Happy New Life!

Dodger:  Hi there!  Did you have a Merry Christmas?  I'm always sad to see it go.  One thing I appreciate though is that while the day comes and goes, the Reason we celebrate it never does.

Lilly:  I had a blast.  It was fun to see my family celebrating and enjoying themselves, and of course the fact that it's all about Jesus just made it better.

Dodger:  The holidays all come so fast.  It's almost New Year's now.  Let me think...wow!  This is actually the last time I think we'll meet until 2015!

Lilly:  The year has certainly flown by.  So, what are you looking forward to in the New Year?

Dodger:  Well, I've been wanting to start on a new skill.  You know how the New Year gives you a new slate, so I want to learn to exercise less partiality, that is, learn to practice what I preach in front of and for everyone.

Lilly:  Are you thinking of something in particular?

Dodger:  Yeah.  It's in James 2, verses 1-4.  Here we go:

"My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.  For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?  (NKJV)

Lilly:  Is this a problem for you?

Dodger:  Not in that exact way.  Sometimes, though, I form a first impression of someone, and then let that impression define them for me.  That's not really right or kind.  In other words, yes, I'm partial.  It's easier for me to treat people who make me feel comfortable with kindness and respect.  Otherwise, I'm not so good at it.  Truth is though, those people all need Jesus.  How am I representing God well to them if I can't even treat them kindly?  So that's my New Year's resolution, I guess.  It's been making me feel guilty, and I want to use my new start.

Lilly:  Well, Dodger, I agree that partiality is a bad thing, as James says.  At the same time, I think that you need to keep something in mind.

Dodger:  What's that?

Lilly:  You don't need a New Year for a new start.

Dodger:  Hm?

Lilly:  Jesus died and rose for you so you could have a fresh start.  There's nothing wrong with wanting to do better at something you know you aren't doing well, but guilt --- is NOT from God.  He tells you when you're wrong to give you a chance to repent, not just to feel bad.

Dodger:  Well, I just thought that 2015 was a new chance for me.

Lilly:  Every day is a new chance, Dodger!  Psalm 30:3-5 puts it well:

"O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave;
    You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His,
     And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.

For His anger is but for a moment,
     His favor is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night,
     But joy comes in the morning." (NKJV)

Later on Psalm 118:24 says

"This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it." (NKJV)
Dodger:  I know that.

Lilly:  So then, you realize that every day is a clean slate, a new opportunity!  There's no need to wait for tomorrow or 2015.  God is working in and through you every day!  So if you want God to help you stop being partial, awesome, but that's not something you need to put on hold for a special holiday, and it's definitely not something to attempt on your own.

Dodger:  You're right!  I hadn't really thought of it that way, but we do get a new start everyday, don't we?

Lilly:  Yes.  Now I'd like to ask our friend a question.  Have you let God give you a new start?  We just got through a holiday that commemorates Jesus, the Son of God, coming down as fully human yet fully God, as a baby, to save mankind from their sins and give them new life, a mission He completed with His death on the cross and resurrection three days later.  He wants us all to have clean slates so that we can be with Him forever, rather than separated from Him by our wrongdoing.  So now the opportunity is yours.  All you have to do is ask.  You could pray something like this:

Dear God, I've done wrong before You.  I've sinned, and I don't deserve You.  I believe, though, that You sent Your Son Jesus to die on the cross so I could be saved, and that You raised Him from the dead after just three days.  I ask You, God, to give me a fresh start and a new life in You.  I confess my faith in you as my Lord and Savior, and ask You to enter my heart and take charge of my life.  Thank You, God, for the redemption I have in You.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Dodger:  If you just prayed that for the first time, we're super excited for you!  We hope that you will talk to someone you trust about your decision to accept Jesus.  We also know of a site you can visit to read God's Word, the Bible, although I'm a little partial to the old ink and paper Bibles.  Here's the page.  Congratulations!

Lilly:  Thank God, literally, for fresh starts.  It's more than a New Year.  It's new life!

Dodger:  I couldn't say it better, Lilly.  Well, we've gotta roll.  It's great to have you around!  See you in 2015!  Remember, Jesus loves you, and that's not ever going to change!

Lilly:  Happy New Year!








(NKJV Means New King James Version)

Conclusion: Operation Christmas Hope.

Dodger:  Hi again!  How've you been? Christmas is coming up, and I seriously can't wait.

Lilly:  Me neither.  You know, I feel really good this Christmas season.

Dodger:  Why's that?

Lilly:  I'm not sure.  Could be the season, the anticipation of the holiday.

Fireball:  Or it could be that our project raised over 200,000 dollars and counting for Freeway Village!

Dodger:  I know that I feel great because of that.  I was astonished at the reaction.  Clawly Jr. says that almost as soon as we started singing people began hopping onto our page to donate.

Waterball:  Christmas always seems to make people so generous.

Lilly:  Well, it is a celebration of the Ultimate Gift.

Waterball:  True.  I found it heartwarming, though, how quickly people responded.  Like, we already have enough to fix five of the homes, and people haven't stopped giving.  I'm just glad the mall staff worked with us, and that people were so generous, and well...everything was awesome!

Dodger:  I couldn't agree more.  You know, I wish someone had filmed our song.

Clawly Jr.:  Hey guys.  Uh, Dodger, about filming- I meant to, but forgot to get a new SD card.  Otherwise we'd have a clip.  Sorry about that.

Dodger:  Oh, it's definitely not a big deal.  Maybe someone else taped it.  At any rate, I'm just happy it happened.

Lilly:  So...now what?

Dodger:  What do you mean?

Lilly:  What do we do now?

Fireball:  How about ice cream?  My treat!

Waterball:  Fireball!  We couldn't accept that.  Ice cream is expensive, and you know how Pac-Mans eat!

Fireball:  It's irrelevant.  C'mon, we gotta celebrate some way.

Clawly Jr.:  I know of a place we can go that's relatively inexpensive.

Lilly:  Sounds great!  Let's go.  Thanks, Fireball.

Dodger:  You know, I think it was really cool how God used a flash mob to help people with their homes.

Waterball:  I hope you aren't surprised or anything.  It's not the first time God's done something like that.  What about the one with the angels from 2000 years ago?

Lilly:  Wait, what?

Waterball:  You know, the one done in front of the shepherds!

Fireball:  I don't think I'm quite following you.

Waterball:  I'll find it.  Let's see here...Luke 2, verses 8-14.

"Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

     “Glory to God in the highest,
           And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (NKJV)
Dodger:  I get it.  An unexpected gathering in a public place to declare a message!  Clever.

Lilly:  That's actually really neat.  I can see a difference, though.  Our flash mob was to ask people to give.  God's was to announce something He had given.  After all, when Jesus came down on that first Christmas day, it was more than a small step.  God in man, here to save us from our sins.  When you think about it, there couldn't be a better reason to start a flash mob.

Fireball:  Yeah.  Did you notice that although the message was short, it still rings today?  Glory to God, and both peace and goodwill towards men.  I think that the way God addressed each person that night was truly beautiful.  It was like he wrapped everyone at once in a hug and said "I've got you, I'm working things out for you, and I love you".  Amazing.

