Walking the Deck
I sat quietly reading in my comfy chair when my son called out rather energetically. “Mom hurry I NEED you!” As I came into the living room, he hands me a controller to Playstation, like I know what to do with it! Excited, he begins to yell out commands, which I assume I am supposed to be following. I took a seat and thus begins the hysterical game playing. I was laughing so hard, I began to wheeze, tears were filling my eyes, the controller nearly falling out of my hands as I bent over.
We were playing Star Wars, he kept saying “Follow me!” I was TRYING! I didn’t know which buttons to push, so I pushed them ALL. Somehow I was
supposed to get my man up on that scooter thingy. Much to MY own amusement, I kept crashing into trees. My job, as I found out later, was to be a distraction so his guy could finish his mission. Before I knew it, Matthew says, “Ok, you can stop now” – had I even begun? The theme to Star Wars came on and I knew he was victorious.
Amazing what part we play in others lives isn’t it? That reminds of those massive ships in the military. One in particular is an aircraft carrier. There is a department that is lovingly called the ‘Yellow Jackets’ (Flight Deck Officers). These are men and women who, yes, wear yellow jackets and spend much of their time directing pilots as they prepare to take off and in their landings. One of their duties is known as ‘walking the deck’. As a pilot is either preparing for take off or landing, they and many other personnel, line up across the deck and slowly – meticulously look for any debris. The debris if left on the flight deck could be very hazardous to the plane, pilot, the mission.
I find it very interesting as I liken it to our own relationships found in the Kingdom of God. We have many roles we play in others lives: Cheerleader, counselor, confidante, mentor, teacher and friend. But we are also to ‘walk the deck’ if you will and do our part helping to remove any debris or obstacles along the way. Do lovingly what it takes to help another to be successful. We are called to encourage. Much of the time our encouraging a brother or sister takes … ‘action’.
Paul shares in, 1 Thessalonians 5:11 “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up.” ‘Encourage’ meaning ‘come along side, to aid with help.’ Here’s a dandy – ‘to beseech with a stronger force’. NOT to be confused with the theatrical big screen over used, ‘Force’ mind you. We are to admonish, exhort to better things, cheer each other on in God! He then says, ‘build each other up’, in the King Jimmy it is ‘edify’. Paul is talking in architectural terms. We are constructing. NOT demolishing! Do our words, our actions help build others up, does it motivate them to better things? Or do we blow them off the deck with our harmful words, our motive selfish, holding back so we shine brighter. (OUCH!) When we leave their presence, with the help of the Holy Spirit did we leave them in a better heart condition?
May we too, put on yellow jackets (in spirit of course) link arms with another and join the heavenly forces. May our words of encouragement be met with our actions of love. May we love enough to point out, pick up, and remove any debris. I am fully persuaded there WILL be times when it is messy, times when we get a bit of jet fuel dumped all over us, but Beloved, it is worth it! To see them… soaring! Perhaps we too would hear the theme to Star Wars, well personally I prefer the theme to ROCKY! (queue instrumental song in your head)
Walking the deck with and for others.
In Him, DeDe (“Let us consider how we may spur one another towards love & good deeds.” – Heb. 10:24)
Walking the Deck
I sat quietly reading in my OH SO comfy chair, when my son called out rather energetically. “Mom hurry I NEED you”. As I came into the living room, he hands me a controller to Playstation (like I know what to do with it). He begins to yell out commands, which I assume I am supposed to be following. I took a seat and thus begins the hysterical game playing. I was laughing so hard, I began to wheeze, tears were filling my eyes, the controller nearly falling out of my hands as I bent over.
We were playing Star Wars, he kept saying “follow me!” I was TRYING! I didn’t know which buttons to push, so I pushed them all. Somehow I was supposed to get my man up on that scooter thingy. Much to my own amusement, I kept crashing into trees. My job, as I found out later, was to be a distraction so his guy could finish his mission. Before I knew it, Matthew says, “Ok, you can stop now” – had I even begun? The theme to Star Wars came on and I knew he was victorious. My job was finished there.
Amazing what part we play in others lives isn’t it? That reminded me of a show I had seen. It 
was a documentary on those massive ships in the military. One in particular was an aircraft carrier. They focused in on the department that had been lovingly called the ‘yellow jackets’ (Flight Deck Officers). These were the men and women who, yes, wore yellow jackets and spent their time helping direct pilots as they prepared to take off, and in their landings. One of their duties was known as ‘walking the deck’. Knowing a pilot was either preparing for take off or landing they would line up across the deck, and slowly – meticulously look for any debris. The debris if left on the flight deck could be very hazardous to the plane, pilot, the mission.
I find it very interesting as I liken it to our own relationships found in the Kingdom of God. We have many roles we play in others lives, like cheerleader, counselor, confidante, mentor, teacher, and friend. But we are also to ‘walk the deck’ if you will, and do our part helping to remove any debris or obstacles along the way. Do what it takes to help another to be successful. We are called to encourage. Much of the time our encouraging a brother or sister takes … ‘action’.
