?"Leave God at the Door"?

“Leave God at the Door”??

I heard of a new church today, although, the concept has been around for years. No new idea being shared.

It’s called a new atheist church. They say they have no religion so leave God at the door.

Isn’t the “new Atheist church”, that claims to have no religion, a belief system and religion in and of itself?

The word religion is defined as; 1. a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.

2. A specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion.

3. The body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices:

a world council of religions.

I think I understand that they want to do good to and for people… without God or any form of a higher power. Hmmm.

 They say “leave God at the door”.

So…. They are saying there is an entity, known as God, who should not come in. Hmmm.  

I think that sounds a lot like;

“We want to do good, we don’t believe in God, but we know He is out there and we are scared to let Him in”

God is love. This is true and has been proven. So to do “good” without kindness is a misnomer for the term good.

Do I fear this type of religion? Absolutely not, but I am aware of the existence of Satan or an Evil power that is of the world. He has tried many times to eliminate God from human devotion, and has failed to make this a reality for all of mankind:

 Every – Single – Time.

 There have been those that have fallen away, but God is still here.

I wonder, if someone were to come to that church and figuratively leave God at the door, would He rejoin them as they left the building? Or is there another exit? But if God is left outside, wouldn’t He be able to find that other exit too? Or isn’t this just like any other cult that tries to brainwash those inside the building?

 I need to bring God everywhere with me – never just inside the church building, as some do, leaving God at the door when they exit their places of worship.

So I ask;

Do I leave God at the door, entering or exiting?

Sad yet real life

 

 Sad yet real life

                I had raised the window shade and sat on my couch while typing on the computer. A sudden thump was heard. It was almost as if someone had deliberately thrown an object at the window. I went to look and saw a bird lying on its back on the ground. A smaller bird hopped along the bricks that lined the yard. Back and forth it stayed looking at the fallen bird, and back up to the house where it had hit. In my mind, I thought of the mom bird teaching the baby bird how to fly.

                I imagined that I could hear the baby calling to the mom. “What do I do now?” “I think I got it now, mom.” “You were showing me one of the things to look out for.”

                I imagined the mom had been protecting the baby. Perhaps by stepping, or flying, in front of potential danger.  Maybe these were the same birds that I had seen a month ago and said that God would take care of them. The weather had been unseasonably cold. The new snow covered the ground where the young birds had searched for food.

                I am touched by the possibility that God can let things happen in such a way that, even in the tragic times, we are being taken care of. Is it expected? Is it the way we had planned/wanted? Are we making the right choices?

                When “No” is the answer to any of these questions, turn it around to “On” and remember that the Holy Spirit is “On” this. He has got it.

                I will remember seeing the baby bird hopping back and forth. I will remember the feeling of helplessness. I will try to remember that God has a bigger plan; that sometimes the tragic happens. It is sad, but it is life.

 

My Anything

My Anything

“I would give anything if I could change what happened!”

Have you ever imagined that what you are going through right now could be the “anything”? That’s right. Maybe God took you up on the offer. So the toe you broke yesterday, and are now cursing, could be the result of the deal. Perhaps a miss-spoken phrase or a fender-bender was avoided and you have essentially ‘given anything’.

Back to reality; we may have actually dented the car while following too close, or said the wrong thing to a relative. And, we did break our toe. However, I’m thinking its how we handle the situations we face that is the result of the deal. A deal that God first gave to us, before we even entered the world.

God put it all out there with the phrase “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28 ESV) By this, wasn’t He saying that yes, you may have those difficult times, but you can come to me anyway to get the respite needed? I don’t think God said that you won’t have burdens. In fact, Jesus said;

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure of heart,
for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Matthew 5:3-10

 I am not saying that we will live our lives unscathed. Many have to face things that are more tragic than I will ever know; but God knows what you are enduring and the love He has for you is unmatched.

I thank God that He understands when I want to take something back, or give anything to change, even though I can’t. I am also grateful for the promise in a deal made before I was born; one that is my “anything”.

