Bring on the Butter

I can hear your comments soaring through the heavens and shouting out through my computer. "Butter has more fat than margarine." "Butter has more calories than margarine." "Butter isn't good for your heart."

First, allow me to remind you that butter is real. To which you reply, "So will the fat on my hips be real if I eat more butter." So let's talk Godly butter to fatten up the soul––not the hips. Let's talk about buttering up our brothers and sisters in Christ––no calories involved, but tons of blessings to gain.

More than a decade ago, I went to a clinic in Miami for allergy treatments. I learned about natural things compared to artificial things regarding foods. As far as allergies go, real is always better than artificial. Of course, one must be wise to be moderate in all things––including butter. But what about Godly buttering up?

When it comes to relationships, maybe it would be wise to be piling on the butter. "Do not withhold good from those who deserve it," Proverbs 3:27 (NIV). How many times do we pass up an opportunity to encourage someone? A missed opportunity to butter someone up. No, not in an artificial way, but in a real and Godly way. God tells us to do it. We often withhold those good words or good deeds that will make someone smile and let them know we love them and care about them. We all need encouragement. If we hold back, we are withholding good from that person.

Of course, encouragement is more than words only––it's action too. It's coming along side when a friend needs a babysitter or a meal––maybe even an e-mail. There are endless ways to encourage one another. Let's not hold back.

Wouldn't you like to hear something encouraging today? Of course, you would! So tell that sister or brother, "Hey, little Johnny was an angel in church today." "Your new haircut is stunning." "That card you sent me brought sunshine into my heart." And you ask, "What if that person thinks I am just trying to butter them up?" Perhaps they need some Godly buttering up. Let's be God's butter.

Bring on the butter and watch your relationships fatten up––promise, no calories or extra pounds, just tons of blessings to gain!

Heavenly Hugs

I have the blessing of receiving many hugs in our ministry. We live in a rural area of Bolivia where we teach practical skills to underprivileged children while reaching them for Christ. This picture was taken when I visited the local government school to register these precious children for our computer classes. They blessed me with heavenly hugs.

Often, we are asked what we miss the most from home. That's easy to answer––family and friends, of course. Our granddaughter recently celebrated her ninth birthday. We missed the party. But, there is a heavenly hug available. It travels through the heavens and comes out through a phone or a computer. We are blessed by the technology we have available to us today. Before Internet, we got mail once a month and rarely made a phone call. Now we are blessed to have instant communication daily.

God has blessed me with a ministry of physical hugs from children every day and ethereal hugs from across the miles often. Even when I miss a birthday party, I am content where God has me. He is my refuge. I feel His heavenly hugs underneath His everlasting arms.

"The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms;" Deuteronomy 33:27 (NIV)

Thanks Internet friends for your friendship through the heavens––sending you heavenly hugs today!