An Investment That Will Never Fail*

Things are not looking good in the financial markets. They continue to go up and down. With an unclear outlook, if you have any investments at all, you know they are at risk. That is one of the reasons why blogs and books on saving or stretching money are so plentiful these days.

We all need to help each other with ideas on how to make money if we can, how to save it if possible, and how to stretch what money we do have. History has shown us times where investments have been wiped out, jobs have been lost never to be regained and houses have been taken out from under families. Sound familiar?

The picture on the left is captioned: “‘The excitement before the bubble burst’ – people looking at ticker tape in front of a stock ticker, probably sometime in 1929.” Shortly thereafter, the calm appearances of these men probably turned to angst and bewilderment.

I have stock in an investment that is guaranteed to never fail. It is never ending, is totally secure and once I invested in it, I never had to worry about whether it is at risk. It is not.

On my behalf, God’s Son Jesus Christ invested Himself – becoming a man, living a perfect life (which is something I could never do) and paid the price for my sin (and yours) when He allowed man to nail Him to the cross. He died and rose again.

An owner of stock  or shareholder is actually an owner of a company. In a spiritual sense, because of Jesus, I am a shareholder of Heaven. I am promised forgiveness for my sins and God’s presence within me today as well as life forever with Him in Heaven. Everything I have is in His control. I just watch Him work out the details.

This is truly the most secure investment anyone could make with a promise of eternal life and a home that will last forever.

God keeps His promises. Anyone who believes in Jesus Christ is a child of the Father. Jesus was speaking to His followers when He said: Therefore do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” . . . For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble (Matthew 6:31-34). In My Father’s house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you (John 14:2).

* This was first posted on my other blog: http://www.stretchmoney.wordpress.com

Protective Clothing

As winter approaches, I put away summer clothing and make sure warm clothes are readily available. Having spent many winters in some very cold climates, I have learned the value of layering clothes, covering my head, hands and feet adequately and know the difference between a coat that is just for dress and one that really serves as protection against harsh winds and frigid temperatures.

Have you ever seen pictures of men, women and children wearing nightcaps and thermal underwear to bed? There was a very practical reason for this attire. Prior to centrally heated homes, it was necessary to keep in body heat as much as possible. A heated brick placed in the bottom of bedcovers at night and proper clothing assured that you could make it through the night without freezing. You just didn't want to be the first one up in the morning to stoke the fire in the fireplace!

Appropriate clothing for every season and environment offers protection against the elements - blazing sun in the summer, protection from biting insects and thorny plants as well as my most dreaded contact - poison ivy. When working in areas where poison ivy and greenbrier are prominent, I take extra care - sometimes wearing a double layer even in the hot summer time just to protect my skin.

At the end of a workday, or when I know that I will not be going out in public again, I have comfort clothes I wear around the house. Not binding and usually made of soft materials, this clothing gives me the freedom to relax - quite a luxury after a long day of physical work. 

Our bodies need protection. Clothing can help provide that protection.

God, who created our bodies, knew we would also need spiritual protection from the harmful elements of a sinful world. He has provided the clothing we need. Without it, we are unprotected. Just like a child who has been given a warm coat to wear but goes outside in the cold without it, we can refuse to put on the garments He offers.

I choose to wear the protective clothing God provides and thank my Savior and Comforter for all it represents - now and forever.

I greatly rejoice in the Lord, I exult in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness, as a groom wears a turban and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels (Isaiah 61:10).  For this corruptible must be clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal must be clothed with immortality (1 Corinthians 15:53).  Put on the whole armor of God, that you can stand against the tactics of the devil (Ephesians 6:11 HCSB).

Missed Opportunities

I love a bargain. Better still, I love finding something fun or useful free. In many cases, I have stocked up on clearance non-perishables at my local dollar or grocery stores. I have even brought home items free from other people's discard piles.

When I lived in Germany, I often came home from a walk with items that left my husband scratching his head. I still have those sleds, baskets, dishes and other things used for decorating or repurposed in my yard. I knew that many German flea markets were stocked with these spermuhl items. If I got them before a dealer did, it was free. Even in America, if you see something put out for bulky item collection day, it is yours if you grab it before the truck shows up.

Although I am pretty good at bagging bargains or free items, I have kicked myself for the ones that got away. In every case, I missed getting something because I waited too long. I sometimes take one sale item home just to test it to make sure it is something I will use. If I wait too long to test it or go back to the store, I find that they were snatched up by someone else.

The same thing happens with free items. When I noticed that a neighbor had put a very unusual chair out for collection, I waited until after dinner to go out to get it. It was gone. On a walk, I saw a great headboard and footboard  - all solid wood with a Texas star in the middle of the headboard - in front of a house ready to be picked up. As I thought about it, I did some research and decided it would make a great bench. When I went back to get it, it was no longer there.

Those were missed opportunities to get some "thing" at little or no cost. They may make life a little more pleasant, but none of these things are important.

We can, however, experience important missed opportunities in our spiritual lives. God has often arranged circumstances for me to be able to share my faith. Some opportunities I took advantage of. Some I didn't. I waited too long. A better time never presented itself. I had to apologize to God for not doing what I clearly knew He was asking me to do. I remember well every missed opportunity.

Jesus told many stories related to this, among them the parable of the rich man who had so much that he decided to pull down his barns and build bigger ones in order to store all his stuff - ignoring the source of every blessing. God said to him, "Fool, This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided? So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God" (Luke 12:20-21).

None of us knows when our last breath will be. Salvation is too important to put off, thinking that there will be another chance tomorrow or the next day. That can result in missing out on the most important free gift ever offered.

Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life...For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God...Now is the day of salvation (Romans 5:18, Ephesians 2:8, 2 Corinthians 6:2b).

Dead Ends

When driving or riding with someone else in a car, I have noticed several "dead end" situations.

The road I am on may intersect with another in which we are able to turn right or left onto a new road. The end of one road leads to another one. Those roads are not dead ends, but simply a place where a choice needs to be made.

Sometimes the end of the road is a dead end. There is no way to go beyond it. The difficulty may also be magnified by the fact that it was a one-way road. You cannot turn around.

These roads are marked in various ways in different countries. Terms used on highways might include dead end, no exit, no through road, not a through street, or no outlet. In some cases the signs are just drawings indicating a dead end.

Where residential areas have been built with limited through traffic (sometimes a circular design) the term used is cul-de-sac. The no through traffic design results in more privacy in the neighborhood and potentially a safer environment for children.

Some dead-end roads are adjacent to a highway. They are very short roads built for the large construction equipment to park while the road is being built. These are of short term use and have no function after the road is built. They truly are dead end roads going nowhere.

Unless one pays attention to the signs leading up to the dead end roads, you can inadvertently wind up on the end of the road with nowhere to go - a real dead end.

During life, people come to many roads where important choices need to be made. Until death, there is an opportunity to make the right choice - to turn to God through Jesus Christ or to continue going in the wrong direction heading toward hell - the ultimate "dead end". Putting off that choice is a choice in itself. Death often comes as a surprise with no time to rethink the decisions of the past.

There is only one way to heaven and that is through trusting Jesus Christ. Through His sinless life, sacrificial death and resurrection, He paved the road for all believers to join Him for all eternity. Any other path literally leads to a spiritual dead end. There is no way out.

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14:6). There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death (Proverbs 14:12). For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).

Pulling Weeds

In my garden, I have encountered a variety of weeds. Many of them are very hardy. Some have a single root. If that weed is pulled out by the root, wonderful! If not, it will come back. Others have complex root systems that make them next to impossible to pull out. They must be dug out. In those cases, I remember that the Lord said He was going to leave the tares and the wheat to grow together, and do the weeding at the end of time. Sometimes I make a similar decision. I will deal with those weeds again and again in order to save the good plants that are growing close to them.

The task of weeding reminds me of sin. Maybe you, like me, have discovered that weeding, like ridding your life of sin, involves the following.

Weeding is backbreaking work. If I don’t stay alert and “prayed up,” sin keeps coming back. If I don’t keep up with the weeding, the weeds overtake the garden. Vigilance is the key. Bill Gaither says there is a plaque on the wall of his home in Alexandria, Indiana that summed up his parents’ attitude about
 faith, “Pray for rain, but keep hoeing.”



It helps if the weeds can be pulled up by the roots. If possible, it is best to stop sin at its source. For instance, my nature is to panic and be fearful of unknown situations. That is the opposite of faith. When fear raises its ugly head in my life, I have to go back to the basics and trust God.

Sometimes I need help. The task of weeding is a bit overwhelming sometimes, especially since my husband and I travel much of the year. Occasionally someone will sit with me and help me pull out weeds. Likewise, an accountability partner can often notice an area that is displeasing to God that I have overlooked.

