Monday, December 29, 2014

CHECKING MY BUCKET LIST


Encored by request as relevant to the coming New Year. 

This blog post received the highest number of viewers in 2014.

Whenever I approach a birthday...and there have been 89 of them...or look toward the start of a New Year...I take a peek at what's still on my “bucket list."

 Of course, when I was a child my little toy pail was full of wishes. In youth, with stars in my eyes, my bucket held dreams. In adult life it was full of goals and hopes and plans. In prime of life the bucket began to hold some concrete achievements.  

Now in my summit years, I would do well to examine what remains on my bucket list. Is my bucket empty because I've been there and done all that? Or have I given up on some things that were there from the beginning? Should I still press on to accomplish what's left in my bucket?

I was curious about the origin of the bucket analogy and did some online research. “The Bucket List" was the title of a movie about two terminally ill men and what they set out to do before they died. It came to mean a list of however many things one might want to accomplish before mortality closes the door. That is, before you “kick the bucket,” which is a slang term that has come to mean dying. In short, it’s a list, actual or imaginary, that you make of what you hope to accomplish or do or be in your lifetime. 

But where did the bucket aspect come from? One source traced it to the Middle Ages when hanging was a common form of capital punishment. The victim would be taken to an elevated scaffold with a noose around his neck. He would stand on an overturned bucket or pail. When the bucket would be kicked out from under him, his body would drop, the rope would tighten, and he would be hanged.

In a sense, since a bucket list is a list of goals to achieve or roles in life or places I would like to go, or things I would like to do, I should ask myself, “Who put those items in my bucket? Did I? Or were they the expectations of others?” As a Christian I should ask at any season of my life, “Have I consulted God for the contents of my life bucket? Or am I simply on an ego trip? Are there things that should not even be on my bucket list? Are there important things I have omitted?”

In rural China, I have seen two heavily loaded buckets being carried by one person. A long pole is suspended across the shoulders and two buckets in balance are hung on each end of the pole. It might take two buckets to contain all that some of us would like to accomplish in one lifetime. There is nothing wrong with having personal goals and wishes and desires and dreams. It is good and right to fill up one bucket with that kind of list.
Nevertheless, I should balance it in the other bucket with a list of God’s priorities and purposes for creating me and calling me to become His child. One bucket may contain worthy temporal desires; the other, eternal values and desires in sync with the will of God. No, they should not really balance--God's bucket should be the heaviest!

God isn’t about the business of raining on our parade or taking all the fun out of life. The Scripture declares, “God has given us richly all things to enjoy.” God created the world and everything in it for man and called it “Good.” In the Psalms we read, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Faithful to His promise, the Lord has given me a long lifetime of the desires of my heart. God’s storehouse of goodness and mercies has overflowed to me. Among His many blessings, I have traveled the world, I have served the Lord with gladness throughout the many decades, I have lived to delight in my children, my grandchildren, and my great-grandchildren. I couldn't even count His blessings to me by the bucket—more like by the barrel!

The bucket list of how God wants to favor His children is a lot weightier and richer and a greater treasure than anything we could think of to put on our own bucket list of “to do’s or to be’s.” The nature of God is generosity, always giving us more abundance than we can ask or imagine. The question I must ask myself is not, Have I accomplished all I want to do from my bucket list?”I can’t go wrong with continually praying, “Lord, I want Your will to be done in my life on earth as it is done in heaven. If there is still anything left on my life bucket list that would please You, show me how to fulfill it!”

Saturday, December 27, 2014

COMPLETIONS & ANTICIPATIONS 2014-2015

That's what life is all about, isn't it? Looking backward and looking forward?

Especially in one's late years, after completions there must be anticipations of what's ahead—joyful, positive expectations, not tainted with fear or dread or regret.

I always review my life at the dawn of a new year. I give serious thought and prayer to “what I want to be when I grow up.” I ask Jesus Christ, the Lord of my life, what He wants me to complete while I'm still in my “earth suit,” my mortal body. In anticipation of my 90th year I want a fresh anointing of the Oil of the Holy Spirit so I don't become stale, wilted, or dry but “full of sap and very green” as God, according to Psalm 92, expects of His children who are in their advanced years. In my recently published book I refer to such people as being in our “summit season” and “vintage years.” 
 
