It’s a Schedule

November 12th, 2012 dsisler

My husband is a systems dispatch operator for a local electric company. His job is to keep the power on for all the customers his company services. His work schedule is on a 5-week rotation where he works 12-hour shifts, both days and nights, including holidays and weekends.

Sometimes his work schedule is inconvenient. Sometimes it works against all things sacred (family and church). Sometimes I don’t like it.

What I do like is that they give him his yearly schedule in advance. As a matter of fact, I have his 2013 schedule in hand right now. So I know exactly what our year will look like in relation to his work schedule.
Schedules are part of life. Whether they are related to work, school, or even an infant, there are schedules to keep and follow. It’s how we cope with them and work through them that matters. But more importantly, it’s what God has to say about keeping schedules that makes the difference.
The writer of Ecclesiastes tells us that “there is a time for everything. A season for everything activity under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1 – NIV) He then proceeds to give examples of his understanding of a schedule in verses 2-8. But we also see from this writer that without God, it’s all meaningless (Ecclesiastes 12:8).
Paul encouraged the Ephesian Christians with these words. “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” Paul shared that in day-to-day living (schedules) how important it is to make every moment count. Again, count for God.
I believe from these two passages we can see that schedules are part of life. But if we leave God out of our daily schedules, we are whipping up a recipe for disaster.
As we rely on God, we are able to utilize His power, His strength, His wisdom, and His protection (just to name a few). Why wouldn’t we desire His assistance with our schedules?
I have Mason’s 2013 work schedule. However, it could change. If someone should happen to quit, this schedule is thrown out because another shift must be covered. Sometimes that can get a little aggravating.
[I must add this to all of my complaining. My husband has a job. My husband has employment that is not threatened. I am able to do what I do because of the career my husband has chosen. That is something that I don’t take lightly. I appreciate and love all the work he does for me and our family.]
I pray your schedule today allows for some valuable family time or perhaps some personal time, but most important for an incredible connection with God. Time spent with God is time well spent. Don’t overlook Him with your busy schedule. The time you spend with God will be the best part of your day!
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna
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The Dishwasher

November 11th, 2012 dsisler

My grandson Percy is 21 months old. He is a ball of energy and loves to explore. He also loves to open things. Cabinets, drawers, doors, the dishwasher. If you’ve been around a toddler, you understand.

We’ve been pretty good to keep him out of spaces where he might get into trouble or get hurt. But there was no way to do so with the dishwasher. It was easy to open. There wasn’t a locking mechanism on it, so he’d just pop it open.
So apart from the fact that he could open the door when it was washing, or that he could have access to knives or dangerous utensils, he loved climbing into the dishwasher.
As concerned grandparents, we did the only thing we could think of. We purchased a new dishwasher.
On our search for this dishwasher, we had a set of criteria, not in this particular order:
  1. It had to hold a lot of dishes
  2. It also had to have a small load ability
  3. It needed to be quiet
  4. It had to be white
  5. The buttons needed to be on the top with locking ability (another of Percy’s favorite things to do is push buttons)
  6. It had to be Percy-proof (difficult to open)
So the first thing I did when we entered an appliance store was pull on each door handle of all the dishwashers. If it seemed difficult for me to open, I figured it would be impossible for Percy to open.
From that test, we would then choose the ones that fit the other criteria for our search. We visited all the places within a 50 mile radius of our home that carried appliances. I opened a lot of dishwashers.
The salespeople enjoyed the process as well. Several had to admit they had never heard of making it difficult to get into a dishwasher. They are designed for easy access. Several even had a good laugh over our dilemma.
I have to admit that this was a difficult decision. There was a lot of work put into making this choice.
We find in Deuteronomy that Israel had a choice to make. Moses thought it was an easy choice. But he also knew it had to be their choice. So he shared all the pros and cons of this important decision.
Moses and the priests called Israel together and said, “Be silent, O Israel, and listen! You have now become the people of the Lord your God. Obey the Lord your God and follow his command and decrees that I give you today.” (Deuteronomy 27:9-10 – NIV)
There is a lot in these verses, but what I’d like to show is that Israel had already been chosen by God. Now it was their turn to make a choice.
After quite a long speech on blessings and curses, the renewal of the covenant, and prosperity in the Lord, Moses gets to the main point. In Deuteronomy 30:11-20, Moses lays it all out for them. He makes a great case for God.
Moses believes it is an easy decision to make and says so. “Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach.” (Deuteronomy 30:11 – NIV) Moses goes on to say that they don’t have to go to heaven to find it. They don’t have to cross the sea to get it.
“No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.” (Deuteronomy 30:14 – NIV) I love this verse for it is exactly the same for us on this side of the cross. God’s Word is within us. In our hearts and should be on our tongues. And the reason? So that we may know it and obey.
Moses then tells them they have a choice. Life and prosperity or death and destruction.
This great leader of God enlightened Israel of the consequences of disobedience and the blessings of obedience. For Moses, there wasn’t a decision to be made. He had already chosen to follow God. Israel needed to do the same.
One final swaying argument for God and Moses would hand the leadership role over to Joshua.
“This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20 – NIV)
I can hear the great crowd cheering after Moses’ convincing words. They are inspiring words. Words that called Israel to action. Israel was all in at this point.
Oh, we know that Israel made bad decisions throughout their history in the Old Testament, but at this point, they chose God. They chose blessings. They chose prosperity. They chose life.
Do Moses’ words call you to action? Are they enough to convince you to love God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him? Are you willing to accept God as your life?
As a Christ-follower, I must ask myself a few questions as well. Am I thrilled that God’s Word is very near? Are God’s commands in my heart? Are they on my lips? Do I listen to God’s voice? Do I hold fast to Him?
I’ll say it like Moses did. It’s not a difficult decision. Choose life!
Well, our searching paid off. Percy cannot open the new dishwasher; therefore, he will not be crawling inside of this one. It was a good decision on our part. I’m so glad that choosing God isn’t as difficult as choosing a dishwasher!
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna
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No Good Thing