Weeding is easier if the soil is soft or wet. If you ever tried to pull weeds in hard, dry soil, you know how hard it can be. Likewise, it is easier to dispose of sin when it is fresh and recognizable as sin. The longer sin is left to harden in our lives, the harder it is to remove.

As I work in my flower beds, I often reflect on the fact that Jesus gave many illustrations using seeds, trees, fruit, plants, sowing, pruning and reaping. As a result of the fall, the ground was cursed and work became an effort instead of a joy. There remains, however, the beauty of God’s creation all around us. If we are privileged enough to have the stewardship of a plot of earth in which we can sow and reap, then we partner with God in His garden enterprise.

Weeding, both in my garden and in my life, is well worth it. As I observe the flowers in my garden, I am reminded that a garden is not just one flower. It is many flowers. You and I are part of a big garden that God has planted. Flowers need attention. But don’t we love the attention our Heavenly Gardener showers on us? We are linked to His Living Vine. We need each other. Together we can “bloom where we are planted” so that others can see Jesus in us.

Oh, the joys of those who . . . delight in doing everything the Lord wants. . . . They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season without fail. Their leaves never wither, and in all they do, they prosper (Psalm 1:2-3 NLT).

The Wit and Wisdom of Yogi Berra

If you live in America, you may have quoted a "Yogi-ism" and not even have known it. If you have ever quipped, "It's deja vu all over again" or "it ain't over 'til it's over," you quoted Yogi Berra. One of the few baseball managers to have won pennants in both the American and National Leagues and elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972, Yogi is as well known for his sayings as his famous coaching.

Yogi was a talker. During baseball games, Yogi talked to the opposing batters in order to distract them. Although his response to his reputation for originating so many quotable sayings has been, "I never said most of the things I said," he doesn't seem to mind being quoted so often!

Since I travel so much, one of my favorite Yogi quotes is "Why buy good luggage? You only use it when you travel."

Yogi said, "If you don't know where you're going, you'll wind up somewhere else." He may not have
intentionally been referring to eternity, but it certainly applies. After death, there are only two possible destinations - heaven or hell. Those who trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord can know they are going to heaven when they die. Those who don't trust Him are going to wind up somewhere else.

And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God (1 John 5:11-13).

Remember When?

After my parents and my husband's parents died, I browsed through countless photos. Many of them produced questions in my mind. Who were all the people in those pictures and what was life like for them? Were we related and if so, how? Have I been influenced by their lives? If so, in what way?

Some of those old photos brought back memories. Even as I pull up Facebook or read a family member's blog, many of the posted pictures bring back memories. Scrolling through my photo album on my laptop does the same thing. More recent than the old family photos, they still remind me of something that has happened in the past.

Often an item in my home brings back memories. If it was a gift, it reminds me of the giver and the occasion when I received it. If it was something I saved for, it reminds me of the time and effort put in to acquire it. If it was something that was an incredible bargain, it reminds me of how God has provided for me over the years.

Memories can be therapeutic or painful. Some memories bring great distress while others produce joy. Sometimes memories are a bit faulty. The good old days didn't seem so good while we were in them; however, looking back reveals that change and progress were not always what we had hoped for.

Memories help put life in perspective sometimes resulting in a desire to return to a slower, simpler life. Remember when children played outside instead of hanging out in front of a television set? Remember when prices of gas were so much cheaper? Remember when people walked to the store because there was a local store available to walk to? Remember when a piece of pie did not put on three extra pounds? Remember when life was not so complicated?

Memories link our past with our present helping us learn from our mistakes, sometimes turning painful experiences into an empathetic understanding of others and often producing smiles when times of family, fun and fellowship come to mind. That is why Alzheimer's disease is so devastating. Ties to the past are lost even resulting in being unable to recognize a loved one.

God knows the value of memories. Memories of our sins against Him should prevent us from doing the same thing again and the memory of our salvation experience should cause us to give thanks to Him every day.

One of the greatest values of memories is reflecting on the trustworthiness of God. I cherish the memories of every instance where He has shown me His love. He has always been there for me and He always will be. You can count on Him as well.

Then they remembered that God was their rock and the Most High their Redeemer (Psalm 78:35). He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and full of compassion (Psalm 111:4). I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I muse on the works of Your hand (Psalm 143:5).