorry."
("I knew it was a farm name.")
I struggle, memory-wise, not when I can't remember the capital of Nova Scotia. What bothers me is when…
I can't remember where I left the keys…
Or, "Why did I just come in this room?"…
And, "Rats! Where did I put my glasses?"
How 'bout, "What was I just saying?"
Or, "What did I want you to remind me to do?"
And "I was gonna say something but I lost my train of thought. And it was a good thought, too!"
I was reading this study that said that one of the reasons you forget simple stuff as you get older is that after thirty, your brain shrinks 0.5% per year. My brain is almost 15% smaller than it used to be! I thought I heard some rattling around up there the other day! If I forget someone's name, please forgive me! You might have just gotten squeezed out!
Names are the first things you forget because they're often not associated with anything you have a mental image of. It's easy to remember words like "milking stool" or "rain drop" because you see it in your mind. But "Bert", "Madeleine", or "Alfred" by themselves are just sounds that don't mean anything. So, the experts suggest that, to remember someone's name, you associate that person's name with, say, where you met them. They say you can remember the name if you remember that "I met that person at the zoo", for example.
I personally see problems with that system. If you met someone near the ape house…"Oh! Hello, Monkey! Uh…I mean, Monica…" "Well, Hey! there, Babboon! Opps…I mean, Bobby…"
My first memory is remembering when I learned left from right. My right index finger has a burn mark on it. I burned it on a hot steamer they used to use in "steam tents" when kids got bronchial congestion. I don't remember the momentI touched it 'cause I was about one year old, but I always remembered the burned place on my finger. My right index finger.
I also have a scar on my left shin. I remember exactly when it happened and where…A Saturday afternoon. Pine Valley parking lot. 7th grade. Riding my 26" bike that I'd "chopped out" with a banana seat and high-rise Sting Ray handle bars. Couldn't reach the brakes anymore tho'. Ran into Ms. Knight(!), my teacher. Dented her car, snapped my frame. Seven stitches in my left shin.
I bet if a person has a mark left by an injury, they never have trouble remembering when it happened. It leaves a scar on skin and memory.
In Psalm 25, there's kind of a "crazy" prayer. I love the Psalms for this! If they were thinking it, they'd go ahead and say it! If you feel it, tell it to God! He knows you're thinking it anyway!
In the sixth verse, he prays, "Remember, O Lord, Your…steadfast love…"
"Remember, God, that You love me!"
How would God EVER forget that?!
He doesn't forget the obvious, like we do! He doesn't forget where He left stuff or what He was getting ready to say or His kids' names! He would NEVER forget that He loves us! He think about you all the time! He LOVES your unforgettable name! He doesn't EVER forget where He's left you!
In fact, in Isaiah, our Lord says that we might… on some difficult day... think this thought: "the Lord has forgotten me." But, He assures us…
“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!"
He NEVER forgets you! Then He adds...
"See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands!" (Isaiah 49:14-15)
When Jesus found Thomas, after He was risen from the dead, He said, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe!” (John 20)
Jesus, Risen and Glorious! Perfect in His victory over death and the grave…except for one thing…He still has His scars!
Scars. You never forget how you got them if you have them.
He got them in His love for you! And He kept them! Not so He wouldn't forget how much He loves you, because He never could or would forget that!
He kept them so you wouldn't forget!
…how much He loves you!
Oh! I just remembered what I wanted to share with you this morning!
Oh well,,,guess I'll just save it for next time…