02 Friday Oct 2015
Posted in Children, Christianity, Devotional, Life, People, Raising The Mug
Tags
children, encouragement, faith, feet, God, grace, hope, inspiration, Jesus, love, missions, sacrifice, shoes, Uganda
I can’t take credit for anything in this story. These are friends of mine who are now missionaries in Uganda. This is the latest from their blog site. Please take the time to read about what they are doing and how God is using them in Africa.
Click the link below
Grace and peace,
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
10 Wednesday Jun 2015
Posted in Children, Christianity, Devotional, People, Raising The Mug
Tags
amusing, Bible, children, Christian, coffee, devotional, encouragement, faith, parenting, peace, relationships, restitution, restoration
When our oldest daughter was in elementary school, she was in a rotating class. That is, rather than the teachers moving, the students moved – common for middle school and up, but not elementary students. She shared a desk with another girl from the other class.
One day, our daughter came home from school with a message that she needed us to buy some candy bars for her to take the next day. When we questioned why she needed them, she simply said that her teacher told her to bring them.
Hmmmm……… was there a party we should know about? No.
Was there some extra after school project that needed the candy? No.
After we pushed the point a little further, our daughter began to cry, insisting that the teacher had just told her that she had to provide the candy bars.
This sounded like a job for super mom.
So the next day when Jane dropped the kids off for school, she went inside to have a chat with the teacher. Apparently the other little girl who shared our daughter’s desk had tastier snacks than we provided for our daughter, tastier snacks in the form of candy bars. And, eh hem, our daughter had been helping herself to the other girl’s snacks. When the teacher caught her at it, she simply asked for our daughter to replace what she had stolen……an important detail that our daughter failed to mention.
Suddenly all was clear ………
Matthew 5:9 ESV – “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Romans 12:18 ESV – If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
When a person commits a sin against another person, sometimes a little more than, “I’m sorry” is needed to restore peace. Sometime restitution is in order:
“The Bible gives us a good deal of guidance with regard to restitution. The prime New Testament example of this is Zacchaeus in Luke 19:8. There, Zacchaeus, a tax collector turned believer, repents of his former life and he gives half his possessions to the poor (whom he formerly robbed) and paid back all he stole fourfold. This was going above and beyond what was required, often times, by the law. In Exodus 22 and Numbers 5 we find laws concerning restitution. Sometimes the offender is to simply replace what it was he took or destroyed. Other times there was an extra cost on top of the value of the property as a kind of interest or restitution for the trouble of having to deal with lost, stolen, or damaged property.” opc.org
Maintaining peace is one thing. Restoring peace, once it has been disrupted, may take a little more effort. Restitution is a good beginning – it shows that the heart of the offender has changed and that they are sincere in their apology. They are in fact doing the best they can to replace or repair the damage that they caused.
Here’s to a peaceful day. Take a deep gulp from your favorite mug and ask God to guide you in areas where you can help restore peace.
22 Friday May 2015
Posted in Children, Christianity, Devotional, Life, People, Raising The Mug
Tags
amusing, children, Christian, coffee, devotional, encouragement, facts, faith, God, parenting, scripture, truth, wisdom, wrong conclusions
Thanksgiving dinner at my parents’ house ……. the whole extended family and my little brood of hellions were all sitting around the table munching our meal quietly. Suddenly in the silence between bites, my 5-year-old son blurted out, “You know what my daddy does sometimes? He sticks his hand up my mama’s dress.”
Utensils fell among snickers, gasps, and coughing ………
While I waited for all the blood that had rushed to my face to retreat to its proper place in my body, I choked down a mouthful of turkey and tried to regain my composure. I thought, “Why did he say that? And why now?”
All I could do is remind myself, “Someday the purpose for this embarrassing moment will be made crystal clear ……….. someday ……..someday.”
Maybe that day is today.
Here’s the interesting part of this story – what my son said was true. However, the information was completely misunderstood because no one in the room, other than my immediate family, knew where that vision in his head originated. Here’s what really happened:
It was a typical Saturday morning in the Claxton family living room. The kids were running around playing or watching TV. Jane, my wife, was standing on a chair, changing a light bulb in the ceiling fan and yes ……….. she was wearing a dress, a long calf-length dress. I, being the prankster that I am, sneaked up behind her, slipped my hand up the hem of her dress and tickled her legs. She squealed and we all laughed – end of story …….. until that infamous Thanksgiving dinner. Obviously the prank stuck firmly in my young son’s mind.
