Am I Worthy?

I looked at the bread and juice and pondered...am I worthy? This is my weekly opportunity to check my relationship with God. Of course, I should keep my relationship in check much more frequently, but I sometimes (okay, often) skim over my examination of myself.

Back to my question. Am I worthy?

Well...no. But I'm not worthless either.

What do you consider to be your weaknesses?

Your strengths?

I often get the two mixed up. I'm weak in the way that I question my worth. And what I think is a strength, like rationalizing through my faith journey or trying to be self-sufficient, is weakness. Who am I to decide what is my strength or weaknesses?

Out of my weakness

And into Your strength

Humbly I come to the cross.

The lyrics sink into my marrow.

I am strongest in my humility. I am strongest when I rest completely in Jesus. When I acknowledge my weakness. For a recovering control freak, that's tough to accept.

As I ponder Am I worthy?, I realize I'm thinking of my worthiness as a wife, mom, daughter, employee, volunteer. Those relationships and roles, while important, don't define my worth. They reflect the worth I have in Jesus. When I humbly rely on him in my weakness, for his strength, I am worthy in all areas of my life, because I am reflecting him.

I find my worth in Jesus.

So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. - 2 Thessalonians 1:11 (NLT)

What Will You Give?

O lay aside each earthly thing
And with thy heart as offering,
Come worship now the infant King.
'Tis love that's born tonight!

These words conclude James Taylor's Some Children See Him.

Jesus was born for you, my friend. He died for you. His sacrifice...God becoming flesh and living the life of a human on earth with all the junk that goes along with it...facing accusations and accepting an unjust and excruciating punishment on your behalf...trusting in God's ultimate plan for your eternal life. His sacrifice for you is the reason we celebrate Christmas.

How will you accept the gift of Jesus' birth? Your acceptance (or not) is your gift, your offering to him. Consider your gift and his...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dqi0EhDVgs

O lay aside each earthly thing
And with thy heart as offering,
Come worship now the infant King.
'Tis love that's born tonight!

The Gift

I recently spoke at a women’s conference and was invited to dinner the evening before my presentation. I was unable to attend the first day’s sessions, but a couple of the women excitedly told me they’d been placing all kinds of goodies at my place at the table all day. I wasn’t particularly curious (simply because I was more consumed with my presentation), but they seemed so excited, I couldn’t help but wonder for a moment what was waiting for me.

When I arrived the next morning, I realized they weren’t kidding! Not only did I have piles of papers at my place, I had fresh flowers, candy, and many other goodies. And there was a wrapped gift. It was a small box with a beautiful bow. Now I was curious, but I didn’t want to seem too greedy, so I went about my business of setting up. But several women wanted me to open up my gift! I stood by my seat with several anticipatory faces around me. As I picked up the box, I heard something shake inside of it. Hhm. It was about the size of a specialty candy box. You know the kind? Filled with handmade, delicious, calorie-packed caramels and chocolates? My mouth watered as I thought about a handmade caramel!

Back to reality, I slowly slid off the ribbon and began to open the box, expecting scrumptious pieces of candy. I wanted that candy so badly, at first glance, I thought I saw what I expected…but then realized I was looking at birdseed. Birdseed? Who would play such a cruel joke on me? Are you kidding? (I wonder what my face looked like at that point.) Once I took the lid completely off the box, I noticed something shiny in the box. A watch. A beautiful watch. Much beyond my expectation. A generous gift. My heart melted.

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. - 2 Corinthians 12:4-6 (NLT)

We might be surprised when we first hear God has a spiritual gift for us. We might anticipate it, or we might be too preoccupied to consider it. But it intrigues us. We wonder what it is and how we’ll use it. We dream up what we’d most like it to be, and we build our expectation. God peeks over our shoulder in anticipation. He might be more excitement than we are! And when we first open it up, we might be disappointed. It might not be exactly what we expected. And yet, it’s likely better than we could have imagined. Just when you think you have a box of birdseed, you might be surprised to find a watch. What if I had peeked inside and seen the birdseed and been so disappointed that I closed the box, perhaps even throwing it away?

Expect a gift. God is peeking over your shoulder in anticipation.

A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. - 2 Corinthians 12: 7,11 (NLT)

Too Much Nativity?

"We're swimming in nativities." I had told the woman at the post office it didn't matter what type of stamps she gave me...just use whatever she had in excess. Should I be sad, assuming few people were requesting nativity stamps? Or grateful to be able to "swim" in nativities? I began to wonder...

How often do I get caught up in what many Christians would say is the secularization of Christmas? I don't mean "caught up" in terms of participating; I'll quickly declare "guilty" on that charge. I enjoy shopping on Black Friday, stuffing stockings on Christmas Eve, and eating all those calorie-packed, once-a-year sweets...none of which has anything to do with the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago. Okay, perhaps I could rationalize gift-giving as a biblical concept, but seriously? My enjoyment of gift giving has little to do with my relationship with Jesus. My enjoyment of secular aspects of Christmas are more about tradition than faith, and I enjoy tradition.

Here's my struggle: How much Christians, including myself, focus on the secularization of Christmas when we could be expending the same energy fully embracing the opportunities this season gives us to share our faith and, most important, the truth about Jesus.

When someone wishes you "Happy Holidays," do you (a) complain that someone has secularized Christmas or (b) reply with a hearty "Merry Christmas"? Can we be certain what a person's motives are for replacing Merry Christmas with the phrase Happy Holidays? Perhaps it's because they want to bundle their Christmas and New Years greetings into one. Or even if they're intentionally taking Christ out of their language, so what! You're not responsible for their choices...but you ARE responsible for yours. Do we think we're going to deepen our relationships with people and build trust more by lecturing them about the secularization of Christmas or by delivering a hearty "Merry Christmas" in return? There's more power in Christ's spoken name than all the words we can possibly string together as a justification for the use of his name.

Think about struggles you have with the secularization of Christmas. Company parties. Elaborate gift exchanges. Overwhelming obligations. School productions. I'm not saying we shouldn't fight battles for God. But which battles are we fighting because he's instructed us to fight them on his behalf, and which are we fighting on our own behalf? If we personally are offended and choose to fight a battle that isn't in God's timing, we can adversely impact someone's faith journey. We might think God led us into a situation to teach someone about Jesus with words of condemnation. But we're to teach them by our behavior, full of grace and mercy, instead. If we're to confront someone, God will instruct us to do so in love, not in judgment. God judges. We obey.

Think of all the opportunities we have to obey God during this season. Doors fly open for us to share our stories of faith. Christmas isn't just about the birth of Jesus. Christmas is about Christ, from heaven to earth to the cross to the grave and to heaven, an agonizing and sacrificial journey to offer eternal life...for you and for me and for every single person in your life today. People you know and people you don't know. God has designed your day to reflect him. Will you do it? And will you fully reflect him in his grace and mercy and love and provision?

As for me, I bought the nativity stamps. Each time I use one, I pray for not only the person who will receive that envelope but also for every person who touches or sees itAnd that's what I want my life to be. I want anyone who touches or sees my life to experience Christ.

For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. - John 3:16-18 (NLT)

Weight-Training

Weight rooms stink. There’s something about that stale, sweaty man smell I just don’t like. And yet, in order to develop our muscles, we have to actually work out. Sometimes, most of the time, our workout conditions are less than pleasant. Here are several benefits of weight training:

As you build muscles, your metabolism increases, which regulates your food intake.
Weight training increases your energy level.
Weight training helps you stay healthy, including your blood pressure, heart rate, cholesterol level and more.
Weight training helps strengthen your muscles and bones, which also improves your posture.
Weight training can improve balance and coordination.

How can you apply some of these same principles to potential benefits of spiritual weight training?

Do you know that Bible verse that says, “God will never give you more than you can bear?”

It doesn’t exist.

Surprised? 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. (NLT)

The weight we feel (in this case, temptation) isn’t about what God gives us! It’s about what God provides for us as we deal with the burden! It’s about our response to the weight, not the weight itself. We get so focused on the weight itself. We weaken under it and wonder why God would give us such a heavy burden. We rationalize we must be able to handle it, since God gave it to us. And yet Scripture doesn’t say God gave it to us. Even God gets misquoted!

Why is it so important to distinguish whether God actually gives us the weight or he gives us a way to deal with the weight? Think about weight training. When you begin weight training, you don’t begin with the heaviest weight you can lift. It’s more important to lift a weight you’re comfortable with, a weight that is working your muscles but that you can lift repeatedly. Ten repetitions of a ten pound weight are better for your muscles than one lift of a 100-pound weight. Even Olympic weight lifters don’t train under their maximum weights. They train for their maximum weights. In order to get strong, you have to condition your muscles to gradually develop strength.

As we assume God doesn’t give us more than we can bear, we can become complacent and not train. After all, if God won’t give us more than we can bear, he knows whether or not we’ve been training, so he wouldn't push our limits, right? But remember...God doesn’t give us the weight. He gives us the capability of the dealing with the weight, and he gives us instructions to be disciplined in our spiritual training. The reality of what we can bear with training and what we bear without training can be drastically different. I might have the potential to lift 200 pounds, but if I’m not lifting smaller weights on a regular basis, 200 pounds is going to seem overwhelming to me very quickly. It might never be easy for me to bear the weight, but I can make it a little easier…or a little harder by whether or not I regularly work out.

How are you training your spiritual muscles?

Compassion

Only seven of the eight remaining dancers performed on So You Think You Can Dance. (Yes, I watch it...regularly, and yes, I love it! I could give the excuse that it's a bonding experience for me and my daughter, but I'm owning my enjoyment!) Ashleigh hurt her arm the morning of the performance, and the doctors wouldn't clear her to perform. Her partner had to dance with stand-ins. But people can still vote for Ashleigh, and if she gets enough votes, she advances to the finals. What do you think of someone getting to advance without actually performing?

How do you respond when someone gets a promotion when you think you've worked harder? Or someone keeps her job when you get laid off?

What about when someone gets a scholarship over you, and you're certain she has more money than you?

How do you respond anytime a person gets something you perceive to be undeserved?

I have to admit my initial response is sometimes an internal, perhaps even audible, cry of injustice. I want someone to perform for reward. I don't want to take up the slack of someone's unwillingness to fulfill their work responsibilities and not receive compensation for it. I don't want to sacrifically give of my time and energy and continue to be asked to do more. I don't want to see someone ask for support when she's unable to perform.

It hit me when I read similar comments on a blog this afternoon, all commenting on whether or not Ashleigh should be able to continue. I'm a hypocrite. My internal, and sometimes audible, cry of injustice is in direct opposition to the basis of my faith.

Compassion is the "sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it." (merriamwebster.com) No judgment on whether or not the distress is justifiable. No comparison to our own distress. And a willingness to act.

Take a look around. At work. In your home. At school. In restaurants. In Church. While shopping. God brings people into your life and asks you to have a sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it. Act on it despite your internal or audible cry of injustice. God did it for you.

We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. - 1 John 3: 16-18 (NLT)

Revisions

I'm revising a document. I'm familiar with the content. I didn't create most of it; I'm familiar because I've read, used, and modified the content over a couple years. And yet, I repeatedly find awkward combinations of words, unclear phrases, and nonessential sections.

It reminds me of my life - where I repeatedly encounter details that are awkward, unclear, nonessential.

What about you? Ever have one of those wish-I-could-do-it-over moments? When have you thought "WHAT was I thinking?!"

There really are no do-overs. When I offend someone, I can apologize, but I can't take away the sting of my words. I can only move forward with efforts to be more sensitive. When I miss a deadline, I can't rewind time. I can only complete the task a little late and get myself organized better for the next deadline. When I say no when I should say yes or say yes when I should say no, I can't erase my disobedience. I can only commit to stepping forward in determined obedience.