Dandelion Wishes

Recently, I was informed of a fantastic ritual that takes place everywhere and everybody apparently knows about it. That is, everybody but me.

How could I have missed it, and how have I gotten by these 50+ years without knowing? Why didn’t my mother teach me when I was young? I could have told others, thereby avoiding any issues in their lives. But I digress; I will tell you how I learned of the practice.

My grandson and I went for a walk on a warm summer day. William knew just where he wanted to go. He was four years old at the time, making it appear that his legs would give out before we reached the destination he had intended. But being the compliant grandmother that I am, I agreed to the plan.

Sidebar:  Something I should mention before I go on, my grandchildren have nicknamed me “Lala”, I will share the reason in another story, at another time. But that’s why William called out with excitement, as we neared the open field, “Lala, come on. We need to make dandelion wishes.”

He reached down and picked two of the flowering weeds that had gone to seed. Holding up one, he said, “I wish Lala could come to my house everyday”, and he blew. He then turned to me and handed me the other stem, instructing me to make a dandelion wish.

“I wish for Lala and William to have many more fun times together”.  

And then, in this one act, a life of childhood fantasy became complete. As I blew, the round seed head released the parachuting seeds. They seemed to stay afloat for miles.

“You did it.” William smiled. “Now your wish is spreading.”

 I remember picking bunches of these flowers for my mother when I was young.  She proudly put them in a juice glass on the windowsill. At that time, no one that I knew had allergies, so they were enjoyed by all.  I have since been made aware that William’s sister is quite allergic to these. This makes the wishing ritual a viable alternative.

I am willing to admit that I do not remember hearing about spreading wishes until that very moment. I also want everyone to know that those beautiful wild flowers, that seem to be an annoyance to many landscapers, could be wishes that were spread.

Are they the result of a wish for a new toy or pet? Perhaps.

Or maybe . . . it could even be a wish for a Lala to visit every day.

So I will not encourage the gathering of the flower to put in a juice glass on the windowsill, but I will uphold the ritual of “spreading dandelion wishes” whenever possible.

A friend with Asperger’s

The world is full of those different pre-conceived ideas that are programmed into our society. Most of us have fears and doubts, fears of the unknown, fears of the past, and doubts in human possibilities for tomorrow.

 Most of us also have a need for love. But . . . . most of us are reserved in giving it, with an open heart. But, I would like to share about a special person who, without hesitation, gives her whole heart with honesty.

My dear friend has a “disease” or condition of her mind that has been diagnosed as Asperger’s. This is a form of Autism known as an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Her clarity of recognition is a shining moment as each time she sees me, her total love is shared in full.

A hug given, a smile and laugh, and a connection is always there. Anna sees the love of Christ in others and wants to know that you feel that too.

Another friend recently talked of the programming in each of us. He said if we wouldn’t all have certain triggers to set off the notions of our minds, we would be more aware. He blamed it on societies Programming stigmas.

He says “I won't be run by the programming of society that is geared towards sensitivities”

I think he means people are afraid of being or not being “politically correct” in saying things, and that puts a red flag up; a doubt.  

Anna does not seem to be “programmed” with the same stigmas. Anna will love me no matter what I do, because Anna is my loving, hugging, accepting friend with ASD.

My passion or why I write.

I am passionate about my faith.  God has blessed me with a love for others that could only be given from Him.  I feel like I need to share what I have been given, have experienced, and what I have observed that makes people be who they are.   I make a lot of mistakes, everyday. I also am forgiven, (hopefully by humans too.)

I also write prayers, one liners, from scripture, for adults to pray for the students in their homes, neighborhoods, and churches. I love doing this and have been doing it for my church ministry for a couple years.

My purpose & why I write.

I had something happen to me when I was 16 that caused a TBI (traumatic brain injury). Others have also received TBIs in many different ways, and some the same way. Some are worse than I, and some not as bad.  I know everybody has something. I am not alone, but what I have I at least need to share. I know God saved me for a purpose (the name of my story) and if I can help someone else by telling it, then maybe that’s what my purpose is.  

