Uncategorized Archives - The Ultimate Gift

February 19, 2025

All In

I am not much of a gambler…really. But when Texas Hold’em became quite popular back in the early 2000s, my husband and his game-loving family taught me how to play. They will be the first to tell you that I don’t have much of a poker face. I can’t bluff to save my life, so it’s a good thing there is no money involved. The player who ends up with all the chips simply acquires bragging rights. Until the next time anyhow! I am competitive, so that’s enough to suck me in right there. You know what? Now that I think about it, I believe I still possess those bragging rights.

Ending the Game

As it turns out, there is a limit to my competitive nature. Texas Hold’em just so happens to be the game that revealed that. You see, we generally play it at night when the tank is already running low. I enjoy it for a while, especially when I have a pile of chips in front of me, but then I lose interest. I start taking more risks with my bets, attempting to bluff even. Sometimes that pays off, but not usually. Do you know what the magic words are when you are tired of playing? ALL. IN. That generally ends the game rather quickly!!

The Rest of the Story

If you read my most recent post, you know that the Holy Spirit has me focusing on God’s extreme nature lately, specifically calling my attention to the words all and always. This is Part II to that post.

Self-Sufficiency is Tiring… (and Impossible)

Life is good, yet rarely easy. There are seemingly new challenges that come with each passing day. And they come in all shapes and sizes. If I’m being honest, the control freak in me often tackles life’s challenges in my own strength and wisdom first. God is my last resort more often than I care to admit. Can you relate? It’s tiring!

There’s a better way. His name is Jesus.

“Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. The only way to the Father is through me.”

John 14:6 ERV

Jesus–The Ultimate Gift

God went ALL IN on you and on me when He gave us Jesus, but it wasn’t because He was tired. He simply wanted to be with us, which meant that He had to solve the sin problem. Through the death and resurrection of His one and only Son, we have been made right with God through faith in Jesus. God, the Father, and God, the Son, went ALL IN for us.

Our Response

How shall we respond to the Ultimate Gift? He himself answered that question by giving us what is deemed the great commandment.

Jesus answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.”

Matthew 22:37 ERV

There’s that word again–ALL. And it shows up three times in that one verse. It seems to me that God desires a reciprocal commitment from us. He wants us to go ALL IN too!

An Invitation to Rest

Are you tired of struggling and striving to do life on your own? I have good news for you. It’s a personal invitation from Jesus himself:

“Come to me all of you who are tired from the heavy burden you have been forced to carry. I will give you rest. Accept my teaching. Learn from me. I am gentle and humble in spirit. And you will be able to get some rest. Yes, the teaching that I ask you to accept is easy. The load I give you to carry is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30 ERV

Called to Quit?

I have been described in a number of ways over the course of my lifetime but rarely has the word “quitter” been used. Just ask my mother-in-law about baking Christmas cookies with me! Stubborn—yes, quitter—no. Well, in this case, I am going to condone it because I think quitting is exactly what Jesus is calling us to do in these verses. Quitting, in this case, looks like surrendering your life, with all its complications, to Jesus.

In “The Gambler,” a song made popular by Kenny Rogers, he says/sings, “you’ve got to know when to hold’em, know when to fold’em.” Friends, it is time to fold’em. Lay your cards down and end the game right now by going ALL IN for Jesus! I promise you won’t regret it.

Enjoy your rest.

May 19, 2024

Unfair Trade

Have you ever been involved in an unfair trade? All trades are not even. As a child, I learned that lesson firsthand. I collected baseball cards as a kid. My cousins from New York did as well. I always looked forward to their summer visits and the opportunity to “play” with our collections.

An Uneven Trade

One particular trade we made stands out from the rest. My cousins offered me 100 cards for ONE of mine. That didn’t quite seem like a fair trade. I was shocked that they would propose such a trade as I clearly was getting the better end of that deal. After all, 100 > 1. How could I possibly turn that down?

The Trade of All Trades

Did you know that God makes some unfair trades? It’s true! In fact, He is the author of the most lopsided trade in history. God gave us something priceless, Jesus, in exchange for something worthless, our sin, to give us the right to become part of His family, His children. Why would He do that? Because of love!

Reaping the Benefits

That trade is a done deal; however, to become His child and experience the abundant life that comes with that position, God requires something of us. He simply asks us to receive Jesus Christ as our Savior from sin and to fully trust that He alone is the way of salvation. God offers salvation to anyone who will receive it from Him.

“But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.”

John 1:12 NLT

What a deal! And it was all made possible by an unfair trade.