Word of warning – don’t do or say anything in front of a child that you don’t want made public!
Just because something is true doesn’t mean that it bears repeating. My son didn’t mean to embarrass his parents nor did he think the comment was out of place. He was just trying to lighten the mood with a funny story. He lacked the wisdom and restraint to know that his statement would be misconstrued.
The point – telling the truth, even if done in earnestness, can backfire and splatter turkey and dressing all over your face if not presented in the proper context.
17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. 19 For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.
Telling the truth without proper context is not actually the truth….. even the truth can be abused and manipulated.
The phrase interpreted smooth talk comes from chréstologia, two Greek words combined –
In layman’s terms, Paul was writing about a person who has taken something that under normal circumstances is true, kind, eternally good, and useful and manipulated it for his own benefit. He has presented it out of context or left out important facts causing you to come to the wrong conclusion. That is a misrepresentation of the truth. If caught, such a person might respond, “Hey, I was telling the truth!” Yeah, but didn’t tell the whole truth, just your version of it. That’s deceitful! The apostle warns us to watch out for these kinds of people. Unfortunately, the warning wouldn’t be necessary if the problem didn’t exist.
These are some of the last words included in Paul’s letter to the Romans. The appeal is to use good judgment in how you listen, being careful not to believe everything you hear ………. sometimes vital facts are left unspoken.
I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.
Excellent advice from Paul. Excellent advice ……..
Have a mug full of something hot and tasty and let’s get our day off to a good start!
04 Monday May 2015
Posted in Children, Christianity, Devotional, Life, People, Raising The Mug
Tags
children, Christian, coffee, devotional, encouragement, faith, Father, genetics, God, inspiration, Jesus, monkey, parenting, scripture
If you watch a child carefully, you will see them copying the actions, attitudes, and words of the people around them. Monkey see, monkey do. I have to be careful with it because I’m prone towards the ridiculous and sometimes the watching eyes and listening ears of my grandchildren come back to bite me.
I remember thinking when I was a child that I wanted to be just like my father. There were many characteristics about him that I admired, like his sense of honor, his love for life, and his willingness to share with other people. But mostly I wanted to be like him because ……… well, he was my dad. He was the one man who loved me more than any other man in the world. He cared for me, protected me, comforted me. Fathers love their own children and rightly so.
There is the desire in every Christian to be like their heavenly Father, but I know from personal experience that it’s a goal that gets pushed aside. Why? Because it seems so impossible. How can I be like God? How could I ever hope to portray the image of Christ in my lousy attempt at Christendom? To be like Jesus seems like an unattainable goal that only sets us up for disappointment and disillusionment; yet scripture commands that we try.
Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
To be like your earthly father is sort of scary. Understandably, if you didn’t or don’t have a good relationship with your father, to be like dad may be the last thing you want. Nevertheless, the DNA is unavoidably there. It amazes me how many mannerisms I inherited from my father, things I do or say that reflect his personality. I don’t understand it, but somehow his soul is still alive, flowing through me, passed down genetically or otherwise. Probably a lot was learned by example.
While salvation rejects any attempt at human effort, sanctification demands it. Some characteristics come naturally because of the Spirit living in you; you are genetically, in a spiritual sense, wired to look and act like your heavenly Father. Other things you learn by example. Remember monkey see, monkey do? Certain characteristics are assimilated by observation and repetition and scripture gives clear examples of what you should emulate.
“But I can’t!” you wail, “It’s too hard! I’ll never be like my Father!”
Don’t fret little monkey; God wouldn’t ask you to do something he wasn’t willing to help you with. When you don’t have the power to complete the task, he does. And he will hold your hand throughout the entire process.
My coffee is hot and steamy, the mug is up. Here’s to a great new week!
01 Friday May 2015
Posted in Christianity, Devotional, Life, People, Raising The Mug
Tags
babies, children, Christian, coffee, devotional, encouragement, God, inspiration, parenting, prayer, pregnant
Well I had a plan for a story, but it’s not going to happen.
So instead I thought you might enjoy this recent photo.
