Ann Farabee

By Ann Farabee

Back when I was in school….

I know. That is a phrase no one wants to hear.

But, I will say it anyway. Back when I was in school, a well-known form of discipline was writing sentences whenever you broke a rule. Often the sentence was this: “I will follow the rules.” If the student had been exceptionally bad, it was something like, “I will follow the rules in my fifth-grade classroom.” It usually had to be written 100 times, while everyone else was enjoying recess.

Disclaimer — I personally never had to write sentences as punishment, but I did observe many of my classmates suffering through the experience, as if they expected their hand to fall off at any given moment.

Why is it that people do not want to follow rules? Rules get a bad rap, for some reason.

Rules are regulations or principles that govern conduct. Conduct more simply put means the way in which a person behaves.

Rarely does someone request more rules, for they feel rules will keep them from enjoying whatever the rule is ruling. But, the truth is without rules, the opposite occurs.

What does Psalm 19:7-10 tell us about rules?

They are sweeter than honey.
They are more desired than gold.
They change the soul.
They make the simple wise.
They make the heart rejoice.
They are clean.
They endure forever.
They are true and righteous.
The rules of the Lord are perfect.

We need rules. They protect us, put order in our lives, and can even bring us joy.

Psalm 19:11 says we will have a great reward if we follow rules.

Not just a reward, but a great reward!

Remember to be a ruler of rule-following.

Let’s review. Repeat after me 100 times:

I will follow the rules.
I will follow the rules.
I will follow the rules.

Keep going — 97 more.

Repeat whenever you need a review.

Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker. Contact her at  annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com.

By Ann Farabee

By Ann Farabee

For one who loves to watch sports as much as I do, it would stand to reason that at some point I had some athleticism. Not.

I was not a fan of my required PE classes, and my best athletic skill was getting in the back of the line, hoping the class period would end before it was my turn. But — those classes have brought about the writing of three columns — rope climbing, swimming, and now — running.

My college PE teacher kept reminding us with a smile, “You have to run … a mile. And, it has to be done within the time limit.”

She seemed quite happy about it. I had no interest. I had no skill.

The day arrived. It was called a run, but we all knew it was a race. I refused to come in last place. As I ran, all I could see was the backs of my classmates. All I could feel and hear was me, struggling to keep up and catch my breath.

But I kept running. I finished my race.

There was even a handful of students who finished behind me.

If only I had embraced it — and allowed there to be joy while in the midst of the race.

If only I had run patiently, instead of frantically comparing myself to those around me.

If only I had not carried the weight of the expectation of failure along with me.

If only I had kept looking ahead and kept my eyes focused on the goal.

If only I had not been fearful of failure, and trusted the race set before me.

If only I had accepted instruction, and prepared for my race.

Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Wherefore, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily besets us. Let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.”

My race. Your race. We run it daily.

We are encompassed by a great cloud of witnesses. They surround us and encircle us, helping us know we are not alone. They are witnesses on earth and also are cheering us on from the bleachers of heaven.

We lay aside every weight and sin that so easily besets us. Besets means assailed or harassed on all sides, hemmed in, or troubled persistently. Running our race while trying to drag our hindrances and sins alongside us is foolish. We must lay it aside. We have been carrying it long enough.

We must run with patience. Philippians 3:14 tells us to press toward the mark. We must keep going while looking forward — one step at a time.

We must run the race that is set before us. It is our personal race — the race God has for each of us. No one can run our race for us. It is our race to run.

We must keep looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Author can be defined as creator, and finisher can mean one who reaches the end of the race. The finisher of our faith — Jesus — finishes the race with us.

Lord, help us to always look to you — the author and finisher of our faith. Thank you for the assurance that as we run our earthly race, You are running alongside us, and when it gets too hard, You carry us. Thank you, Lord, that in order to win this race, we do not even have to be athletic. Thank you for the promise that one day, we will arrive in the winners circle — our eternal home. Amen.

Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker. Contact her at  annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com.

By Ann Farabee

By Ann Farabee

My day felt as though it had lasted forever and had been filled with problems. I was exhausted — and a little discouraged. I collapsed onto the bed, although the sun was still shining and bedtime was hours away. My mind — and my heart — needed a break.

As I closed my eyes for a few seconds, my thoughts went to when I was a young girl who secretly searched the bathroom closet every night, looking to see if my alcoholic father had hidden his bottle there. My wish was that it would not be there, because I hated how he acted when it was.

