Living an Intentional Life
What I “Carpe”
“Seize the day” (Walt Whitman)
Carpe cushioned reclining chairs
Carpe doggie play dates
Carpe coffee and conversations
And free refills from Circle K
Carpe old and new friends
Carpe hand-written “I Love You’s”
Carpe a slow-soothing song
Carpe Scrabble and Words with Friends
And Tesseract Wikis
Carpe old and new movies
“Carpe Diem” says this crazy teacher
Carpe all flavors of Hershey’s kisses
Carpe beautiful sunflowers
Carpe U2
Carpe Now
The Green Electric Box
“Yes, Shelley, you are president again.” It was going to be Kelly, Annabel, or Shelley, but not me. No, I was not to be president, as I did not want to speak up. What if they did not like me? I knew I was special in that I did not want to be like everyone else, but I also knew I wanted to be liked, even at this age of 7. I always felt like I was in observation mode, stepping outside myself to examine others around me. I never really felt a part of any “group.” Being the square peg, I never seemed to fit into the round hole which everyone seemed to be a part. I could not put my finger on it, but I knew I was different in some way. I was more sensitive and affected by everything around me. The introspection I would face daily, would drive me crazy. However, little did I know that God was preparing me to be a leader and a teacher. One thing I did discover, nevertheless, is that every child has these deep insecurities, but they are covered up by bullying, snickering, gossiping, or extreme shyness.
This club that we had formed took place on a small green electric box in the town homes for which we lived. It was just the right size to fit 4 tiny bodies, sitting Indian style. Shelley would call the meeting to order and we would discuss the latest issue of “Tiger Beat.” Sean Cassidy was the heartthrob, but I had my eye on Andy Gibb. This was a never-ending controversy, but I did not want to have the same crush as everyone else. We would decide what fan club we were going to support. We finally agreed that Leif Erickson was a superior choice. Again, I did not concur, but I felt it would be fun to be a part of the “club.” This became our daily routine until we got bored with that and decided to play “Charlie’s Angels.”
Now, the most sought after “Angel” was Kelly (played by Farrah Fawcett). Unfortunately, the loser had to be stuck being “Sabrina” played by Kate Jackson. Again, it was rare that I got to be Kelly, but the fantastic thing was that I was small, so I did not usually get stuck with Kate’s role. I just remember how cool we thought we were. This game would usually, in turn, create animosity between Shelley and Annabel. They were always fighting. I typically would try to assist in them making amends and I knew I did not want to anger friends. I always wanted to keep things peaceful. I found early on that it is impossible to please everyone and keep the peace. Conflict management was applied in my life which soon came natural since my home life was filled with chaos and conflict.
To this day, I still strive to keep the peace. I don’t have the same desires to be in the “club.” Of course, I want to be liked and be “popular.” However, the standards I follow now are God’s standards which are not always what the masses believe. I have found that having good character is a pathway to happiness and peace of mind. As Ray Magdalene says, “Like ripples in a pond, your character radiates outward and touches the hearts of people within your sphere of influence.” What I do to live a godly life and how much I love others will determine not only my happiness, but will permeate the lives around me and create a better world. I pray I can live with this type of grace for others and for myself. The green electric box still stands today and is a constant reminder of my newfound strength, hope, and encouragement to self-inflicted “square pegs” around the world.
Martin Luther King Jr. stood on this spot to give his “I have a dream” speech. It is located at the Lincoln Memorial.
I never shall forget the peaceful solution he offered our country. Love conquers HATE. And God is LOVE.
This overwhelming feeling sweeps over me as we fly home from Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. Not only was I moved, but 35 7th graders were consoling and encouraging other each as we wept with tears of appreciation. Our freedom is not free. What this country stands for reminds me of what Christ did for me…for YOU. Paying the ultimate price, death on a cross, was not free, and I shall never take it for granted.
Of course I desire happiness, fulfillment, and a peaceful life. But the cross continues to remind me that sometimes these things come at a cost. I don’t think freedom is necessarily about being physical enslaved, although for some it was. The freedom we have in Christ is to be who GOD wants us to be; that is, to release our fears, our worries, and our desires to HIM. Freedom is trusting that He has our back. Freedom is knowing that we will end up with HIM, and all THIS will pass away. Freedom is walking on the water daily and living each day in expectation of His blessings, not fearing His outcomes, even though the process of getting there is painful.
May I never forget.
Skating on “thin” ice
LONG AGO
Was it gymnastics? No. Was it going to be ballet? No. My “Sunday” Dad would introduce me to tennis and basketball, but it did not catch on. With an athletic family, there must be something I would excel in. One day, my mom took me to the ice skating rink. She struck gold when she bought me a pair of pricey ice skates. It was a huge sacrifice for her due to her extremely limited income. My father would support this sport for me, but with much contention. He made it difficult for me to thoroughly enjoy it because I was reminded often of how costly my chosen sport had become.
My skates would adorn my cold feet as they came to bed with me every night. Of course, the rubber guards covered the sharp blades at all times or else mom would have banned this habit. I could put out an eye! (or a toe!) The morning sun would shine through my white wooden shutters and up I would rise to a new day of gliding through the house.
SOMETHING WARM
It was the day of my lesson with coach Jim and how I panted with excitement to attempt that darn axel jump. The lay back/sit/camel spins were the most exhilarating, but how I longed to land that axel with precision and ease. “If you don’t fall and get scraped up, you are not trying!”, I would hear over and over. The warmth of my leg “sweaters” would cuddle my legs and the hope of Dad or Mom watching from above would coddle my soul. I hoped they would eye my grace, but often that was not the case. I was usually floundering on the ice to make it through a day’s lesson and I would watch all my “competition” look perfect. I’d exit the ice and grab a hot chocolate out of the vending machine to rest my weary body, but “no rest for the weary” would play in my head as I savored every drop only to go back and try again.
PRECIOUS AS GOLD
It was time to prepare for the ISIA competition to be held in Phoenix. If I could earn a medal in this event, Dad would perhaps let me go to California to compete in a larger event. The day was approaching and I found that all the other girls were adorning their tiny skater bodies with expensive, ornate costumes. I so wanted to fit in to the “look” of the hip skaters. I also wished I could afford the fancier, more durable skates. I was never to complain. My dear mother took her precious hard earned income and created an emerald green sequenced butterfly to be sewn on my basic green skating dress. It was beautifully made and from the heart. No, it did not fit the “look” of the rest of the girls, but I appreciated it immensely. My dad was too busy to come for the big day, but I did have my mom and grandparents there. My coach also watched with pride and expectation. The cameras were ready and music began to play. It was just me; alone on the ice with not a movement or sound to be found. Before I knew it, I had completed my program. No knees were scraped and no falling took place. I heard on the announcements, “And…the Gold medal goes to…..Stephanie Scharf!!.” I did it! My first medal..in front of all those peering eyes!!
MAKES YOU LAUGH
Now it was time to head into the room for pictures. I knew that this was a moment to be proud. I think, however, my mom was more proud than me. When I first started out, it was pure enjoyment. However, sometimes I felt like I was doing this to be perfect and accomplish something great for her. But I digress. I now can laugh at my stickly figure which was two long legs butting out from my chest. My waist was non-existent as I resembled a beanpole adorned in a teeny green dress and poofy, little belly. Those pictures will always make me laugh and also to be proud. Oh Boy! Orange Julius..here I come!
