Love Requirements

We’ve all been in situations where our emotions have grabbed the wheel and driven us completely into a ditch. Or maybe you’re not as bad as I am so perhaps you simply chose to ignore a situation that warranted a response. Perhaps tradition, routine, habit or other priorities simply trumped the appropriate response to an issue.

Well, there I was dealing with an issue that I would have chosen to ignore for my own peace sake when I remembered a simple question a minister challenged the audience to ask themselves before responding to any situation. The question was simply “What does love require of me?”

If you're a follower of Jesus, it's a very easy question to ask.  I must admit that although I haven't always gotten it right, the pause and the question have certainly made the appropriate response obvious.  I've found that love loosens our grip to be right, to win or to control.  It helps us to grab hold of Jesus's words in Matthew 22:37-39 - “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”  

Love makes the right decision obvious, provides appropriate answers to tough questions and throws regret right out the window.

I’d like to challenge you, whether it be a situation with your family, a friend, a neighbor or even a stranger, pause and ask yourself the question “What does love require of me?” before responding.  I guarantee the appropriate response will become obvious and not only will your human relationships change, but so will your relationship with Christ. I have a feeling that that’s the very question Jesus asked before dying for you and for me.  After all, love never fails.

1 Corinthians 13 - ⁴Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. ⁸ Love never fails. 

Love Always,

Shy

http://lovealwaysshy.blogspot.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovealwaysshy/

The Last Act of Love

I can still hear my father's voice singing "Three Little Fishies" to me and my sister, Joy, while he played the piano.  We'd stand there and giggle as he sang it because it was such a fun and happy song.  At the end, we'd put our hands over our mouths with wide eyes as kids do when they think they’ve heard a bad word. In case you’re not familiar with this cute little song, the lyrics went as follows.

Down in the meadow in a

little bitty pool

Swam three little fishies

And a mama fishie too

"Swim," said the mama fishie,

"Swim if you can."

And they swam and they swam all

over the dam

Boop boop diten datem whatem choo

Boop boop diten datem whatem choo

Boop boop diten datem whatem choo

And they swam and they swam

right over the dam

After being away from Los Angeles for several years, I returned home and asked my dad to play that song for me. He needed help getting to the piano, but once seated, gave it his best effort. He plucked at the keys and sang the words and smiled widely at me when he was done. I could see how proud he was of himself as I collected yet another golden memory in my heart. 

I've heard it said, "Grief is the last act of love we have to give to those we loved. Where there is deep grief, there was great love.”  I would have to agree. My love for my dad was and is deep, as is the grief.  Deep from the memories of his silly jokes to hearing him call home from a trip when I was in middle school and say "I'll be home Friday, so don't make any plans, because you have a date with me."  I'd smile each time and say "okay" while looking forward to something special.

Although I grieve the loss of an earthly father, I'm so happy he is free and with Jesus now.  I'm sure he's playing the piano and worshiping with a joyful heart.  I smile at the thought of him singing "Three Little Fishies" to all the kids up there, but something tells me he's probably singing the words that he loved to hear my mother sing:

When we all get together

what a day of rejoicing that will be

When we all see Jesus

we will sing and shout the victory

Rejoice, Deddy!  You are free!  My grief is but a symbol of my love, but even in the midst of my grief, I rejoice with you.  See you later!

In loving memory of John E. Sheriff - Feb. 20, 1931 - July 7, 2019.

Love Always,

Shy

Yet?

I grew up hearing the older folks say "God has not failed me yet."  I fully agree with the "God not failed me" part.  It was the "yet" part that always bothered me.  It sounded almost like a gamble.  Are we expecting that although He's been on a role, at some point He might just fail?  The word "yet" has just always made this statement sound like doubt or uncertainty.  That is until I stumbled upon this story by an English musician and  composer, Gavin Bryars.

"In 1971, when I lived in London, I was working with a friend, Alan Power, on a film about people living rough in the area around Elephant and Castle and Waterloo Station. In the course of being filmed, some people broke into drunken song – sometimes bits of opera, sometimes sentimental ballads – and one, who in fact did not drink, sang a religious song "Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet". This was not ultimately used in the film and I was given all the unused sections of tape, including this one.

