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Assisted Living

Assisted Living
My mom currently resides in an assisted living facility near Pittsburgh. When she and my dad moved there in 2021, they were issued pendants to have with them at all times. The instructions were simply to press the button to alert the staff when assistance was needed and they would come.

Pushing the Button

As my mom’s health declines, there is greater need for assistance. The staff, as well as her family, frequently reminds her to push the button when she needs help. Does she? Well, on occasion, she has, but not often. She has to be REALLY desperate because she hates to bother anyone. One recent episode was certainly cause for requesting assistance, but she never pushed the button. It never occurred to her. To that, we shake our heads 🤦🏽‍♀️, roll our eyes 🙄, or both!

Asking for Assistance

God pointed out that, in spite of my disbelief that my mom didn’t request help, I’m not so different. I wonder if He is up there shaking His head or rolling His eyes at me? Possibly! When trouble comes my way, do I call on God for help? Yes, but if I’m being honest, that’s not always my first response. Sometimes He is my last resort rather than my first option. Like my mom, I am often guilty of trying to handle it on my own first.

The Holy Spirit, A Built-In Helper

Did you know that God offers “assisted living” through the Holy Spirit? Unlike my mom and her pendant, we don’t even have to remember to take it with us. When I professed Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I was gifted with the Holy Spirit, an internal helper that I have access to 24/7. The same is true for you. Pushing a button isn’t even necessary. We simply need to call out for help.
Then you will call to the Lord, and he will answer you. You will cry out to him, and he will say, “Here I am.”
‭‭ Isaiah‬ ‭58‬:‭9‬ ‭ERV‬‬
I can just hear my former pastor saying, “It’s simple, but it ain’t easy!” Why? Is it because, like my mom, we don’t want to bother Him? Or maybe our pride leads us to believe we can handle it ourselves. Perhaps both!
Jesus has this to say…
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
‭‭ John‬ ‭15‬:‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬
Won’t you please join me for a slice of humble pie? God never created us to be self-sufficient, but rather, to depend on and trust in Him. Like the staff at my mom’s assisted living facility, He stands ready to help, if we just ask.
“God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.”
‭‭ Psalms‬ ‭46‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬
Let’s not hesitate to pray for assistance from our built-in Helper. God is not bothered when we come to Him. Instead, He is delighted!
He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me.
‭‭ Psalms‬ ‭18‬:‭19‬ ‭NLT‬‬
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The Last Word

The Last Word
Do you remember life at Age 3? Probably not, but, if you’re a parent, I imagine you do remember what your child was like at Age 3. Their vocabulary can be quite entertaining! A three-year-old can certainly push the boundaries of independence as they seek to have the last word.

Who’s the Boss?

My husband witnessed this firsthand when our neighbor brought her grandson over for a swim recently. He later shared the story with me, and we’ve been chuckling ever since. Apparently, it was time to go home, but the little guy was having none of that. As 3-year-olds do, he threw a bit of a fit. He said, “I’m NOT going home, and THAT’S that!” He may not have had the last word, but it wasn’t for a lack of effort.
We’ve been getting mileage out of that little boy’s statement ever since. I’m NOT fill in the blank and THAT’S that! God reminded me through this story that I’m not so different. I’m no longer three and may not use that same lingo, but I can display that same level of disobedience quite easily. How about you?
Just as any parent, God desires obedience from His children too.
And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.
‭‭2 John‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Disobedience = Sin

I fall short. Very. Short. We all do. They call that sin. Sin separates us from God. It took the blood of His Son, Jesus, the final and perfect sacrifice, to restore us to a right relationship with Him.
This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.
‭‭ Romans‬ ‭3‬:‭22‬-‭25 NIV‬‬

No Greater Love

God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
‭‭ 1 John‬ ‭4‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬
Our Heavenly Father gave us something priceless, Jesus, in exchange for something worthless, our sin. Why? I can just hear His response—“because I love you, and THAT’S that!” God ALWAYS has the last word. Aren’t you glad?
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Lessons from the Ballpark – Part II

As a booster, whether working as an usher, greeter, program salesperson or in some other capacity, our job is to create “WOW” moments for all those who enter the ballpark gates. The goal is to treat fans to such exceptional service that we leave them speechless! Though easier said than done at times, we strive to make that happen.

Rising to the Challenge

As supervisor of the ushers, I got an up close and personal look at a variety of situations encountered by our ushers, presenting them with an opportunity to create that WOW moment. It was gratifying to witness the different ways our boosters stepped up and met the challenge.

Sun vs. Shade

I won’t bore you with the many different scenarios that crop up over the course of the season, but I will share one with you. Weather makes ALL the difference at the ballpark. A seat in the sun is the preferred location some days. But on other days, that same seat causes misery. The same is true of the seats in the shade. Obviously, the weather is beyond our control; however, depending on the size of the crowd, we are sometimes able to relocate fans to a more desirable seat. No matter the situation, some ushers are more lenient than others regarding people not sitting in their ticketed seat. That’s just an observation, not condemnation or approval of the practice. I’ve been on both sides of that scenario and there really is no “one size fits all” approach.

Lesson II

My next revelation formulated during Spring Training applies to that situation and every other one that presented itself throughout the season. Here’s what I decided:
If we all treated others the way that we’d want to be treated, a lot of problems could be avoided.
I believe Jesus told us as much! In what is referred to as the Golden Rule, Jesus had this to say:
“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.”
‭‭ Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬
As I write this, I can almost hear Pastor Dave saying, “It’s simple, but it ain’t easy.” How true! Have you noticed that it’s easier to receive grace than extend it? Me too.
No matter our role, this should be our goal. Jesus set the bar high. Let’s reach for the sky!
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Lessons from the Ballpark – Part I

Training Underway

In anticipation of leading the charge when our current president steps down, I spent considerable time shadowing him and learning the ropes these past two seasons. I developed a few catch phrases from my experience that have inspired this blog post and another one to follow at a later date. One thing I stated numerous times during Spring Training was, “With people, the truth often lies somewhere in the middle.”

Through the Eyes of the Beholder

I’m sure you’ve experienced it too because we’re all human. Have you ever heard different descriptions of the same situation and wonder where the truth lies? Probably somewhere in the middle! I chalk it up to perspective. We all bring a different one to the table, shaped by our own personal experience.

Better 1, Better 2, Better Without?

If you’ve ever had an eye exam, you understand that different lenses produce different views of the same thing. It is the job of the optometrist to find the lens that produces the clearest picture. I am no optometrist, but if you are looking for Truth, I have just the right lens for you—His name is Jesus.
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
 John‬ ‭14‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus = Truth

Truth is a person! Yes, I know that is a hard one to wrap your mind around. I remember wrestling with that concept with some ladies in my small group for that very reason. Regardless, it’s true! Jesus said so Himself.
If you find yourself searching for truth, look no further than Jesus. In His person you will find the full embodiment of absolute moral and spiritual truth.
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
‭‭ John‬ ‭1‬:‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬
Rest in this good news today, friends.