MAKES YOU CRY
The part that makes me cry pierces my heart to the core. From the day I started, it was always brought to my attention how expensive my chosen sport had become. My father, who contributed to this endeavor never let me forget how hard it was for him to keep it up financially. Everything cost money. On Sundays, the only days I saw him, he would take me to the rink and watch me for a few minutes. Then he would leave and come pick me up later. He never had time to come to competitions, but I did know he was proud of me. I think I skated my heart out to please him, but I could never do enough. I also could never get
Grassy Roads
I have a confession to make: I never felt part of “the group” in middle school. It wasn’t until returning to my high school reunion that my classmates shared with me how much they thought I had it all together and that they had an abounding respect for me. Looking back now, I realize that the poem I had to grudgingly memorize in 8th grade, The Road Not Taken, would profoundly influence and encourage my life. Often I was faced with “two roads” and over and over again I picked the least popular way. But now, as the poem relays, “I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”
Making a difference has been my battle cry since I can remember. Graduating college at 20 years old with a marketing degree, high aspirations, and a shiny new company car, I was ready to take on the world! California, here I come! The plethora of cardboard boxes which served as my faux furniture populated my apartment until I could afford a real table and chairs. It was now that I was really grown up and ready to not only make some real money, but hopefully change the world. After about one year of going from client to client and hearing, “No, thank you…..we have what we need,” I was unsure what my purpose served. That is when I headed straight to a professional career counselor.
Fast-forward about ten years. I did not quit my job, but I bided time for many unquenched years. Frustrated…empty…and truly marking time, I couldn’t understand how I was going to satisfy this yearning in my heart to turn my desire of “making a difference” into a reality. All of my friends, including me, were making tons of money, but I was miserable. This is when I knew I needed to take a different route. It was time to return to school and pursue a nagging passion for which I had been dissuaded from pursuing early on. “Why, Stephanie, would you want to go into a profession which doesn’t produce a high income?” Having the money and working countless hours on something that produced no internal rewards was leading me to a wasted life. No more time to waste. I knew if I did what I loved, the money would follow.
Teaching has proved to be the hardest job; much harder than any million-dollar producing business endeavor for which I had ever participated. However, I go home each day exhausted with a sense of satisfaction, warmth, and eternal perspective. I may not be raking in the dough as I had in my past (like the so-called “world” would desire), but I’m hopefully making more of a difference than I would pounding the pavement selling a product for which is unneeded.
“Two roads diverged in a wood and I; I took the one less travelled by. And that has made all the difference.” Robert Frost knew that a grassy road may be unpopular, but sometimes, the grassy road wants wear. I will never fully know for whom I have helped or what mark I will have in this world, but I will now never regret my choices to be a bit “different” in order to make a difference.
Everyone loves to pass tests. But what’s the secret?
My life verse is Roman 8:28: “In all things, God works for the good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.”
This verse is thrown around like a loose scarf and many seem to forget the last half.
My dear friend, Pastor Bobby Brewer, spoke on this topic on Sunday, July 29th , and I thought I would reflect on some of his comments.
Have you ever been tested? I mean really tested to where you really thought this was a big joke and maybe there was a hidden camera to see if you were going to fall on your face? I go through them daily. Now, it’s important to realize that temptations are not from God, but are enticements used by Satan to disobey God. Temptations come daily, too, but those are put in our way to get us off track.
Tests, on the other hand, are circumstances that God allows into our lives to see if we are capable of moving from one level of spirituality to the next….or to reveal our maturity! They also are designed to show our true character.
Hmmm…if that is true, I can think of daily interactions which put me to the test.
Have you ever been in a casual conversation and all of a sudden the person to whom you are speaking starts to gossip or say something which is hurtful about something or someone? What do I do? Well, that is the “test.”
What about when I get a bill in the mail which I did not expect? Do I curse the situation and freak out? Do I call and yell at the company? How do I handle to conflict?
What about if at work, I do not get any credit for all the hard work I do and my partner, who did not do much, gets all the accolades? Or I get blamed for something which is not my fault? Do I seek revenge? Or do I understand that God is in control and this could be a test of my character.
This is where the rubber meets the road.
The verse which I live by, has some definite “fine print.” Does that part ever get discussed? Yes, all things do work out and are for His good (and ultimately for mine), HOWEVER, not if I don’t LOVE God. Well, heck, one can say, I love God! But, are you obeying Him!? John 14: 15 says if you love God, you’ll KEEP His commandments. I know one of his commandments is to love thy neighbor as thyself. It’s not to loving to gossip or to talk negatively to or about someone. I’m not LOVING God then, am I?