I (hopefully) learn with each experience. What I overlook at one point of my life becomes highlighted for correction for another time. I'm not always patient with myself, and yet, I'm growing toward a thankfulness that God doesn't take me through one grand editing process. I would be overwhelmed. I wouldn't grasp all the changes. I need the process of continual editing.

God, I trust you with my life. You designed me, and you know exactly what I need and when I need it. Your timing is perfect - even though it's not always comfortable. Growth is rarely comfortable, but I thank you for guiding my spiritual growth. Use my flaws and strengths today. May I reflect and glorify you. Amen.

How is God editing your life right now?

If you reject discipline, you only harm yourself;but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding. - Proverbs 15: 32 (NLT)

Gaps

It was a joy to spend Thanksgiving with family. The entire weekend has been filled with blessings. It's been both productive and relaxing...an odd combination.

Thanksgiving included a trip to St. Louis to spend with family, including our oldest daughter Caitlin. It was nice to have my parents travel with us; perhaps it helped me not think of how odd it was that Caitlin wasn't riding home with us.

Consistent with tradition, we woke up early on Friday to brave the shopping crowds. Courtney and I had a great morning. We didn't need anything in particular but shopped leisurely, took turns standing in line, and thrilled at our bargains. Tim joined us for some shopping but also enjoyed long coffee breaks while reading.

Usually Caitlin is along for the annual shopping trek.

Saturday was a gorgeous day. I enjoyed a rare treat for this time of the year in central Illinois: a long outdoor walk without burdensome layers to keep me warm. I enjoyed the warm sunshine as I power walked country roads, listening to Mika on my mp3 player.

Caitlin regularly walked the same path listening to the same artist.

Later in the day, we unloaded all the Christmas decorations from storage. Up went the tree along with all the tree and house decorations.

Except Caitlin's ornaments. We're waiting for her to put them on the tree herself when she comes home in a few weeks.

This weekend has been productive and relaxing...and yet there have been a few gaps. Caitlin-sized gaps. I've compensated for a few...like getting Courtney's opinion on a few gifts for Caitlin while shopping. And I enjoyed putting together a fun care package to send Caitlin this week as she finalizes her first semester. (I wish I could be there when she opens it!)

I rarely experience loneliness from Caitlin being gone. After all, she's happy where she is, and that's the most soothing salve a mother can have. But I experience gaps in little daily things. As I felt gaps the past few days, I thought about friends in my life who have gaping chasms where my small gaps are. Friends whose children have died and friends who (not by choice) have no biological children. My achy gaps are nothing compared to their pain and emptiness. I can call, email, text Caitlin. I can drive a short distance and sit with her at Starbucks while chatting about her life. Some of my friends don't have that luxury.

And then there's the hole we're all born with...the one that is God-shaped. We're created to long for him. We can ignore the emptiness, fill it with hobbies, work, material things, and relationships. But no one but God can fill the God-shaped emptiness. Feeling lonely, anxious, fearful, etc.? We all experience gaps. Seek the one who can actually fill the gaps with what and whom they are supposed to be filled.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. - Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

There might be gaps in my Christmas tree for a few more weeks, but I'm relying on God to fill any gaps in my faith.

A Clean House

How do you approach cleaning?

• I enjoy refreshment and a sense of accomplishment from it.
• I tolerate it as an unwelcome necessity of life.
• I loathe it and will make about any excuse to avoid it.

I cleaned today. Not because I expect company or because I had nothing better to do, but because the weekend is nearly here, which means several of us will be home for extended hours. To me, a clean house is a comfortable home. You might rationalize that if several of us will be home, it's better to wait until everyone returns to school and work, since the house will get more dirty with everyone in it. The same reasoning applies when making your bed in the morning when you'll get into it again at the end of the day.

As I was cleaning today, I realized...it's not the act of cleaning that thrills me. I only enjoy the process of cleaning because I anticipate the end result: a comfortable house in which I can relax because the dust bunnies aren't peering at me from under furniture. I'm refreshed in a house full of clean smells.

It's the same with spiritual growth. I'm not thrilled with the process. It's messy, inconvenient, and sometimes painful. But the result is a maturing relationship with Jesus. I won't enjoy the comfort of a close relationship without letting him cleanse my life. He gets rid of the accumulating dust bunnies. He sanitizes the toxic surfaces. He washes away the filth to refresh me.

Look around your house. What needs to be done to clean your house?

Cleaning will take time and effort.

Look at your heart. What needs to be done to clean it?

Cleaning will take time and effort. But Jesus will take care of it...if you'll let him.

Create in me a clean heart, O God.Renew a loyal spirit within me. - Psalm 51:10 (NLT)

Christmas Greetings

Thanksgiving week is different for me this year. I typically mail Christmas cards the day before Thanksgiving, so they're in mailboxes within a few days to kick off the Christmas season. Start the celebration! Share the joy! Many years I've hand made my cards, spending hours cutting, stamping, coloring, and assembling. I've enjoyed it. But as I was working on my cards last year, thinking about the people on my mailing list and the amount of money and time I was spending alone at my dining room table, I resolved to take a different approach in 2009.

This year I'm spending the time and money investing in individual relationships. Of course, I won't be able to connect with everyone on my list, but I'm letting God lead me to whom he wants me to contact. I'm inviting women to lunch over the next month, so I can spend one-on-one time, sharing my life and letting them share theirs. Giving us both an opportunity to connect face-to-face, a diminishing occasion with social networking and the pressures of everyday living.

My dining room table won't be as messy, but I know my calendar will be. I can't connect with as many people, but I can connect with a few on a deeper level. I'm not going to save time or money, but I'll invest in relationships. I might need to work out a little more to balance the extra calories, but I get an opportunity to be disciplined.

It's about perspective. What does God have planned for you in the coming month? I challenge you to take a fresh approach. Write down something you do this time of the year "just because." Or something that stresses you. Let God show you his perspective. He'll challenge you to tackle something head on...only with his help this year. Or he'll change the way you approach something, like letting go of Christmas cards and connecting in a different way.

