A Stone to Remember

It was one of “those” times.  A time we would rather forget; one that despite our recovery, we choose to ignore.  No one is immune to experiences such as these.   Painful occurrences can be of our own choosing, other times we are blindsided by the choices of others.  Nonetheless, they happen and we are left with the aftermath of pain and brokenness, doubt and fear, guilt and shame.

Then Jesus comes!  He bandages our wounds and tends to our scars, yet they remain.  We can forgive, but it is difficult to forget.  How long must we rest and heal?  Are we supposed to forget?

The answers to these questions are given on an individual basis.  Each one of us requires a different length of season for healing and rest after a traumatic experience.  We cannot ignore the need for rest because Jesus has commanded us to do just that,  “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28, NLT).  That seems easy enough, but what about the “forgetting” part?

In the fourth chapter of Joshua, after the Israelites crossed the Jordan, God  instructed Joshua to choose twelve men, one from each tribe, to remove twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan River.  They were to go before the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant and wait until the priests were in the middle of the river.  There they were to remove the stones from the exact spot where the priests stood.  This sounds like such an odd request, but the reason becomes clear in verses 5-7, “Each of you is to take up a stone . . . to serve as a sign among you.  In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord.  When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.  These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.” 

I feel as if I am in a river of turmoil sometimes.  Perhaps the Jordan is symbolic of life as it ebbs and flows.  Portions of the river are deeper than others.  What I forget is that the deep places of hurt and despair are covered by the Lord and He can stop the waters right where they are.  The river continues to flow, but for a brief moment when the water stops and He overshadows  my pain, as the ark hovered over those stones, I am instructed  to take something away to commemorate  that time, a stone to remember. 

Many times we assume that when healing comes our memories should be erased.  However, we cannot forfeit recall for resolution.  God wants us to commemorate seasons of difficulty and celebrate His sovereignty.  Our mind must dwell upon His attentiveness to our difficulties and how we are changed in the midst of them rather than upon the challenge itself.    These are the  stones we need to celebrate and remember.

 

The above stone  is  from the Maritime Museum in Astoria, OR.  It is a permanent marker to memorialize the tragic sinking of the U.S.Navy schooner Shark.     Etched on the surface are these words, “The Shark was lost, September 10, 1846.”  The entire crew survived although the schooner was a complete loss.  The event has long past, but the memory lives on and is a testimony to God’s saving grace and mercy.  That stone needs to be remembered. 

This picture is of a stone garden at the Japanese Garden in Portland.  It is truly a garden of just rocks, however, each pattern set in place has purpose and meaning.    These stones cause onlookers to recall certain memories depending on the particular pattern that they form.

We rest and remember because we are instructed to. Pull out a stone from the deep waters, etch something significant on it, and display it for all to see in the beautiful garden of your life

Dress What You Got and Make it Hot!!!

Well, my birthday is this week!  Now, this isn’t a shameful way to prompt well wishes, although I will gladly receive them, it’s just that I have been thinking.  Birthdays are just numbers, or really accomplishments.  This week, I have achieved the number 48 and it doesn’t scare me one bit!  Oh, I realize I have now progressed to my “late” forties, but who cares!  Well, actually, I do!

Like most women, I have yet to attain complete satisfaction with myself.  I suppose I am still waiting for all the planets to align!  Not going to happen!  So, here is what I have decided, I am not perfect, won’t ever be and don’t want to be, so for now, I am going to dress what I got and make it hot! 

Let me explain . . . if I analyze myself for too long, I begin to focus on only the negative  or undesirable things about myself.  For example, mercy is not my gift.  When they are sick, my girls ask, “So, how many days of sympathy do I get?”  Pretty pathetic!  I am not proud of that, nevertheless, it is reality.  I can learn to be better at that, and I think I have, but there is always progress that can be made.  For now, I am going to allow that lack of mercy to be dressed and viewed for what it is while I continue to work on it.  That, ladies, is hot because it is honest.

Another example; of the many physical flaws I can find with myself, the one that drives me the craziest is the flab!  That annoying giggle I feel when I walk or run on the treadmill.  Drives me crazy to see that muffin top spill over my beautiful skinny jeans! Doesn’t matter how much the jeans cost, the spread is still there!  Well, here’s the deal, it is there, so I am going to embrace it,  for now.  However, while I am working on it, I am going to dress it because I got it and make it look as good as I can! 