Paul shares in, 1 Thessalonians 5:11 “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up.” ‘Encourage’ one another. Meaning ‘come along side, to aid with help.’ Here’s a dandy – ‘to beseech with a stronger force’. We are to admonish, exhort to better things, cheer each other on in God! He then says, ‘build each other up’, in the King Jimmy it is ‘edify’. Paul is talking in architectural terms. We are constructing. NOT demolishing! Do our words, our actions help build others up, does it motivate them to better things? When we leave their presence did we leave them in a better heart c
ondition?
May we too, put on yellow jackets (in spirit of course) link arms with another and join the heavenly forces. May our words of encouragement, be met with our actions of love. May we love enough to point out, pick up, and remove any debris, while doing so, we flag them off as they take off soaring to their mission. I am fully persuaded there WILL be times when it is messy, times when we get a bit of jet fuel dumped all over us, but beloved it is worth it! To see them… soaring!
May we love enough to build up, not tear down. May our ‘come along side’ be motivated to help shape another. Shaping them into the image of Jesus. Great take offs and landings! Perhaps we too would hear the theme to Star Wars, well personally I prefer the theme to ROCKY! (queue instrumental song in your head)
Have a God-loving, looking good in yellow ~ week.
In Him, DeDe (“Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love & good deeds.” – Heb. 10:24)
The Coveted Pink Ticket
We all love rewards, whether it be an actual item or verbal expression. Bring on the “att’a boy” or “way to go girl.” At work we have been using incentives to motivate behavior. I am a Quickbooks Specialist, (my day job) I have the privilege of listening to the tech support agents calls. You know that fun little recording “This call maybe recorded for quality purposes” Yep, that’s me. I document the calls, then at times sit face to face with the agent and coach them. What an opportunity to encourage, build up and teach for growth. THIS is my favorite part of my job.
As of recent, I have been instructed that whenever I hear an agent ‘add value’ to a call, I am to give them a pink ticket. Each time they have a pair of tickets they can redeem them for a drink of choice from the boss’s desk (Red Bull, Starbucks Frappuccinos, Coke etc.) Some are earning chocolate as their reward. As you may expect, these are coveted pink tickets. This adding value can be as simple as sharing a quick (no pun intended) shortcut, or offering info that we know will enhance the use of the software for the customer, making their Quickbooks world even better.
I began to think about this in our daily lives, do we add value to one another? Do we offer encouragement, do we come along side and serve others? Does our presence enhance their
life experience, do we help make things easier for them?
Paul exhorts, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up …” – 1 Thess 5:11 Those of you who are Lego lovers, this verse will fit well into your liking. It paints the picture of construction, the adding to, one piece fits to another, to build a form. When we meet with others do we leave a positive deposit in their lives, do we ‘add value’ to them, their goals, their dreams and their needs? Do we build up or tear down. (ouch)
We have been so conditioned in todays culture that ‘I’ stands for we are the center of the universe. We really don’t need anyone, ‘I’ can do this, and it is all about ME! How so very sad. “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.” – Ecc. 4:9
Our smile to a bewildered cashier, our arm around a wounded friend, a written note to encourage, a timely phone call, a heart-felt faith-based prayer, a listening ear, even our quiet presence can – WILL add to another’s life. Our little deposit may be just the key to what they need!
Peter wrote: “… see that you love one another with a pure heart fervently.” – 1 Pet. 1:22 Fervently, how often do we hear that word these days in the context of loving each other? Do we strain or stretch for each other, not relax in our effort towards one another? Hm …
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” – Phil. 4:8 As we think, and allow the Holy Spirit to work these in our lives … don’t stop there … share it with others, adding to their lives, one piece fits to another.
Anne Frank wrote, “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”
Help improve someones world TODAY! “Att’a boy” – “Way to go girl”, here’s a pink ticket!
In Him, DeDe (“Consider how we may spur one another on towards love & good deeds.” – Heb. 10:24)
Don’t WAIT! They need it NOW!
Have you noticed how the art of handwritten letter writing is increasingly fading? Our once, ‘hi how are ya’, or ‘thinking of you’, followed by a more lengthy note of encouragement, has been replaced with a quick text “how r u ttm” (How are you, talk to me).
Our words of encouragement to others hold TONS of weight. To see in writing, that you are loved, appreciated, then with word imagery, we pull out the pom~poms and cheer each other on. I strongly believe ‘encouragement’ is universally lacking.