Don't just talk about serving...do it. Don't just talk about connecting...do it. Don't just talk about sacrificing...do it. Step out of your comfort zone...and into God's.

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.I will advise you and watch over you." - Psalm 32:8 (NLT)

The Bridge

I didn’t understand many of the words. They were using technical video and sound language, and while I could guess the meanings of a few words based on context, some made no sense at all. It’s not that I needed to understand every word. I was okay with simply taking direction, but I wondered…how often do I speak in ways someone doesn’t understand?

When have you experienced a miscommunication? Why do you think miscommunications occur?

Communication isn’t about me…even when I’m the one talking. I don’t talk to hear myself. The words, inflections, facial expressions and body language are intended to communicate something with another person. If I don't consider how someone is going to understand my words, my communication isn’t effective. If I’m not communicating effectively, I’d rather not be communicating at all!

Imagine yourself standing on one side of a bridge. Someone is standing on the other side of the bridge. How far are you willing to go to meet her? Does it matter how well you know or like her?
I want to be willing to go the distance. We’re not going to be able to completely understand each other, just as we can’t stand in the exact same place on the bridge. We bring different relationships, experiences, and expectations to our communications. I want to get as close as I can. I want to see where the person is and then try to get there. I don’t want to get stuck in Me-Ville, settling on an attitude of “Why would I make extra effort when she isn’t? I’m not going to try again until she’s ready to listen to me. “I’ve done my job. It’s her turn.”

Jesus talked to people in a way they could understand. He told stories, met their needs, and walked with them. I want to be like Jesus...so others experience him through me.

Pay attention today. How are you crossing the bridge?

That is why I use these parables, for they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand…The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted! – Matthew 13:13,23 (NLT)

Motives

I recently attended a large women's conference (me and over 8000 of my closest friends!), and I marveled at the variety of reasons women attended.

• "I love getaways with my girlfriends!"
• "I've been looking forward to this night away from my family for weeks. I need a little "recharge."
• "I'm most excited about serving. I want to encourage other women."
• "I came because my mom bought me a ticket."
• "I want to hear God's Word."
• "I wouldn't miss an opportunity to hear this speaker!"

What motivates you to attend a conference or other event? What about worship services, small group study, service day?

My motivations aren't always pure. There are Sunday mornings when I go to church because it's habit, not because I have an insatiable hunger to praise and worship God. Go ahead and judge me. I'll take my confession another step and admit I've probably judged you, too. I've thought, "Why would someone come to a women's conference just to see another woman, who humbly wants to reflect God, and hope...just hope...to get close." Yes, I've judged you.

Well, let me just say God puts me in my place. (Do I hear an Amen?) It would be great for our motives to be pure, so that anytime we're going to worship, learn, discuss, or serve, we're stepping forward with an intense desire to move closer to God. But our motives aren't always pure. As humans, our motives are rarely pure.

Praise God, he'll meet me just where I am. He knows my motives. He knows my baggage. He knows my hesitations, and he knows my passions. Not only does he meet me where I am, he actually uses exactly where I am to challenge and encourage me to most.

But that doesn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice. - Philippians 1:18 (NLT)

Your motives can't change who God is. Your attitude can't change who Jesus is. Your baggage can't change the truth of God's Word. God is God. He's going to move in your life...starting right where you are. I want to have the best motives possible, but I'm going to stand firm on the fact that whether my motives are false or genuine, I will rejoice in the message of Christ.

And as for my opinion of your motives...I stand convicted and corrected. Whether your motives are false or genuine isn't for me to decide. I'll rejoice in the message of Christ and pray the same for you!


...For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance. - Philippians 1:19 (NLT)

Choices

I had an important decision to make Sunday morning. What to wear to church? I promise you I'm not a fussy woman when it comes to getting ready for church or anywhere else. Sure, I like to look nice, but I'm practical. What fits the occasion? What will be comfortable? What's appropriate for the weather? It doesn't take me long to get ready. I value efficiency.

Sunday was different. As I chose what to wear, I complicated the process. In a couple weeks, I'll be travelling for a full week, which means I need five outfits. For five consecutive days I need to have weather-appropriate, travel-friendly, professionally-attractive outfits. All chosen and packed ahead of time. And on Sunday morning, with forty minutes to get completely ready for church, two full weeks before I needed to pack for my trip, I became consumed with planning my 5-day wardrobe.

I stressed over the smallest details. I couldn't find my favorite brown pants. I wondered where a couple sweaters could be. Did I store them or give them to the community clothing store? To top it all off, I was having one of those mornings when I felt a little chubby. Not a good day to model outfits in front of the mirror!

As I stood between my bed, now covered in clothes, and my mirror, not reflecting the image I wanted to see, I suddenly realized...I had taken a simple decision and piled so many more decisions on top of it, I had little hope of getting anything at all accomplished.

Can you recall a time you've nearly paralyzed yourself with a question? Every option or answer turns you this way and that until you're twisted around, disoriented like a blindfolded child playing Pin-the-Tail-on-the-Donkey?

I looked in the mirror and pondered, "What on earth is all this fuss about? Seriously!" Reality struck me.

How often does God present me with a choice, a simple choice, but I begin to wonder...What if I choose this? What if I'm wrong? What if I didn't hear clearly? What if, what if, what if...until I have little hope of getting anything at all accomplished, paralyzed by self-concocted options.

I'm not suggesting all choices God gives us are simple, but I'm admitting I often complicate the choices he gives me. I'm fairly confident you do the same thing. Would you agree?

I urge you to keep today's choices in God's perspective. Keep the blindfold off, and don't let anyone, including yourself, twist you in dizzying circles.

Let those with discernment listen carefully. The paths of the Lord are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them. - Hosea 14:9 (NLT)

Need Energy?

When was the last time you felt unmotivated and unproductive? What prompts that feeling in you? Busy schedule, exhaustion, weather, stress... What if I told you there's a way to tap into endless energy?