My prosperity so I write.

I see things that inspire me. I observe people, nature, and situations that tell me; Write this down. I hear of things happening and can’t, or don’t, express it audibly. Because of the TBI? I don’t know. If I could express by writing some of what I feel, then I am going to, again, to bring glory to my Lord. Don’t get me wrong, I talk, I talk a lot, but my words get messed up sometimes. That happens to many people, I know, I find it easier to write it down sometimes.

What I am thinking, as I follow the words of Jeff Goins, is to start a blog.

Speaking Outline


This is the form I used in speaking at my church. It was well received. I have been asked to speak in other settings on this topic and I would be willing to share again.

 GBYD (God Bless Your Day)

********************************************************** Our scripture passage today from 1 Corinthians 12 talked about all the different parts of the body and how we all have a certain role to play. Have you ever thought you were going to play the role of a foot, and then all the sudden you get cast in the role of an ear? That’s sort of what happened to me. But don’t feel sorry for me. I have been blessed! When I think back on what happened, I wouldn’t change a thing. What I have been through has helped me to become who I am, and today I want to share part of my story with you. I am Sheryl Anne Lehman. When I was 16 years old, I had an auto accident that resulted in a traumatic brain injury, often called a TBI. That day changed my life forever. It also inspired my life. Lately, concussions have been a common discussion item as far as athletes are concerned, but a TBI can happen any time your head is exposed to a traumatic force, be it physical, biological or emotional.  I know a man that had a motorcycle accident, a woman who had a stroke and was thrown from a horse, a woman who lost her daughter in a tragic accident, and a man that was overcome with carbon monoxide. All had different degrees of TBIs, resulting in different PTSD symptoms, or post-traumatic stress disorders. My brain injury happened as I was driving out to get a root beer float. I don’t remember the accident, and it was months later before I was able to understand what had happened to me. My car was struck on the driver’s side tossing me to the floor on the passenger side. I was unconscious for 4 weeks. The Neuro-surgeon said that I had swelling on the brain. Healing would come in spurts, followed by a plateau; another shot of improvement, and another plateau. I had to start over, learning to walk, talk and learn to process choices all over again at age 16. I couldn’t even remember how to properly brush my teeth, as the dental hygienist pointed out to me! As part of the body of Christ, I needed to depend on others. What I didn’t realize, was that others would also come to depend on me. Everyday my best friend David would come to the hospital to support me. Years later he developed AIDS and I called him in San Diego weekly, not judging his lifestyle, but showing him God’s love. After two years, he prayed and accepted Jesus’ Salvation a few months before he died. There are many stories of people I knew, and how relating to each one ties together. At any point our lives can be changed in an instant. Our own lives and every person in our life, suddenly and uniquely changed. I believe God is our only consistent reality. The whole story of my accident and recovery takes a long time to tell, so I can’t possibly share it all with you today. But I have been transcribing it over the last several years, almost as a therapeutic and self-discovery process. For those interested, I have printed a few copies of my story and they are available on the table in the entryway. Everyone has something ~ a story to tell, some obvious/ some not so. For now, I want to simply share how my accident and the TBI have affected my life in both negative and positive ways. 1) My short term memory was seriously affected. • I often cannot remember things that I have been told, or even some of my experiences. Not always, and certainly not everything, but enough to be noticed. • I can remember what I had for breakfast in Jr. Hi, but sometimes I can’t tell you what I ate this morning. 2) My physical limitations are more obvious. • I limp when I walk and I continue to have some balance issues. • My clavicles overlapped when they healed which makes me appear to have no shoulders, and I can no longer lift my arms directly above my head or behind me. • I was diagnosed with a chemical imbalance, thus I take an antidepressant. • Certain bodily function changes that usually happen when someone is much older, I’ve had to deal with since I was 16. Believe it or not, the physical consequences weren’t necessarily as tough to deal with as some of the other ones: 3) I was ignored and pushed aside. • I was once a popular, intelligent, fun teenager, and that was taken away. All of the sudden I was a different person than I had been. And I was no longer like my friends. For a long time, I used a walker to make my way down the halls at school, and due to my limitations, others did not know what to say so they just didn’t say anything.  