Clawly Jr.:  Not only that, but just as our flash mob got people to donate, God's flash mob inspired the shepherds to spread the word!  If I continue from where Waterball left off-

"So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”  And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.  Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.  And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.  But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.  Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them." (Luke 2:15-20, NKJV)
The shepherds took what they had been given for Christmas and spread it far and wide.  Do you think there's a lesson in that?

Waterball:  ABSO-lutely!  Christmas has always been about giving, starting with Jesus.  When we give on Christmas it's to celebrate what He's done, and because we can rejoice in His coming for us, we can also proclaim that message everywhere we go.  Christmas doesn't belong in a bottle.  It needs to be spread, and when we do, it can fill not only our listeners' hearts, but our own as well.

Dodger:  This year, let's make it clear to everyone why Christmas is something to celebrate.

Lilly:  Agreed.

Waterball:  Hear, hear!

Fireball:  Indeed.

Clawly Jr.:  Yeah.

Dodger:  Well, Christmas is soon, the new year is around the corner, and God is good.  Let's not forget that, ever.  Thanks for coming and visiting.  Remember, Jesus loves you, something He demonstrated that night in the stable, and that's NEVER going to change.

Waterball:  Срећан Божић!

Fireball:  Joyeux Noël!

Clawly Jr.: Καλά Χριστούγεννα!

Lilly:  Merry Christmas!






(NKJV Means New King James Version)


(Elements of this story are inspired by Big Idea's "Merry Larry and the True Light of Christmas", an awesome VeggieTales movie that the author highly recommends.)

Operation Christmas Hope.

Dodger:  Hey there!  How have you been?  I'm sorry it's been so long.  I...haven't really been able to get away for quite a while, and Lilly, well, she's been all over the place.  She said she'd be here in a moment.  Actually, we've been working on a super secret project.  We just haven't finished it yet.

Lilly:  Hey, Dodger.  I brought the lights.  Is everything ready?

Dodger:  Not quite.  We're still missing some people.

Lilly:  Oh.  Well, I see our friend is joining us!

Dodger:  Yeah.  It's been way too long since we had you over, so I am really happy you came by today.  Thanks.

Lilly:  Um, so...what have you explained so far?

Dodger:  Oh, not very much, actually.  I only got to talk a little bit before you got here.

Lilly:  Well, tell them what we're doing, then.

Dodger:  Alright.  Here's the deal.  There's a neighborhood nearby that had a fire about a month ago.  It took out a few houses.  The people who lived there have been helped by others, but the houses haven't been fixed, and probably won't be...unless someone does something.  That's what Lilly and I have been working on for so long.

Lilly:  Well, that didn't quite fill in all the details.  Dodger and I can't rebuild a house, but we can put on a fundraiser...a surprise fundraiser.  I think Fireball's got the lights hooked up, Dodger.

Dodger:  Great!  Oh, "What kind of fundraiser?", did you ask?  The kind that raises funds.

Lilly:  Dodger!  They mean what will we be doing?

Dodger:  Gotcha.  A flash mob.  We got our school together and we'll be performing a Christmas carol at the mall.  Fireball, who I don't think we've introduced before, is hanging secret lights in the mall, with staff approval, of course.  It'll be simple.  We'll have a few people singing, others dancing, light bouncing, and a banner that says "Help Give Freeway Village a Merry Christmas!" with a website people can visit to learn more and see how to help.

Lilly:  That's our Christmas project.  It's not finished yet, and we won't be able to perform it right away, but we're doing some more setup today.

Fireball:  Okay, the West Wing has the lights, but I need to- hey, who's this?

Dodger:  That friend we're always telling you about.  We were just telling them about our project.

Fireball:  Oh.  Cool.  Well, I guess you already know what's up then.  Say, maybe you can give me a hand over in the East Wing.  We've got to hang up more lights, and it took forever to do that last set with Waterball.  Huh?  Never met her?  Well, she's a good friend of ours, though kind of my opposite in a lot of ways.  She's also afraid of ladders, though she tries to act like she's not.  You'll like her.  C'mon!

Dodger:  Well, if you guys want to head over there, that's fine.  Clawly Jr.'s working on the sound, so we'll go see how it's coming along.

Lilly:  Actually, I've got to make sure the website's ready for launch.  I'm glad someone at the school gave us their spare domain, but the design needs to be perfect so as to really get people's attention.

Fireball:  Alright.  Well, let's go!  What do you think?  Nice mall, eh?  One of the biggest in the state.  People come hear from all over just to shop.  We're hoping that such a big audience will be able to really make a difference back in my neighborhood.  Oh no, I didn't lose my house, but...well, a friend of mine did.  I'm hoping to help him out this way.  You know, Christmas inspires some crazy plans.  When Lilly suggested this at student meetings- what?  Lilly didn't tell you this was her idea?  Well that's just like her.  This whole plan was hers!  Some fine tuning was suggested, but it was her thought to go out and do all this stuff.  Just look at how far it's come.  Pretty cool, when you think about it.

Waterball:  Are you ready with the next set of lights?

Fireball:  Yep.  Let's light it up!

Waterball:  Say, who's this?

Fireball:  It's that friend Dodger and Lilly keep talking about!

Waterball:  Great!  I've wanted to meet you for such a long time!  I can't believe what we're doing here.  It feels so Christmas-y!  Are you helping with the lights?  Wow, thanks!  Hmmm...let's start over here!

Fireball:  How about over here?  There's no electrical plug where you're pointing, and we're a little low on extension cords.

Waterball:  Sounds good.  You know, there's something about Christmas that makes me want to shout!

Fireball:  Well, this might not be the best place for it.

Waterball:  Perhaps.  I just love Christmas!  There's the decorations, the singing, the parties, time with friends, eggnog, candy canes, cookies, books, yule logs, Santa hats, and Jesus!  DOES IT GET ANY BETTER?!

Random Bystander:  Hey kid, you okay?

Waterball:  Oh, um, yeah.  Sorry about that.

Random Bystander:  No worries.  Just try not to shout.

Fireball:  Told you this wasn't the best place for it.  Would you mind handing these to our friend on the ladder?

Waterball:  No problem.

Fireball:  Thanks.

Waterball:  So, what do you think it is about Christmas that inspires all these crazy ideas?

Fireball:  Well, I dunno.  I've called the plan crazy, but I don't think that's quite the right word for it.

Waterball:  What is?

Fireball:  I'm not sure.  I can't help thinking, though, that in a way we're re-enacting a piece of Christmas here at the mall.

Waterball:  How do you mean?

Dodger:  Hey guys!  Thought I'd join you if you need a hand.

Fireball:  Awesome.  Here, take this wreath over to that doorway.  It lights up when a certain drumbeat plays.

Dodger:  Neat.  What were you guys talking about?

Waterball:  Re-enacting Christmas.

Dodger:  Like a Living Nativity?

Fireball:  No, I mean what we're doing here.

Dodger:  What do you mean?

Fireball:  Well, I was thinking about Christmas and what it means.  When Jesus came down as a baby boy, He was demonstrating love to people too down and out to save themselves.  A disaster called sin affected everyone, and there was no way to get out of it, until He came to us.  God covered the distance between us and Himself because, well, He loves us.  Now, we celebrate with gifts and decorations, but think of how it was celebrated then!  No big party on Earth was thrown.  In fact, another king tried to kill Him not long after He got here.  It was anything but a spectacular birthday bash.  Yet in apparent weakness, He gave us strength, yeah, and hope.  And in doing so, He gave us the ability to reach out to others with His love.