This isn't a commercial for a new "fix-all-your-problems" product. I'm not going to give you an 800 number and tell you all you have to pay for is shipping, of if you order now, you can double your order. Yet I am going to challenge you to look in a mirror and ask yourself:

• How do you create your to-do list?
• How do you get energized?

I'm a list-maker. Someone saw my datebook yesterday and exclaimed, "Look at how organized you are!" I love marking items off my to-do list. What a sense of accomplishment. But years ago, I was convicted. I composed the lists myself. My tasks, my goals, my priorities. I felt like a failure if I didn't complete my list for the day or week. My lists became more important than the tasks. I rationalized the importance of my lists. After all, I had to take care of my husband, home, and two daughters, which can seem like a juggling act some days.

And God said, "What about my list for you?" Hhm. I can rationalize all I'm doing is for God...but is it? Really?

Through that same time, I also relied on myself to generate enough energy to get me through the day. I thought I was pacing myself well, because I'd try to get enough sleep, exercise, and even take relaxing breaks through the day to read to my daughters, enjoy a cup of hot chocolate, or exercise my creativity through quilting or something.

So God worked on me about my lists. Sure, I still create the list, but I give it to him. My time is his time. He's just giving me the hours and minutes to use as he intends. What doesn't get done on my list apparently wasn't on his list for today. I'll let him reprioritize tomorrow.

But the energy? I hadn't been as convicted about my energy source until recently...when I read 1 Colossians 1:29 (NIV): To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.

The "to this end" is God's will. His to-do list. His list is the goal, not mine. It's not easy. In fact, the next word is...struggling! I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who struggles! It's the remainder of that phrase that gets me. With all his energy. Hmm. Sure, I know God gives me everything I need. I know he fills me up with fruit of the Spirit: patience, kindness, gentleness, joy, etc. I know that as he fills me up, I must let what he gives me flow out of me; otherwise, I'm filled with rotting fruit. But his energy?

The New Living Translation says the same phrase this way: depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me. Depending. Do I truly and completely depend on God for energy, power, and guidance?

No. But today is a new day. And I'm feeling energized and ready! How about you?

Genuine

I’ve had some tangled messes in my life. But in all honesty, I’ve been comfortable in the messes sometimes. It’s like being in thick vegetation of a jungle. I get used to it, so even though it’s difficult to maneuver, I know the path and can find my way through the tangled vines and dangerous places. It might take me more time than if I had a clear path, but I’m okay with taking a bit more time. After all, I get accustomed to it!

However, I don’t see the dangers lurking under the heavy vegetation. I easily trip. I waste time. And while it might be more comfortable to me because of the habit, I also have to realize…all habits aren’t good.

When I let God clear the path, I’m faced with a couple realities. (1) I don’t get to pick and choose what goes and what stays. God’s refining fire is pure, getting rid of the unnecessary junk and leaving the nonnegotiable necessities. (2) I likely won’t recognize my surroundings for a little while. I’ll need to orient myself again. But one thing is for sure. I’ll grow a lot better after the pruning process.

God purifies us to get rid of the junk in our lives. He prunes us.

“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” – John 15:1-5 (NLT)

Being genuine is knowing you don’t have it all together. Being genuine is knowing you’re growing. You’re a work in progress. You don’t run around tooting your own horn, and you don’t sulk around bemoaning your lowly condition. Being genuine is reflecting on the outside who you are on the inside. And because of the Holy Spirit within us, our goal is to be so completely filled with the Holy Spirit that our selves become transparent so people see God in and through us. Being genuine is not putting on a mask, sad or happy, to appear as someone we’re not. We won’t share everything with everyone, but we can be authentic with everyone. No lies, deception, bravado, or posturing. Just actually and exactly what and who we claim to be: followers of Jesus Christ.

More or Less

What do you want more of? Money? Knowledge? Relationships? Opportunities? Time? ...Chocolate?

What do you want less of? Stress? Debt? Weight? People? Challenges?

More or less, are you getting want you want?

We all are getting more or less what we want...

You get what you want...abundantly. Yet because it's not what you need, you struggle with juggling it all in your hands. Even as your hands feel full, you don't realize the abundance is slipping through your fingers and falling to the ground, unappreciated.

You get less than what you want...and whine about it. While you whine about it, complaining about what you don't have, you miss out on what you do have.

Yes, we all are getting more or less what we want.

Do you want more or less of Jesus? I'm not talking about the idea of Jesus or knowledge of Jesus. I'm referring to the living Jesus Christ...he who is God, came to earth, died an excruciating and humiliating death, and returned to life...for you. He's waiting for you to join him in eternal life. Meanwhile, he seeks you in a life-changing relationship. I'm talking about Jesus, who knows eactly what you need when you need it. He knows what you want. And he wants you. More, not less. He wants you to want him. More, not less.

Be honest. We sometimes want less of Jesus. Jesus changes our lives. He challenges us to love our neighbors. Ouch. He tells us to forgive. Really? He instructs us to sacrifice...everything. Everything? He requires obedience. But what if...?

Wanting Jesus more in reality and application in everyday living isn't easy or comfortable. God never says it will be easy or comfortable. But Philippians 4:19 says, "And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus." (NLT)

Whether we want Jesus more or less impacts our relationship with him, but Jesus doesn't lessen or expand because of our expectations and wants. Be bold enough to "want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead." (Philippians 3:10, NLT) He's worth it.


All you want, need, and more.

Fast Food Faith

Significantly early for a meeting at McDonalds, I decided to open my laptop and use my time wisely. I questioned whether I could get much work done, since I was sitting in the television section. Have you been to a McDonalds that has a television...the monstrous ones on the wall that can be viewed from anywhere in the room, except if you're back is to it?

I was surprised at the low level of noise. In fact, I looked up from my work often, curious to what was going on around me. What I discovered that day and have continued to notice during following trips was this:

Families sitting in the seats just below the television, adults in the wall seats, so they couldn't see the TV, and kids in the opposite seats so they could. And that's how the families ate...in silence while the kids were entranced to the TV and the adults soaked itheir own thoughts or the momentary silence of their children.