My youngest daughter is the one on the far left. As you might guess, all three of these beautiful ladies are pregnant. Hence the joke, “Don’t drink the H2O, (water)”
3 I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy.
So enjoy a hot mug of your favorite morning beverage and have a great day!!
I’ll be back tomorrow!!
13 Monday Apr 2015
Posted in Children, Christianity, Devotional, Life, Raising The Mug
Tags
Bible, cancer, change, children, Christian, devotional, encouragement, faith, God, grace, Holy Spirit, hope, impact, inspiration, Jesus
I get a little frustrated when I read articles on social media where someone is complaining about an injustice in the world and they make the statement, “WE can’t allow this to happen! WE must stand up for our rights! WE must do …………”
Oh yeah? Well exactly what is it that you think WE are supposed to do?
There are so many problems in the world. How can I hope to have an impact? There is only so much time I can invest into the situation! I am only me; what could I possibly achieve on my own? There’s only so much you can do, right?
Or is there?
That’s when I am humbled by a story about a 4-year-old girl who wanted to create change in her world, so she started a lemonade stand.
In the article entitled Sweet Lemonade, Mike Curry recounts a story about Alex Scott who in the year 2000 wanted to raise money for cancer research.
Alex was born in Manchester, Conn. on Jan. 18, 1996. Shortly before her first birthday, Alex was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a type of childhood cancer. She underwent an estimated 60 rounds of chemotherapy during her life. After a stem-cell transplant in 2000, she decided that she wanted to open a lemonade stand to raise money for doctors to “help other kids, like they helped me.”
I was really proud of her that she wanted to do something to help others. I thought it was kind of cute, but I didn’t think she would really have an impact,” Liz Scott said. “I thought it was cute that she thought a lemonade stand would make a difference.
Her first lemonade stand raised $2,000, but over the next few years Alex Scott’s inspirational story garnered local and then national attention. Alex raised the bar when in 2004 she stated publicly her goal to raise $1-million.
Alex Scott died in August 2004. That year Alex’s Lemonade Stand raised approximately $1.5-million. Since 2005, Alex’s Lemonade Stand has raised more than $100-million to fund 475 childhood cancer research projects at 102 top hospitals and institutions in the U.S. and Canada.
What started out as a single stand outside of her Connecticut home grew into a national horse-racing phenomenon in 2005, the year after Alex died. Her dream continues today as a charity named Alex’s Lemonade Stand.
There’s only so much you can do, right?
Please read the whole article here – be sure and watch the video at the end.
When I look at myself and think I am powerless to change the world, I am reminded of who is inside me. God has specifically promised to never leave or desert me. And he has gone one step further …… one GIANT step further. He has left a piece of himself – His Spirit.
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
“………. 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, ……….20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us…….”
As I raise my mug today, I encourage you to be aware of the power that is at your disposal. Never be led to think “There is nothing you can do.”
10 Friday Apr 2015
Posted in Children, Christianity, Devotional, Life, Raising The Mug
Tags
Bible, boiling, children, Christian, coffee, devotional, encouragement, God, grace, hope, inspiration, Jesus, joy, love, passion
My almost two grandson, William, loves trucks. Actually anything that has wheels and a motor, but most definitely trucks. Every jet that flies over, every car that drives through the neighborhood, every motorcycle, every moving vehicle that he hears in the distance grabs his attention. Earlier this week, I took him to the local airport and we were fortunate enough to see a small jet land while we were there. Wow! You should have seen his face light up. Such enthusiasm!!
photo courtesy of Mark’s Photo Odyssey
William also likes being outdoors. Playing, tumbling, getting wet and dirty. When he and I walk, we look at things like dandelions. He likes to blow the seeds off the stems …….. Well at least he used to. Yesterday he inhaled a mouthful of seeds by accident and got all choked up. He’d rather be outside than anything else, but that is not his passion. His passion is for motor vehicles. Right now at his age all of that is fine; he’s not old enough to have learned much about God yet. But in the future, my hope is that his passion or his zeal will be for the Lord.
17 Do not let your heart envy sinners,
but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.
18 There is surely a future hope for you,
and your hope will not be cut off.