When I played it at home, I found that his singing was in tune with my piano, and I improvised a simple accompaniment. I noticed, too, that the first section of the song – 13 bars in length – formed an effective loop which repeated in a slightly unpredictable way. I took the tape loop to Leicester (University), where I was working in the Fine Art Department, and copied the loop onto a continuous reel of tape, thinking about perhaps adding an orchestrated accompaniment to this. The door of the recording room opened on to one of the large painting studios and I left the tape copying, with the door open, while I went to have a cup of coffee. When I came back I found the normally lively room unnaturally subdued. People were moving about much more slowly than usual and a few were sitting alone, quietly weeping.

I was puzzled until I realized that the tape was still playing and that they had been overcome by the old man's singing. This convinced me of the emotional power of the music and of the possibilities offered by adding a simple, though gradually evolving, orchestral accompaniment that respected the homeless man's nobility and simple faith. Although he died before he could hear what I had done with his singing, the piece remains as an eloquent, but understated testimony to his spirit and optimism."

The homeless man simply sings over and over:
Jesus blood never failed me yet
this one thing I know
for he loves me so
Jesus blood never failed me yet

I was so moved by this story that I found the song on YouTube and began to listen to it being performed with an orchestra and halfway through, I was brought to tears by the certainty and peace in the singer's voice, in spite of his circumstances.  The emphasis he put on the word "yet" was as if he was answering my question of why the word was even used.  My heart was so transformed by a singing homeless man over 48 years ago that instead of hearing "Jesus blood never failed me yet" I begin to hear "YET, Jesus blood never failed me."  I went from hearing doubt to hearing faithfulness.  From hearing uncertainty to hearing "in spite of."

So today, no matter what things look like, I can say with unwavering confidence, "YET, Jesus blood never failed me."

Love Always,

Shy

To listen to the composition, visit https://youtu.be/TfT3njX2FLU

http://lovealwaysshy.blogspot.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovealwaysshy/

Drop a Hint

Have you ever noticed the "drop a hint" feature available on some retailers' websites?  For example, when I'm browsing the Tiffany website and see something I like, there is a button I can click that says "drop a hint" and Tiffany will email whoever I'd like to receive a hint that this is something I would like.  I've seen this feature on several websites and think it's pretty cool for those occasions when your loved one might be struggling with what to get you.  But what I think is even cooler, is when someone actually pays close enough attention to you to know the desires of your heart without a hint.  Like the time your loved-one seemed to have noticed the look in your eye when you stopped and stared adoringly at an item through the window for a few seconds, so they went back to the store to surprise you.  Or that yawn that signaled "one more cup of coffee would get me through this project" and your co-worker shows up with a cup of coffee.  Or when your significant other just seemed to have known when to stop what they were doing to give you a much-needed hug.  Those moments are so much more precious than a hint.

Psalms 37:4 says "Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." (NIV)  The Lord doesn't require hints to know the desires of our hearts.  In fact, I love how the Message Bible says it, "Keep company with God, get in on the best."  There is something about keeping company with someone that allows them to get to know you in a very intimate way.  I find that the more I spend time with the Lord through prayer, reading His word, and just constantly speaking gratitude and praise, the less I need to drop to a hint.  He automatically knows what I need.  Even in those moments when I'm desiring the wrong thing, He gently changes my heart to bring me to a place of peace and trust in His plan.

There have been times when I desired something and never uttered a word to a single soul and the Lord unexpectedly gave me the desires of my heart.  It made the gift even more special because it was as if I heard the Lord's voice saying, "I've been paying attention to you."  Those moments have truly blessed me as they are so much more full of love than a hint.

So the next time you think you need to "drop a hint" to God, simply get closer to Him and He will know the desires of your heart.

Love Always,

Shy 

http://lovealwaysshy.blogspot.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovealwaysshy/

Things Hoped For

There we were, at my son's graduation dinner as I began my speech.  A speech that was 17 years in the making. There was so much to say, so much to be thankful for and so many blessings to speak over my son as he prepared to enter into a new phase in life.  As I looked at him, my eyes welled up with tears.  Not because I would be sad to see him leave the nest, but because I was looking at the fulfillment of things hoped for.