Dodger:  Good thought.  You know, displaying God's love always becomes easier for me around Christmastime, but, I wonder what it would be like if we celebrated Christ's birth all the time.  I don't mean with presents and parties, though those are nice.  What I mean is, what if we all stepped out of our own little area and sought to help those who couldn't help themselves, all the time?  That's what Jesus does everyday.

Lilly:  Guys, it's ready.  The site is launched.  The sound system's ready.

Fireball:  The lights are up.  The sequences are loaded.

Waterball:  Now the only thing left, is time.  Wait time.

Dodger:  Well, I guess we'll have to wait then.  We should probably all head home.  You know, I really think that you're right, Fireball.  Love, and hope, really help make Christmas what it is.  Maybe that's why people do things during Christmastime that they normally wouldn't.  Well, we'll see you soon!  Remember, Jesus love you, and that's not about to change!

Fireball:  Season's Greetings!

Waterball:  Feliz Navidad!

Lilly:  Merry Christmas...soon!


To be continued...




(Elements of this story are inspired by Big Idea's "Merry Larry and the True Light of Christmas", an awesome VeggieTales movie that the author highly recommends.)

Lift-Up the Let-Downs.

Dodger:  Hello again!  It's good to see you back.  We didn't get to meet up last week, so I'm glad we're here tonight.

Lilly:  Me too.  I need to chill out with friends before I go back to Mrs. Snidely.

Dodger:  Mrs. Snidely?  Who's she?

Lilly:  She's my math teacher at school.  I really don't care for her.

Dodger:  Why not?

Lilly:  She's not very nice.

Dodger:  Um...not to gossip, but could you clarify?

Lilly:  She doesn't explain things well, and if you ask questions she looks at like you like you're a lost cause and then proceeds to explain it over again in a way even more confusing than the first time.  On top of that, I'm pretty sure she doesn't like me bringing my Bible to school.  She kind of stared at it when she first saw it in my book bag and her eyes followed it all the way to my desk while she curled her bottom lip.  That's kind of creepy, at the least, and hostile, at the most.

Dodger:  Well, have you tried doing anything about it?

Lilly:  Sure.  I've talked to the principal, to my friends, my parents, even to the gym teacher!  They almost all say grin and bear it.  My parents say I shouldn't worry about her, but she still bothers me.

Dodger:  Hm.  Well, have you tried praying for her?

Lilly:  I haven't, because I think she'd just make things harder for me if she knew I was doing it.

Dodger:  I see.  Well, there's a verse in the Bible that actually says you should start praying for her.

Lilly:  Really?  Let me see.

Dodger:  Here you go.  This is Paul writing to Timothy.

Lilly: "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:1-4 NKJV)
Dodger:  Pray for those in charge.  I think that includes Mrs. Snidely, Lilly.

Lilly:  I suppose so.  Still, what good would it really do me?  Unless she changes all in a day, I still have to go to class and handle all the stuff she does.

Dodger:  Well, I think Paul, who wrote this, put it pretty well.  By praying for everyone in authority, whether they're government officials, teachers, or even our parents, we can lead a peaceable and godly life.  People who see us living what we believe are more likely to believe it themselves.  That's why you should pray for Mrs. Snidely, Lilly.  Who knows?  Maybe God is asking you to represent Him to her!  She may not change all in one day, but it can't hurt to pray for her, even if it's not in front of her.  In fact, you could just start praying for her, continue to work hard in her class and show her respect, and see what God does.  Whether you ever see her change or not, at least you'll have done your very best to show her what Jesus would do.

Lilly:  That's good advice.

Dodger:  It's not my idea.  I think sometimes the difficult people in our lives are viewed only as an obstacle, when they might in fact be a blessing.

Lilly:  Blessing?

Dodger:  You're being given the opportunity to be more like Jesus, even when it's hard.  That's actually a really neat chance, hard as it is.

Lilly:  I hadn't thought of it that way before...  Good thinking!

Dodger:  Thanks.  Well, it looks like we'd better get going.  Thanks for joining us today!  Remember, Jesus loves you, and that's not about to change!

Lilly:  May you never run out of clam chowder!

Dodger:  Say what?

Lilly:  Nothing...




We would like to clarify that no one by the name of Mrs. Snidely exists to the best of our knowledge.  Except for people of the Bible and God, everyone in this post is fictitious and any resemblance to anyone anywhere in any way is completely accidental and coincidental.  With that out of the way, NKJV Means New King James Version.

Blessing Repeating?

Dodger:  Hello again.  Good to see you!  Was the week good for you?

Lilly:  I had a nice week.  My family went and bought our pumpkins for carving this year.

Dodger:  Really?  What's yours going to be?

Lilly:  I'm thinking of doing either a puppy, a landscape, or just the letter "L".

Dodger:  I see.  Well, I haven't got around to buying a pumpkin yet.  My family is going this week.  I haven't picked designs either, so we'll see what happens.

Lilly:  Did we get any mail?

Dodger:  Yep, an email.

Lilly:  Can I see it?

Dodger:  Here you are:

Dodger:  Interesting email.  I don't think I've met someone before who was tired of hearing about God's blessing.

Lilly;  Well, I suppose it does gets talked about a lot.

Dodger:  That's true.  Maybe Skep is just tired of people talking about it all the time, especially since we don't always see it in action, at least, not the way we expect to.

Lilly:  Well, it might be helpful to look at Isaiah, chapter 7.

Dodger:  Which story is that?

Lilly:  I'll pull it up.  In it Isaiah is talking to King Ahaz of Judah.  Ahaz is in trouble because two other kingdoms are conspiring against the kingdom and trying to overthrow him.  So far they haven't succeeded, but he's still nervous.  Then he receives a visit from Isaiah, a prophet.  Here's where we pick up:

 "Then the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out now to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-Jashub your son, at the end of the aqueduct from the upper pool, on the highway to the Fuller’s Field, and say to him: ‘Take heed, and be quiet; do not fear or be fainthearted for these two stubs of smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria, and the son of Remaliah.  Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah have plotted evil against you, saying, “Let us go up against Judah and trouble it, and let us make a gap in its wall for ourselves, and set a king over them, the son of Tabel”— thus says the Lord God:

“It shall not stand,
Nor shall it come to pass.
 For the head of Syria is Damascus,
And the head of Damascus is Rezin.
Within sixty-five years Ephraim will be broken,
So that it will not be a people.
 The head of Ephraim is Samaria,
And the head of Samaria is Remaliah’s son.
If you will not believe,
Surely you shall not be established.”’”  (Isaiah 7:3-9 NKJV)

Dodger:  I'm not sure I understood what all of that meant.

Lilly:  That's okay.  In short, God was telling Ahaz not to worry about the two other kingdoms taking over, because God wasn't going to let it happen, and to stand in believing what God said.

Dodger:  That must have made Ahaz feel better.

Lilly:  Hm, I'm not so sure.

Dodger:  What do you mean?

Lilly:  Well, why don't you pick up from where I left off?

Dodger:  Okay.  See, now...

"Moreover the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, “Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.”

 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!”