11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
Fervor – now there’s a word you don’t hear everyday. Here’s what it means: It comes from the Greek word zéō which is literally “the sound of boiling water.” So figuratively, it means to be ardently passionate, loving something so much that we are “boiling” with interest or desire; to be deeply committed to something, with the implication of accompanying desire – to be earnest, to set one’s heart on, to be completely intent upon. biblehub.com
God created each of us with different likes and dislikes. A piece of music with only one note would be boring. To that end, he’s given different degrees of talent, knowledge, and ability to every human so that we can enhance the lives of each other. But his ultimate desire for each of us is to be the center of our universe. To be first in our hearts above all other things.
So how is your passion for the Lord? Rapidly boiling? A low simmer? Not on the stove yet?
My prayer for you today is that your hearts will be ignited with renewed love, interest, and passion for God.
What a nice rich smell coming from my hot mug! Cheers!
09 Thursday Apr 2015
Posted in Children, Christianity, Devotional, Life, Raising The Mug
Tags
addict, amusing, babies, Bible, candy, children, Christian, coffee, devotional, encouragement, faith, God, hope, inspiration, Jesus, pregnancy, sweet tooth
Maybe it’s just an old wives’ tale, but I’ve heard it said that whatever a mother consumes a lot of during her pregnancy, the baby will be addicted to when they enter the world. My mama must have been eating jelly beans when she was pregnant with me ………. lots of them ………..
I wish it were not so, but I was born with a sweet tooth. I have a mouth full of cavity fillings to prove it. And all of these holidays when stores line their shelves with bags and bags of the tantalizing temptations do me no favors. It is a constant attack of the devil to wreck my self-control.
Well, it turns out the old wives’ tale may be correct; there is actually scientific evidence to support the theory that babies can develop cravings before they are born.
In an article on prevention.com entitled, “Why Halloween Candy Is So Addictive” you read the following:
“How can a fun-sized chocolate bar turn you into an addict? Blame sugar, salt, and fat. Our bodies have not evolved to handle this over-stimulating trifecta, says Ashley Gearhardt, PhD, assistant professor in the psychology department at the University of Michigan. Long before Mrs. Fields was peddling cookies in shopping malls, sugar was a rare treat, found in fruit and guarded by stinging bees; salt was a simple garnish; and fat was a nutrient that had to be hunted or foraged. Now, processed foods often contain all three (remember the bacon ice cream sundae?)—minus the protein, fiber, and water that help your body handle them.
In a another article called “The Ten Most Addictive Foods” you discover that candy is the second most addictive food in the world only behind ice cream as numero uno, and that babies can become addicted to it in the womb.
Mark Gold, MD, Chair of Psychiatry at the University of Florida, has been researching food addiction for 30 years. He found that the sugary foods you’re exposed to in utero and throughout childhood make kids love—and crave—more sugar. “We need to pay attention to what we feed our children,” he says. “We may be setting them up to become food addicts.” prevention.com
So, is there is at least an outside chance that I can blame someone else for my worthless inability to control my inner cravings?
Don’t I wish ………
5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.
13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
There is a stark warning here. While it would take some pressure off my conscience if my failings could be linked to someone else, they are ultimately mine ……….. all mine. I am the only person I can blame for my inability to control myself.
And as a parent, there is some wisdom in limiting the amount of sweets you consume and allow your kids to consume. You don’t want to create a food dependency for your children.
So today I start again. Thank the Lord that he is merciful and that he stands ready to help at a moment’s notice.
Mugs up!!
07 Tuesday Apr 2015
Posted in Children, Christianity, Devotional, Life, Raising The Mug
Tags
amusing, Bible, boots, children, Christian, coffee, devotional, encouragement, faith, God, injustice, inspiration, Jesus, parenting, school
photo courtesy of famousfootwear.com
First grade was by far the worst year of my childhood education. I disliked my teacher, I hated studying, I abhorred having to sit still at a desk for hours on end. Pure torture for a six-year-old boy used to having his way in the world.
And there were the boots ………. my cowboy boots. I loved my boots but they had one very bad drawback – they were difficult to put on. I could never quite get my heel all the way in without having to stomp my foot on the floor.
So there I was sitting quietly at my desk, minding my own business, reading my lesson when my foot began to itch …………..
I did what any first grade boy would do………… I pulled off my boot to scratch my foot.
After the itch was gone, I put the boot back on. Same problem as always, I couldn’t get my heel all the way in. Soooooo………….
I did what I always did. I started stomping my foot on the floor to get the boot on. What was wrong with that?
