We have a serious problem in our house lately. We've had an outbreak of "plank eye". This should not be confused with pink eye; which is much easier to cure and much less irritating. No, plank eye is a genetic heart condition that can be terminal and fatal. The symptoms include, but are not limited to: pointing fingers, whining, yelling, tattling, tourette-like outbursts of phrases like "MO-OMMMMMM!", "No FAIR!", and "I'm telling!", crossed arms, high noses, rolled eyes, accusations and justifications that start with some variation of "But HE (or she) started it!". It is characterized by an incessant need for one to mind everyone else's proverbial beeswax and make sure that everyone else is being held accountable for their shortcomings while justifying one's own offenses. The condition is often more well known as "Hypocrisy".
It. Is. Excruciating. There is no medication on the market yet that will dull the pain (well, not that I can recommend as healthy anyway!), curb the symptoms, or cure the condition. No eye drops for this one...
Thankfully, however, our Great Physician, knows a way but it is a difficult process. The therapy can take years to fully develop the muscles needed to bend that pointed finger, open accusing eyes, stretch one's patience, and strengthen the loving heart. I'm trying not to be daunted by this, especially since there are four of them that need this therapy. Thankfully, our insurance will not be billed, nor will we owe a co-pay.
Did you notice though, I did not say the therapy is free. There are costs and side effects... Sore knees from time spent in prayer, loss of productivity for time spent mentoring, missed activities and outings when follow-through is called for, sacrifice of one's own rights when grace is prescribed, weary eyes from watching character building movies, and a dry throat from reading scripture and literature aloud. It should be noted, however, that pharisaical modes of therapy, such as writing sentences, forced acts of kindness, allowing a sibling to return an offense, justifying others actions based on the patient's actions (i.e. tit-for-tat) and other similar treatments are contraindicated. Not only do they have questionable efficacy, they can often worsen the condition. It is further vital that one administering the therapy has been through it themselves, if not, this too, can worsen the condition of the subject.
Note also that the therapy is not guaranteed to work. In some rare cases, due to recessive, free-will genetics or severe stubbornness, the course of therapy may appear ineffective. In those cases, one is advised to continue the therapy regardless of indication of efficacy since no two cases' results will look the same. Neither can it be determined how long the therapy will take from one individual to another. Further, as this is a genetic disorder, there can be potential for a flare-up after extensive periods of remission.
Please pray for us; we have a long road to recovery. If there is anyone else out there either suffering the condition or administering the therapy, there are local support groups available. They often have the symbol of a cross somewhere on the building where they meet and meetings are usually held on either Sunday mornings or Wednesday evenings. Some groups offer alternative meeting times, such as Saturdays and some offer smaller groups that meet in homes. I pray you find a solid group to help you get through this trying time. From what I've heard it is well worth all the cost, time and effort. May God give us strength, bring healing, and provide wisdom.
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye." Matthew 7:3-5
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
If This is All There Ever is...
I have a dear friend and mentor who has moments with God where she says that the new revelation makes her feel like she needs to duct tape her head to keep her brain from exploding. We've discussed enough of these that we can now just look at each other and say "duct tape" and nod, knowing that something just crashed into our brains in a major way. Well, I had one of those recently...
The other night I was having a little pity party and feeling pretty down on myself when my husband shared something convicting. During a prayer meeting he was talking with someone else about contentment and, I suppose, in a round a bout way, surrender; whether he could be content with God no matter what He ever does or does not do in his life. This is not a mysterious concept, it's rather quite simple BUT, if I'm not mistaken, we as humans have trouble actually living it out in practicality. As I pondered the thought, BAM! The revelation, the duct tape revelation, crashed into my heart. I felt like the Holy Spirit asked me "What if this is all there ever is?"
See, I struggle deeply with negative self-talk and condemnation and have not ironically recently started a study as part of our ladies group on just that subject. Jennifer Rothschild is teaching us to clean out our "thought closets" because "what we think is what we wear". So here in the middle of this endeavor to throw out some long out-grown labels, comes these questions from the still, small voice:
"What if no one EVER approves of (me)?"
"What if (my) struggle with (my) son NEVER improves?"
"What if (I) never succeed at anything, ever?"
And, the kicker... the one that called for duct tape...
"What if what is, right now, right here, is all there ever is? BECAUSE it really actually is; you are not promised tomorrow so therefore not promised answers, improvement, escape, rescue, etc. SO, with that line of thinking, not that what is right now will never change BUT, if it doesn't, could you still be content? Could you still be fulfilled? Could you still find peace in God's love if that is all you have? Because, really, that's all you do have..."