The seating was intentional. Everyone seemed happy. Yet as I watched several families come and go, repeating the same seating arrangement and behavior, I wondered...

How often are we the adults at McDonalds? We need to eat. We need to spend time with family. And we need peace and quiet, so we try to combine it all in one magical experience. It's multi-tasking with a twist. Are we eating what is best for us? Actually spending quality time with family? If McDonalds is our idea of peace and quiet, we need to examine our lifestyle!

In our spiritual lives, we need to be nourished. We need to spend time with God. And we need to quiet ourselves and find peace in him. And yet we treat those needs as if they're a list of "to-do's" that we can multi-task in one swift move and get on with our lives. We rationalize any spiritual food is better than none at all, so we don't discern what's truthful and what's not. We justify our Bible study time as anytime we sit with our Bibles open in front of us even if we skim the words so quickly they blur...if we're even reading at all. Or we cram study time into any leftover nook and cranny of the day just to ease our conscience. And for quiet time, we might be able to find a location quiet to external noise but what about the noise within our minds? Do we slow down our incessant self-talk enough to hear God's steady, faithful voice?

Perhaps we need to consider alternatives to our fast-food, multi-tasking faith...

Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. - John 4:34

"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33

The Biggest Pumpkin

On the way to the pumpkin patch today, my 15-year-old daughter shared her memories of searching for pumpkins when she was little. What she remembers the most is not being able to pick out a large pumpkin. I don't remember her sharing discontent at the time, but apparently she didn't like my pumpkin-picking rule: You must choose a pumpkin you can carry.

I let my mom fuss alongside Courtney for a few minutes about my "silly" rule before I decided to explain myself. You see, in my opinion, it's never too early to learn we have limits to what we can carry on our own...and we need to recognize our limits.

I doubt I thought through my rule much at the time, but as I meandered through the pumpkin patch this afternoon, I started thinking....

(1) We live in such a me-centered society, and we're taught from an early age that we should be independent. We're supposed to look out for ourselves, because "no one else will." Asking for help is often seen as a weakness.

That's what our culture says, but life here on earth is skewed: So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last. - Matthew 20:16

We need to know when to ask for help...from God, family, friends, neighbors, or sometimes even a stranger.

(2) Limits help us. Boundaries give us safety in our freedom and establish expectations.

We will not boast about things done outside our area of authority. We will boast only about what has happened within the boundaries of the work God has given us, which includes our working with you. - 2 Corinthians 10:13

(3) God wants to help us. He'll challenge us to grow through our experiences and relationships. He'll always share our burden when we rely on him, but he gives us the choice to share our burdens or stress ourselves. And as we rely on him, our strength and faith grows.

For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light. - Matthew 11:30

Courtney chose her pumpkin (after trying to lift the biggest one she found), based on the same rule I had over a decade ago. Her muscles were stronger...and she got some extra help: a wagon!

Only In....

During a Labor Day Parade, I saw...

...a float titled "Hunting with Dad," completely camo, including a toddler strapped into a mock tree stand (for those non-hunters, tree stands are like tree houses for serious hunters).

...a 100-year-old man sitting in a lawn chair in the back of his son's pickup truck with a sign to declare "Established in 1909."

...a float to commemorate the first indoor toilet at the school. Not only was a toilet on the float but "school marms" pulled toilet paper off the roll, wrapped peppermints in the toilet paper, and tossed them to people along the parade route!

And my husband and I smiled and said, "Only in central Illinois."

Look around. What's specific to your area?

When I travel, I can expect certain things in certain regions. There are parts of the country where I find recycling bins everywhere..and some places where I can't find any. I have to strategically time my hotel workouts in some regions but have the equipment to myself in others. What's considered "business casual" for one region is completely too casual for another region. And it's important to know these things!

I love to discover the quirkiness of cities and the people who live in each area. What makes them unique? What seems "normal" to them but also sets them apart?

Set apart...and yet part of the world with everyone else. It reminds me of being a Christ-follower. What sets you apart as a Christ-follower? And yet how are you just like everyone else in this world? It's important to know both, holding yourself to a set of standards but maintaining humility.

I live in central Illinois, and while I'm sure much of my life is consistent with everyone else's in this region, there are many things I and others would say are "only in central Illinois" that I don't participate in or identify myself with. It's just not me.

The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. - John 15:19 (NLT)

My identity is in Jesus. That means people assume some things about me, good and bad. I can deal with that. But what I wonder is how well I fit into my identity as a Christ-follower. I want to be set apart...only for Jesus.

Do not be stubborn, as they were, but submit yourselves to the Lord. Come to his Temple, which he has set apart as holy forever. Worship the Lord your God. - 2 Chronicles 30:8 (NLT)

Simple Joy

It was a thin ice ring of root beer that recently thrilled me. I was enjoying a fresh diet root beer at Fitz's restaurant and began twirling the straw around the inside wall of the ice cold mug when I discovered my straw wouldn't quite reach the bottom of the mug. As I firmly pushed my straw to the bottom, a small ice ring broke away and floated to the top. Wow! The mug was chilled to just the right temperature and the root beer pour in just the right way to form a small ring of root beer ice.

I was thrilled. It was as if I'd hit a jackpot. I tried to lift the ice ring out of the mug with my straw, but it kept slipping at the last second. And it was melting with each try. I had to take quick action.

So I stuck my finger and thumb info my root beer (yes, my hands were clean...and besides, it's just my own germs, right?), and I rescued the drowning ice ring, tossed it into my mouth and enjoyed the sweetness as it quickly melted on my tongue. It was delicious ...and apparently my joy was evident, because when I looked at my husband, he was smiling along with me.

Before you convict me of irrational and inappropriate behavior in a restaurant, play the tapes of your own life.

When was the last time you enjoyed something with such completeness?

Have you watched a child forcefully jump into a puddle with both feet? Leap into the air toward a parent or grandparent with complete trust the person would catch her? Grasp a glass of chocolate milk with both hands and tip it back for a long while, waiting for each previous drop to slide into her mouth?