I need to treat people the way Jesus would (Mat 25:40)
So, in order to pass the test which come our way and truly trust in this verse, there are four keys, which Bobby so eloquently discussed.
The way I see it is that the moment I open my eyes in the morning, I am under this exam. So let’s say I get to school and a student is rude to me. First, I need to see it from God’s perspective. How would He handle this and how can I glorify Him through this test and with other kids who don’t act becomingly.
What a glorious gift, these tribulations. Is that your attitude? All things do work together. That word is “WORK,” not hang around and play. Work means the work of my salvation is being pursued daily, by Him. If I have this heart and mind attitude, I can take anything. “Nothing can separate me from the love of Christ…NOTHING. “ (Romans 8: 35)
PSALM 1
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.
and on his law he meditates day and night.
which yields fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteousness.
but the way of the wicked will perish.
Psalm I is an introduction to the rest of the Psalms. It has a general and basic subject matter as two subjects are touched upon. “Certainly it stands here as a faithful doorkeeper, confronting those who would be in the congregation of the righteous.”[1] The righteous shall receive blessings while the wicked shall receive misery.
It is a wisdom psalm and reminds the reader of the Book of Proverbs. Historically, the psalm was probably not for formal usage. It is more of a reflective type of poem. “It must be viewed as a literary and poetic composition, expressing with remarkable clarity the polarity of persons and their destinies.”[2] It may have been combined with Psalm 2 at one time and the overall impression is that it represents a latter stage of Old Testament religion. In this regard, it must have been written after the exile.
The structure of the Psalm is of two parts. Part one, which is verses 1-3, discusses the enticement of the godly life, while verses 4-6 depict the worthlessness and ultimate despair of a godless person and his choices.
“Blessed is the man..”
First, as one looks at the word “blessed”, it is noted that it is plural in Hebrew and literally means “Oh, the blessedness.” The Hebrew word for blessing is a^shr. One can paraphrase to mean, “Oh how happy is the one..” The description of the happy man is not addressed to only males. “Woman and children are included because, in the Israelite views, part of man’s true happiness is his family-a good wife and many children-and so his blessings are shared by the whole family.”[3]
This has been known to be beatitude because it promises blessings to those who live with faith and a relationship with God. The man who is blessed must avoid certain things. The description of the happy man in verse 1 includes 3 phrases and progress to an acme: 1. Three degrees of conduct (walk, stand, sit), 2. Three degrees of involvement (counsel, path, seat), and 3. Three degrees of evilness (wicked, sinners, scoffers). “On the other hand, the three clauses form a synonymous parallelism, and therefore the corresponding terms merely repeat the same thought in different words without any intentional grading of the godless and their actions.”[4]
“who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked”
“nor stand in the path of sinners”
“Stand” in Hebrew means to stop and be firm. It refers to the development of habits and patterns. Being in the path makes one think that one is on a journey or direction to somewhere. “Sinners” miss the mark and deviate from what is true. Standing with sinners means that one shares their way of life. We are all sinners. However, the psalter is referring to deliberate sinners who have chosen this particular way of life.
“nor sit in the seat of mockers.”
“To sit in the seat of the scoffers amounts to making light of God’s law which ought to be one’s delight; it also means identifying oneself with the thinking and planning of the godless.”[5] Sitting among these folk provides negative association and the person in turn becomes like his associates. “Scoffers” are mockers and ridiculers. They put down the things of God and his word. Scoffers are the most scandalous of sinners thus the farthest from repentance. The happiness of a man is not automatic, however. It is a direct consequence of his activities. “The righteous person avoids all the dimensions of the way of the wicked; therein lies the source of blessedness or happiness.”[6] This section leads to what the righteous shall do which is covered in verse 2.
Verse 1 Summary
In order to experience blessedness, one must avoid the wickeds’ advice,
sinners’ habits, and association with mockers.