Duct tape.
I needed to keep my brain from exploding at that convicting thought. I had to open my white-knuckle grip on my need for my son's growth, I needed to release my need for approval, and I needed to hand over the desire to accomplish stuff. I needed to decide that what is, right now, is enough. After all, God has me right here, today, for His purposes, not my fulfillment and if He has so chosen that, for little 'ol me, specifically, knowingly, purposefully, and personally, then oughtn't I breathe a sigh of thanks make the best of it?
Absolutely. Immediately. Permanently.
This was all last Wednesday evening. I meant to write this post the next day and ran out of time. Good intentions for Friday were thwarted as well. Now, here we are the following Tuesday and I'm finally writing it down. Why? Because I quickly developed amnesia. I had already forgotten that mind-blowing moment and found myself, just this morning, setting up another pity party decorated with banners of "inadequacy", "failure", "disillusionment", and "doubt". Thankfully, my knight in shining armor, my beloved, best pal, prayer warrior husband, rode in to rescue me. He prayed over the phone with me while on a break with the loving authority of my Redeemer and jogged my memory.
"We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ" 2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV
"But Godliness with contentment is great gain" 1 Timothy 6:6
"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength" Philippians 4:12-13
Here's some duct tape... pass it on!
The other night I was having a little pity party and feeling pretty down on myself when my husband shared something convicting. During a prayer meeting he was talking with someone else about contentment and, I suppose, in a round a bout way, surrender; whether he could be content with God no matter what He ever does or does not do in his life. This is not a mysterious concept, it's rather quite simple BUT, if I'm not mistaken, we as humans have trouble actually living it out in practicality. As I pondered the thought, BAM! The revelation, the duct tape revelation, crashed into my heart. I felt like the Holy Spirit asked me "What if this is all there ever is?"
See, I struggle deeply with negative self-talk and condemnation and have not ironically recently started a study as part of our ladies group on just that subject. Jennifer Rothschild is teaching us to clean out our "thought closets" because "what we think is what we wear". So here in the middle of this endeavor to throw out some long out-grown labels, comes these questions from the still, small voice:
"What if no one EVER approves of (me)?"
"What if (my) struggle with (my) son NEVER improves?"
"What if (I) never succeed at anything, ever?"
And, the kicker... the one that called for duct tape...
"What if what is, right now, right here, is all there ever is? BECAUSE it really actually is; you are not promised tomorrow so therefore not promised answers, improvement, escape, rescue, etc. SO, with that line of thinking, not that what is right now will never change BUT, if it doesn't, could you still be content? Could you still be fulfilled? Could you still find peace in God's love if that is all you have? Because, really, that's all you do have..."
Duct tape.
I needed to keep my brain from exploding at that convicting thought. I had to open my white-knuckle grip on my need for my son's growth, I needed to release my need for approval, and I needed to hand over the desire to accomplish stuff. I needed to decide that what is, right now, is enough. After all, God has me right here, today, for His purposes, not my fulfillment and if He has so chosen that, for little 'ol me, specifically, knowingly, purposefully, and personally, then oughtn't I breathe a sigh of thanks make the best of it?
Absolutely. Immediately. Permanently.
This was all last Wednesday evening. I meant to write this post the next day and ran out of time. Good intentions for Friday were thwarted as well. Now, here we are the following Tuesday and I'm finally writing it down. Why? Because I quickly developed amnesia. I had already forgotten that mind-blowing moment and found myself, just this morning, setting up another pity party decorated with banners of "inadequacy", "failure", "disillusionment", and "doubt". Thankfully, my knight in shining armor, my beloved, best pal, prayer warrior husband, rode in to rescue me. He prayed over the phone with me while on a break with the loving authority of my Redeemer and jogged my memory.
"We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ" 2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV
"But Godliness with contentment is great gain" 1 Timothy 6:6
"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength" Philippians 4:12-13
Here's some duct tape... pass it on!
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
The Myth of More Than We Can Handle
I heard a song lyric the other day that got me pondering the cliché "God never gives you more than you can handle"... and it struck me what a whopper of a lie that statement is.
God certainly gives us more than we can handle and He does so quite often (At least for me!). He doesn't want us to handle everything on our own; He wants us to need Him! What need would we have of a Savior if we were entirely self-sufficient? What need would we have of faith if humans truly had the capacity to get through every trial as an island??
None. None what so ever. Perhaps we have learned to leave off the possible remainder of the statement: "God never gives you more than you can handle with Him." and, in so doing, what damage have we done ourselves spiritually? How clever of the enemy to convince us, so sneakily, that if we aren't "handling it" in a manner we consider "well", then perhaps we are broken, faithless, wrong...