Apparently a lot. The next thing I knew, there was a painful tug on my ear as the teacher drug me out of my seat and into the hall. And there I sat for the rest of the afternoon, all because on an itchy foot.
So much injustice in the world………..
If there was ever anyone other than Jesus who had a case against God for injustice, it would have to be Job. He was “upright and blameless, he feared God and shunned evil.” Even though he did nothing to deserve it, God allowed everything he had to be taken away: his home, his family, his livestock ………. and lastly his health.
But Job’s response?
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will depart.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
may the name of the Lord be praised.”
22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.
We all learn by example. We watch other people and emulate their reactions to certain situations. Job’s response to a bad situation was a positive one. Yet there are plenty of examples in scripture of how we should NOT respond. Even the great heroes of old didn’t always react as they should: Moses got angry and broke the stone tablets with the ten commandments, Samson ignored his parents’ advice, Jonah ran from God, David committed adultery, Peter denied Jesus. In addition to the many good examples, all of these were included in the Bible for us to learn how NOT to act.
Some of my teachers were beautiful people; though stern about the lessons, they were always encouraging and made the classroom fun and enlightening. Then there were others like my first grade teacher. Outside of the classroom, she may have been a perfectly sweet grandmother; but in the classroom, she was not a kind person. She was cruel to her students and brought many to tears. I don’t know what sad or stressful events led to her being so sour, but the negative effects were obvious, even to a six-year-old boy.
In retrospect, I think God put her in my life for a purpose, to teach me something important. Everything you do matters – and people will remember. When things don’t go your way, you can either respond positively or negatively. It is what you learn through adversity that makes you great or small.
Job’s suffering was devastating. Yet he never wavered in his faith and he gave praise to God even though he had lost everything.
“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.”
― Elisabeth Kübler-Ross – goodreads.com
Here’s to being a beautiful person even in times of adversity! My mug is full of rich dark liquid; it makes me happy. Have a great day!!
02 Thursday Apr 2015
Posted in Christianity, Devotional, Life, Raising The Mug
Tags
Bible, children, Christian, coffee, devotional, Easter, encouragement, faith, forgiveness, God, grace, hope, inspiration, Jesus, lamb, last supper, Passover, sacrifice, salvation
This is one of my all time favorite pictures of my kids when they were little. Not all of these are ours, only two. The rest were friends who lived in the neighborhood. I think the thing that makes this photo so endearing is all of the smiles on their faces. They’re having such a good time swinging on the front porch.
The girl in the pink is my firstborn child, Aubrey. The little guy in the striped shirt is my son Brad. Both are married now; Aubrey has two children of her own. Brad is expecting his first child in August.
21 Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go at once and select the animals for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb. 22 Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. None of you shall go out of the door of your house until morning. 23 When the Lord goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down.
24 “Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants. 25 When you enter the land that the Lord will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony. 26 And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ 27 then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’” Then the people bowed down and worshiped.
Talking about death during one of the most alive seasons of the year seems out of place. But let’s face it; the Easter story is about death. It coincides with the Jewish holiday of Passover, which is what Jesus and his disciples were celebrating at The Last Supper, the Passover meal.
The whole story of Passover is shrouded in death. It goes back to Moses and a few days before the Israelites left Egypt. The final plague that Pharaoh brought down on himself and his whole country was a plague of death. The firstborn of every household was taken by the Angel of Death ………. except for those who followed the instructions of Moses. They were commanded to kill a lamb and paint the doorposts of their homes with its blood. Any home that had the blood on the doorpost was passed over by the Angel of Death. Thus where the name of the holiday is derived.
So every year afterwards, the Israelites celebrated by sacrificing a lamb to remember how God had not taken their firstborn children. The lamb was roasted and eaten at the meal.
It’s hard to miss the symbolism in this celebration. The Passover lamb – a sacrifice whose blood spared them from death. Jesus died during the Passover feast; the Jews killed the sacrificial lambs for the Passover feast. Coincidence?
I know how much I love my own children. The thought of losing my firstborn is hard to imagine. Yet that is precisely what happened to Jesus. He was the firstborn of His Father; he suffered and died. God sacrificed his own firstborn Son in our place, so that the Angel of Death would pass over us.
My mug is hot and full. As you begin a new day, be reminded of God’s goodness to his people. Let’s be thankful that death has passed over.
Raising The Mug 