At this point, if you are still reading at all, you are wondering, “Where is the spiritual context for all of this vanity?!” Please do not remind me that charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting!  I get it!  Well, our theme for the Her Voice blog has been “Sabbath.”  According to Webster’s, that word literally means to rest from work.  It dawned on me a few weeks ago how much time I spend obsessing over things that are a complete waste of time.  No one else even notices the things I focus on, am I right here?!!! If I am truly going to observe and embrace “Sabbath” in my life, then I need to bring these areas into submission and allow the Father to cover them for me. 

Suddenly, my attitude has changed.  I am no longer focusing on these “trouble” spots in my life because my attention is drawn to the effort to change them rather than the results or lack of results.  This is where I find my “Sabbath!”  Rest comes easily when I embrace ALL God has given me because these things are mine. 

Change never comes as quickly as we want it. Rest is many times elusive.  The process is always where the Lord manages to take hold of us and make something truly beautiful.  Dress what you got ladies, because it’s ALL hot!

Tightrope

Is your life a tightrope?  Do you find you are having more and more difficulty balancing all of life’s responsibilities and expectations?  Does each step forward require a constant adjustment in your footing?  Perhaps the tightrope is just too high and not worth the risk.  Maybe you don’t feel physically fit to even attempt the first step.  In his article titled “Best Tightrope Walkers,” Davis Wilson writes, “No athlete demonstrates balance more expertly than a tight rope walker: a gravity-immune high-wire artist who can keep his footing while threatened with a significant, potentially very dangerous, drop” (www.theadrenalist.com).

At times, I view God’s plan for my life as if it were a tight rope laid out before me.  It is a thin cable stretched between two places: where I am and where I desire to be!  As I look forward across this tightrope, I am faced with several decisions.  First, do I even want to try!  Is it worth the risk to venture out on such a seemingly small, yet sturdy cord? Is the other side really worth it?  Second, as I make the choice to attempt the walk, what should I take with me?  I have seen others use a long pole to help them steady their balance.  Should I follow suit, or should I discover something else for myself?  Maybe I should gather more information about the process of tight rope walking; ask more questions of those who have gone before.  Then there is the weather to consider, hmm, perhaps waiting until the wind dies down would be the best course of action. 

I am currently reading a book suggested to me by Gail Johnsen, The Sacred Romance by John Eldredge.  I highly recommend it. In the chapter titled “Desert Communion” he writes, “Most of us think of spiritual progress as requiring us to do more, even as our heart cries out to us to lay our burdens down.  We renew our efforts at Bible study, Scripture memory, and Christian service, fearing that we will be discovered in our weakness and need” (p. 168-169).

As I contemplated this section of the book I pictured myself in the middle of a tight rope.  As crazy as it sounds, I didn’t have anything in my hands to balance myself, no Bible study manual or new devotional book.  My first instinct was to just jump off the rope, truly free, trusting  the Lord would catch me.  Surely, that was the purpose of this new revelation!  However, as I allowed the vision to unfold I realized that the point was not to jump, but to simply give up.  Suddenly, I was sitting down on the wire with my legs dangling over the side.  However, that wasn’t enough, I needed to actually lie down on the wire, arms tightly folded across my chest.  Then I realized, I was still in control.  Slowly, my arms unfolded and hung limp at my sides pointing towards the huge abyss below.  This whole time, I realized that my eyes were closed, a natural response to fear.  As I opened my eyes I saw God’s hands, one clamped firmly on top of me and the other gently cradling me underneath the tight rope.  I was firmly in His grip.  Suddenly, the tightrope didn’t matter because I was no longer needed to balance on top.  God was making sure I was securely fastened to my tightrope, His plan. There was no longer the threat of falling or failure.

The lesson for me is that His plan at times may feel like a tightrope, but the answer is not always more “doing,” there are seasons for that.  Sometimes the answer is just surrendering to His protection and releasing my own agenda in the midst of the plan, allowing Him to do the balancing.  