I remember a well-meaning piece of advice my mother gave me once, long ago, afflicted with a broken heart after her divorce from my dad and still without the presence of the Holy Spirit. She told me "Never become dependent on a man. Ever."
This bit of advice, colored by the pain she was enduring at the time, then afflicted my own life for quite some time. I worked so hard for so long to be strong and not need my husband. I felt like there was something wrong with me when I finally, one day, admitted to her, that while I could survive without my husband, I could not live without him. Her emphatic apology for telling me that, was, I think, the first time she ever told me she was sorry. It was a beautiful moment of growth for us both. (Please note: I have such high regard and love for my mom and this illustration is not meant in any way to paint her as anything less than precious to me but rather to show something her and I both went through together for good)
I share that to point out that in the same way, I believe, at least for me, the statement "God never gives us more than we can handle" has afflicted my relationship with God. Not that I have consciously thought that I oughtn't need my faith to get through trials but that there has been a quiet, underlying feeling at times along those lines. I have noticed it most at times when, in the middle of a trial, I feel a sort of humiliation when I finally break to the point of crying out to God that I need my Savior to carry me through. When I finally discover that I need to "cast all my cares on Him", why do I feel like I've failed somehow? Especially when there are so many places in God's word where He makes us promises that nullify that very thought. Here are just a few that I've immediately thought of:
If we could do it all ourselves, why would He promise not to leave nor forsake us? (Deuteronomy 31:6, Hebrews 13:5)
If we were meant to be our own little gods, then why would He call us to cast all our cares on Him? (1 Peter 5:7)
Why would He commit to be with us until the end of the age? (Matthew 28:20)
If we were meant to draw on our own resources and strength then it would not depend on His presence. (Joshua 1:9)
If we were autonomous then He would not catch every tear and account for every step. (Psalm 56:8)
Our God and Savior knows us so well, and so intimately... counted the hairs on our heads, every step we take, every breath, every smile, every furrowed brow... And, He does, indeed, give us more than we can handle. Not because He is vindictive, not because He is sadistic, not because He is cruel, but because He cares so deeply for us that He allows us to realize daily how we need Him. In addition, He is faithful in everything to show us that when we need Him He will come through.
This is where we need to remember that the ways He comes through may not be when, how, or where we anticipate; His ways are not our ways, His thoughts are higher than our thoughts... We will never be able to figure Him out, define Him, or fit Him in the finite box of our mind. He is not our genie in a bottle or our Santa Claus. If He fit our expectations or definitions then God would not be God, but, rather a contrivance of our individual imaginations, different for each one of us and, therefore, unreliable and completely contrary to who His word tells us He is. Instead, He simply is. He is constant, He is unchanging, He is the same God, with the same promises, the same expectations, the same purposes, and the same love, that He has been since He uttered being into being.
He... IS.
And, thus, this is why we need Him. Not because we have failed, not because we are wrong, but because that is where our relationship with Him will grow. It is where we will experience His love for us, where our love for Him will blossom, and where His glory will abound in the victories He attains for us, with us, and in us.
God certainly gives us more than we can handle and He does so quite often (At least for me!). He doesn't want us to handle everything on our own; He wants us to need Him! What need would we have of a Savior if we were entirely self-sufficient? What need would we have of faith if humans truly had the capacity to get through every trial as an island??
None. None what so ever. Perhaps we have learned to leave off the possible remainder of the statement: "God never gives you more than you can handle with Him." and, in so doing, what damage have we done ourselves spiritually? How clever of the enemy to convince us, so sneakily, that if we aren't "handling it" in a manner we consider "well", then perhaps we are broken, faithless, wrong...
I remember a well-meaning piece of advice my mother gave me once, long ago, afflicted with a broken heart after her divorce from my dad and still without the presence of the Holy Spirit. She told me "Never become dependent on a man. Ever."