 Then he said, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also?  Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.  Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good.  For before the Child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that you dread will be forsaken by both her kings.  The Lord will bring the king of Assyria upon you and your people and your father’s house—days that have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah.”  (Isaiah 7:10-17 NKJV)

Wait.  That doesn't look much like God's blessing at all!

Lilly:  Ah, but you see, there is a blessing in there.  First off, God is clear that the two kingdoms will not prevail against Ahaz.  He even provides a sign, a child who will be named Immanuel.  Can you think of someone in the Bible called Immanuel?

Dodger:  Um... Oh yeah!  That's Je---sus.

Lilly:  Right.  Even though Jesus Himself wasn't actually born right after this, it was still a sign from God that talked about Him.  Now I don't know why God chose this particular promise, since it seems to take a long time after Ahaz's death to come true.  However, that's because I don't understand how God does everything, which is okay.  There's also some judgment in that verse, however.  Ahaz wasn't willing to believe God, and he did have to face some trouble for that.  He wasn't even a good king, according to other stories.  Nonetheless, you can see God's blessing in the midst of trouble in this story.

Dodger:  So, what do we learn from Ahaz?

Lilly:  I think a more specific question is "what can we avoid from Ahaz?"  Essentially, we need to remember that no matter how hard things look we cannot allow them to define our thinking.  God was handing Ahaz a sign to prove what He had said, and Ahaz wouldn't take it.  Even if he said he trusted God, he wasn't really.  He'd heard God's blessings, but didn't want to lay hold of them because all he saw was what was right in front of him.  We make that mistake too, sometimes.  We let discouragement or circumstance or soggy cereal distract us from seeing that God is always looking out for us, and blessing us.

Dodger:  So maybe instead it would be wise to live every day expecting something wonderful from God?

Lilly:  Bingo!  That's exactly what we need to do.  Thank God every day for His blessing- what He's done and what He's going to do.  He's planned things for you can't even imagine.  Don't give up on them, but live like they're on the way!  This doesn't mean it's always easy, but you never know what amazing things He's put right around the bend!

Dodger:  So, Skep, thanks for your letter.  We hope that now you see why it's actually great to talk about God's blessing all the time.  He blesses us so much that we don't even always realize it.  He's good like that.

Lilly:  Yes He is.

Dodger:  Well, we'd better get going.  Thanks for hanging out with us again!  Remember, Jesus loves you, and that's not about to change!

Lilly:  Can't wait to do this again!








(The letter in question was written by the author.  Furthermore, NKJV Means New King James Version.  Thanks!)

Time Right Limelight.

Dodger:  Hi there!  Sorry we've been so long.  I can't believe how time has flown, and boy, has it been busy.  I can't believe the last time I had this much schoolwork!

Lilly:  It has been a while.  It's kept me from getting here on time, even.  I'm swamped!

Dodger:  You know, all of our busyness reminds me of something.

Lilly:  What's that?

Dodger:  Well, it's good to be industrious, but sometimes we need to take the time to slow down and take care of what's really important.

Lilly:  Like what?

Dodger:  Well, this time here, for example.  We haven't seen our friend in two weeks because we've been moving so fast and doing so much!  I don't know about you, but I think that saying we were too busy might be kind of weak, at least sometimes.  It can be true sometimes, for sure, but I wouldn't want to use that excuse all the time, and lately I think I have been.

Lilly:  That's true.  We kind of already used it tonight.  I'm actually a little embarrassed now.

Dodger:  Oh no.  That's not why I brought it up.  I mentioned it because so often we let the hectic pace of our lives keep us from engaging in relationships with those we love.

Lilly:  You mean homework ruins friendships?

Dodger:  No, not at all.  What I mean is that sometimes we get so wrapped up in what we "need" to do that we forget to take time to be with family, friends, and especially with God.  Have you ever heard someone tell you they didn't have time to pray or read their Bible?  Or have you ever been rushing to an event or something and had no real time to be with your family?

Lilly:  I think I've said and done both.

Dodger:  Me too.  The truth though is that the first one is silly and the second needs to be done in moderation.  You see, just because we have things to do doesn't mean we can't spend five minutes talking to God or reading something in His Word.  God doesn't require long speeches; He just wants to be with us and have us involve Him in our lives everyday.  Besides, we have more time than we think.  I don't bring this up to create a sense of guilt, though.  God and our families aren't just all angry because we may forget to do these things, and not doing them doesn't make us horrible people, but at the same time it's kind of hypocritical, for example, to say I don't have any time to read my Bible or hang out here, and then go spend the spare half-hour I do have on Pinterest or something.

Lilly:  I see what you mean.

Dodger:  It's true.  I think it would be wise for us to slow down once in a while and spend time with family, friends, and God.  That way we learn how to grow closer and even help each other in our busyness!

Lilly:  There's actually a pretty good story about how busyness can keep us from remembering what's most important.  Jesus was visiting a house and teaching.  One sister who lived there named Mary listened to Jesus while the other sister Martha was trying to get things ready.  I'll read you the story:

"Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42 NKJV)
Dodger:  Often it's best to slow down, relax, and just listen to God.  Other times it's good to just slow down and be with family.  God always has time for us, so let's try to give our time to Him, and to those we love.  Let's not let all the things that need to be done keep us from living in closeness with others and God.

Lilly:  I agree.  Well, I think I'd better go.  My mom said she was trying a new Bible study book tonight, and I'd like to join her in it!

Dodger:  That sounds like a good plan.  I think I'll go talk to God for a while about how things have been.  Thank you for coming and hanging out with us today!  Remember, Jesus loves you, and that's not about to change!

Lilly:  Take it easy!







(NKJV Means New King James Version)

Don't Stress, You're Blessed.

Dodger:  Hi!  How's school been?  I think everyone we know has started by now.  Are you enjoying it?  I'm glad you're hanging out with us today.  It's neat when you come.  Right, Lilly?

Lilly: Huh?  Oh, yeah, sure.

Dodger:  Lilly! 

Lilly:  What?

Dodger:  You just made it sound like you don't care that our friend is here!

Lilly:  I did?  Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry!  I was just thinking about some stuff and Dodger was talking and I wasn't really listening and then you came by and I was still worried and--

Dodger:  Whoa!  Hold on!  What's going on, Lilly?  You're racing around your thoughts randomly and not making any sense.

Lilly:  I'm sorry.  I wasn't trying to be illogical.  It was just me trying to get my thoughts out and I wasn't sure how to say it and I suppose now I've made a horrible mess and--

Dodger:  Stop!  Lilly!  Breathe!  You're stressing out for no reason!

Lilly:  I...am?

Dodger:  Yes.  What's eating at you?  You're not usually this tense.

Lilly:  To be honest, I've been stressing out about a bunch of different things.

Dodger:  Really?  I couldn't tell until just now, actually.

Lilly:  Well, I only really stress when I have time to just sit and think.

Dodger:  Well, what's the matter?

Lilly:  To be honest- I'm not sure.  It's kind of a weird feeling that I'm not getting enough stuff done, combined with a more pressing feeling that I'm not representing God well, combined with an even more pressing feeling that I'm somehow failing Him and there's nothing I can do to fix it and even though I'm praying, I still feel stressed.  It's kind of exhausting.

Dodger:  Well, the first thing to do is realize that God has got you in His hands and He's not disappointed in you.  The second thing is to pray even if you have done that so far.  So let's do it together.  You first.

Lilly:  Um, okay.  ... ... ... I... that is... OH, I CAN'T DO IT!

Dodger:  Yes you can.  Just tell God what is on your mind.

Lilly:  Okay.  God, I'm panicking right now without knowing why.  I need Your help and peace right now, because I feel sad and stressed.  I know You love me, but I feel like I'm not very close to You.  Moreover, my emotions change so much.  Sometimes I feel really close and other times I feel a million miles away.  I need to know, God, that I'm doing better than I think, and I'd really like to feel like You're proud of me.  Please help Me, God.  I want to stop stressing.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

Dodger:  Yes, God.  Lilly is precious to You and You love her very much.  She's not perfect.  No one is, but You're working in her in ways she can't see yet.  Right now she may not be feeling great, but that doesn't mean You've given up on her.  You are amazing, and loving, and You will never fail.  Just because she feels bad doesn't mean she is.  She's Yours, God.  Please remind her of that.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Lilly:  Thanks.  I do feel a little better now

Dodger:  You're welcome.  You know, you're not the only person I've seen this happen to.

Lilly:  I'm not?

Dodger:  No way.  It happens to all of us.  Sometimes it makes us pretty panicky.  It's the result of trying to do everything perfectly, even when we do it for God.  I have two names for it.  One is "Spiritual Anxiety Attack" and the other is "Putting Your Focus on You".

Lilly:  The first one makes sense, but I don't get the second one.  What's wrong with focusing on trying to get better?

Dodger:  I didn't say there was anything wrong with getting better.  It's the "trying" part and the missed focus that bother me.

Lilly:  What?

Dodger:  Trying to get better is not how we're supposed to serve God.  He is working in us to make us better.  Sometimes, though, we forget that, and try to get better and do everything right on our own.  I've tried it, but Lilly, serving God is more than a "do-this" and "do-that" procedure.  God's alive in us, a Father Who sees us as way more than just tools!  Sometimes, though, in our effort to be more like Him, we make so much noise that it's hard to hear Him.  Even if we try to listen hard, sometimes we don't know if we're doing a good job.  In other words, we get so obsessed with getting better that we forget about all that God has done in our lives and all that He's doing.  Lilly, I'm just going to look at three verses from Scripture today.  They should help out.

Lilly:  Sounds great.

Dodger:  Psalm 46 begins and almost ends on these two awesome notes:

"God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;...

 Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!"  (Psalm 46:1-2, 10, NKJV)

The other one is Hebrews 12:2.  I know we mention that all the time around here, but it's still true.  Here it is:

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."  (NIV1984)

Lilly:  Why those verses in particular?

Dodger:  Because, Lilly, they remind us that God is someone we can turn to in the midst of trouble, and that Jesus is in charge of our faith, not us.  They also remind us to be still and remember Who God is.  Jesus died and rose to make us free.  We are supposed to be in relationship with God, and that does not mean trying to make ourselves better.  It means letting God train us to be better.  By putting our improvement in His hands, we know that He will get us where He wants us.  We don't have to do that alone.

Lilly:  So I don't need to worry about trying to be better?  That's somewhat difficult to believe.

Dodger:  It does seem a bit strange at first, but I don't want to sound like I'm saying we shouldn't want to get better.  What I'm saying is that God will make us better.  We can't make ourselves better, and that's okay.

Lilly:  So...God works in us and through us, but that doesn't mean that we measure our progress by how we're doing or feeling?

Dodger:  Right.  God sees the big picture of your life.  Let Him handle it.

Lilly:  Okay.  Thanks, Dodger.

Dodger:  We all need encouragement sometimes.  That's part of life, and it's not bad.  That makes sense considering we can see so much of it in the Bible.

Lilly:  I'm just glad God is in charge.

Dodger:  Me too.  It looks like we have to get going again.  Remember, Jesus loves you, and that's not about to change!

Lilly:  Until next time!








(NKJV Means New King James Version)
(NIV1984 Refers to the 1984 copyright of the New International Version)

United Front.

Dodger:  I am so excited to see you again!  Has life treated you well?  Things are beginning to slow down now that I'm reengaged in school so I'm really happy you're hanging with us again this week!

Lilly:  Yeah, the transition from vacation to school always throws me off a bit, but now we're ready to go.  So...what do we have this week, Dodger?  Is there anything in the mail?

Dodger:  Well, it looks like an email has arrived.  I haven't read it yet, so we'll all get to see it for the first time.  Here it is:

Lilly:  Hmmm.  This one's a bit difficult.

Dodger:  It almost seems like Argu wants us to pick sides.

Lilly:  Yeah.  I don't think that that would be a good idea though.  First of all, we don't know what they disagree about, so it's hard to make any kind of informed decision.  Second of all, it looks like what's really at stake here is unity.  This argument is driving these people apart.

Dodger:  It's kind of a tough spot to be in, huh?

Lilly:  Yeah.  Fighting with friends is never pleasant.  However, the good news is that this is not a problem we need to solve.

Dodger:  Wait, what?  We're just going to leave this question unanswered?

Lilly:  No, but the Bible has far more intelligent things to say about this than we do.  According to the message both Argu and his friend are Christians.  So the question is, does the Bible say anything about how Christians can or should agree with each other?

Dodger:  Beg pardon?

Lilly:  In other words, is there a certain mindset that we ought to adopt with those who also follow Jesus?

Dodger:  Oh.  I'm...not quite sure, actually.

Lilly:  The answer, which is yes, can be found in Philippians, chapter 2.  I'll read right from the beginning:

"Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others."  (v. 1-4, boldface added)

Dodger:  That's a lot to try and understand.

Lilly:  It is, and there's actually more to it in the following verses, but this time we're just going to focus on a particular part.

Dodger:  The one that looks bold?

Lilly:  Yep.

Dodger:  Okay.  It says we should be like-minded, have the same love, and be of one accord and one mind.  Does that mean we all need to think exactly the same or something?

Lilly:  No.  That's not what Paul was writing.  You see, people argue and get divided over all sorts of things.  The Bible isn't saying we need to agree on all those things all the time.  However, we should never let our opinions keep us from doing our very best together to represent Christ to the world.  True, some things need boundaries and are worth drawing a line in the sand over.  If a Christian friend tells you to do something wrong and is a really bad influence, it might be a good idea not to hang out with them.  However, some people get really worked up over things that shouldn't be cause for dividing.  In other words, if you're arguing with a Christian friend over, say, whether the New King James Version or the English Standard Version of the Bible is best, well, that disagreement is certainly no reason for you not to be friends and work together.

Dodger:  I think I'm beginning to see what you mean.

Lilly:  As Christians it's part of our job to show the world who Jesus Christ is.  We can't do that though, if we spend all our time arguing with each other and fighting each other because we disagree on things.  It's better to try and work those things out with prayer and discussion instead of throwing our hands up in the air and giving up on people who don't think exactly the same way we do.  God doesn't expect us all to be exactly alike, in fact, He doesn't want that.  He does, however, want us to be united in following Him so that the world can see Him through us.  When Jesus prays for His people, in other words, us, in the Gospel of John, chapter 17, He asks that we would be united.  Speaking first about His immediate followers, He says:

"I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me." (John 17:20-21 NKJV)

Dodger:  So, Jesus wanted us to be unified so that the world would see that God is really working through us?