Each year I choose a word to focus on and internalize in my life. One year it was ABUNDANCE, another year it was WISDOM. Last year, my word was LEGACY. In 2015 I'm choosing FLOURISH from the title of my current book implying to increase and not diminish or slack off, to embrace hope, not to drift but press on, not regress. The release last month of this third book in my spiritual autobiographical “LAND OF MORE” Trilogy is titled STILL MORE! FLOURISHING ON MY SUMMIT. It is both a completion and an anticipation. I am challenging myself to live out and practice what I have already written. I intend for my own book to be my Road Map as I further unpack its meaning for my life in the next year.

While completing this book for publishing, I discovered that I had far too much material for one book. I “flourished” too much! It was a painful task to do serious syntax surgery by cutting it in half and omitting valuable content. It turned out that, in a sense, I had been “pregnant with twins.” I have “still more” than enough choice material left over for a second book, already edited. If God wills, I anticipate that it too may be published in 2015 with the title TWELVE MORE BASKETS FULL! If that actually happens, the second book will also be available on ebooks.

While waiting for STILL MORE! to come off the press last month, I ventured off my usual non-fiction genre to complete a fiction book which I had been working on intermittently for many years. I compiled 31 of my parables into a manuscript titled FABLES OF GOD'S KINGDOM FOR GROWN-UPS. I anticipate, God willing, to finally publish it in 2015. I'm encouraged by the enthusiastic response from viewers of my blog where I posted all the fables recently.

There were other completions in 2014. I produced CD’s from hundreds of broadcast tapes of my previously aired “Living it UP” daily programs on our Christian radio station. This “Legacy Project” also offers companion CD’s to go with some of the topics and books which I have previously published. Because of the demand, I also completed the reprint of two of my most popular books of help for widows and they are available again.

After 30 years of broadcasting 24/7 to a widespread listening audience reaching thousands of lives for Christ, the Board of Directors of our not-for-profit corporation, which I have served as president from the beginning, made the decision to cease broadcasting. To everything there is a time and a season, and we believe we have completed the task to which God called us. Those of us involved in this ministry anticipate new directions to serve Him.

God's goodness and mercy has followed our family and we feel blessed. Thank God my health is stable in spite of aging realities and I keep active. Thank you for your prayers. My severe chronic lower back pain now gives me very little trouble although I still invest many hours at the computer. My number of grandchildren seems to be complete at 10, but the number of great-grands is anticipated to increase by 3 more babies in the next few months making their number 10 as well!

I am blessed with friendships across the country and it is a joy to keep in touch. I welcome phone calls at 540-877-1813, emails at leonachoy@gmail.com, invite you to view my blog: leonachoy.blogspot.com, and to visit my publications web site www.goldenmorning.com. Write and come to see me at 497 Devland Dr. Winchester, VA 22603.

Let me know how I can pray for you. My prayer request is: For wisdom to press on to know and do the will of God for the rest of my way. Let's watch for the return of Jesus with greater anticipation!

In the love of Jesus our Savior,
Leona Choy

Monday, December 15, 2014

THE RESURRECTED OTTOMAN


 THE RESURRECTED OTTOMAN
 
Our family may remember the old several-times-reupholstered-old-maroon-colored ottoman that moved with us from house to house across the country. My Daddy bought it and a matching chair (which was reupholstered several times and still in use in my great room) with money saved from his first job at a furniture store after he and my Mom married. That was several years before I was born. The original old cushioned footstool had a tan background with bouquets of maroon and blue roses. It had become a keepsake. It was about a hundred years old now and held many memories of my growing up years in the Iowa heartland. As a toddler I learned to walk by holding on to it.

The ottoman was coming apart with straw stuffing hanging out underneath and a sunken sitting area...really useless and quite a sorry sight. Bill, my good neighbor next door, has a cottage business in upholstering so I took it over to him about 3 years ago to give me a price on repairing. The price was far more than I could afford because he would have to strip and rip it down to the wooden frame and start all over. I made a quick (and unwise!) decision that it was not worth it. Bill said he would dispose of it for me and I sadly agreed.

However, for the past several years I really,
really regretted my decision! I should have held on to it for memory's sake. I kept obsessing about that and finally just told myself to suck it up and forget about it. The ottoman was long gone, probably disposed of immediately in a dumpster--so I should stop thinking about it! Nevertheless, I thought about it again just this week during a moment of Christmas and family nostalgia....

