Jesus as Levitical offering

It's Christmas time, so our pastor has turned to Leviticus...

OK...

But as it started it makes sense leading up to the birth of Jesus. It's a book full of ways that the Israelites could be close to God, from thanks offerings to sin offerings. And then Jesus came and he fulfilled all those offerings at once and forever.

A grain offering was of flour, with oil and frankincense, and was an offering of thanks and submission to him as a ruler. It was a thanks for providing "our daily bread."

That's why we give offerings in church today. It's a way to worship, to thank him for providing for our daily needs, giving back some of what he has so generously given us.

The burnt offering makes sense when it comes to Jesus. Those offerings covered sin, just like Jesus' death was the offering that covered all our sins. But how does the grain offering point to Jesus?

Jesus is the bread of life. "This is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me." This was unleavened bread, with no honey, so that it didn't decay. It was salted bread so it was flavorful and preserved. Jesus is everlasting and will fulfill our needs. He is our daily bread, and we are to feed on him and his word every day.

Lessons from volunteer time

So many places and so many things could not be successful without volunteers, and everyone should see where their passions lie and get involved in those causes. It's so important to give of their time.

I work with volunteers in a lot of areas of my life, and I am a volunteer, and I've learned some lessons from those experiences.

-People want to feel wanted. It's that simple.

-It's OK if things are done differently than you expect as long as they are done. People go about jobs in different ways, and I shouldn't make people do something the way that I would do them if they get to the same result.

-We give 100 percent when we're paid. But does that mean we're not supposed to give 100 percent in paid positions? I see it with myself, that when someone is paying me I will put forth my best foot but that doesn't mean I shouldn't give 100 percent when I volunteer to do something too.

-People become blunt as they get older. I see this often, in a variety of ways, and I think it's OK. People learn how they truly feel, and they become unafraid to express their opinions and emotions. It's up to other people to take or leave those comments.

-Everyone is different. Even if interests overlap, all people are different, have different experiences, have different emotions and should be accepted for who we are.

-Sometimes the gruffest people need the most love, and if they see that they are loved, they can become your strongest supporters.

-Listen, don't always talk. Sometimes people just need to be heard and don't need your opinion.

-Accept mistakes and move on with kind reminders. We all need reminders sometimes.

Abram didn't want the problems in Canaan

Abram was given the land of Canaan.

If God gave me a house, I would be thankful and overjoyed.

But what if someone was already living in the house? What if there was a famine where the house was and there wasn't any food? Well, we might start looking for solutions to those problems, and we probably wouldn't just move right into the house.

That's what happened with Abram. Instead of immediately settling in Canaan, he kept traveling and headed to Egypt to find food. Maybe God had an amazing plan to provide for Abram had he stayed, but he missed it because he tried to solve those problems himself.

In Egypt, Abram also let his fear of the future lead him into sin. He lied about his wife being his sister because she is pretty and he thinks someone might kill him to get to her. He let Pharoah have his wife, and then he didn't have any way of getting out of this trouble.

God knew Abram had a mess on his hands. So he plagued Pharaoh's household. It says "God touched Pharoah so he couldn't touch Sarai." He gave Pharoah a disease so he didn't want to get intimate with her. He gave her back to her husband.

So Abram went back to where God had originally told him to go. He had too much stuff and have away part of his land to his nephew. And think about what he had to deal with from his wife after he gave her away to another man. Plus, Sarai eventually have her Egyptian maidservant --- who wouldn't have even been there had they not gone to Egypt --- to her husband so she could have a baby. There were a lot of issues that came about because Abram didn't immediately obey as he should have.

Sometimes we don't immediately obey. We question the gift of the house because it doesn't seem perfect. But if we just listen, God will work it out. And if we do make a mistake, we go back, go home and trust him to deal with the problems. He is so much bigger than we think.

Good-bye to my vet

He was laying there in that same beige recliner that had been his for years. His head was tilted back, his mouth open, his face gaunt, his breaths like gravel.

I walked into the trailer and my grandpa lay there, but he wasn't the same.

He had hardly moved in days, water having to be squeezed into his mouth with a sponge, soaking his desert-like tongue and dribbling down his throat. But even that was too much. The inability to swallow that small amount caused him to choke, but the lack of muscle throughout his body didn't allow coughs to expel it.

I fought the urge to just walk away. I wanted to help, but it seemed like helping by wetting down his dry mouth was only causing him more pain. I tried to squeeze out enough water that would moisten his lips and tongue without letting it run down his throat.

He just stared at me. I could feel him watching me and thinking something, but his atrophied body wouldn't let him say what it was.

"I love you," I said.

His hand that I was holding moved. It hadn't moved in days, but it had something to say now. His dry fingers, just skin and bone, held my warm flesh tightly as he slowly took it and put it on his chest. Twice he tapped his scrawny frame, right above his heart.

"He says, 'I love you too,'" my grandma said from the next chair.

My grandpa's hand dropped back to the recliner, having used all of its minute strength to convey that last message.

I talked to him and prayed over him, and he stared back. Mom and I curled up on the floor and couch that night, not wanting to leave, waking every few minutes when we couldn't hear breaths being taken from his chair.

The next morning I said good-bye. I went back home only to receive a message the next day that Grandpa hadn't made it through the night. That truly was good-bye.