Lilly:  You've hit it on the head.  It can be really hard to get people to do things together, but when we do, we show the world that God is really doing something through us!  It's a great way to let the world know He's here!

Dodger:  That's pretty cool.  So, how do we go about it?

Lilly:  Well, I think the best thing to do is pray together and work together to do what the Bible says.  It can be really nice to see what God has to say to us, and if there's a disagreement, we can work it out with respect and kindness.  That's one way we can reflect God better.  So, Argu, the best thing to do is respect what your friend thinks and move on, with both of you seeking God instead of seeking to win all arguments.  It's more rewarding and more glorifying to God that way.

Dodger:  The Bible really impresses me.  It was written years ago, but has all sorts of things to say that work really well today!

Lilly:  Yep.  It's awesome.

Dodger:  I guess we'd better get going.  It is a school night, after all.  Thank you so much for hanging out with us today!  Remember, Jesus loves you, and that's not about to change!

Lilly:  01100111 01101111 01101111 01100100 00100000 01100010 01111001 01100101 !

Dodger:  What?

Lilly:  It's binary code for goodbye.

Dodger:  Oh.  Okay.

Lilly:  Bye!





(NKJV Means New King James Version)

Cheerfully and Wonderfully Played.

Lilly:  Greetings!  How hath the events in your life transpired?  Are thine duckies all lined up in a straighteth fashion?  Hast thy ride been smooth these yon few days?

Dodger:  You'll have to excuse her, she's preparing to audition for a school play, and this year we're doing As You Like It, by William Shakespeare.

Lilly:  Indeed, but fear not!  For I shall not seek to retain mine style of speaking for much longer hence.

Dodger:  Does that mean you're going to stop talking like that?

Lilly:  Aye, verily.

Dodger:  Does that mean "yes"?

Lilly:  Aye, verily.

Dodger:  Um...great.

Lilly:  Hath thine feelings been true to thine condition?  Is the window of your life filled with sunshine?

Dodger:  What?

Lilly:  How have you been?  Good?

Dodger:  Oh.  Um, okay, I guess.

Lilly:  What do you mean?  Have things been going wrong?

Dodger:  Actually, I'm bummed out about just stuff in general.  Normally I'm excited about going back to school, but this year, not so much.  I expected a package in the mail yesterday, but it didn't come.  My cat, normally so affectionate, has been shunning me.  I tripped on a sidewalk crack yesterday and flung an ice cream cone I'd spent fifteen minutes preparing and used it to accidentally decorate the neighbor's front door.  In other words, everything's being well, not awesome.

Lilly:  Hmmm.  So you're just kind of feeling low?

Dodger:  Yeah.  I'm sure that it's for no real reason, but I'm still feeling weighed down.

Lilly:  I see.  Well, it doth appear that thine heart is in dire need of a dosage of Scripture!

Dodger:  You mean it'd be a good idea for me to look at the Bible?

Lilly:  Aye, verily.  I'm referring to a certain verse in the book of Nehemiah.  We've mentioned it before, but I want to talk a little about the story, which is in chapter 8.  The children of Israel are in Jerusalem, and are gathered together to listen to the reading of the law.  They and their ancestors wandered far from God's Word, and are gathered to try and get back on track.  A man named Ezra and some others read them the law, and we pick up the story in verse 8:

"So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading.  And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep.” For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law." (v. 8-9, NKJV)

Dodger:  Wait.  Why were they weeping?

Lilly:  Well, they hadn't been doing God's Word.

Dodger:  Are you saying I'm sad because I'm ignoring God's Word?

Lilly:  No indeed!  That's not my point at all!  My point is what happens in the next verse:

"Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10, NKJV)

My point, Dodger, is that to these people who had previously ruined everything, God was giving a call to be glad, even with feasting!  He was telling them to rejoice not in what they had done or even would do, but in the strength they derived from God's joy.  You know, joy isn't always about being happy.  The two are often confused, but they're not the same thing.  Happiness depends on circumstances, but joy is an attitude that chooses to be confident and content in God.  We all have doldrum days, even weeks or months, like yours, Dodger, but the fact is that our God is still there for us.  He loves us in every situation, whether we're glorifying Him or missing the mark entirely.  Either way, He still gives us the strength to keep our eyes on Him.  Sometimes that won't come with warm feelings, other times it will.  Whichever the case, we have much to be thankful for, even when we don't realize it.  God is good, whether we see it or not, and our lives are blessed by Him, whether we feel it or not.  That's part of why the Bible says:

 

 Dodger:  So, even at my low, God is still on high.

Lilly:  You got it.  He's looking out for you.  You may not always feel super-happy, but you can be sure that God is never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, going to let you down.  Life isn't always lived at the top of the hill, but God remains with us at the bottom of the hill, too.

Dodger:  I actually do feel kind of better.

Lilly:  Sometime the simplest reminder of a promise well kept lifteth up the heart and wipes away tears that hath been wept.

Dodger:  You mean that being reminded of God's Word can cheer us up?

Lilly:  Yeah, that.

Dodger:  Cool.  Well, you're right.  God is good.  As for me, I will rejoice in His love, making a decision to rejoice even when I don't feel super glad.  We need to head out, it looks like.  Thank you for coming and hanging out with us today!  We're always glad to see you.  Remember, Jesus loves you, and that's not about to change!

Lilly:  Aye, verily.

Obviously the author is goofing off with Shakespeare, he doesn't sound like that.

NKJV Refers to the New King James Version of the Bible

Credit for Psalm poster to Pinterest via http://www.mastomamablog.com/2012/09/friday-favorite-things-homeschool-decor.html, a site not owned or operated by I-BulldogStudios

Treasure Measure.

Dodger:  Yikes!  Looks like we're a day late.  I'd really hoped to be here yesterday, but at least we didn't miss Labor Day weekend!

Lilly:  Yeah.  I was cut off from much of the outside world for a day, so it was kind of hard to connect with my friends.

Dodger:  Whoa!  What happened to you?

Lilly:  My family's rental car broke down in the middle of a road in Nevada.  We were doing a weekend trip, but it went badly when the radiator went dry.

Dodger:  That's awful.  Well, I'm glad you made it back.  How did you get back?

Lilly:  Well, we had no phone coverage and appeared to be about 60 miles away from everything.  The situation looked pretty bleak.  Our first course of action, therefore, was prayer.  We asked God basically for a way out of the mess we were in.  A half-hour went by and during that time we dug out our emergency supplies, including flares and water and so on, when all of a sudden a vehicle came driving down our road.  Even more amazing was the fact that that vehicle was nothing less than a tow truck!

Dodger:  No way.  Seriously?

Lilly:  No joke.  He pulled over and asked if we needed help, then offered to tow us back to Gardnerville, a pretty small town, but nice to visit.

Dodger:  Didn't you have coverage in town?

Lilly:  Yes, but our phones had been left in the sun by accident when we were driving in the tow truck, so they were overheated, making them useless.

Dodger:  Oh.  Yeah, that would get you out of the loop.

Lilly:  I did find access to a computer and email you, but we had to stay in Gardnerville overnight and I didn't actually arrive here until about 12 pm today, so I'm glad to be back with you guys.

Dodger:  I'm just happy God got you out of there.

Lilly:  Me too.  So...what's up?

Dodger:  Well, I wanted to ask you what makes you proud.