You've had moments like that, too. Childlike abandonment...complete enjoyment of something that might seem to others to be frivoulous or insignificant. But if it was truly insignificant, you wouldn't enjoy it so much.

What are some of your simple joys?

Look for them. God understands our lives include many struggles. Simple joys are small, unexpected, inexpensive surprises he gives us. He enjoys giving us gifts of simple joys. And I think he thrills at the simple joys we give him as well.

So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun. - Ecclesiastes 8:15 (NLT)

Obedience

Obedience seems like such a simple thing. You either obey or not. You have a choice. Say "yes" or "no."

And yet, when have you struggled with obedience? It's a "when" and not an "if." I'm assuming you, like me, have disobeyed. I'd even venture to guess you've disobeyed knowingly, not because you didn't know of a rule or guideline. After all, we're human. We mess up...even when we have the best of intentions.

But what do we do once we mess up and realize it? Rationalize. Excuse. Reason. Ignore. Oh...and sometimes, apologize. We live in a society which generally encourages our rationalizations. Right or wrong appears relative, and no matter what our stance, we can find someone to support us.

When have you said "yes" when you should have said "no"?

When have you said "no" when you should have said "yes"?

The football coach of my high school team used to say, "Should've, would've and could've means you didn't."

Stop the excuses. Take responsibility. After all, we're human.

Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord.

Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts.

They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths.

You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully.

Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees!

Then I will not be ashamed when I compare my life with your commands.

As I learn your righteous regulations, I will thank you by living as I should!

I will obey your decrees. Please don’t give up on me! - Psalm 119: 1-8 (NLT)

Obedience isn't just about you. It's about God.

Don't Push Others

Remember those childhood playground rules? Don't push others. Don't take something that's not yours. Don't go beyond the boundaries.

As adults, we think we've outgrown the need for such rules. We're adults, so isn't it obvious we'll be considerate of others and won't overstep boundaries? The problem is we as adults don't remind ourselves of the basic rules often enough. And we hurt others. And we get hurt.

Watch small children play. One child pushes another out of the way for the swing, and the screaming follows. It must seem like the end of the world to that child...and yet, ten minutes later, the children are not only playing but have left the swing to move on to something else. Or, as a children is running laps up and down the slide with a group of other children, he loses his balance and falls at the bottom. By the sound of the screams, you wonder if he should go to the hospital. And yet, a hug, a kiss, and a bandage are all is needed to send him on to the next adventure.

I wonder what we can learn from the way children deal with trials. Not that I think we adults should throw temper tantrums, but we often have the opposite approach as children. We bump into each other all the time. (After all, we're bigger, and it's easier to bump into each other!) Sometimes we end up bruised, but do we say something right away? Or do we think about it, talk about it with others, and simmer? It's like we keep poking at our bruises, because we want to remember what happened. But we'd certainly heal faster if we just turned to the person right away and said, "Ouch. That hurt! Could we please try not to run into and bruise each other?"

Or sometimes we unexpectedly fall. Falling seems to hurt more as an adult! (I guess, we have farther to fall.) We think it's easier to just stay where we fell. Whether it's that we think it takes too much energy to get up, or we think someone should come by and help us, we'll sometimes sit in our own self-pity for a long time...and all the time, our muscles just get more stiff and sore from sitting. Action is healing.

But action, whether it's letting someone know we're hurt by their behavior and words or asking someone to help, must be mature. And this is where being an adult helps. We know what to do. We just have to decide to do it. So ask for help, apologize to others, let them know you're hurt or you need help. They might not know you fell. They might not know they bumped into you. And yes, it's true, they might not care, and that hurts worse, but give people the benefit of the doubt. God does.

Your words have supported those who were falling; you encouraged those with shaky knees. - Job 4:4 (NLT)

P.S. As I was writing this, I heard the words of Chris Tomlin's We Fall Down. What a perfect reminder of God's timing and provision.

We fall down.

We lay our crowns.

At the feet of Jesus.

The greatness of Your Mercy and love.

At the feet of Jesus.

And we cry holy, holy, holy.

And we cry holy, holy, holy.

And we cry holy, holy, holy.

It's Football Season!

I get excited this time of year. Early Fall air is crisp and fresh, and excitement builds in small towns and large cities across the country as the weekend approaches and young football teams prepare to take the fields. School colors streak hallways, car windows, and local businesses. It's football season!

I grew up in Carlinville, IL, where life seemed to stand still on Friday nights. I didn't know a single person who wasn't at the game. We dressed head to toe in cardinal red and royal blue. Many cheered on our team until our throats hurt. Men travelled up and down the fence as the team moved on the field, compared notes on how the team would do this year, what players would get college offers, and when the best (and worst) years of CHS history were. Young boys played football behind the bleachers. College students returned to catch up on friendships while supporting those "left behind" in high school. On Monday the community was still buzzing about last Friday's game and by Tuesday most were anticipating next Friday's game.

We were usually in the state playoffs which raise the energy and involvement up a notch. If it seemed the whole town came to regular season games, the entire county must have shown up to playoff games. The town would virtually shut down for a few hours during a home game or the entire day if everyone caravaned to a far-off town.

When I was about ten years old, we made it to the state game. The day before one of the last playoff games I went home from school with strep throat. Technically, I wouldn't be allowed back to school for 24 hours, but the next day was Saturday...and a playoff game. This was serious stuff. My parents couldn't leave me home, because everyone we knew would be at the game several hours from home. So I bundled up and went along!

Tonight I went to the first game of the season in the town where I live. This town isn't quite as football crazy as Carlinville, but there's definitely a community feel to the experience. People of all ages were there. Young kids with painted faces, high school kids decked in school colors, parents with their kids' names on their shirts and many dedicated older supporters who have seen more games than the players can imagine. The crazies were yelling at refs. Young kids were playing football in the mud or cheering with the cheer squad. Parents were selling sweatshirts and refreshments. And people were sitting in the bleachers, catching up on community news.