It was my sad privilege to be a good friend to Bill's beloved wife Judy who passed away a year ago from a recurrence of cancer. Judy and I became quite bonded as I tried to encourage her in her Christian faith as she walked her last mile Home to Heaven. She was very precious to me.

Anyway, I invited Bill to our home for a party with about a dozen neighbors last Friday when carolers from a nearby little white "Christmas card country church" arranged in advance to stop at my house to sing. My son Rick and I planned a neighborhood Christmas party around it and it was a warm and fuzzy and jolly event. 


Our good neighbor Doug who looks like an original St Nick with a genuine white beard and in full Santa regalia plays the part in churches and soup kitchens, schools, and other public events during this season. 

Dressed up for our occasion, he handed out hearty ho-ho's and hugs and cookies to about 20 carolers after they sang lined up on my staircase to the second floor.

Bill could not come to our party since he volunteered to attend to his brother who is terminally ill with cancer and allow his wife to take a break. So Saturday I brought packages of goodies from our party to a recent widowed neighbor and several others who couldn't make it to our party, including Bill. We had a long chat.
Then he said he had something for me....

He went off into his workshop and brought out my RESURRECTED OTTOMAN beautifully and totally recreated from scratch and crafted in the best grade upholstery--in colors which not only exactly match my current rose and maroon decor but are so close to the original upholstery when it was new in the early 1920's! When Bill presented it to me, I was overwhelmed to tears at his loving, generous thoughtfulness. What a SURPRISE after I had long given up hope of ever seeing my discarded precious memory ottoman!


What a wonderful Christmas present beyond my imagination! You'll admire it when you come to visit.

God
always answers prayer. Sometimes it is YES, sometimes it is NO, for our best interests. Sometimes it is WAIT. There are times when you've given up on something and finally surrendered even the desire for it, and then God surprises you and gives it back to you in a much better way than before!  Yes, God always answers prayer in His own perfect way!
It's just a good idea to TRUST GOD!


Friday, December 12, 2014

THE ANGEL WITH THE INJURED WING

ENCORE POST
By
Great-Grandma “Bubi Lee” Leona Choy
Written for Makenna Lee Humes

Once upon a time Great-Grandma Bubi-Lee went to a Craft Fair at her parish Church. She saw many beautiful things she wanted to buy for her ten grandchildren. Now she had seven great-grandchildren so she had a lot of things to buy.

She bought two shopping bags full of gifts. But on her way home she suddenly remembered seeing a statue of a beautiful little angel that she wished she had purchased.
 
I wonder if someone else already bought it. I will hurry back again to see if it's still there.”

When Bubi-Lee got to the lady who was selling less-than-perfect items, she found that all of the angels had been sold—except the one she still hoped to buy! There it was on the top shelf all by itself! 
 
Why didn’t you sell this one?” Bubi-Lee asked. 

“She is my most beautiful angel but she has an injured wing. There is a little chip missing near her shoulder. No one wanted to buy her.” 
 
“Maybe she has a story to tell,” replied Bubi-Lee smiling. 

“Perhaps she was waiting for me to buy her! I will buy her no matter how much she costs. I will “listen” to her story. I want to give her to my little great-granddaughter, Makenna Lee, for her first birthday.”

Bubi-Lee paid only one dollar for the beautiful angel statue!
The lady wrapped the angel statue in lots of tissue paper and Bubi-Lee carefully carried her home. 
 
This is the story Great-Grandma Bubi-Lee imagined that the little angel statue told her. She will tell her own story:

My name is BOO-BOO. I live in Heaven. I am one of Heavenly Father-God’s special created angels. There are gazillions of us angels—you could never count us all. We love and serve Father-God. He sends us on trips down to Earth to help His people and also help the creatures He created—the animals and the birds. He cares for them all. 
 
I never had a chance to go to Earth before because I got hurt one day playing among the twinkling stars. I got too close and one of the sharp points on a star injured my wing. I got a “boo-boo.” That is why all the other angels call me by the name “BOO-BOO.” 
 
Father-God kissed the hurt place and told me how much He loved me. He promised to send me to Earth on a very special assignment—sometime.

Finally the day came when Father-God said, “The time has come for your special trip to Earth. A little fawn had been injured in Green Forest and needs some Tender Loving Care. Mommy Doe needs help to care for her until Little Fawn’s hurt leg is healed and she can run and play again.”

“I will go, Father-God. I will hold Little Fawn and care for her until her boo-boo is better. I know how she feels because I also have a boo-boo.”