As I began to get a little older, I realized I would not be inviting friends to my house — for I had a secret. I dragged that secret to school with me daily, and put it to bed with me at night.

The nights were the worst, when he would start yelling at my mom. The alcohol made him angry. I remember covering my head with my blanket, and trying to go to sleep. I was the child of an alcoholic — and I was scared.

My first night in my college dorm, when I realized that I could sleep peacefully, without being awakened by fear and worry, I determined to become better because of it — and not bitter from it.

Realizing my thoughts of the past were keeping me from the break — and potential nap — I was trying to take in the present, I reached for the comforter at the foot of my bed. As I pulled it up over me, these words from John 14:18 spoke loudly to my heart, “I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you.”

God is our comforter — and we are not left comfortless. What beautiful words. But on this day, the last part of the verse is what pierced my heart, “I will come to you.”

The comforter would come to me. Yes, he came to me on this ‘not-so-good’ problem filled day.

And over half a century earlier, the comforter came to me when I was a little girl, trying to go to sleep with a blanket over my head. Even before I knew him, he knew me. He sent blankets of comfort, soothed my fears, and gave me rest.

Looking back on my life, these words from Aiden Wilson Tozer ring true, “I don’t want the world to define God for me. I want the Holy Spirit to reveal God to me.” That is exactly what I believe happened in my life — and probably in yours.

He is the God who will not leave us comfortless.

And he will deliver that comfort to us personally.

By Ann Farabee

There were four of them — lined up perfectly. They were big. Really big. Each carried an oval shaped seed that almost covered their entire bodies. Their load had to be far beyond the capacity they could safely bear.

They never stopped.

I felt exhausted just watching them work.

There are 10,000,000,000,000,000 of them in the world.

Proverbs 6:6 says, “Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways and be wise.”

Go. Consider. Be wise. A simple concept.

But that load — it seemed so heavy for them. I wanted to reach down, take the seed off the back of the one was struggling, and take it to his anthill for him.

*Go to the ant, you sluggard. This means sluggards should find some ants to observe. A sluggard may be lazy, lack drive, irresponsible, sluggish, have no vision, make excuses, or take the easy way out.

Just to be clear, one who may have been sitting on the porch, rocking in a rocking chair, drinking a glass of tea, and watching ants at work, would not be considered a sluggard.

• Consider its ways. To consider means to think carefully about. So, I began to think carefully about the ants I was watching.

• And be wise. Solomon — who was a wise man — wrote these words. It means if we think carefully about the ways of the ant, we will be wise — and not sluggards.

Proverbs 6:7-8 says, “She has no guide, no overseer, or ruler. She provides her meat in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.”

I like this teaching strategy used by Solomon — for he says to consider the ways of the ant, and then goes on to tell what those ways are. I think he was specific because he knew those reading his words may be sluggish in their ant observation.

• It has no guide. The word “guide” can mean the one who shows the way or one who is the commander. There is no ant with that role. They all work together. If the load of one gets too heavy, they unite to assist.

• It has no overseer. An overseer is the taskmaster — one who supervises or checks to see if the others are working. Ants independently work, but are guided instinctively to add to the common good.

• It has no ruler. A ruler is one who has dominion over another. Ant colonies are thought of as a single organism, and the individual ants are limbs of it.

• Yet, it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.

They find ways to meet their needs and make preparation for the future.

The ant? Really?

Inspirational for us?

Their abilities and actions are exemplary.

Such a tiny insect with a great lesson.

God’s ways never cease to amaze me.

Admit it. Ants are impressive.

How much more should we be?

God’s word speaks — every time.

If — we can be still long enough to hear it.

Try some porch sitting. It worked for me.

I will leave you with a few questions to ponder:

Why was the baby ant confused? His uncles were ants.

What is the biggest ant? The eleph-ant.

If ants are so busy, how do they find time to go to picnics?

By Ann Farabee

By Ann Farabee

“Fireworks! Fireworks!” she screamed, as I pulled up to the intersection. There it was — the source of her excitement — a seasonal fireworks store set up under a tent. My four-year-old granddaughter continued excitedly, with her arms flailing expressively around in the air, “We will have fireworks! They will go way up in the sky! There are lots of colors! They are loud, but they are so pretty! We can go on a picnic and play at the park and sing songs and wave the flag around! I’m so ‘cited!”

I have to admit that the fireworks store looked pretty festive, although without her in the car, my not-so-rosy perspective would probably have been that the store could be creating traffic problems at that intersection for the next week.

