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Smile!

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One Sunday morning I went to church really early. Since it was going to be some time before the service began, I sat in the church’s cafe area. I attend a very large church with multiple campuses and several services, so it is impossible to know, recognize, or even see everyone who is a part of the congregation. So as I waited there before going into the sanctuary, I enjoyed watching the people as they arrived. I especially took notice of the arrival of a family of four. I chuckled as I watched the little girl wearing a pink tutu strut proudly in front of her parents. But then I saw her brother and he saw me. He smiled and he waved. He smiled and he smiled and he kept on smiling. I smiled and waved in response. We connected because we had something in common. We were both in wheelchairs. I don’t know if I was a blessing to him or if he was just a blessing to me! I do know that his smile made my morning special and it stayed with me all day.

It’s amazing what a smile can do. Smiles are not only expressions of happiness and joy, they can also encourage and inspire, reassure and uplift, comfort and communicate. Without speaking a word, a smile can say: I’m glad to see you, You make me happy, I’d like to get to know you. A smile can be the start of a friendship or a relationship. A smile can make someone feel welcome and included. A smile can help heal a hurting heart. And when we endeavor to smile even when we are hurting, it lifts our spirits as well. Both the giver and receiver of a smile are blessed.

Of course, we realize that we cannot and do not smile all the time. We are told in the book of Ecclesiastes that there is “a time to weep”, and even Jesus wept. In times of sorrow and grief it is natural and good to express our emotions. And when we are in pain and hurting, there is a time when it’s okay to share our feelings with each other. But there is also a time when we need to look beyond ourselves and see those around us who just might need a smile.

Nat King Cole sang a song simply titled “Smile” that is about this idea of smiling even when we’re hurting. I am not sure I agree with the words completely as it takes the concept to an extreme, but I thought it was worth sharing. (I also found it interesting that the lyrics were written by Charlie Chaplin.)

Smile

Smile though your heart is aching
Smile even though its breaking
When there are clouds in the sky, you’ll get by
If you smile through your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You’ll see the sun come shining through for you

Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so near

That’s the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what’s the use of crying?
You’ll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile

Some say that if you smile when you are not feeling joyful that you are wearing a mask, but sometimes we do need to ‘put on a happy face’! But how can we smile when we don’t feel like it?

When my children were young, their Grandma Marie had a short little song she sang to them if she noticed that they were sad or upset or worried. She got down on their level, looked them in the eyes and sang, “Jesus takes a frown and He turns it upside down. Oooooops! There comes a smile!” And inevitably it worked. Their frown would turn into a grin and a giggle. But the jingle she sang to them is more than a cute Sunday School song. It speaks truth!

Knowing the One who fills our hearts with “indescribable joy” and our minds with the “peace that surpasses all understanding” makes it possible and easier to smile even during difficult days.

A simple smile can accomplish great things. To give someone a smile is to give them a gift. Your smile may not change the world, but it could impact a life! Your sincere smile can be a blessing to someone and brighten their day. If you give someone a smile, you just might get one in return. Then you will be doubly blessed!

You can smile when you can’t say a word,
You can smile when you cannot be heard,
You can smile when it’s cloudy or fair,
You can smile any time, anywhere.
–from a hymn written by A. H. Ackley

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Big Ducks and Small People

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This summer I had the chance to see the “biggest rubber duck in the world!” And it was huge! However, I must admit I was just a bit disappointed. Perhaps my expectations were too high or maybe I was just foolish to think that the duck would be floating in the waters of Lake Erie. But there it sat on a patch of grass.

Besides getting a lot of attention, all the duck really did was make us smile and make us small. Maybe not everything is meant to be big. And, of course, there’s nothing wrong with being small.

I am a small person. Always the shortest one in my class at school, I never grew past 5 feet. I married a man a foot taller than me to make up for my shortcoming. Eventually even my children were bigger than me and I have grandchildren who tower above me! And now that I am in a wheelchair I am even smaller.