“Fly to Earth then, little angel. But first choose some Earth clothes to wear because Green Forest is covered with snow. It is wintertime and very cold down there on the Blue Planet.”

Angel Boo-boo chose a warm white coat with blue lining trimmed with white fur, a cape for her shoulders, and a matching cap with fur trim to cover her blond hair. “I must have some boots for the deep snow,” she thought. “High blue boots with fur trim that lace all the way up will do just fine to keep my toes warm. Oh! I still need fuzzy mittens to match.”

The little boo-boo on her wing didn't keep little angel from flying down quickly from Heaven to Earth. God provided her with a divine GPS so she could locate Green Forest. She looked around for Little Fawn and Mommy Doe. She found them right away taking shelter under Evergreen Tree. Little Fawn tucked her injured leg beneath her as she snuggled up to Mother Doe. 
 
“I'm so happy to see you!” said Mother Doe. She tried to lick Boo-boo’s fingers through her mittens.

Angel Boo-boo gently picked up Little Fawn who was trembling with the cold. She held the little deer close to her and covered her with her cape to keep her warm. Little Fawn cuddled under her arm and licked Angel Boo-boo’s face to thank her for coming. Angel Boo-boo could not keep from smiling all the time she was on Earth. She was so happy doing Father-God’s assignment.

Angel Boo-boo stayed in Green Forest on Earth as long as it took for Little Fawn to get well. Winter turned to spring and the snow melted. The warm sun made everything grow and flowers began to blossom. Boo-boo put Little Fawn down on the soft green grass and let her scamper off to follow Mother Doe. 
 
The birds were singing happy songs and all the animals in Green Forest were scampering about doing what all of Heavenly Father-God’s happy creatures do.

It was time for angel Boo-boo to return to Heaven. She told Father-God all about her adventure on Earth in Green Forest. 
 
“Well done!” said Father-God. He smiled and gave Angel Boo-boo a loving hug. “Go and play among the stars until I call you for another assignment. But be careful not to get too close to any of those pointy stars whirling around in my big universe. I don’t want you to get another boo-boo!”
****

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

LOTS AND LOTS OF ANGELS




Encore Post


LOTS AND LOTS OF ANGELS
A Story written by Great Grandma Bubi-Lee aka Leona Choy
for Makenna Lee Humes' birthday/Christmas.
(Bubi Lee “heard” it from Chera and Sera)
(Well-known Christmas songs are in italics.)

“Hi Makenna. We are two Christmas angels who have come to tell you a “once-upon-a-time” true story,” said Chera. We look like twins, but I have a red bow in my hair.”

“And I have a green bow,” chimed in Sera.

“Your Great Grandma Bubi-Lee found us at the parish Christmas Fair at her Church this year. We were standing on the same shelf where she found our friend, the injured-wing angel named “Boo-boo” whose story Bubi-Lee wrote for you before. The lady selling gifts saw Bubi-Lee coming in the door. She smiled and said, “I believe there are some lovely twin angels this time just waiting for you to find them.”

“Sure enough, as soon as she saw them, Bubi-Lee was delighted! She paid the money, and the lady wrapped us carefully to bring to you for your birthday and Christmas, Makenna,” said Chera. But first Bubi-Lee asked us to tell her a story about ourselves so she could write it for you. This is the story we told her.”

“We will both join in to tell you what an exciting part we had in announcing the first Christmas when baby Jesus was born. My name is Chera. That is a short name for our family which is called Cherabim. Father God created many angels in our heavenly family—lots and lots and lots of us. Some people call us 'cherubs' and paint pretend pictures of what they imagine we look like—chubby, naked babies with rosy cheeks and little wings. Some people made up the story that we shoot invisible arrows at boys and girls on Valentine's Day to cause them to love each other.”

“But that's not what you are really like, is it?” laughed Sera.

“No, we angels are invisible to everyone except Father God. If He has a special job for us, He lets us appear to people so they can see us for a little while. But angels were never babies. Father God created us already grown up and very wise and we never grow older. People don't become angels when they go to heaven. People always stay people and angels always stay angels. We angels live close to Father God's throne in heaven so we can do whatever good things He wants us to do. Sometimes He sends us to Earth to protect and guard people and places. Tell Makenna who you are, Sera.”