The 4th of July has been low on my list of holidays in recent years. It sure has never stirred the emotion in me that I sensed in the voice of a four-year-old.

But, since she was so ‘cited, I thought that perhaps I should bolster my own personal joy pertaining to the event:

On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress voted for independence. On July 4, 1776, delegates from the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, as drafted by Thomas Jefferson.

John Adams wanted July 2 to be recognized as the holiday. He wrote a letter to his wife, Abigail, stating that in the future, July 2 will be celebrated by succeeding generations. He mentioned parades, games, bells, and illuminations.

The next year on July 4, 1777, there were fireworks in Philadelphia, along with a 13-gun salute in honor of the 13 colonies. The local newspaper stated that the city was beautifully illuminated.

And perhaps somewhere that day, a four-year-old described it this way, “They went way up in the sky! There were lots of colors! They were loud, but were so pretty!”

John? Were you ‘cited on that day? I think you were. I can tell from that beautiful description in the letter to Abigail. Also, you didn’t even want to wait until the 4th to celebrate, since you were in favor of celebrating on July 2. Freedom mattered to you, and to the others.

Thomas? Did you have any idea of the magnitude of that vote? Did you have any idea how fervently we would feel that freedom 244 years later? I believe he was thinking of us when he said this, “I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.”

Both John and Thomas died on July 4, 1826 — the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

How about you, Betsy Ross? You made American flags for over 50 years. How did that feel? When you worked on the sewing of our flag, did you have any idea that centuries later, we would connect your name with our flag? I think you probably waved each flag around a few times, prior to handing it over the the new owner.

How about you, Liberty Bell? Ringing in at a weight of 2,080 pounds, and moving forward with a crack from when you were being tested. You did not ring on July 4, 1776, but rang four days later, on July 8, 1776, to celebrate the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence. Bearing these words from Leviticus 25:10, “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof,” surely must bring tears to the eyes of some of the over one million a year who come to visit you.

Oh, John, Thomas, Betsy, and Liberty Bell — I cannot even imagine the patriotism and pride felt during this time in our history.

It is so special — that maybe our celebration of freedom should last from July 2-July 8!

Or even better — 365 days a year!

We have so much to do! Fireworks! Picnics! Play at the park! Sing songs! Wave the flag around! Parades! Games! Bells! Illuminations!

Are you ‘cited?

Enjoy!

May God bless America — land that we love.

By Ann Farabee

By Ann Farabee

Sometimes, going to the emergency room is our only choice. As I sat, I sensed a feeling of helplessness and hopelessness in the great crowd of people. Some slept in chairs. Some were covered from head to toe in blankets. Most were in obvious pain.

But I mostly remember the one who cried, “Help me! Please!” It was haunting and the begging for help was non-stop. Those in the waiting room tried to ignore it, but one person finally had all she could take and yelled out, “Will you stop?” He was silent for a second, but then the cry for help started again, and grew even louder.

Later, as someone called out his name, his relief was obvious. He cast away his blanket. He rose. He went to receive help.

I am not sure what happened next, but I imagine he was asked, “What can I do to help you?” I am sure he told them his need. And since I saw him leaving the hospital an hour later, I would imagine they had met his need — and told him to go home.

He had come to the emergency room. He cried out for help. Help came.

In Mark 10:46-52, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, was in a crowd with a great number of people. He heard there was one who could help. He cried, “Jesus, have mercy on me!” The crowd yelled at him to stop, but he cried even louder, “Jesus, have mercy on me!”

Jesus called for him. Bartimaeus cast away his garment. He rose. He went. When Jesus asked what he could do for him, he asked to receive his sight. Jesus told him to go his way — his faith had made him whole.

Both men — the man in the waiting room and Bartimaeus — had gone to their emergency room in a time of desperation to beg for help.

In desperate and helpless times, scheduling an appointment for later is not good enough — our need for help is immediate. That is when we go to our emergency room, and beg, “Help me, please! Jesus, have mercy on me!”

The emergency room prayer is a sincere, short, heartfelt prayer that cries out for help from our heavenly father. It is a prayer that expresses our faith in God, as we ask him to deliver us from trouble. It often comes at a time that we feel we cannot even pray, for helplessness and hopelessness have overwhelmed. The emergency room prayer has few words — but many tears.

Have you been there? Yeah, me too. We have all been in our emergency room, and needed our emergency room prayer. God hears it. God holds it dear to his heart. God wants us to pray it.

Psalm 50:15 says, “Call upon me in the day of trouble. I will deliver thee.”