This bit of advice, colored by the pain she was enduring at the time, then afflicted my own life for quite some time. I worked so hard for so long to be strong and not need my husband. I felt like there was something wrong with me when I finally, one day, admitted to her, that while I could survive without my husband, I could not live without him. Her emphatic apology for telling me that, was, I think, the first time she ever told me she was sorry. It was a beautiful moment of growth for us both. (Please note: I have such high regard and love for my mom and this illustration is not meant in any way to paint her as anything less than precious to me but rather to show something her and I both went through together for good)
I share that to point out that in the same way, I believe, at least for me, the statement "God never gives us more than we can handle" has afflicted my relationship with God. Not that I have consciously thought that I oughtn't need my faith to get through trials but that there has been a quiet, underlying feeling at times along those lines. I have noticed it most at times when, in the middle of a trial, I feel a sort of humiliation when I finally break to the point of crying out to God that I need my Savior to carry me through. When I finally discover that I need to "cast all my cares on Him", why do I feel like I've failed somehow? Especially when there are so many places in God's word where He makes us promises that nullify that very thought. Here are just a few that I've immediately thought of:
If we could do it all ourselves, why would He promise not to leave nor forsake us? (Deuteronomy 31:6, Hebrews 13:5)
If we were meant to be our own little gods, then why would He call us to cast all our cares on Him? (1 Peter 5:7)
Why would He commit to be with us until the end of the age? (Matthew 28:20)
If we were meant to draw on our own resources and strength then it would not depend on His presence. (Joshua 1:9)
If we were autonomous then He would not catch every tear and account for every step. (Psalm 56:8)
Our God and Savior knows us so well, and so intimately... counted the hairs on our heads, every step we take, every breath, every smile, every furrowed brow... And, He does, indeed, give us more than we can handle. Not because He is vindictive, not because He is sadistic, not because He is cruel, but because He cares so deeply for us that He allows us to realize daily how we need Him. In addition, He is faithful in everything to show us that when we need Him He will come through.
This is where we need to remember that the ways He comes through may not be when, how, or where we anticipate; His ways are not our ways, His thoughts are higher than our thoughts... We will never be able to figure Him out, define Him, or fit Him in the finite box of our mind. He is not our genie in a bottle or our Santa Claus. If He fit our expectations or definitions then God would not be God, but, rather a contrivance of our individual imaginations, different for each one of us and, therefore, unreliable and completely contrary to who His word tells us He is. Instead, He simply is. He is constant, He is unchanging, He is the same God, with the same promises, the same expectations, the same purposes, and the same love, that He has been since He uttered being into being.
He... IS.
And, thus, this is why we need Him. Not because we have failed, not because we are wrong, but because that is where our relationship with Him will grow. It is where we will experience His love for us, where our love for Him will blossom, and where His glory will abound in the victories He attains for us, with us, and in us.
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Everything?
Confession time... (I have a LOT of these)
I know that I need to read my bible every day so I can get a dose of God BUT on a daily basis, I struggle to know where to open up the Good Book. By that I don't mean out on the patio or at the kitchen table but rather what book, what chapter. So, I often just use one of the most simple study tools I've ever found. Our Daily Bread. So handy!! They even have an iphone app so even if I forgot in the morning, if I find a quiet moment (which are albeit mythical in my life!) then I can open it up, read the devo, and it even auto links to Biblegateway for the reference and reading plan passages. How easy is that?? And yet, I STILL struggle to make it happen daily.
That said, I actually did it the last couple days and was hit hard by the final line of the reading plan passage (which, for yesterday, was Romans 14). That portion of scripture is basically addressing liberty versus legalism where food (at least as an example) is concerned and being considerate of each other in those respects. It's one of those passages where I was reading along, minding my own biz, and not really getting much out of it. Until I read these words: "... and everything that does not come from faith is sin." (Romans 14:23b)
Now, I realize that we have to be careful not to take portions of scripture out of their context, and, in this particular context, as I said, dietary restrictions/liberties were the topic. However, food arguments aside, this strikes me as a statement that can (should?) be applied to, well, as it says, everything. Everything. Every. Thing.
Everything that does not come from faith is sin. Everything Lord? Really, really?
Wow.
As I mediated on that thought I remembered 1 Corinthians 10:31 (ironically, also about dietary arguments) which says "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
"Whatever you do"
"Whatever" equals "Everything".
So... God... When you say "whatever I do" and "everything"... you mean, like, when it comes to all the major stuff in my life, right? Not like, the little stuff, like, entertainment choices, how much time I spend online, the jokes I tell, how I spend my time beyond church and my quiet time, right?? Oh... you really meant everything... Hmmm. Ok.