Book Review

How to Love Your Crazy Family is a charming book written by Angela Howard. The contents of the book are sectioned off into three different categories that relate to everyday life and include 52 quick reads. I found each section of the book to be extremely pleasant and easy to read.

The first section entitled “No Ordinary Parenting” centers on practical Biblical parenting and all the challenges and joys that come with it! Angela offers insightful tips on how to enjoy our children at each stage of life and how to remember to laugh at our selves as our kids mirror our behavior! She quips in one reading on self-doubt and motherhood that perhaps she should be saving for therapy rather than college. This portion is not merely a parenting guideline, it is more of an encouragement for parents to rest assured that regardless of our mistakes as parents, our kids will be alright. The last page of this section offers further parenting resources.

“No Ordinary Marriage” is the second section of her book that gives an honest look at the reality of all marriages. From the classic “I told you so” argument to the discovery that what we though we wanted was definitely not what we needed, Angela continually drives home the point that Christ must be the center of marriage. This section also ends with valuable resource links for further marriage enhancement.

The last section of the book, “No Ordinary Life,” addresses the rest of life, from social media to worry free living. Once again she challenges with not only humor but foundational scripture. My personal favorite in this section was “5 Ways to Celebrate the Ordinary” and the easy steps she provides to accomplish this; 1. Time, if we want rich relationships, we must cultivate them, 2. Surprise People, use your imagination, 3. Show Interest, interested people attract appreciation, 4. Rise Above, do a common thing uncommonly well, 5. Just Celebrate, don’t allow life to be an excuse.

There is a bonus chapter included in this book that is heartfelt and vulnerably written by both Angela and her husband, Michael. Together, they disclose an intimate look at their own marriage and the difficulties they have overcome together. I appreciated this extra chapter and found myself wanting to hear more of their unique love story.

I completely enjoyed this book by Angela Howard and her unique and humorous writing style. Do not be fooled by her whit, she will leave you with a smile on your face and a question on your heart!

www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JZADTM2/ref=as_li_ti?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00JZADTM2&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwnoordina0b-20&linkld=37G37KQ6JWJJQQZ

Full

We have a precious minister in our church, Jerry Sanders. He has had a life full of ministry opportunities and no doubt led hundreds of people to the Lord and taken countless trips to Africa to minister. Now he spends his days unable to speak due to a stroke. His movements are limited and as a result, he has had to teach himself to write with his left hand. Despite all of these difficulties, Pastor Sanders continues to minister.

Each week, I receive an email with a carefully written passage of scripture penned in Jerry’s left hand. I am one of many who receive these. There have been countless days when I have opened these emails and felt as if God Himself has just spoken directly to me.

An email from February 25th is attached to my bulletin board in my office. This one had a particularly profound effect on me.

"And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, 'Let us pass over unto the other side.' And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow; and they awake him, and say unto him, 'Master, carest thou not that we perish?' And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, 'Peace be still.' And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm." Mark 4:35-39

Two things struck me about this passage. We have all felt the storms of life beating the sides of our resolve, but what about when the stinging pellets of hail and rain begin to infiltrate our safety. It does not say that the storm crept over the side of the ship or trickled in, it says the ship was now FULL. This creates a picture of a violent storm that was merciless to all those in its path. The contrast comes at the end of the passage, “. . . there was a great calm.” Out of desperation the disciples cried out to the Master and He answered. Simple, isn’t it? At times, I am not desperate enough for Jesus to rescue me. My boat only has a few inches of water in it and I am confident I can still row to shore and save myself. Sometimes, I just need a boat full of water to get me to release whatever instrument I are trying to use to get back to the shore. Could be an ore of self-pity or one of pride that I continually plunge into the water. Am I desperate? Oh yes, I am desperate to get to the shore, but not desperate enough to ask for help. The calm immediately comes when not only the wind and waves cease, but when I cease my own struggle.

The secondary point here that cannot be overlooked is in the way Pastor Sanders continues to prove himself faithful to his call. I am sure this is not the plan he had for his own life or what he and his precious wife, Lois, envisioned when they began their ministry. However, the Lord does not remove His calling from any of us and He always provides a way for us to fulfill it. Thank you, Jerry and Lois, for showing me how to truly serve the Lord whether my boat is full of water or not.