“My name is Sera. That is a short name for our family of angels called Seraphim. We are 'Angels from the realms of Glory.' Together with Chera's family, we are the highest group of angels that God created. We were chosen by Father God to proclaim 'The First Noel' to certain poor shepherds in fields where they lay keeping their sheep on a cold winter's night that was so deep. In heaven we constantly love to sing to Him the song: 'Holy, Holy, Holy!'”

Chera went on with their story, “'How Great Our Joy!' when Father God sent us to the 'Little Town of Bethlehem' where most people were in deep and dreamless sleep. They didn't know that very night in their dark streets was shining the Everlasting Light—Baby Jesus, the Light of the world, was born. 'It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.'”

“'While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks' by night on that 'Silent Night, Holy Night' lots and lots and lots of angels, filled the sky with such a great, brilliant light that it almost blinded the shepherds. And that glowing glory-light really scared them. It frightened the sheep too,” laughed Sera. “Instead of sleeping peacefully in the rock cave where the shepherds guarded them for the night, the sheep began to run out of the fold and scamper around on the hills crying 'Baa, baa!'” 

“First the angel Gabriel appeared in the sky so large that he seemed bigger than the whole world. His name means 'Mighty one of God.' He is the special angel who Father God sends to bring important messages for Him to people on earth. Like when He told Jesus' mother Mary that she would give birth to baby Jesus.”

“And Gabriel spoke to Jesus' foster father Joseph in a dream several times and told him what to do to care for and protect baby Jesus and his mother,” added Sera.

“Gabriel was the first 'Herald Angel' to announce to the shepherds, 'For unto us a Child is born.' He told them that they should not be afraid because he was bringing 'Joy to the world'—a special baby had been born—but 'What Child is this?' He wasn't just an ordinary baby. This was 'The Birthday of a King!'”

“Jesus was Father-God's Son in heaven before He came to earth. 'Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne' and thy kingly crown to come to save Earth people and prepare them for heaven,” explained Chera.
“I'll never forget those wonderful words,” said Sera. “In a booming voice Gabriel called out that Father God was announcing this news for everybody. 'This day a Savior is born for you and He is Christ the Lord' and every heart should prepare Him room.” 

“Then Gabriel told the shepherds exactly where to find the baby. He would be lying in a feeding box for donkeys and cows 'Away in the Manger'. He would have no crib for a bed to lay down His sweet head. Gabriel told them exactly what clothes the baby would be wearing so the shepherds wouldn't make a mistake in finding Him.”

Chera became so excited. “'O Holy Night!' The stars were brightly shining. O night divine! That's when the whole sky seemed to open up and Father God sent a big crowd of us, a multitude of the heavenly host—lots and lots and lots of angels—more than anyone could count—to join in the celebration for Jesus' birthday. 'How Great Our Joy!' Joy! Joy! Joy! The dark night seemed to turn as bright as daylight because we brought the glory of the Lord with us. We all danced across the sky and sang as loud as we could, “'Gloria in excelsis Deo!'”

“Tell Makenna what those Latin words mean which lots and lots and lots of us angels sang in a big chorus,” said Sera.

“They mean in English, 'Glory to God in the highest!'” and Gabriel told us to add, 'Peace on earth to men of good will!'”

“We angels had just as much fun celebrating as we did when Father God created the Planet Earth and showed us all the marvelous things He made—the plants, and animals, mountains, and oceans, and the first people!” exclaimed Chera. “We sang creation's story then, and now we get to sing and proclaim Messiah's birth.”

“Then lots and lots and lots of us angels kept singing for a long time while the heavenly glory-light shone around us. Finally Father God called us back to His Kingdom in the heavens. The shepherds left someone in charge to guard the sheep, and they hurried off to 'Go tell it on the Mountains' over the hills and everywhere that Jesus Christ was born. They finally arrived at the birthday party of Jesus 'Away in the Manger.' They told all the people they met, 'From the Angels We Have Heard on High' as they were sweetly singing o'er the plains.'”

“Makenna, would you like to have us sing a song for you about Jesus' birthday? It would make Jesus happy if you sang along with us. Father God gave you the gift of such a sweet singing voice.

Away in a manger no crib for a bed
the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay
the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.”

“We have come to stay with you, Makenna. We would love to guard and protect you. We will be happy to share a shelf with angel Boo-boo at your house.”