I don’t blame them, or anyone. I just know that over time, that added to my insecurities. • It is also a reason that I try to pay attention to all people that I encounter, whatever their circumstances. I try not to ignore anyone. In my opinion, it’s just another form of bullying. I can also empathize with people facing memory loss, because I know how debilitating it can be. 4) My dreams of having a major career came to a halt. • I had planned to take advanced biology and advanced chemistry in high school, with hopes of becoming a horticulturist or a medical researcher. I had excelled in biology as a sophomore, but after the accident, I could no longer comprehend the functions needed. • Music was one of my passions and I was dedicated to playing my French horn. However, my soft pallette was damaged in the accident and I am no longer able to play an instrument. I can’t even blow up a balloon to this day. ~ Not that I need to, but should the situation arise, it’s simply not an option and I’ll have to call on one of you! [See, that’s how this “body of Christ” thing works…you cover for my area of weakness.] These situations were difficult, and continue to affect my life today. However, I believe there were some positive outcomes as well. 5) My love for God and the intensity of my witness has increased immensely. • My mother stood in my hospital room and told me every day, even before I was conscious, that God had saved me for a purpose. This truth is what I continue to cling to every day of my life. God can use me for His plan. • Had I not gone through those experiences, I might not have met my husband, who is the love of my life and forever partner. We are good for each other. I hope he doesn’t wonder what he did to deserve me and the challenges that are part of the package! I believe God brought us together. Dexter is very patient with me. • I believe that I am better able to see the blessings in life. I will always feel a terrific gratitude for the way my parents raised me –twice - both before and after the accident. God has blessed Dexter and me with children and grandchildren that help me to continue to grow. • I have begun a personal ministry thanks to the venue of the “Caring Bridge” website. I regularly connect with people as they share their hospital stay and medical updates. I offer them encouragement and share God’s love with them. I know how important it is to offer a visit and a prayer to people going through a medical crisis. Everyone can use a visit and a prayer, in any situation. It has been over thirty years since that day in July when my life was changed forever. These many years later, I still show signs of plateau ~ improvement ~ plateau, just as the nurses from the hospital suggested I would. I was not able to become a horticulturist or researcher to fulfill my earlier dreams. My plans had to move in a totally different direction, but I know God is using me right now, where I am. For a long time, I have struggled with whether or not to tell my story, and then how to tell my story. Can I help someone else by doing so? Through the encouragement of family and friends, and my belief that God wants me to share, I am doing so. And I pray that in some way, God can use my words to help others – to give them hope that when life doesn’t go the way you thought it would, you still have a role to play. We all make up the body of believers as 1 Corinthians 12:17-26 clearly states. We all have a purpose; we all have a story to share and talents to offer up to God. Sometimes things happen. Our world changes and people change ~ but God does not change. He loves you. He has a purpose for us. He will never leave. We can trust Him. Trust Him God Bless Your Day

 I believe that God wants me to share; one on one, in front of a crowd, or in my book. In some way, God can use me.

See . . . I have been Saved for a Purpose 

‘Saved for a Purpose ~ a story of healing, acceptance, and faith’ can be found on the Buffaloumc.org web page, Adult Faith Formation.

My Story

I have worked on my story over the last several years, recounting my recovery from a serious car accident at age 16, and how it has affected my life and my faith walk.  

 A TBI (traumatic brain injury) is a hard thing to deal with at any age. This story also includes an experience with a close friend’s HIV diagnoses and a type of bullying that is not often discussed.

‘Saved for a Purpose ~ a story of healing, acceptance, and faith’ can be found on the Buffaloumc.org web page, Adult Faith Formation. It is free to those who would like to read it or know someone who needs it.

Matthew 10:5-15 it is recorded where Jesus sent out the twelve Apostles, to go in His Name to heal. He said "You received without paying; give without pay." 
That's why I am offering my story for free.

GBYD (God bless your day)