Ordinary to Extraordinary

I make tea in stressful situations. When my girls are working on difficult projects, I make them a tea tray. Like clockwork, about 3 p.m. I need a “cupa,” as my British friend says. Since the time my girls were little, I have always said there is never anything we can’t solve together over a cup of tea and I am never too busy to brew a pot. I have just taken Paige a tea tray and brewed myself a pot of tea. We must be solving the world’s problems today!

Tea is an ordinary drink consumed world-wide yet tea can be served with ceremony. When I would visit my grandmother, tea is what she served with lunch, everyday, no matter the menu, even hot dogs! Tea at her house was a staple and represented comfort and relaxation. I now have the cup she used. On my first visit to Victoria, British Columbia as a young girl, I was completely astonished how every business closed down for tea in the afternoon. The teahouse that my dad took us too on that trip is the birthplace of my love for the tea ceremony.

I do not understand how tea brings me such peace or how the tea ceremony can make me feel so special and fulfilled. After all, it’s just boiled water poured over a bunch of leaves! Doesn’t sound so special, does it. Yet, what comes from the natural resource of water and something nature provides can be extraordinary, if you take the time.

Isaiah 53:2 says, “He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground.” I love the analogy of nature here and how the shoot of the plant is soft and tender. Usually nothing comes from parched ground, but in this case something miraculous happened. “He had no beauty or majesty. . .” Unless you are consuming tea in a fine tea house or with the queen, I would say tea has no beauty or majesty in and of itself. “. . . no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.”

How often I forget that God has provided us with something so ordinary, a Son. The commonality of His birth and His appearance is just a plain old cup of tea in one of my chipped cups. Who He is, is the breathtakingly beautiful and peaceful tea ceremony, full of rich flavors and bouquets that take an ordinary life and make it extraordinary. My needs and desires are steeped in His glory. His Holy Spirit washes over the shriveled tea leaves of my offering and from it comes a glorious cup of surrender with praise and worship wafting from the surface with an aroma that is pleasing to only Him. It is there, in the middle of that cup of tea, with or without the ceremony, that I am at peace.

Choosing Disappointment

None of us willingly choose to be disappointed. Usually, we become disappointed when our expectations are not met. It sneaks into our minds when we have been overlooked for a promotion. It creeps into our hearts after a visit with far away loved ones comes to a close. It sinks into our souls when we realize that our actions have caused others pain.
Disappointment, what do we do with you?

According to Reference.com the literal definition of this three-part word is as follows:

dis- – prefix, indicating reversal, negation, lack, or deprivation, removal or release

appoint – to select a person or a group of people for an official position or to do a particular job, to fix or agree upon a particular time or place for something to happen

-ment – suffix, denoting action or resulting state, a product, or means

The root word “appoint” can be a touchy subject amongst men and women. I believe that the Bible clearly gives examples of women called by God and appointed for certain tasks. Mordecai challenged Esther to rise to the occasion to save her people. The prophet Deborah was given the task of leading others into battle. King Josiah sent the priest Hilkiah, to ask God’s direction from the prophetess, Huldah. Let us not forget Mary, the mother of Jesus. Although her role in history was not an official one, she was clearly chosen based upon something special God saw within her. These women were selected for official positions at specific times. In these instances, God chose women to carry out His plan.

The Bible is also full of many examples where men have been appointed for specific tasks and jobs. Could it be that God really has called us, regardless of gender, to serve Him in different capacities at different times? Could it be possible for male and female to serve one another as well as alongside one another? What happens when we begin to have expectations? Could it be that when we begin to use the language of entitlement, perhaps based upon gender, we are setting ourselves up to be dis-appointed?

This is a sensitive topic where heated discussions can ensue. I firmly believe that each one of us, regardless of our gender, have a specific calling upon our lives to be used by the Lord in some capacity. There will be those whose tasks are more public than others. I realize that many have been overlooked based upon their gender, and this fact cannot be ignored. However, I do believe that God appoints us Himself and no man, or woman, can stand in our way. His good and perfect will is accomplished, although it may not be in the ways we expect, which can lead us to feel disappointed. Yet, to accept this state is to actually allow ourselves to become removed from the appointments God has for us, to accept dis-appointment.