I have begun an intense study of the book of Philippians. I start by looking at Philippi, then Paul the author. Paul wrote this letter while in prison in Rome. This, his most personal of all letters to a church, his main directive is to thank them for their love and support. So basically the letter is a huge ‘thank you’ note. Yet, he doesn’t stop there, he continues. Here’s a bit of encouragement … “I thank my God when I think of you … I have you in my heart …. stand fast…be of the same mind… rejoice in the Lord always… don’t be anxious … but by prayer… be thankful … let your request be made known…and the peace of God…shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus … think on these things (dandy of a list) …” Wrapping it up with “The grace of the Lord Jesus 
Christ be with your spirit…” THAT is some high flying pom~pom action! “GO PHILIPPIANS!”
May we pause for a brief moment, Paul wrote this while under lock and key. He could have, in his humanity, turned the letter into a huge ‘whine.’ He could have withheld the encouragement until the ‘conditions’ were better. Until he could be face to face with them. MANY excuses could have surfaced. He could have waited until he walked free in the streets, felt the warmth of rubbing shoulders with others, breathed in fresh air. But he didn’t. He spoke from his captivity.
He had faith, he reached for his God and shared that experience with others. What an example to us all, that we not “WAIT.” Wait, until we have it all together. Wait until ‘we’ think the conditions are just right to reach out to someone else, EVEN in our own pain.
Sure, some of us are thinking, “But he was PAUL, the dude had a direct blinding link to Jesus!” Yes, yes he did. But so do we. We have the same Lord, the same Spirit dwelling in us.
Our words whether they be verbal, written, texted or twittered, posted or pasted. May we reach out. May we hug with our words. Remember a time when someone reached out to you? You felt the warmth, the love, the lift? The image of the old adage “Measure twice and cut once,” comes to mind. May we seek the accuracy of the fit. The fit of our words.
Don’t wait … someone out there needs YOU. The hurting, the lonely, the confused. Embrace them. They need your words of encouragement. They cant wait for you to ‘get it all together’. They need it NOW! They need US, now! ” So thankful you are in my life …. Hang in there … stay focused … be happy in God … don’t freak out … cry out to God … tell Him like it is …. God will take care of you … think about God stuff.” Ok, so it’s not Paul fancy, but it speaks …
In Him, DeDe (“Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love & good deeds” ~ Heb. 10:24)
What is in Our Hand?
T his last week I had the honor of praying with someone who was overwhelmed. Hearing the weariness in their voice, I could sense the “I need some help here folks” heartache. I prayed for an Aaron and a Hur to discern the need, come and support.
I am fascinated with the story of Moses on the hill, with the battle raging below as Joshua and his men fight the Amalekites (Exodus 17). As long as Moses kept his arms up holding 
the staff, they were victorious, but when he lowered his arms … um .. not so pretty. Can you imagine how tiring that would be to keep your arms up through the entire battle KNOWING yourself and others count on it!
Interesting note: the time of attacks … Deuteronomy 25:17-18 “Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey…”
The narrative says Moses took his brother Aaron and companion Hur with him. As Moses grew tired, Aaron and Hur stood on either side of him, then causing him to sit down, each taking one of his arms, they held him up with the staff clinched in his hand. Verse 12 of Exodus ” … so that his hands remained steady until sunset.” The result? Joshua beat the tar out of the Amalekites. (respectfully speaking of course). Moses built an altar that day, calling it Jehovah-Nissi (the LORD is my Banner) “For hands were lifted up to the throne of the LORD”
God made it clear that as the staff was lifted, the victory was His. This staff of Moses marked milestones in his experiences with God. At the burning bush, the staff turned to a snake. It was involved with the plagues of hail and locusts. In Moses’ hand, the Red Sea parted. The staff tapped against the rock bringing fresh running water. Now, a raging battle is fought and won. The staff in itself was not magical. It represented the power of God and the dependence Israel had on their God.
So it is with us, our staff is our trust in God, the confidence that His power will get us through. It is our own God experiences, our dependence that He is faithful. That as we keep our hands lifted to the throne the battles are won.
Reality Check! Do we get weary, tired, discouraged, overwhelmed even when holding ~ lifting the staff? By golly YES we do!
I am fully persuaded, we NEED to seek and take with us Aarons and Hurs on our journey. We NEED to ‘be’ an Aaron and Hur for another. I do not want to read into the text, but I am sure Moses didn’t have to ask for something to sit on, the guys discerned his need. Perhaps he did ask for help with the lifting of his hands. May we ask, and use discernment.
As we allow others to get close enough to help raise our arms, hold that confidence up, trust in His character and Word, our weariness will soon become strength, our defeats will become victories. Asking for help can be uncomfortable, being vulnerable is not a sign of weakness, it is a declaration of my hand is empty … please take it!
The battles, yes they are still the Lords’ to win, but He uses the whole lot of us to do so, Moses, Aaron, Hur and Joshua with the many warriors!
In those ancient days, men would put their staff ahead of their next step, to make it sure and steady. What is in OUR hand? What are we putting out there first? Who is along side us?
In Him, DeDe (“Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love & good deeds” ~ Heb. 10:4)
Inspired Fountain 