Now, I sure hope I'm not seen as a "Sunday morning Christian" who lives in a way that I have to actually tell people outside church that I'm a Christian or else they'd never know. I try to find ways to bless others, make a loving impact on most people I encounter, serve where I have the capacity, make entertainment choices that are not detrimental to my spirit, I listen to Christian music almost exclusively anymore, and I spend a lot of time chitchatting with God through any given day. However, I also spend too much time on the web that could be better spent serving my family, I sometimes indulge in "the bread of idleness" in my struggle with laziness, I often find reasons to ignore the still, small voice that says "a trip to the gym would make you feel great!", and my biggest struggle, how I talk to my kids, mostly my oldest son. I don't honor my husband the way I should in my prayer life or the way I talk to him sometimes. I exceed the speed limit by about 5 mph over quite often. You may have noticed above where I stated that I try to "make a loving impact on most people I encounter"... yup, I said "most"... I have even gone through the "10 items or less" checkout with 12 items before! I know, I'm quite the rebel but conviction is conviction.
We silly, fallible, mortals have a propensity to "categorize" sin into degrees of depravity. I'm sure many will roll their eyes at my 5mph lead foot but the point is not that I'm only a little over the limit and still within safe operating parameters of my vehicle and physical reaction time, I'm still breaking the law. And, since the Word says we are to obey those in authority and the laws of our land, then I am in sin. And, even worse, I'm doing it knowingly, willfully. It's not a question of the degree of any given sin issue, it's a question of will versus conviction. If the still, small voice tells me that a 5-Hour Energy is unhealthy and I need to quit having them but I ignore it, I'm choosing willful defiance to what I know is a hint of the Holy. If the Spirit tells me I need to back away, take a time-out, catch my breath, and calm down, but instead I choose to lose my shekinah all over my son, I am in sin.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not about to run around making sure everyone else is minding their diet, watching their tone with their kids, or try and police other drivers to follow traffic laws (though I won't lie... THAT desire pops up OFTEN!), I'm just pointing out what God spoke to me yesterday morning with those few little words that basically said "Being mostly devoted is still not devoted". I'm also having one of those daunting moments of realization that, until I take my last breath, no matter how many sin issues I surrender to God, there will always be one more. That can either be a very daunting, discouraging thought, or, it can be humbling, and I can allow it to drive me, time after time, day after day, moment after moment, back into the grace shadow of my Glorious Savior.
This all makes me think of a talk I was having with my son one day. I told him that partial obedience is actually disobedience. It is, alas, the same with us and I think that's what the passage in Romans is telling me. A seating at a sporting event or concert ins't "sold out" until every seat is filled, likewise, I cannot consider myself "sold out" to Him if there's any area of my heart where He isn't present.
I know that I need to read my bible every day so I can get a dose of God BUT on a daily basis, I struggle to know where to open up the Good Book. By that I don't mean out on the patio or at the kitchen table but rather what book, what chapter. So, I often just use one of the most simple study tools I've ever found. Our Daily Bread. So handy!! They even have an iphone app so even if I forgot in the morning, if I find a quiet moment (which are albeit mythical in my life!) then I can open it up, read the devo, and it even auto links to Biblegateway for the reference and reading plan passages. How easy is that?? And yet, I STILL struggle to make it happen daily.
That said, I actually did it the last couple days and was hit hard by the final line of the reading plan passage (which, for yesterday, was Romans 14). That portion of scripture is basically addressing liberty versus legalism where food (at least as an example) is concerned and being considerate of each other in those respects. It's one of those passages where I was reading along, minding my own biz, and not really getting much out of it. Until I read these words: "... and everything that does not come from faith is sin." (Romans 14:23b)
Now, I realize that we have to be careful not to take portions of scripture out of their context, and, in this particular context, as I said, dietary restrictions/liberties were the topic. However, food arguments aside, this strikes me as a statement that can (should?) be applied to, well, as it says, everything. Everything. Every. Thing.
Everything that does not come from faith is sin. Everything Lord? Really, really?
Wow.
As I mediated on that thought I remembered 1 Corinthians 10:31 (ironically, also about dietary arguments) which says "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
"Whatever you do"
"Whatever" equals "Everything".
So... God... When you say "whatever I do" and "everything"... you mean, like, when it comes to all the major stuff in my life, right? Not like, the little stuff, like, entertainment choices, how much time I spend online, the jokes I tell, how I spend my time beyond church and my quiet time, right?? Oh... you really meant everything... Hmmm. Ok.