Scripture has intentionally been excluded in regards to this topic because of the ease in which certain verses could be misinterpreted. There must be an understanding of these passages regarding women from a cultural and historical standpoint. Likewise, personalities, circumstances, and situations must be considered when considering present day leadership within the church body whether that is male or female.

Many times problems are easily identified while solutions are less apparent. Overall, we need to look to Jesus and the example He has set with regard to women, whether in leadership over others, or whether working alongside others. Again, examples could be given, but not without the risk of interjecting personal bias. Take some time to research Christ’s involvement with women and allow the Lord to guide you in this study.

As long as there is sin in the world, there will be prejudice. God sets kingdoms and He destroys kingdoms as a result of actions taken by mankind. Prayerfully and objectively consider the times you may have been rejected. I believe individual solutions can be determined by this exercise. What have you learned? Can you see God’s hand in the situation? The answers to these questions may not always be positive, however, God has a way of “righting” a “wrong” in His timing. His ways and thoughts are far above our own. I absolutely believe that His plan for our lives will prevail IF we surrender all forms of entitlement, humbly posture ourselves to receive His direction, and choose appointment rather than dis-appointment, THEN we are positioned properly and can receive His greatest blessings!

A Dirty Confession

This is NOT how I wanted my day to begin! I purposely woke up thirty minutes earlier this morning so I would not feel stress over all that needed to be accomplished. Good plan, right? I thought so. After putting the coffee on, I sat down to have my devotions, check the calendar, make my daily, weekly, and monthly “to-do” lists (yes, you read that correctly!), fill out my grocery list, and sort my coupons. Glancing up at the clock, I realized how efficiently I was using my time. This is going to be a great day, I thought to myself.

Then I receive a text from a precious friend saying her father had passed away during the night. My heart sank! Suddenly, my mood changed from hopeful and energetic to discouraged. I stopped everything to pray. Shortly after that, another friend sent a text saying her brother had fallen unexpectedly ill and not expected to live. Once again, I prayed.

After knowing that the Lord had heard my prayers, I went about some other household chores. Then, it happened! The toilet overflowed!!! Now, I realize you are probably thinking this is no big deal, but let me just tell you, it was a very big deal!!! This was the second overflow in a week! Momentarily, I was frozen just watching the “water” creep higher and higher. I kept thinking, it will go down, surely, it will go down! As the water reached the top of the bowl and began to cascade down the sides, I raced frantically searching for the plunger, because, of course, someone had moved it! Spying it in another bathroom and grabbing it, I made a mad dash for the geyser that was now erupting in my bathroom. The plunger bravely met the resistance, but was no match for the powerful flow. This battle was going to take some time.

I am not sure what happened to me as I was repeatedly jamming that stupid plunger in the toilet, but suddenly I could hear someone yelling. It took a few seconds for me to realize that the voice I was hearing was my own. I was all but cursing at that porcelain statue and definitely having an out of body experience. Success finally came and the water began to recede, however, my temper did not. My poor husband, Bill, came around the corner to ask what had happened just as I hurtled the bathroom scale to the side, flung the wet rugs in his direction, and released the plunger with one final jab! Sitting there on my knees watching the plunger spin in the toilet, I very unpleasantly answered his question! He had the presence of mind to offer no reply. With three women in the house, plus a female dog, the man knows a hormone surge when he sees one!

What enraged me even more was the fact that as I was down there mopping up all that “water,” I realized how dirty the floor already was! When was the last time I mopped? Confession – I could not remember! Where had all these cracks in the tile come from? I had not noticed those before. Oh, so that’s where that hair pin went!

Needless to say, Bill left for work, and I sat down on the edge of our bed trying to sort out my reaction to this common household occurrence. I know it sounds crazy, but the Lord really does speak to me in times like this! As my breathing returned to normal and my need for an oxygen tank began to decrease, I said this prayer, Lord, I know there is something here you want to show me, what in the world is it? His response was simple; You became upset over something that was normal and manageable even after proper choices were made this morning. Putting Me first and giving your day to Me was the right decision. However, sometimes you need to work through a “disaster” to get to the heart of the matter. You were consumed with the obvious, I am concerned about what is hidden. You did not notice the dirt on the floor until you were eye level with it, cleaning up the immediate mess. The dirt on the floor that you missed is where I am.

So, after apologizing to my husband, mopping the floor, tossing the wet towels in the washer, and throwing out my champion, the plunger (I need a new one anyway), here is where I landed. . .

1. Even though my day began properly with devotions and prayer, that cannot be enough! Earnestly seeking and praying through out the day will keep my focus on the Lord.
2. My reaction to this manageable event, reveals that I am lacking somewhere! Duh! Right?! Perhaps I need some time away.
3. I need to evaluate everything that is causing me stress and eliminate that which is not necessary. In other words, SAY NO, even if that is to myself. Ever tried telling yourself no?
4. Honestly ask the Lord to reveal hidden areas of “dirt” in my life and seek His guidance regarding those issues that He lovingly wants to clean. I want to be where He is, even if it is dirty.

Think I will go get my mop and get after some dirt!

Baa Baa Black Sheep

Remember the nursery rhyme? I admit, I never really understood this one. Seriously, what would a little boy do with a bag full of black sheep wool? Sounds like trouble to me!

Have you ever used this phrase: He or she is the black sheep of the family?

I just discovered that you can purchase a variety of merchandise with “black sheep” printed on them for all to see! (see www.cafepress.com)

According to www.phrases.org.uk the phrase black sheep of the family means “A disreputable or disgraced member of a family.” Traditionally, this is the understood meaning of this phrase with a negative connotation. According to this website the first known use of this phrase in a derogatory fashion was by an English Puritan, Thomas Shepard, in a text penned in 1640:

Cast out all the Prophane people among us, as drunkards, swearers, whores, lyers, which the Scripture brands for blacke sheepe, and condemnes them in a 100
places. –The Sincere Convert

Strong language! Tell us how you really feel Mr. Shepard! During this same time period in England the poor little black sheep was bearing the same superstitions as the black cat. However, in the 19th century, the Folk-Lore Record of 1878 stated: “We speak figuratively of the one black sheep that is the cause of sorrow in a family, but in its reality it is regarded by the Sussex shepherd as an omen of good luck to his flock.” (phrases.org.uk)

No one sets out to become the black sheep, it just sort of happens as a result of situations and circumstances. Sometimes these are within our control and poor choices are made, yet other times, out of our control. Standing firm in our faith can sometimes propel us towards the unwelcome title of black sheep.

The Bible uses the example of sheep in literal and figurative ways. The Sheep Gate was an actual gateway in Jerusalem. (Neh. 3:1, 32, NIV) Sheep were used as sacrifices in the temple. (2 Chron. 29:33) Jesus is referred to as a great Shepherd of the sheep. (Heb. 13:20) Sheep were used to illustrate points in some of the parables He shared as in Luke 15:3-7. In John 10:14 and 27, we see He knows the voice of His sheep and they recognize His voice. Notice in these references there is no mention as to the color of the sheep.

As mentioned above, the phrase “black sheep” generally indicates someone who has a tarnished reputation or is persecuted for their thoughts and ideas. I find myself asking the question, “so what?” In some instances being referred to as a “black sheep” could be positive such as when we defend our beliefs as Christians. This phrase could also describe someone who is a unique individual in his or her perspective on life. God creates as He chooses.

The Message translation highlights this phrase “black sheep” in Isaiah 53.

Vs 7-9 “He was beaten, he was tortured, but he didn’t say a word. Like a lamb taken to be slaughtered and like a sheep being sheared, he took it all in silence. . . He died without a thought for his own welfare. . .”
Vs 10 “Still, it’s what God had in mind all along. . . The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin so that he’d see life come from it – life, life, and more life. ”
Vs 11-12 “. . . Therefore I’ll reward him extravagantly - the best of everything, the highest honors - Because he looked death in the face and didn’t flinch, because he embraced the company of the lowest. He took on his own shoulders the sin of the many, he took up the cause of all the black sheep.”

Suddenly, that phrase no longer represents disgrace, but redeem-ability! He came in the lowest of forms, an infant who was helpless, in order to take up my cause and to remind me that I am valuable to Him and worth much.

I am a black sheep
I do have wool,
yes sir, yes sir three bags full!
All is for my Master
Much is to be gained
And all my sins forgiven by the One who knows my name!!!

I am a black sheep!