November 10th, 2012 dsisler

Thanksgiving is quickly approaching. Since I live cross country from my family, I miss the family gatherings during this special season of the year. Remembering get-togethers of years past with grandparents, even great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and any other extended family who could join us brings joy to my heart. And I would be remiss not to mention the good friends that were invited to join my loving family.

Of course, there was always food. The best food around. I come from a long line of excellent cooks on both sides of my family and thinking of the platters and bowls filled to overflowing reminds me of just how thankful we were as we sat around those tables. I even recall specific foods that were always served in specific bowls or dishes.
I came across a verse of Scripture in my study time that I have remembered throughout the week. “I said to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.’” (Psalm 16:2 – NIV)
For my family, on both sides of my family, God was always in our midst. I was raised by Christian parents who were raised by Christian parents who were raised by Christian parents. It is part of my heritage. So you see, when I saw this verse of Scripture my mind immediately went to the good that I have and recognize that it is good because I am a follower of Christ.
“Apart from you (God) I have no good thing.”
Obviously, this concept goes beyond family. All of my possessions. All of my serving. All of my studying. All of my writing. All of my heart. Without God, it isn’t good. He provides the goodness in my life.
I pray that you feel the same way. I pray that you can see God’s goodness flowing in and out of your life. I pray that you too have come to the understanding that without God, you have nothing.
I know that for some, family has brought heartache and pain. I pray that you’ll find peace and comfort in God this Thanksgiving. I pray that as you gather around a table on that day that you’ll be able to say that God has provided goodness in your life. That you will be able to join me in saying, “Apart from You I have no good thing.”
Yes, I miss being with my family, especially at Thanksgiving. But last year my Mom gave me a gift. She joined us in Colorado for Thanksgiving. She will be joining us again this year and I will once again know how blessed I truly am.
I have other family with me, too. My husband, my daughters, my son-in-law, my grandchildren. And a whole slew of friends who make me feel like family. So, even as I am 1,200 miles away from the rest of my beloved family, I am well loved and that love reduces the miles to mere inches.
Happy Thanksgiving (a little early)!
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna
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Building a Doll House: It’s All About the Details – Chapter 8

November 9th, 2012 dsisler

NOTE: If you missed Chapters 1-7 of Building a Doll House, you can find it in the column under “blog archive” to the right. 

From the beginning of this dollhouse project, my husband said we needed to be very careful with each piece. During the painting process, it was important that the paint didn’t drip, because that would cause it to be out of line with the rest of the pieces. During the sanding process, we had to be sure that just the right amount was sanded or it would fit.

Then of course, the details of the entire project was overwhelming. The directions. The number of pieces. The step-by-step process to take all of these pieces and create one doll house from them all. It was pretty amazing.