Verse 2 Analysis
“But his delight is in the law of the Lord…”
The 3 negatives of verse 1 clear the way for what is valuable. The emphasis is on the “law of the Lord.” The study of God’s Word is to be the key purpose of one’s life in which one receives delight and gives thoughtful attention. “In the law of the Lord,” referring to the Torah, means instruction of which God gives mankind as a life guide. This law stands directly opposed to the ‘counsel of the wicked’ which implies that whatever one studies or thinks about, will frame his life. “This ‘law’, far from being a burden or an unbearable yoke, is the ‘delight’ of the godly man. Perhaps we should render ‘his delight..’ as ‘his concern ( or ‘preoccupation’) is with the law of the Lord’; this might give a slight better parallel to the following line.”[7]
“and on his law he meditates day and night.”
This leads to why the author talks of meditating day and night. “Meditates” literally means “to moan, speak, plan..” In this sense it could mean to study and apply to one’s life. “So this ‘meditation’ not merely an intellectual exercise but, above all, it is a study of the will of God for the purpose of doing it.”[8] Day and night is an idiom which means constantly and regularly. To be blessed and righteous, one must constantly study the Torah.
Verse 2 Summary
The blessed man delights himself in constant regular meditation of God’s Word.
Verse 3 Analysis
“He is like a tree..”
A tree is a simile for man. A tree may fade or die depending on it’s locale and it’s irrigation. As one pictures a watered, healthy tree, one sees 3 things: 1. A tree has deep roots and is sturdy (stability), 2. Substantial growth takes time, and 3. A tree bears fruit and shade.
“planted by streams of water..”
“Planted” actually means “transplanted” which means taking plants out of their environment and planting in another aiding growth, production, and stability. “This may imply that the happiness of the godly man is entirely due to God’s action”[9] The righteous man will be transformed from a barren condition to producing fruit from a rich root. Another theological point must be made about the tree and the stream of water. A person will be like this tree if he is constantly in the word (verse 2). The Word of God is constantly flowing and is never ending. We, too, will endure if we get watered by this stream daily and continually. “The state of blessedness or happiness is not a reward; rather, it is the result of a particular type of life. Just as a tree with a constant water supply naturally flourishes, so too the person who avoids evil and delights in Torah naturally prospers.”[10] It is the believer’s responsibility to respond to God’s provision (Torah) and plant himself regularly in the seat where he can receive water (life).
“which yields its fruit in season…”
First root, then the fruit. The fruit is the blessings. The order here is important because if one roots himself in the Word (like the watered tree), he will bear fruit. “The phrase its fruit in its season emphasizes both the distinctiveness and the quiet growth of the product.”[11] The fruit is proof of the root where one is dwelling in truth and not error. “In season” means at the proper time or when opportunity knocks and without fail.
“and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. ”
A picture of vitality is seen from this verse. A plant by water endures. “The point of the metaphor is to stress the fruitfulness and vitality of life of the godly man, as well as its stability, rather than to provide a symbol of immortality.”[12]. The idea of the prosperity of man is somewhat of a summary statement for the first half of the psalm. The life of the righteous man will in effect produce prosperity. Not in the financial sense, but rather in the spiritual sense (i.e. godly character.) The man of blessedness prospers first because he first seeks to operate in God’s will (for his will is for man to prosper.)
Verse 3 Summary
The blessed man is like a watered tree. He will bear much fruit since he is constantly in the Word hence prosperity follows.
Verse 4 Analysis
“Not so the wicked!..”
A continuation of verse 3 is seen here. The wicked shall not prosper like the blessed righteous. This word “wicked” is repeated 4 times in this psalm hence the psalter must be trying to describe the unrighteous with this key word. One may assume that not only are the wicked apart from God but are guilty of restless activity. They are out of touch with God. It is a contrast to verse 2. To illustrate,
the righteous, 1. Cling to God and 2. Love his word. Therefore he is stable and prospers. The wicked, on the other hand, 1. Forsakes God, and 2. Ignores the Word. Therefore he is judged.
“They are like chaff..”