You see, our journey was one far from predictable in so many ways.  One that required buckets and buckets of mustard seed faith. Seeds for each and every provision made beyond what I could see. Seeds for all the doctor's and emergency room visits from having a little boy with chronic asthma. Seeds for a safe return every time he went out into the world without me as he grew older. And even seeds for the right friends, role models and mentors to walk alongside him on his journey.  His entire life was full of faith seeds planted along the way. 

When I looked at my son on this day, I saw the substance of things hoped for and was reminded of how powerful faith is.  The fulfillment of promises far beyond what I could have ever imagined was evidence of the seeds planted.  This moment encouraged me in other areas of my life to continue to plant seeds of faith.  If God did "this", I can trust He'll do "that".

Let me encourage you in every situation to stay in faith and trust that God is watering your seeds and preparing a harvest of things hoped for.  We walk by faith!

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”  Hebrews 11:1

Love Always,

Shy

http://lovealwaysshy.blogspot.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovealwaysshy/

Drop Your Net

It's not always easy to stop along our current path and choose a different, and perhaps more purposeful path.  Sometimes doing what we've always done is the most comfortable way to go, so we continue the familiar routine.  No matter how unfulfilling or unrewarding things may be, it's easy to remain stuck in what we know.  

So when I read Matthew 4:18-22, I was amazed at how easy it was for the disciples to follow Jesus.  (18) While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. (19) And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." [a] (20) Immediately they left their nets and followed him. (21) And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John, his brother, in the boat with Zebedee, their father, mending their nets, and he called them. (22) Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

What?!  They just dropped their nets and followed Him, just like that?  Yes, they did!  They stopped what they were doing and simply said, "yes" to Jesus and "yes" to the call for something more.  They didn't let what they've always done, or even their family situations get in the way of God's plan for their lives.  Unbelievable!  Do you know how many questions I would have had, along with a few requested follow-up meetings?  Why?  Because when it comes to us dropping our nets and getting out of our boats, we need absolute certainty and a full presentation of the plan.  BUT, my friend, let us remember WE WALK BY FAITH!

In a culture of "following," it's easy to get tangled up in the wrong net, but I can tell you from experience that there is only one path that brings peace and purpose.  So if you're feeling stuck or perhaps lacking peace, it may be time to drop your net and follow Him. It's the one "follow" you will be glad you chose.  

Love Always,

Shy

http://lovealwaysshy.blogspot.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovealwaysshy/

The Lifting of Hands

Sometimes we go through things in life that leave us so traumatized or so heartbroken that it feels like a battle trying to get to the other side of the pain.  Not only does it feel like a battle, but some days feel like a "losing battle" and it becomes more and more difficult to fight.  So difficult at times that moving forward seems almost impossible.

That's exactly where I was - in battle.  It's not that I felt I was going to lose, because I knew however it worked out, God had a plan.  But, I must admit the victory ahead of me was a bit cloudy and I was getting tired.  I was running out of strength, arrows, bullets, you name it, when I realized I was using the wrong weapon to fight.

Around that same time, I happen to read about the battle between the Amalekites and the Israelites in Exodus 17.  The Israelites were under attack, and "as long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning."  The bible goes on to say "when Moses' hands grew tired...Aaron and Hur held his hands up."  Hmmm...  The "lifting of the hands" got me to thinking.  What if in the midst of my battle, I keep my hands raised in praise?  What if I used my worship as my greatest weapon?  What if I kept my attention on the One who causes me to triumph rather than on my circumstances?  What if I fully surrendered to His plan?

Like Moses, at times we get tired and want to lower our hands, but that's when having our very own "Aaron and Hur" in our lives is important - someone to keep us encouraged and help us "keep our hands held up".  I certainly came to realize how valuable it was to have friends in my life who will stand with me in faith in the midst of my battles.  It made all the difference in the world.

So I encourage you to identify those people in your life and allow them to stand with you in those trying times.  Sometimes having the right people around can be key to winning.  Prayer partners, accountability partners and encouragers are evidence of God's love and grace surrounding us.  They are also reminders of how effective prayer and worship are.  

No matter what you may be going through, don't stop worshiping; don't stop praising; don't stop thanking the One true God who will bring victory in your situation.  You can win with the lifting of the hands!

Love Always,

Shy

http://lovealwaysshy.blogspot.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovealwaysshy/