Sally
Buckner
Contributing Writer
Sally Buckner is a freelance writer and contributor to CBN.com.
Sally Buckner is a freelance writer and contributor to CBN.com.
With the sweltering heat upon us already in Virginia, we gave our 7-year-old son, Donny, his first "buzz" cut last night. He was a little apprehensive, but was thrilled with the feel of his cropped hair when it was over. I loved it when he said "God won't have to count so much now."
Some of you may ask, what on earth is he talking about? When we pray before bedtime, we don't do the ordinary "Now I lay me down to sleep" ritual. My husband did that one time, and the next day he woke up to tell me he didn't want to do that "dying" prayer again - you know "if I should die before I wake". So anyway, we pray and praise God for caring for us, and in particular how grateful we are that God cares enough to even count the hairs on our head.
Luke 12:7 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)(NLT) - Jesus speaking:
"And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows."
I love hair, always have, always will - well almost always! I guess it stems from the days of my youth when my mom started perming my jet straight locks at the age of three! It wasn't until I was old enough to say "no more" as a young teen that I was able to grow out this amazing mane of chestnut brown glistening hair. I really didn't know I had pretty hair until people started telling me - this was certainly news to me, since before I always looked like "I Love Lucy" after she gave herself the home permanent and had left the solution on too long!
The point is, God loves and values each of us. I'm glad He gave me a crowning glory, and that He values me so much as to keep track of each strand. I'm happy today to share this story with you and pleased that my son has it tucked into his memory bank. (Someday he'll be able to draw on it when times get tough). Our Creator designed each of us so special and with great care. He wants us to know that we aren't just an accident, but a unique design of His handiwork.
Psalms 139:13-16 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book.Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)(The Living Bible) -- You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit them together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! It is amazing to think about. Your workmanship is marvelous - and how well I know it. You were there while I was being formed in utter seclusion! You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book!
You know, Donny is 7 and understands how important he is in God's eyes. You may be 77 with "snow on the roof" or only 17 with the "bed head" blues. Maybe you needed this teaching today and a reminder of just how important you are too. As parents, it is our responsibility to teach and train our children who they are in Christ and give them a firm footing for their future. This is one small place to start - the top of their precious heads.
Copyright © Sally Buckner, used with permission.
CBN.com -- Pollyanna is a great Disney movie from 1960 featuring Hayley Mills as young Pollyanna and a star-studded cast of characters. If you haven't seen it, I hope you'll check it out for your kids and yourself as well.
Here’s a little background on the movie. After the death of Pollyanna’s parents, she is sent to live with her rich Aunt Polly (played by Jane Wyman). Aunt Polly runs the town, including the way the sermons are written for Sunday service. Pollyanna’s daddy was a minister who always found good things in the Bible to preach about. Therefore, she was quite dismayed to hear the negative preaching style which was encouraged by Aunt Polly – a style that sent the message of control by guilt and fear.
One of my favorite parts in the movie is when the Preacher, played by Karl Malden, gives one of his fire and brimstone sermons.
Let me set the stage for the event that happened while watching the movie. I was on the 3rd floor loft of our friends home with a cozy fire going – just “chillin” as they say and enjoying the afternoon, while my husband, Glenn, was down on the first floor repairing a dishwasher. The preacher was doing one of his wild sermons when he announced in a booming voice, drawing out each word “Death Commmmmes UNEXPECTEDLY!” Just at that precise moment, it was as if lightning and thunder collided in my midst – a blast from downstairs lit up the entire house. I couldn’t imagine what had happened as I raced down the stairs and thought for sure my husband must be a “goner”! Thankfully, he was safe. He must have crossed some wires to cause this explosion.
The whole scene was comical and frightening at the same time – the preacher – his words – the blast! It does make you stop and think of the preacher’s ominous words. If ever death had come at that moment, it certainly would have been unexpectedly.
My first inclination in writing this was to say that God doesn’t need Pollyanna Preachin”. However, I was quite surprised when doing my scripture research that indeed “fire and brimstone” messages are there as clear warnings – but always with an encouraging message of love and hope to reach out and let you know that He has made a way of escape.
Oh, the joys of those who do not follow evil men’s advice, who do not hang around with sinners, scoffing at the things of God: But they delight in doing everything God wants them to, and day and night are always meditating on his laws and thinking about ways to follow him more closely. They are like trees along a riverbank bearing luscious fruit each season without fail. Their leaves shall never wither, and all they do shall prosper. But for sinners, what a different story! They blow away like chaff before the wind. They are not safe on Judgment Day; they shall not stand among the godly. For the Lord watches over all the plans and paths of godly men, but the paths of the godless lead to doom (
Psalms 1:1-6 Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season.Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind. They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly. For the LORD watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)).The Lord thundered in the heavens; the God above all gods has spoken – oh, the hailstones; oh, the fire! He flashed his fearful arrows of lightning and routed all my enemies. See how they run! Then at your command, O Lord, the sea receded from the shore. At the blast of your breath the depths were laid bare. He reached down from heaven and took me and drew me out of my great trials. He rescued me from deep waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me – I who was helpless in their hands. On the day when I was weakest, they attacked. But the Lord held me steady. He led me to a place of safety, for he delights in me (
Psalms 18:13-19 The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded amid the hail and burning coals. He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies; his lightning flashed, and they were greatly confused. Then at your command, O LORD, at the blast of your breath,the bottom of the sea could be seen, and the foundations of the earth were laid bare. He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and were too strong for me. They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress, but the LORD supported me. He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)).
You can’t sugar coat God’s word. The Bible is full of fire and brimstone warnings to get our attention because this is serious business – your eternity, your destiny. The good news is, however, that there needn’t be any fear or guilt any more. Jesus took care of all that.
He made the way. He is the truth. He is the life. Only abundant life and joy are yours for the asking. Isn’t that great that he does delight in each one of us, and did all this so we can have peace. What a great God we serve!
Bible verses from the Life Application Bible
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Being a connoisseur of fine foods, and nicknamed "Sally Cuisine", I learned the art of rubbing coarse Kosher salt on my baking potatoes to enhance the flavor of these delectable goodies. Well, this practice left quite a mess in my lower oven, and it was time to incinerate the debris. So yesterday, being rather cool outside, I programmed the cleaning feature and left the oven to do its work.
Much to my surprise, after a three-hour cycle of intense heat that left all the other "gook" in ashes, the salt was still there - chunky and untouched. That's when the Lord reminded me that He wants us to be so salty and full of His word and grace that not only will others want to taste and see but that we can withstand the heat - the heat that comes from the trials and intense situations of life.
Leviticus 2:13 Season all your grain offerings with salt to remind you of God's eternal covenant. Never forget to add salt to your grain offerings. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt): ... Salt is a reminder of God's covenant.
What situation could have been more intense than that of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as told in Daniel Chapter 3? King Nebuchadnezzar heated the fiery furnace seven times hotter than usual so as to toss the three lads in for not bowing to his statue. They knew their God was able and would deliver them - what great faith! Just as the salt survived, so did these three.
Daniel 3:27 Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn't even smell of smoke! OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt): ... the fire hadn't touched them - not a hair of their heads was singed; their coats were unscorched, and they didn't even smell of smoke!
Even at the end of our cycle of life, it will be our salt that remains from the ashes. Fill up your shaker today - sprinkle as needed, and be prepared if your dish will be baked, broiled or fried!
Mark 9:50 OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt): Good salt is worthless if it loses its saltiness; it can't season anything. So don't lose your flavor! ...
So go out today and enjoy all that God wants to share with you. God reveals his truths to everyone - even me through baking potatoes! If the world turns up the heat, you'll be ready! Be salty and survive virtually anything!
Luke 14:34-35 "Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? Flavorless salt is good neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown away. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!" OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt): What good is salt that has lost its saltiness? Flavorless salt is fit for nothing - not even fertilizer. It is worthless and must be thrown out. Listen well if you would understand my meaning.
Bible verses quoted from The Living Bible.
Copyright © Sally Buckner, used with permission.