Chera and Sera promised, “On Christmas we two will hold a candle and your Mommy or Daddy may light it. That light will remind you that Jesus is the Light of the world. And remind you of the glory-light in the sky on that special night of our dear Savior's birth when we joined lots and lots and lots of angels to announce to the world that the 'Long-Expected Jesus' had come to set His people free.”

Friday, December 5, 2014

HURRAH FOR THE PREPPER BRIDESMAIDS!

What is a Prepper? The word is just finding its way into modern dictionaries. In today's society with uncertainties of weather, natural or technological catastrophes, economic collapse, and other emergencies or unanticipated urgencies, a Prepper is one who chooses to be prepared for anything he may face. He is not a survivalist in a derogatory, fanatic sense, but a wise, responsible person who plans for the future. After all, “Be prepared!” is the Boy Scout motto and a major theme throughout Scripture. Who wouldn't want to be a Prepper? 

In the Matthew 25 story of the wise and foolish bridesmaids, it was a case of bringing along enough lamp oil for the possible long haul. The wedding festivities might have depended on the lamplight of all ten of the bridesmaids' lamps. With only five lamps the illumination the host was counting on would have been considerably diminished. Since early history oil lamps together with candles were the only sources of lighting. That was also true in Jesus' day. On the occasion of Saint Paul preaching until after midnight in Acts 20:8, the writer Luke noted, “...and there were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered together.” Probably everyone there had brought his own lamp. No one even fantasized about what it might be like to flip a switch to bring light through electrical current, or about battery power, fluorescent lighting, or LED lighting. Diodes, semiconductors, voltage, electrons, and photons were far in the future.

In certain less modern societies oil lamp light is still used because it is safer and brighter than candle light. In our society the purchase of oil lamps is still brisk for emergency lighting in case of a power outage, to light up primitive situations, and for romantic ambiance and a cozy atmosphere. The shape of oil lamps has changed little—a clear glass or metal base for the oil and a wick connecting the oil with the flame which is covered by a glass chimney.
 
After Googling oil lamps for more information I became a bit wiser about their operation. The glass chimney can get cloudy with smoke and soot buildup which cuts back the light output and so must be kept clean. Trimming of the wick after burning and the shape of the wick affects the type of flame and the brightness. Any kind of oil may be burned; stale oil or even used cooking oil will work, but pure paraffin oil gives the brightest light and no stink. The Preppy girls likely used olive oil and carried extra in a flask. A temporary inconvenience but it gave them the entrance ticket when the Bridegroom's procession finally arrived.

As Christians we are reenacting in Advent our waiting for our Savior's first coming as a babe in the humility of a borrowed manger. At the same time we are awaiting our Bridegroom's appearance in glorious majesty at His second coming. He may seem to be delaying and dark night is settling in around us as the world seems to whirl in turmoil. Like the bridesmaids we get drowsy and even fall asleep. Our lamps clouds up with the smoke and soot of concern for the affairs of this life. We may even have a telltale oil leak like the spotting of oil on a garage floor or driveway from oil in our cars. But we must be wise. We can't afford to use stale oil or run out of oil and be caught short at the Bridegroom's sudden arrival. 

Oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures and Christian teaching. We receive our initial anointing of the Oil of the Holy Spirit at our baptism and it is normally meant to escalate into a brighter flame at Confirmation. From that point on I need to be constantly checking my oil, topping it off if it runs low, trimming my wick, and cleaning my chimney from the cares of this world.

My smart phone has a little feature that flashes a signal “Refresh.” I simply touch the screen to invite new email messages to come instantly and almost magically into my cell phone through cyberspace. In real life it takes intentionality, deliberate action, to keep spiritually refreshed. I am reminded to “keep being filled with the Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). I must seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. (Matthew 6:33) It takes habitual attention, an unhurried, contemplative slice of my time. I must be continually anointed with fresh oil which is the oil of joy. (Psalm 45:7a and 92:10b) My head must be anointed with oil. (Psalm 23:5b) My head, my intellect, needs the Oil as well as my heart, my emotions; my cluttered mind is troubled with many things of this material world and my own busyness against which Jesus' warned His friend Martha.

If I am so foolish as to let my lamp run out of Oil and stop shining God's Light, others will not be able to see in their darkness and are likely to stumble or lose their way. God has provided Oil so abundantly that I may not only be filled with His Holy Spirit but that I overflow. He is counting on me to be a Prepper and poke holes in the darkness of the culture around me by setting my lamp on a lampstand for the maximum dispersion of Jesus' Light wherever He has placed me in life.