Now, I sure hope I'm not seen as a "Sunday morning Christian" who lives in a way that I have to actually tell people outside church that I'm a Christian or else they'd never know. I try to find ways to bless others, make a loving impact on most people I encounter, serve where I have the capacity, make entertainment choices that are not detrimental to my spirit, I listen to Christian music almost exclusively anymore, and I spend a lot of time chitchatting with God through any given day. However, I also spend too much time on the web that could be better spent serving my family, I sometimes indulge in "the bread of idleness" in my struggle with laziness, I often find reasons to ignore the still, small voice that says "a trip to the gym would make you feel great!", and my biggest struggle, how I talk to my kids, mostly my oldest son. I don't honor my husband the way I should in my prayer life or the way I talk to him sometimes. I exceed the speed limit by about 5 mph over quite often. You may have noticed above where I stated that I try to "make a loving impact on most people I encounter"... yup, I said "most"... I have even gone through the "10 items or less" checkout with 12 items before! I know, I'm quite the rebel but conviction is conviction.
We silly, fallible, mortals have a propensity to "categorize" sin into degrees of depravity. I'm sure many will roll their eyes at my 5mph lead foot but the point is not that I'm only a little over the limit and still within safe operating parameters of my vehicle and physical reaction time, I'm still breaking the law. And, since the Word says we are to obey those in authority and the laws of our land, then I am in sin. And, even worse, I'm doing it knowingly, willfully. It's not a question of the degree of any given sin issue, it's a question of will versus conviction. If the still, small voice tells me that a 5-Hour Energy is unhealthy and I need to quit having them but I ignore it, I'm choosing willful defiance to what I know is a hint of the Holy. If the Spirit tells me I need to back away, take a time-out, catch my breath, and calm down, but instead I choose to lose my shekinah all over my son, I am in sin.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not about to run around making sure everyone else is minding their diet, watching their tone with their kids, or try and police other drivers to follow traffic laws (though I won't lie... THAT desire pops up OFTEN!), I'm just pointing out what God spoke to me yesterday morning with those few little words that basically said "Being mostly devoted is still not devoted". I'm also having one of those daunting moments of realization that, until I take my last breath, no matter how many sin issues I surrender to God, there will always be one more. That can either be a very daunting, discouraging thought, or, it can be humbling, and I can allow it to drive me, time after time, day after day, moment after moment, back into the grace shadow of my Glorious Savior.
This all makes me think of a talk I was having with my son one day. I told him that partial obedience is actually disobedience. It is, alas, the same with us and I think that's what the passage in Romans is telling me. A seating at a sporting event or concert ins't "sold out" until every seat is filled, likewise, I cannot consider myself "sold out" to Him if there's any area of my heart where He isn't present.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Sand people
Nope... Not that kind... (I live with a Star Wars fan, what can I say!)
Not that kind either...
Wrong again...
I'm talking about the people who come into your life that are less than... enjoyable. The ones who make your eye twitch. The ones who "rub you the wrong way"... like sand paper. They are rough, abrasive, and make things uncomfortable. But, while being sanded is uncomfortable, it is necessary. These are the people God uses, if we let Him, to smooth out our own rough edges. Every now and again, God even sends a chisel to take care of larger impurities in our character.
Maturity begins to happen when we can learn to appreciate the sand people. When we can thank God for them. When we can love them. Not just tolerate. Not just put up with. Not just endure. Really love.
Does this mean you need to be best pals? No. Does this mean that if someone has knowingly hurt you more than twice (indicative of a behavior pattern) that you need to keep coming back for more? No. It means that you can kneel before God's throne and intercede for them with a genuine heart. It means that you can give them a genuine smile on a Sunday morning.... or any other morning...
It also means we need to come to a realization that we are also someone else's sandpaper. We're all sand people. As such, if we want to be forgiven for rubbing someone the wrong way, even to the point of raw, then we need to forgive those who scrape us. The best way to make the world more compassionate, more forgiving, less abrasive, less rough, is to become that very thing. Pointing a finger will seldom produce conviction at the other end; setting the example, however, often will.
We also need to focus not in the now, on the slow, grinding, nagging pain, but rather, on what it will turn us into. Something smooth, beautiful, like a hand-carved bannister in a historic home; smoothed and polished by generations of hands, some loving, some calloused, but all taking part in the refining and the creation of an heirloom.
Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I likewise think of the natural, organic masterpieces of driftwood sculpted by waves, storms, stones, sand, salt, wind, and sun (Son?) that can be found along the countless miles of pebbled beaches of the Puget Sound. You may find a keepsake walking stick, fuel for a memorable beach fire, make-believe weapons for mini warriors, a fishing pole, or, for local artisans, even large pieces that become notable works of art, furniture, jewelry, and decor.
I know I'm smoother than I ever used to be but I'm so far from polished, refined, or beautiful. However, I long to eventually be so. How easy it is to forget that prayer and to grumble about the process. May God help us all to stay focused on the goal so we can submit to the sanding and may we become thankful for those He uses to do so.