Shortchanged

About that unfair trade I made with my cousins–it turns out that they were the ones who got the last laugh. I did get 100 cards in exchange for my one. The problem—that one card I traded away was Roberto Clemente! Ugh….

April 30, 2024

By Faith, Not By Sight

God has allowed this patient patient to get more practice since my last post. I never quite made it out of the tunnel. Instead, my faith muscle is getting yet another workout. The lyrics from the chorus of one of my favorite choir songs say, “we’ll walk by faith and not by sight.” That is where I find myself today.

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

Hebrews 11:1 NIV

The Problem Identified

Following my most recent blog post, my incision broke open again, nearly seven weeks after my 2nd surgery. That led to another 5 days in the hospital and more surgery. Testing revealed why I wasn’t healing—I have a post-operative MRSA infection that reached the bone. Another neurosurgeon “washed out” my neck and I began a 6-week course of IV antibiotics. I’m currently about halfway through my treatment.

The Solution

I get an infusion every 12 hours lasting 77 minutes. There is no physical proof that this treatment is working, at least not yet. That’s where faith comes into play. I’m choosing to believe that healing is underway without seeing any evidence. That is, I’m walking by faith, not by sight.

Faith Defined

Faith is defined as complete trust or confidence in someone or something. There’s nothing wrong with having faith in my doctors and the medicine they prescribe, but, if my faith is limited to that, I’ve missed out on something so much greater. Biblically speaking, the object of our faith is a God who knows no limits. He is all-knowing, all-powerful and ever present, yet invisible. I know He loves me. Exhibit A: Jesus. Ultimately, that is Who I’m choosing to trust. How about you?

The byproduct of that decision…

“The Lord gives perfect peace to those whose faith is firm.”

Isaiah 26:3 CEV

May His good and perfect will be done in my life and in yours. Stand firm!

February 6, 2023

Makeup

As you most likely already know, I’m going to be playing the role of “mother-of-the-bride” fairly soon. With this gig comes a lot of pressure! According to my mom, my appearance can only come in 2nd to the bride. Have I mentioned pressure? I knew I would need to step up my game to pull this off, so, earlier this week, I went on a field trip to Ulta for makeup.

Leaving My Comfort Zone

Makeup doesn’t exactly land on my Top 10 list of important things. In fact, it falls closer to the Bottom 10. I wear it, but I’ve never invested much in the way of time or money on it. By the time I was done being made up at Ulta, they had me looking pretty good without making me look like someone I’m not. That’s the goal!

How Much?

Once I had given my permission, the girl who worked on me retrieved the products that she used, put them in a little basket, and sent me on my way to the checkout counter. I didn’t know if I was to pay her for her time and efforts, or if payment indirectly came through the purchase of products. I quickly learned that answer when the cashier told me the cost. (Insert multiple emojis with eyes wide open) I spent more money on makeup in one trip to Ulta than I have in my entire existence! I got the goods, now it’s up to my sister, Jayne, to apply it. I’m not going to bear this pressure all alone!!

Is It Even Necessary?

All this talk of makeup and improving my outward appearance got me thinking. First, I’m so thankful that God loves and accepts me just as I am, blemishes and all. He’s more concerned with my inner beauty anyhow. There is no need to hide behind a mask, makeup or otherwise. He already knows everything about me. And He knows everything about you too. Yet He still loves us beyond our wildest imagination. Perhaps you need reminded of that today. You and I were carefully constructed by the God of the universe.

“So God created human beings in his own likeness. He created them to be like himself. He created them as male and female.”

Genesis 1:27 NIRV

Let that sink in for a moment. We were created by God and in His image. Remember, He doesn’t make mistakes. David recognized God’s handiwork in Psalm 139:

“You created the deepest parts of my being. You put me together inside my mother’s body. How you made me is amazing and wonderful. I praise you for that. What you have done is wonderful. I know that very well.”

Psalm 139:13-14 NIRV

But then there’s that matter of sin which brings me to my second point. When Eve took a bite of that forbidden fruit, sin entered our world and separated us from God. He, of course, had a solution for that too. His name is Jesus.

Solving the Sin Problem

“For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake.”

1 Peter 1:18-20 NLT

“The blood of Jesus is the covering that allows us to enter into the presence of a perfect and holy God. It was shed on our behalf, and it grants us membership into a divine family and access to God’s presence. It is the most precious treasure, and we should never lose our gratitude toward it.”

~Dr. Paul Chappell

The Perfect Makeup

The shed blood of Jesus covered our sin. I guess you could say it is the ultimate makeup. The Ulta makeup was pricey, but the ultimate makeup—it is priceless! May we never forget who paid the bill for our sin and what it cost Him.