I think about this on Veterans Day, because my grandfather fought in the Korean War. He would tell story after story about his experiences if you just let him talk, but he wouldn't say a word if you actually asked a question. Even 50 years later, it was still too raw, too hard, too traumatic to conjure up those memories on purpose.

Grandpa never felt appreciated for what he did. Not many veterans do. However, at his funeral service, his casket was wheeled in by his beloved family. It was covered in an American flag, and he was given a 21-gun salute.

"He finally got the appreciation he never felt when he was alive," my mom said through glassy eyes.

His service was appreciated. His life was appreciated. His love was appreciated.

Even at the end, when he wasn't himself on the outside, I could still look in those eyes and see him looking back at me. He wasn't necessarily a man of love during his life, but I knew in those last moments he was.

So happy Veterans Day to my late grandpa and to all those who serve. We see you.

Does your correction really help?

I started out the blog writing sermon notes, and something else caught my attention.

The pastor asked a question about who watched a certain TV show and said the name wrong. Someone piped up and corrected him on the show name. Then he said a date wrong, and someone piped up that he said the date wrong when everyone knew what he meant. The microphone went out and batteries needed changed, and people giggled and made fun of the guy who brought the pastor new batteries but dropped them.

Usually, church is a positive atmosphere and we let go small misspeakings. But once someone started the correction, it opened everyone else up to bringing up correction and a lack of decorum.

That's what happens so often. It just takes one person to bring up a mistake, to gossip, to laugh at something inappropriate and everyone else joins in. Kids get in trouble all the time when they feed off of one child who is misbehaving. Adults need to grow up and think about their actions too.

It all goes back to that adage --- if you don't have something nice to say,  don't say anything at all.

"Band of Brothers" marathon

Nate signed up for a free Amazon Prime trial, and we've been sampling some of the Instant Videos available on there.

I watched a couple of seasons of "Sex and the City" until I realized I just couldn't take any more of the smut and lack of content that the show really is. You don't especially notice how bad it is until you sit through episode after episode.

However, it has been nice to be able to watch "Band of Brothers" for once. I've seen the first couple of episodes several times, but I guess I haven't really gotten that far in the series until now. Nate and I watched several installments last night, and the show really makes you think.

"Band of Brothers" makes you think about where this world is headed. Honestly, with everything that is happening abroad right now, it's very similar to the start of World War I and World War II. We a group of people in the Middle East that are convinced that everyone should be like them, and they're willing to die for the cause and to take others out with them. How long before we step in? How long do we tolerate this insolence and lack of respect for human life? How long until World War III?

And if we end up in World War III, what is this generation compared to that generation of brave men. If we have another world war, who will be able to fight for us? A few of the boys that were fighting in World War II weren't able to make it through --- they were soft mentally, emotionally and physically and couldn't take that awful world. The majority of these young men though were tough. The didn't want to be there fighting, but they endured the cold and the terrible sights, and they kept going.

We are raising generations of soft boys --- not allowing any fights, not letting anyone lose in sports competitions but praising participation, letting them sit inside and play video games. These boys often aren't ready for adulthood, let alone fighting in a soul-ravaging war.

I like "Band of Brothers," because it tells the story of an important moment in history and the important men that were there. I love hearing and cherishing the stories of people who have learned lessons in life. I have talked before about the importance of gathering stories and listening to our elders. So often, when people get to "old age" or enter care facilities, they are seen as unimportant. We don't visit them, we don't think they have anything left to offer, we don't see their needs. What they often need is to be validated, to be understood, to be listened to. The older generation has seen plenty in life, from hard times to good times. They have plenty to say, and plenty valuable at that.

I can't say I don't spend a lot of time watching shows that are completely useless, but "Band of Brothers" isn't that. It has a story, it has lessons, it has a purpose. It's worthwhile.

He made us perfectly

One of my sweet dance students told me she hated high school. The older students were mean and unwelcoming, and she didn't feel like she could be herself because people would look at her weird.

It about broke my heart.

But I remember those days. I remember so vividly how it feels to not be comfortable with who you are, to try to act differently and to be the person you're expected to be. Because at that point in your life, you don't know exactly who you are and who you will become. You're willing to try on different masks and costumes to see what feels right.

However, as I've gotten older, I realize that I knew who I was all along. I just wasn't sure it was who I was supposed to be.

Yesterday, we had a wonderful baby shower for my best friend at my house. And getting my best college friends back together, it all seemed right. We have two new mamas, one new mama-to-be, one foster mama and a dog-mama (me). As I sat listening to them talk about God and giving advice on the future, it just showed that we are all exactly where God wants us, and when we're true to ourselves we're doing just what we should be.

I wrote a little while ago about how I feel OK with my decision to not always be the talker. And as I went around and set up for the shower and packaged food for people to take home and cleaned up, I know that I'm the one who was gifted to be behind the scenes. I'm the one who doesn't need to talk but needs to serve. I'm the one who doesn't need to be noticed but needs to give.

In high school and college I tried to put myself out there more. I tried to be a social butterfly and to grab more attention and more friends. It didn't seem to fit, and it didn't really work. I found my best friend and my core ladies, and that's all I need. I don't need to have 500 friends, I just need close ones.

God has gifted us all with different abilities. They are innate. They aren't like anyone else's. We just need to be true to who we were created to be by God. He made us perfectly.