"In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls." I Peter 1:6-9
Fit to Be Tied
Well, here we are all the way into August... of 2013... Does that baffle anyone else?? I'm not feeling ready for our second year of homeschooling. To be honest, some of the struggles we dealt with still linger from last year with no solutions yet obvious. I'm daunted but my husband is being wonderful and supportive so that is helping quell some of my anxiety. And, on the flip-side, I'm excited about some new (to us) materials and curriculum we're going to try out this year. How about you? Whether public, private or homeschool, what are you most excited and anxious about heading into the new school year?
In honor of back to school, this post won't be so much inspirational, but hopefully, helpful in a practical way. For those with kids who still do not know how to tie their shoes but who have seen a noticeable price difference for shoes with velcro, this post is for you! Buying shoes for three or four little boys requires that I save the pennies everywhere I can which meant laced shoes instead of velcro. I knew this would NOT be helpful to their teachers or me so I had to brainstorm a solution. (Shoe shopping may be in our weekend plans and thankfully, two of my four boys now know how to tie their own shoes!)
So, without further ado... one solution to laced shoes for kids who can't tie:
Take the laces completely out and tie a single knot in the very center of the lace. Repeat two more times on either side of the knot so there are five knots centered in the lace. (Depending on your child's shoe, you may have to modify this to four knots OR may be able to fit a sixth knot in there)
Lace the shoes as normal with the knots going across between the first two holes (see below).
Once the laces are through the bead, tie a figure-8 knot in each end of the laces to keep them from getting back out of the bead.
Now you're done! Almost any child should now be able to loosen his or her shoes by pinching the bead and pulling it to the knots then tighten them again by pulling on the knots. If the laces are still too long at this point, you can always cut them just a little shorter, tie a knot in the ends, then gently melt the frayed bits with a lighter or candle.
I hope this helps with busy mornings or busy teachers and I pray the new school year is a blessing for you and your kids!
In honor of back to school, this post won't be so much inspirational, but hopefully, helpful in a practical way. For those with kids who still do not know how to tie their shoes but who have seen a noticeable price difference for shoes with velcro, this post is for you! Buying shoes for three or four little boys requires that I save the pennies everywhere I can which meant laced shoes instead of velcro. I knew this would NOT be helpful to their teachers or me so I had to brainstorm a solution. (Shoe shopping may be in our weekend plans and thankfully, two of my four boys now know how to tie their own shoes!)
So, without further ado... one solution to laced shoes for kids who can't tie:
Take the laces completely out and tie a single knot in the very center of the lace. Repeat two more times on either side of the knot so there are five knots centered in the lace. (Depending on your child's shoe, you may have to modify this to four knots OR may be able to fit a sixth knot in there)
Lace the shoes as normal with the knots going across between the first two holes (see below).
Once the shoes are laced you will have shorter ends sticking out. Taking one cord stop bead (I found them in two-packs at my local Joann, they look like the ones in the picture but any style similar will work) criss-cross the laces (one in each direction) through the center of the cord stop bead while pinching it.
I hope this helps with busy mornings or busy teachers and I pray the new school year is a blessing for you and your kids!
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Of Coffee and Passion
As we progress through what should be our most spiritually-focused time of year, Christ's Passion Week, I'm troubled. There was a statement made by the CEO of Starbucks last week that has been, in my opinion, taken out of context and misconstrued. It was a statement he made very diplomatically to one individual answering one question. His response hasn't troubled me as much as the spin some conservative reporters have put on that statement, there is sadly a lynch-mob mentality "brewing" (pun intended) in the Christian community with a bandwagon boarding for Boycottville.
We cannot expect to hold accountable those who make NO remote claim to believe what we believe. Stirring up a frenzy to exert fiscal power and lord over any who do not share our beliefs will do no more to bring them to a saving knowledge of Christ than it would do to shove a horse's head in a tub to convince him that he's thirsty. We, as a body, are in the process of taking the bait that will allow a negative image of our faith community to be solidified. Jesus sat down and dined with the likes of hookers, swindlers, and outcasts... How would He handle this situation? We He repost the articles spinning Shultz's words into a lie? Would He join the boycott? Would He pat us on the back for standing our "holy grounds"? (yes, another coffee pun...) Would He congratulate us for justifying our boycott by coming up with more righteous uses for $5? (Which, let's be honest, many of us speak of but probably won't follow through on...)