There’s a popular book right now called Theo of Golden. Near the end of the book, it is said of Theo that “His decision to live small made him larger than life.” The reference describes how he lived, not his stature. There is a part of us that needs to be small! It’s called our ego.

Some years ago, as I was praying at the altar, a lady came to pray with me and for me. As she prayed aloud, however, I became embarrassed and troubled. For some reason she began telling God all about the good qualities she saw in me, building me up before Him! So as she continued to pray in this way, I was talking to God myself, silently in my heart. Over and over in my mind I repeatedly prayed, “Keep me small, Lord. Keep me small.” The next morning, I found myself in a rather angry argument. As words went back and forth, something was said that hurt me, and I felt belittled. In frustration I said, “Sometimes you make me feel so small.” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, my anger disappeared and peace took its place as I realized how quickly God had answered my prayer!

Being a small person is not about self-deprecation or self-loathing. By the term ‘small person’ I am referring to someone who is not highminded, thinking more highly of themselves than they should, and who is not puffed up with pride and an inflated ego. Having a small ego does not necessitate having a poor self-image. It’s about humility. And in the words of Rick Warren, it’s “not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.”

Neither does being a small person mean you can’t strive for success or hold a high position. A small ego doesn’t mean we can’t do great things. But it does mean that whatever we do and wherever we are, we focus not on ourselves, but rather on those around us. It also involves a willingness to take a lower place and to live our best without the need for recognition. That can be hard!

It’s difficult, because we like and need to be appreciated and the Bible teaches us to honor one another. But when that need for appreciation becomes the motivation and driving force behind our endeavors, we are in serious trouble. The Bible is clear. We are to work for God’s glory and for His approval. Colossians 3:23, 24 gives this instruction: “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward…” Elsewhere in Scripture we are warned that, for those who do things to be seen, that admiration is the only reward they will get!

John had a great ministry. He preached a powerful message of repentance and had many followers. But when One greater than him arrived on the scene, some of his followers left him to follow this new Teacher. How did he react? Was he jealous? Angry? Disappointed? John the Baptist knew who Jesus was, so he was willing to be made small. He declared, “He must increase, but I must decrease!” This should be the attitude of us all.

Big ducks may get a lot of attention, but small people will get the greater reward. Lord, keep me small!

Lord, deliver me from the delusion of imagining that my desire is to serve You, when my real desire is the distinction of serving in some way that others admire.
–Elisabeth Elliott

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A Season of Hope

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Sometimes winter can last a very long time. Here in the Western New York region it can come early and stay late. As someone recently said, “This winter lasted years!” It seems that way because just when we have a day or two of warm, sunny weather, the next day shows up with cold wind and falling snow! And so with anticipation we wait for spring’s arrival.

That is the one good thing about this world.
There are always sure to be more springs.
–Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery

Spring is my favorite season even if it can take a long time getting here! I love it, because it is the beginning of warmer, beautiful weather. Bulky winter coats get packed away along with the hats, scarves, gloves and clumsy boots. As the snow melts away, trees begin to blossom and flowers start to grow. Spring is a season of hope, a declaration of better things to come. Out of the cold hard, dormant ground, new life pushes its way through!

Photo credit: Eva Marie Husted

There is a chorus we sing that declares: “Up from the ashes hope will arise!” Spring gives us a glimpse of that kind of hope!

Hope is an encouraging word. It helps us to look for the positive and to face an uncertain future. Hope gives courage! It has been said that “Where there is life, there is hope.” But it has also been said that “Harsh reality is better than false hope.”

Hope is a tease designed to prevent us from accepting reality.
–from Downton Abbey

It’s a sad fact that in this world, hope can disappoint us. Things don’t always work out the way we want them to. When I was a teenager I was a patient in a hospital for children and young people with disabilities. Because it was a long term hospital (Some of the patients had been there for years!), some of us were permitted to go home for weekends and holidays. It was dependent on our physical condition and recovery from surgery. Every week, someone would read to us the names of those who were allowed to go for the weekend. I was recovering from several surgeries, but had hopes that I would be on the list to go home for Thanksgiving. I was not. My disappointment must have shown, because I was told that they wanted to make sure I was completely recovered and strong enough, so I could go home for Christmas. That made sense to me and my hopes were raised. I would rather be home for Christmas than Thanksgiving anyway. But it didn’t work out that way. I didn’t get to go home for either holiday! I felt betrayed. I was given false hope!

Hope deferred makes the heart sick…
–Proverbs 13:12

But there is a hope that will not disappoint! The Bible calls it a blessed hope, a confident hope, and a strong, trustworthy hope! It is not a hope given to us from the people around us; it is a hope held out to us by God Himself! This hope comes to us through Jesus Christ and is made available to us because of the Easter story.

Celebrate with praises the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has shown us his extravagant mercy. For his fountain of mercy has given us a new life–we are reborn to experience a living, energetic hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
–1 Peter 1:3 (TPT)

How appropriate it is that Easter is celebrated in the spring! As spring is a season of hope, bringing new life into a barren world, it symbolically depicts the new life and hope we can find in Christ. The hope we have through Christ promises us not only a new life, but an eternal one as well.

When our souls lie barren in a winter which seems hopeless and endless, God has not abandoned us. His work goes on. He asks acceptance of the painful process and our trust that He will indeed give resurrection life.
–Elizabeth Elliott

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Falling With Grace

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I haven’t always been in a wheelchair. But even when I could walk, it was with an awkward, exaggerated gait. Because of my disability, my legs were weak and wobbly. In fact, I’ve had a lot of experience with falling. Some episodes were a bit humorous. I laughed the time I fell backwards into a laundry basket. I also laughed when I lost my balance and rode on an escalator sitting down. The lady who turned around to help me seemed quite perturbed by my laughter, but sometimes we just have to laugh at ourselves. And then there was the time the wind blew me over! Perhaps the most embarrassing episode occurred in a grocery store where I was shopping alone. I had just gotten my cart when for some unknown reason I found myself on the floor. Helpless, I looked at a gentleman nearby and literally said, “I’m crippled, and I can’t get up.” I wasn’t laughing then, but now it is kind of funny.

On my wedding day, during the lengthy time of taking pictures after the ceremony, my legs suddenly gave out and I plopped down with my wedding gown bunched around me. I sat there, looked up at my loving husband, and said, “Paul, I need you!” He knew from the start what he was getting into. (Well, maybe not everything…) Through our years together, if he saw me struggling, he would say, “If you’re going to fall, fall with grace!” Ha! As if I could control how I fell.

Not all my falls are funny. I’ve had my share of injuries and broken bones. But I appreciate the encouragement found in this Scripture verse:

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way, though he fall he will not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand.
–Psalm 37:23,24

In the Amplified version the last phrase is translated: the Lord is the one who holds his hand and sustains him. This is God’s grace extended to us. So perhaps I can fall with grace!

But this verse is about more than a literal, physical collapse. It’s about our journey through life, specifically our walk of faith. Sometimes in our walk with the Lord, there is an unexpected bump, something that causes us to stumble, blows us over and knocks us down. And there are even times when an old habit or obsession beckons us, and we trip over temptation. Even in those times, God is there loving us, and His grace is there helping us. The fact is that sometimes we mess up, sometimes we fail, and sometimes we fall. The Apostle Paul reminds us that God’s grace is sufficient for us, and he also tells us that we “are never abandoned by God, we get knocked down but we are not destroyed.”–2 Corinthians 4:9(NLT)

The college I attended had a sloping sidewalk that went down from the dorms to the classrooms. This usually wasn’t a problem for me, except one winter day it was. The sidewalk was slick with ice. My feet flew out from under me and no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t get back on my feet. A strong, rather good looking young man came to my aid. He pulled me up on my feet, but my feet slid out from under me again, and again, and again. Finally, he picked me up and carried me to where I needed to go! This is just what grace does for us! Grace lifts us up and helps us get to where we are supposed to be.

When I fall, I am not falling alone. I am falling with grace. God’s grace is right there with me.

Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
–from the hymn Amazing Grace

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Down to My Level

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The young man who married my granddaughter is quite tall. Standing several inches over six feet, he towers above me as I sit in my wheelchair. And Will likes to hug. Whenever he says his goodbyes to the family, he goes from person to person giving a big hug to each one before going out the door. When it’s my turn to be hugged, he does something different. He gets down on his knees! He comes down to my level. He does this so it is easier for me to reach him and hug him back. It’s very special to me.

Getting down on someone else’s level is a good thing. It helps us to connect with each other. We do this with children. As we physically get down on the floor to play with them, it enables us to interact with them and makes them feel important. Even if we don’t literally, physically go down to their level, we do it figuratively as we play their simple games, pretend with them, and use our imaginations. Children respond to the person who is willing to put themselves on their level. And so do I.

As we just finished celebrating the holiday season, I have been thinking about Christmas and what the birth of that baby in a manger really meant. How easily we read the Christmas story and quote the Scripture: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” But this was Jesus, the very Son of God, coming down to my level! He did it to reach me, and so I can respond to Him in return! How far did Jesus go to come down to my level? Way low! In order to reach me, He was made “lower than the angels”. He became one of us.

C. S. Lewis puts it well:

The Second Person in God, the Son, became human Himself: was born into the world as an actual man–a real man of particular height, with hair a particular colour, speaking a particular language, weighing so many stone [pounds]. The Eternal Being, who knows everything and who created the whole universe, became not only a man but (before that) a baby, and before that a foetus inside a Woman’s body. If you want to get the hang of it, think how you would like to become a slug or a crab.
–from Mere Christianity

The Creator of the universe, the One who created us, became part of His creation! It’s amazing! It’s unfathomable, unbelievable! It’s a mystery. Why did He do it? Why would He lower Himself to this level?

He made himself nothing by taking on the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness, and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient unto death–even death on a cross!
–Philippians 2:7-8(NIV)

Motivated by His love for us and in an effort to embrace us, to have a relationship with us, He didn’t just reach down, He came down! He came down to my level and I am so glad He did!

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Unwrapped Presents

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It is said that good things come in small packages. I’m not sure about the validity of that statement, but I do know that the best gifts are the ones that I call “unwrapped presents”. I’m referring to presents that can’t be gift wrapped and put under a Christmas tree.

After my youngest son graduated from high school, he decided to join the Air Force. Elijah was stationed miles from home, so for Christmas he planned to celebrate with us by telephone. The family was gathered around the tree in the living room when he called, but as I was talking with him the doorbell rang. A little perturbed, I questioned who would be coming to see us on Christmas morning! I kept talking on the phone to Elijah as I went to answer the door and was shocked to find myself talking to him face to face! He had called us from our front porch and surprised us all by coming home! I don’t remember anything else I got for Christmas that year, but I do remember that my son came home. It was the best present I received!

One year my other son, Greg, wrapped up a litter box and gave it to me for Christmas. I wept when I realized what it was. The gift wasn’t the litter box. It was the kitten that would be coming later. But to me the gift went even beyond that. I realized that this was not just a gift from my son, but it included my husband’s approval as well, because he did not like cats. (Or so he claimed.) This gift from my son was also a gift of my husband’s love for me. His love could not be wrapped up as a present, but I was totally aware of the ‘unwrapped present’ that he was giving me that Christmas morning.

But the best unwrapped present I ever received was a gift from God. The Bible calls it an “indescribable gift.” God’s gift came naked into this world and died naked on the cross. It can’t be bought or boxed up with a pretty bow on top, because “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) This is not the kind of gift that we grasp with our hands, but rather we receive it with our heart. God offers His gift to us with love. He gives it to us with grace and mercy when we accept it by faith. “For by grace you have been saved through faith…it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8) And here’s the exciting part! He offers this gift to everyone! It’s yours if you want it.

God’s gift doesn’t come in a pretty package. It can’t be seen or handled or opened, but God’s ‘unwrapped present’ is the best gift you will ever receive! Have you accepted the gift that God has for you?

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
–John 3:16

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