Lilly:  Come again?

Dodger:  You know, what are you proud of?

Lilly:  Actually I don't often think about that, but I'm pretty proud of my family and friends.

Dodger:  Why?

Lilly:  Well, they're important to me, and I think they're pretty special.

Dodger:  Are you proud of them when they mess up?

Lilly:  Well, yes and no.  I'm not proud of their mistake...but that doesn't lower my opinion of them.  I'm still proud of them overall, just not proud of their action.

Dodger:  So, in reality, you say you're proud of them, but that actually means you think highly of them and value them, right?

Lilly:  That makes sense.  Boy, that leads to an interesting conclusion.  If everyone was only "proud" of others because of what they did, we would have a pretty hard time getting anyone to be proud of us for very long.

Dodger:  You've hit on it, then.

Lilly:  What have I hit on?

Dodger:  When we call ourselves proud of someone, oftentimes we're just saying we treasure them highly and think they're pretty special.  We're proud of others because we love them!

Lilly:  Okay.  So, what does that mean for us?

Dodger:  It means we have something special to consider when we realize that God is proud of us.

Lilly:  That sounds familiar.  Haven't we talked about that before?

Dodger:  We've touched on it, but I really wanted to discuss it today because it can be difficult to understand sometimes.

Lilly:  How so?

Dodger:  Well, in spite of what we said earlier, most people don't feel like anyone will be proud of them unless they do well.  We often apply that way of thinking to God.  If we don't do things as we think we should, or if we disobey Him, or even just do badly in our schoolwork, we may think He's not proud of us anymore or something like that.

Lilly:  You mean that we have to feel like we're doing well to think God is proud of  us?

Dodger:  Sometimes, yes.  Yet that's how we've got it all wrong.  The Bible doesn't say God is proud of us for our deeds.

Lilly:  Does it say He's proud of us for something else?

Dodger:  Well, I don't know if the Bible ever actually says God is "proud" per se, but I do know that He says a number of things to us that should convince us He thinks of us as amazing, valuable, and treasurable.  For example, we can look at Psalm 139.

"How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them! 

If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You." (v 17-18, NKJV)

Lilly:  How about this one from Jesus' words in the Gospel of John?

"In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God." (John 16:26-27, NKJV)

Dodger:  That's a good example too.  You see, God doesn't define us by our actions.  His perspective on us is simple.  We're His, and He loves us more than anything we do, think, say, or whatever.  So when I say God's proud of you, I don't mean what you do, although He may be proud of those things too.  I mean He's proud of who you are...His.

Lilly:  God's proud of us for being us?

Dodger:  Yes, because He made us to be us, and to be His.  We're made in His image, so even when we fail, He still sees us as His.  That doesn't change, ever.  He hates sin, but never hates the person sinning, and when we make lousy decisions, He doesn't give up on us.  He loves us and stands ready to forgive us.

Lilly:  Wow.  That's pretty awesome.

Dodger:  To put it lightly, yes.

Lilly:  I'm happy that God's proud of me.

Dodger:  Yeah, me too, especially since it means that He thinks highly of me even though He knows about all my mistakes.

Lilly:  God never ceases to amaze me.

Dodger:  He never will.  Well, looks like we have to get going.  Thank you so much for coming by even though we were late!  We really look forward to seeing you again.  Remember, Jesus loves you, in fact, treasures you, and that's not about to change!

Lilly: Mor hir!

Quick Pause.

Dodger:  Hi there!  I can't believe it's been so long since we last hung out.

Lilly:  Me neither.  Things have been kind of hectic.

Dodger:  In fact, I'm afraid we can't really stick around.  We're both on the go this week, but next week we should be able to really get together.  However, before Lilly and I take off, we want to remind you of something pretty important.

Lilly:  Just because you don't see what God is doing in and through you doesn't mean He's not doing anything.  He's a lot smarter than we are, and He loves us very much.  He's working behind the scenes right now to bring to reality the best plans for your life.  He's very proud of who you are, and who you're becoming.

Dodger:  Thanks for stopping by.  Remember, Jesus loves you, and that's not about to change!

Lilly:  See you next week!

Fun is not a Failure.

Dodger:  Hi there!  How has August been for you so far?  It's almost the end of summer vacation.  In a way, I'm kind of looking forward to school.  Nonetheless, I'm going to enjoy as much fun as I can in these last few weeks of summer!

Lilly:  It's been a good summer for me.  We've visited together more this Summer than I think we usually do, and I'm hoping to see more of you during the school year.  I really like being with you all.

Dodger:  So, what's new?

Lilly:  Well, I was thinking about fun.

Dodger:  Come again?

Lilly:  You know, enjoying yourself.

Dodger:  Oh, okay.  What about it?

Lilly:  Is it a good thing?

Dodger:  What do you mean?

Lilly:  Well, did God want us to just have fun?  I mean, there aren't a lot of occurrences in the Scripture that I can think of where God actually says "I want you to have fun".  So is it really always okay just to have fun?

Dodger:  Well, Lilly, to be honest, I don't quite get your question.

Lilly:  How so?

Dodger:  Well, let's try and think of it this way.  Did God make you?

Lilly:  Yes.

Dodger:  Did He make the world pretty amazing?

Lilly:  Oh, yes.

Dodger:  Did God invent imagination and pass it on to you, or did you make it up from scratch?

Lilly:  I'd have to say it was His idea.  After all, imagination would be required in order to make something as amazing as this planet.

Dodger:  You've hit on it, Lilly.

Lilly:  Hit on what?

Dodger:  The answer to your question.

Lilly:  Wait, what?

Dodger:  You said imagination would be required to make the world wonderful.  You also said God gave you imagination.  Imagination usually leads to having fun, does it not?

Lilly:  Well, yes.  Imagination can be used in a bad way too, though.

Dodger:  You're right, sadly.  Imagination is powerful for good or bad, depending on how it is used.  However, just because it can be messed up doesn't mean we should avoid it when it's being used for good.

Lilly:  So imagination, a major component of fun, is okay.

Dodger:  Right.  You see, Lilly, while it may be true that the gifts God give us can be used poorly, whether they are being eloquent, being likable, or something else, that is no reason to shun them.  Fun is a gift from God.  If He wanted us to be gloomy and serious all the time, He would have made us naturally that way.  Some people misunderstand this, however, and think that they can do whatever they want since it's "fun".  That's not true, but the other extreme of shutting out fun, happiness, and even joy, was never part of God's will for us.

Lilly:  Does the Bible ever address fun directly?

Dodger:  Well, as far as I know the Bible never specifically says "have fun", but it does have some verses that talk about rejoicing and even having parties.  Check them out:

"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!"  (the Apostle Paul, Philippians 4:4, NKJV)

"This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it."  (Psalm 118:24 NKJV)

"Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."  (Nehemiah 8:10 NKJV)

Lilly:  Wow.  In other words, God is encouraging us in the Bible to be happy and celebrate and basically have fun!

Dodger:  Exactly.  There's a time for work and a time for play.  Our lives should be balanced, so that we don't do one too much and neglect the other.  It's just as important that we enjoy the lives God has given us as it is that we seek to serve Him with them.  In fact, having fun can be a way of serving God, because you're doing something He had in mind for you!  Think about that next time you're enjoying yourself.  God set that fun up for you in advance because He loves you.