The wicked are summarized briefly in the simile with chaff. Chaff is “fine, dry material, such as husks and other debris, that is separated from the seed in the process of threshing grain. In the Bible, chaff symbolizes worthless, evil, or wicked persons that are about to be destroyed.”[13] Chaff describes both man and his destiny. “They are thought of as having become worthless in themselves, and their life as empty and without permanence, as long as they continue their present way of life.”[14]
“that the wind blows away.”
Chaff will blow away just as the worthless man. He is rendered useless. The focus then moves to a future judgement.
Verse 4 Summary
The ungodly man shall not prosper, as he will be rendered useless and worthless.
Verse 5 Analysis
“Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgement,”
This verse looks ahead to this future judgement. It elaborates on the wicked and therefore provides some answers. ‘The two lines of verse 5, in synonymous parallelism, reflect essentially the same thought, namely that the wicked hold no weight or influence in the important areas of human society.”[15] Judgement may be both the continual divine judgement and the end time judgement. The wicked hold no part in the resurrection because only the righteous will endure and remaining standing.
“nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.”
This is the parallel linked to the understanding of first part of verse 5. They both carry the same message. The assembly is the worshipping community and later the new Messianic world.
Verse 5 Summary
As a result of God’s judgement, the unrighteous will be excluded from God’s eternal blessings which will be enjoyed by those who stand in relation to God.
Verse 6 Analysis
“For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,”
The word “watches” connotes the word “knows” which means more than informed. It’s in the protective sense-God’s care and love for man. It is the security of believers. The issue here is the basis of God’s judgement. The first half of this verse about the Lord watching over the Godly is antithetically parallel to the second half of the verse dealing with the way of the wicked perishing. “Way” makes one picture a path which is known by the Lord.
“but the way of the wicked will perish.”
The way of the wicked is the “other path” which is fleshly and of man. “Perish” is used here as a road which comes to ruin. It is the road for the lost filled with hopelessness. “The doom of the wicked, as it is expressed in this psalm, is not primarily a punishment, any more than the happiness of the righteous is a reward. Each is presented as the natural outcome of a way of life which has been chosen.”[16]
Verse 6 Summary
The way of the wicked perishes but the Lord protects the righteous.
III. Exegetical Outline
Psalm 1 is about 2 ways of life- the righteous and the wicked. The key is the importance of God’s Word to life and the fruitfulness of the righteousness who delight in his Word. The way of the righteous produce everlasting life as opposed to the ways of the wicked which produce eternal doom.
In order to experience blessedness, one must avoid wicked’s advice, sinners habits, and association with mockers
The blessed man delights himself in constant, regular meditation of God’s Word
The blessed man is like watered tree. He will bear much fruit since he is constantly in the Word and will live a prosperous life as God wills.
The ungodly man shall not prosper as he will be rendered useless and worthless
As a result of God’s judgement, the unrighteous will be excluded from God’s eternal blessings which will be enjoyed by those who stand with God.
The way of the wicked perishes but the Lord protects the righteous.
IV .Homiletical Outline
Two Ways of Living-It’s A Choice
a. regular bible study
b. constant focus on God’s Laws and provisions
Bibliography
Anderson, A.A. The New Century Bible Commentary. Psalms 1-72, Marshall,
Morgan, and Scott, 1972.
Craigie, Peter. Word Biblical Commentary, Psalms 1-50, 1983.
Kidner, Derek. Psalms 1-72; An Introduction and Commentary, Tyndale Press,
1973.
Youngblood, Ronald F. Nelson’s Bible Dictionary, 1995
[1] Kidner, p, 47
[2] Craigie, p. 58
[3] Anderson, p. 58
[4] Anderson, p. 59
[5] Anderson, p. 59
[6] Craigie, p. 60
[7] Anderson, p. 60
[8] Ibid, p. 60
[9] Anderson, p. 60
[10] Craigie, p. 61
[11] Kidner, p. 48
[12] Anderson, p. 61
[13] Nelson’s Bible Dictionary, p. 254
[14] Anderson, p. 61
[15] Craigie, p. 61
[16] Craigie, p. 61