This week should be the week we most deeply focus on WHY Christ submitted to the events that took place more than 2000 years ago. It was to change us. It was to show us, tangibly, what love looks like. It was to show us what forgiveness and grace looks like. If we join this angry mob then we missed it. Further, we will be just the same as those who twisted and spun Dan Cathy's words out of context last year. Do we want to be the same? Do we want to play tit-for-tat? Or, do we want to be different? Do we want to be salt and light? (Or, if we decide to take this stand, are we willing to face the hard truth that probably very few companies we patronize anymore share any shred of our convictions?? I think we will quickly run out of places to shop and eat if we do... )
If individuals feel Spirit-led to no longer patronize a particular company for moral reasons, so be it! We must follow our convictions, however, we must not allow someone else to tell us what someone else said, take it at full face-value, then pass it on and get others to join us based on a lie. That is bearing false witness and no matter the intentions, it is wrong. We need to do our own research into what was actually said, in what manner and for what purpose before we grab our torches and pitchforks on the way to burning someone at the stake. Discernment is something you can't borrow from someone else; you must find your own because each of us will ultimately be held accountable. Once that day comes, we cannot pass responsibility off to whomever told us what we should believe, what we should (or shouldn't) do, or how to interact with this world we are passing through.
Please do not misunderstand, this is NOT to defend Starbucks, Mr. Shultz, or even liberal politics of the day. It IS to encourage us all to be shrewd as vipers (as we make our decisions) and gentle as doves (as we carry them out and take our stand). Hopefully our choices on where we put our passion this week will amount to more than a hill of (over-roasted) beans. If Jesus was physically here today, I have the feeling He'd happily enjoy a whole-milk latte with honey and sit down to visit with anyone who cared to join Him, no matter who they were holding hands with, how big the gauge in their ear, or how much ink is in their skin. Let us look past politics, policies, and propaganda... Let us see with Christ's eyes how He would have us reach our lost world as effectively as possible. Only then will we turn mere coffee into Holy Grounds...
We cannot expect to hold accountable those who make NO remote claim to believe what we believe. Stirring up a frenzy to exert fiscal power and lord over any who do not share our beliefs will do no more to bring them to a saving knowledge of Christ than it would do to shove a horse's head in a tub to convince him that he's thirsty. We, as a body, are in the process of taking the bait that will allow a negative image of our faith community to be solidified. Jesus sat down and dined with the likes of hookers, swindlers, and outcasts... How would He handle this situation? We He repost the articles spinning Shultz's words into a lie? Would He join the boycott? Would He pat us on the back for standing our "holy grounds"? (yes, another coffee pun...) Would He congratulate us for justifying our boycott by coming up with more righteous uses for $5? (Which, let's be honest, many of us speak of but probably won't follow through on...)
This week should be the week we most deeply focus on WHY Christ submitted to the events that took place more than 2000 years ago. It was to change us. It was to show us, tangibly, what love looks like. It was to show us what forgiveness and grace looks like. If we join this angry mob then we missed it. Further, we will be just the same as those who twisted and spun Dan Cathy's words out of context last year. Do we want to be the same? Do we want to play tit-for-tat? Or, do we want to be different? Do we want to be salt and light? (Or, if we decide to take this stand, are we willing to face the hard truth that probably very few companies we patronize anymore share any shred of our convictions?? I think we will quickly run out of places to shop and eat if we do... )
If individuals feel Spirit-led to no longer patronize a particular company for moral reasons, so be it! We must follow our convictions, however, we must not allow someone else to tell us what someone else said, take it at full face-value, then pass it on and get others to join us based on a lie. That is bearing false witness and no matter the intentions, it is wrong. We need to do our own research into what was actually said, in what manner and for what purpose before we grab our torches and pitchforks on the way to burning someone at the stake. Discernment is something you can't borrow from someone else; you must find your own because each of us will ultimately be held accountable. Once that day comes, we cannot pass responsibility off to whomever told us what we should believe, what we should (or shouldn't) do, or how to interact with this world we are passing through.
Please do not misunderstand, this is NOT to defend Starbucks, Mr. Shultz, or even liberal politics of the day. It IS to encourage us all to be shrewd as vipers (as we make our decisions) and gentle as doves (as we carry them out and take our stand). Hopefully our choices on where we put our passion this week will amount to more than a hill of (over-roasted) beans. If Jesus was physically here today, I have the feeling He'd happily enjoy a whole-milk latte with honey and sit down to visit with anyone who cared to join Him, no matter who they were holding hands with, how big the gauge in their ear, or how much ink is in their skin. Let us look past politics, policies, and propaganda... Let us see with Christ's eyes how He would have us reach our lost world as effectively as possible. Only then will we turn mere coffee into Holy Grounds...
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