Lilly:  Thanks, Dodger.  That makes things a lot clearer...and cheerier.

Dodger:  Don't thank me.  I didn't invent fun, God did.

Lilly:  Okay.  Thank You, God, for inventing fun for us.  We pray that we glorify You through it.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Dodger:  Amen.  Well, looks like we've got to head out.  Thanks for visiting us again!  See you later!  Remember, Jesus loves you, and that's not about to change!

Lilly:  See you next time!

Pray Cliche? No Way!

Dodger:  Hello again!  It sure is great to see you today!  Has life treated you well recently?

Lilly:  I hope it has.  I can't believe July is almost over.  It went by so fast!

Dodger:  You said it.

Lilly:  So...what are we talking about today?

Dodger:  To be honest, I don't know.  We have no messages in the inbox, and I can't think of anything I myself want to ask.

Lilly:  Hmmm... me neither.  Well, since neither of us can think of anything pressing, let's dive right in!

Dodger:  Beg pardon?

Lilly:  Well, usually we talk about the Bible.  Let's do that!

Dodger:  Okay.  Don't we need a starting point, though?  Something to discuss in the Bible or that the Bible can help with?

Lilly:  Sure.  Let's discuss David.

Dodger:  Huh?

Lilly:  You know, King David.

Dodger:  Oh.  We talked about him last week, right?

Lilly:  We did.

Dodger:  He was a man of many talents, right?

Lilly:  Indeed.  Not only was he a king, he'd also been a shepherd, a prophet, a songwriter, warrior, giant-killer, and even harp player for the previous king, that is, Saul.

Dodger:  He was a pretty impressive guy.

Lilly:  Exactly.  You know what's most interesting about him, though?

Dodger:  What?

Lilly:  He was close to God.  He knew how to talk to God and usually how to listen.  However, he wasn't the inventor of the perfect prayer.

Dodger:  The "perfect prayer"?  What do you mean?

Lilly:  Oh you know, the prayer that talks to God without actually telling Him anything about what's on our mind or if anything's bothering us or anything else we'd like Him to know.  It's that prayer we give when we want to sound good to God.

Dodger:  Oh.  So, something like this?

Now I lay me down to sleep.

I'm happy that I don't eat sheep.

I hope I'm happy when I wake.

And thank you God, for sirloin steak!

Lilly:  Um...well, not quite.  You sort of got the idea, though.

Dodger:  Okay.

Lilly:  David liked to pray what was on his heart and mind.  Some of these prayers are preserved in Psalms for us.  He didn't try to hide behind what he thought God wanted to hear.  If his prayers rhymed, they might sound more like this.

Lord, I know that You are great.

Yet I have problems that I hate.

I need Your help to get on through.

Please help me. Oh, God, where are you?

Okay, so maybe not quite like that.  You see the difference, though.

Dodger:  Sort of.  Let's look at one of his Psalms.  I'd like to see what it says.

Lilly:  Okay.  Can you read Psalm 13?

Dodger:  Here goes:

"How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever?
How long will You hide Your face from me?
How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
Having sorrow in my heart daily?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

Consider and hear me, O Lord my God;
Enlighten my eyes,
Lest I sleep the sleep of death;
Lest my enemy say,
“I have prevailed against him”;
Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved.

But I have trusted in Your mercy;
My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord,
Because He has dealt bountifully with me. (Psalm 13, NKJV)

Lilly:  You don't hear many prayers like that.

Dodger:  I'll say!  It almost sounded like he was accusing God of ditching him!

Lilly:  No, not accusing.  Questioning.  You have to remember that David wrote these songs to speak to God and not to impress Him.  He's asking a question because he feels alone.  Even though it's not true, because God is always with us, we can sometimes feel like God is hiding from us.

Dodger:  Oh, I see now.  That makes more sense.  What's all that stuff about his enemies?

Lilly:  He didn't want them to win, so he asked God to help him overcome his difficulty and keep his enemies from harming him in his time of trouble.

Dodger:  Okay.  What about the last part?  He seems to change his mood at the end.  Did God save him before he finished writing the song?

Lilly:  Maybe, but I think it's more like this.  After he got through his frustration and requests, he took time to remember what God had done for him in the past and how good God is.  He let out his emotion which was caused by his current siuation, then praised God for helping with situations in the past.  You see, David knew that in the worst times, God is still good, and no matter how bad things got for him, he always relied on that fact.  He remembered to thank God for helping Him before and expectantly awaited his deliverance.  The Psalms are not David just whining.  They are him talking to God as everyone should- with sincerity and faith.

Dodger:  So what can we take from this?  Is David's prayer a formula for us?

Lilly:  By no means!  God doesn't want our prayers to be made from a formula.  Instead, we ought to pray based on what's really happening in our minds, in our lives, and in our hearts.  He listens and He cares, but He will never just barge in on us.  We have to invite Him to make a difference in our lives, and that means telling Him what we need, praising Him for His goodness, and relying on Him at all times.

Dodger:  In other words, David was open with God, and we should be, too.

Lilly:  Exactly!

Dodger:  Wow.  That means I can talk to Him about anything?

Lilly:  At all.

Dodger:  About my hobbies?

Lilly:  Sure!

Dodger:  My cats?

Lilly:  If you want to.

Dodger:  The fact that I can't stand mosquitoes?

Lilly:  Go for it.  If you'd share it with a friend, share it with God.  Check that.  If you wouldn't share it with a friend you should still share it with God.  Never think that God doesn't want to hear anything you have to say.  He spends loads of time thinking about You, and would love for you to invite Him into not just a corner, but the entire whole, of your life.

Dodger:  Maybe you've never invited God in at all.  If you'd like to, now's your chance.  If you want a relationship with God, eternal life with Him, and salvation from your sins, there's good news for you.  Each of us has messed up.  Not one of us can claim to have done the right thing every time.  Not me, not Lilly, not any regular person on earth. That may not sound good, but the good part is that God sent His Son, Jesus, Who was both man and God , to live a wrongdoing-free life and die on a wooden cross for our sins.  He raised Him on the third day, and now Jesus sits at His Father's right hand.  The choice is yours.  Will you take His offer?  He loves you enough to do all that and more for you.  If you'd like to accept Him as Lord and Savior, you could pray something like this:

            Dear God, I'm a sinner who has done wrong.  I don't deserve You or Your presence, and I've fallen short of Your glory.  However, I believe that You sent Your Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for my sins, and that You raised Him on the third day.  I confess my faith in You, God, as Lord and Savior.  I ask that You would come into my heart, Lord Jesus.  Thank You very much.  I love You, God.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Lilly:  If you prayed that and meant it in your heart, congratulations and happy birthday!  You're now a new person in Christ Jesus!  Tell an adult you trust about your decision, and keep talking to God.  He's always listening.  Also, you should get a Bible.  If you don't have one yet, here's a free one you can access on the internet!

Dodger:  Thank you so much for coming by and talking to us today.  I love it when you visit.

Lilly:  Me too.

Dodger:  Well, looks like we have to go again.  I hope you have a wonderful week!  Remember, Jesus loves you, and that's not about to change!

Lilly:  Galu!

(NKJV Means New King James Version)
Lilly's signoff is elvish for "goodbye!", but you Lord of the Rings fans probably knew that.