Here’s the thing. If we hadn’t paid attention to the details, it would not have turned out the way it was supposed to. It would not have looked like a house. Or at least not a pleasant-looking house.
It’s the same with our spiritual lives. If we haven’t taken care of the details of our faith, it’s hard to say what the outcome might be. But if we follow God’s plan and pay attention to the details, the results will be exactly what God intended us to be.
God planned that we would be “His chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God.” (1 Peter 2:9 – NIV)
So how do we get to this point? What steps (details) do we need to take to become exactly what God intended us to be?
We must believe
There is a lot that we simply must have faith in. We must believe that God’s Word is living and active and that God breathed life into each verse. (Hebrews 4:12; 2 Timothy 3:16)
We must believe that Jesus is God’s Son, sent to be the Messiah, the Savior of mankind. (John 3:15-16; 1 John 5:1; 5:5; Romans 3:22)
We must believe that Jesus was crucified for the forgiveness of our sins and rose to life to prove victory over death. (Luke 24:46-7; 1 Thessalonians 4:14)
We must repent
Repentance means to turn completely around. To go the opposite direction of our original path. So for a believer, we must put to death the sinful nature in order for the spiritual nature to be visible. (Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:15; Acts 2:38; Acts 3:19)
We must confess
You’ve heard it before, Peter’s great confession of our Lord. “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16 – NIV) Yes, we must proclaim it as well. (Matthew 16:16; 2 Timothy 2:19)
We must be baptized
Jesus teaches that baptism is part of the salvation plan and was himself baptized. Peter preached it on the day of Pentecost. Paul also was baptized and preached baptism. (Matthew 3:13; 28:19-20; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Acts 9:18; Galatians 3:27)
We must live
Live lives that bring honor, glory and praise to God who has freely lavished grace upon us. There are plenty of passages that lead us in this direction, but I’m just listing two here. (Galatians 5:16-26; Ephesians 2:10)
We must tell
If in fact we have the greatest news mankind has ever heard, why do we keep silent? Why isn’t His message on the tip of our tongues constantly? I don’t know the answer to that question, but I know that Scriptures tell me to share the Gospel. (Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 24:47)
These are the “details” of our spiritual lives. They each fit perfectly with the next, like a plan, and exactly as God intended. By paying attention to each of these details, we ensure that our salvation will be complete.
Oh, I know that we’ll mess up along the way. I know that a detail will be missed or we’ll botch it up. But please know that God can take all those mishaps, those imperfections, and turn them into a thing of beauty. That’s an added bonus of loving God. Grace.
If you have a question about these “details,” I’d be happy to chat with you. I do know that there is nothing like being in God’s grace.
I’d also love to hear your story of grace. How your faith has been built through the years. What God’s grace means to you. Would you be willing to share?
In the end, the pieces of the dollhouse went together pretty well. There were a few pieces that didn’t quite fit, but a little sand paper and caulk covered a lot of mistakes. Please don’t look too closely at the dollhouse. You just might find those mistakes.
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna
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And Lots of Shovels

November 8th, 2012 dsisler

When my daughter Candace was around 3 years old, we had planted a garden. We set up a home-made irrigation system to ensure a good harvest. To keep the hose from moving into the garden and ruining the beautiful plants, we placed shovels around the edge of the garden. Maybe there were 3 or 4.
 

One day Candace and her dad were inspecting the garden. Her Dad was telling her of the wonderful food we were growing. “We’re going to have lots of corn, and green beans, and squash, and potatoes, and tomatoes…”
“And lots of shovels!” Candace chimed in.
To a three-year-old, it did seem that we were preparing for a harvest of shovels. But as adults, we knew that wasn’t a possibility.
Throughout Scripture, we see references to children. Some insist that we become like little children. Others insist that we grow up and no longer think as children. So let’s see the contrast between the two and how we can determine when to be as little children and when not.
First, we can take note of the love Jesus had for little children. He saw something in their purity. In their faith. In their love. These passages show Jesus’ compassion for children.
Matthew 18: 5-6 (NIV) “Whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”
Matthew 19:14 (NIV) “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
Mark 9:37 (NIV) “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me, but the one who sent me.”
Mk 10:16 (NIV) “And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.”
We also see that we are to believe like little children. In Matthew 18:3 (NIV), Jesus answered the question about the greatest in the kingdom. After calling a small child to join the group, He said, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
But once we believe, we must grow spiritually. We are not to remain as infants in our faith. We see passage after passage of how we should be growing spiritually into adults.
1 Corinthians 3:2-3a (NIV) “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.” They were like people of the world instead of people of God. Under these circumstances, it was impossible to grow spiritually.
1 Corinthians 14:20 (NIV) “Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.” We should not be controlled by evil and we must be mature in our thinking.
Hebrews 5:12-14 (NIV) “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. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”
1 Peter 2:2-3 (NIV) “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.”
I believe we can see from all these passages that we are to be as little children in some areas of our faith, but we must continue to grow throughout our lives in order to be spiritually mature.
And as Peter puts it, especially since we’ve “tasted that the Lord is good” we should strive for spiritual maturity. Knowing God’s goodness should be a great motivator for us to grow.
So are you growing spiritually? Are you tasting God’s goodness on a daily basis? Have you graduated from the milk and baby food of spiritual infancy to the meat and potatoes of spiritual adulthood?
If not, why not? What steps can you take to begin the process of spiritual growth?
If so, what are you doing to continue your growth? We cannot lean on what we already have produced in our lives. We must continue growing and learning.
We raised a great crop of vegetables that year. However, we didn’t produce any more shovels than were already sticking in the ground. Oh, to have the eyes and imagination of a child.
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna
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  • "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe." Ephesians 1:18-19

  • I am a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. I lived in the beautiful state of Colorado for 20 years where I found great inspiration for my novels and devotional writings. Currently living in Jacksonville, Florida.

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