Each person had different tasks and responsibilities all day...but by this evening, all of us came together for a football game. We became a crowd with a common focus.

The next time you're in a crowd, ask yourself what the common focus is.


Jesus went out to the lake with his disciples, and a large crowd followed him. They came from all over Galilee, Judea, 8 Jerusalem, Idumea, from east of the Jordan River, and even from as far north as Tyre and Sidon. The news about his miracles had spread far and wide, and vast numbers of people came to see him. - Mark 3:7-8 (NLT)

Adventurous Routine

Routine stabilizes yet bores me. Adventure thrills me but can also wreak havoc on my focus. I not only have to balance the two; I have to blend them. Like this morning.

I'm a walker. I try to walk every day, usually around eight miles. Some days are more, some are less, and some days I don't fit it in at all, but the general routine is to walk first thing in the morning. I love the sights and sounds of the morning. The freshness inspires me. And when I walk in the morning, I don't have the pressure of "fitting it in" as my day gets busy.

In addition the routine of when I walk, I'm consistent in where I walk. I live in a small town, and there aren't many options to walk as far as I do. I skirt the town and create loops to add miles. I walk with a focus: I push myself physically, but I relax my mind. My walking time is one of the most inspiring and uplifting times of my day. (And I've decided it's a good thing that I haven't figured out how to write while I walk. Even though I'd likely be creative, I'd then squeeze work into yet another block of my day!)

When and where are you most inspired and uplifted on a regular basis?

This morning when I set out I knew God was telling me to step outside my routine and be adventurous. Walk a different path. I know all the roads around town, so there aren't "new" roads, but there are definitely paths that take me out of my routine. And I knew it wasn't about the path I took. I was supposed to listen for fresh thoughts. New challenges. God knew what was in store for me today and wanted to pour into me a fresh perspective.

For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. - Isaiah 43:19 (NLT)

In the midst of your routine, seek adventure. Drive a different route to and from work. Fold your towels in a new way. Sit in different chairs at the dinner table. Your adventure doesn't have to be drastic...just enough of a twist within your routine to open your ears and eyes to what God is trying to say to you. Perhaps you're so focused on your routine, you're taking God for granted.

Church Signs

I typically don't like phrases on church signs. They seem contrite, giving unsolicated advice or simple solutions to life's problems. People who drive by might be experiencing chaos and read something like...

• Don't wait for 6 strong men to take you to church.
• Give Satan an inch and he'll be a ruler.
• God answers "Knee Mail."

Here's what annoys me the most. 1) Signs that ask questions but don't provide answers. 2) Signs that include mispellings or incorrect word usage. 3) Signs that sound superior, assuming the sign-maker has all the answers, and the passerby is being enlightened.

In my opinion, church signs should be kept simple: worship service times, sermon topics, community service, program opportunities, and basic Bible verses. Let's quit trying to reword what God has to say in cutesy and humorous ways and just say it as God says it.

Okay, now that I've slammed most church signs (and potentially offended many of you who enjoy posting them), I have to admit I was caught off guard today when I drove by a church and saw this sign on the marquee:

Give your life to Jesus. He can do a lot more with it than you can.

Well, it made me pause and consider what I'm holding back from God. How I'm a barrier to my own purpose because only when I'm willing to give everything about myself to him so he can shape and use me however he intends am I really going to be fulfilling my pure purpose.

Other people who drove by the same church sign today probably had varying responses. They might not know what "give your life to Jesus" means. They might have been wounded by someone in a church at some point, someone who said similar words but didn't live them out. So the sign stirred up anger. And others might have seen so many contrite comments on church signs, they now easily ignore them.

But I realized today that God speaks to me in ways in which I thought I'd closed my ears and eyes.

• When do you tend to not look and listen for God and therefore don't expect to see and hear from him?
• What are you holding back from God?
• Do you believe: "Give your life to Jesus. He can do a lot more with it than you can."?

You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. - Deuteronomy 30:20 (NLT)

Dark Chocolate

I think my taste buds are dying. Seriously. Why else would I now prefer dark chocolate to milk chocolate? (By the way, whomever decided to put dark chocolate on my favorite candy bar, Reese's, deserves a bonus!) In my opinion, bitter has become better. And it's not a decision I've made because dark chocolate is healthier than milk chocolate. I prefer dark and will (usually) pass up chocolate if no dark chocolate is available.

I makes me consider other perspectives that have changed as I've aged:

• My strengths can become weaknesses when misused.


• Healthy confrontation is essential for most resolutions.


• I don't deserve respect. I earn it.

What has changed for you?

Dark chocolate may be bitter, but it's also decadent. I wouldn't want to go back and relearn the lessons I've already learned. I'm too busy learning new lessons! The bitter experiences of life have added richness of it. I can't separate the two, because without the bitterness, without the trials of life, the richness wouldn't exist. The two are intertwined just as the experiences of my life blend together to mold me.

Bitterness on its own is less than palatable. But mix it with smooth and creamy, and you have a treat to be savored and appreciated.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. - Romans 5:3-4 (NLT)

Intersections

It's official. My daughter has moved to college. Her room seems empty. My heart's a little empty. And yet...I can't help but be excited for the adventure. Sure it's scary to see her standing with her toes on the precipice of her future, but I can almost see the adrenaline rushing through her as she jumps...

This is what I've been preparing for the past 18 years. So while it's the end of her childhood and sharing the same house, it also means we reached a goal, together. Milestones of life are the point where endings and beginnings intersect, a collision site of strong emotions. The birth of a child, first day of kindergarten, first loss of a tooth, first date, graduation, college, new job. Each new beginning is dependent on an ending.


Think about your life. Do you remember a time you were particularly excited about something new? What had to end or what did you have to give up in order to pursue that something?
What about a time when something in your life ended? A relationship, job, school. Looking back, can you see what new beginnings grew from the ending?


Celebrate the intersections. Allow joy to grow out of your sadness. Watch for opportunities to emerge from your pain. Let beauty bloom through the ashes. (And have a box of tissues available at all times.)


Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. - Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NLT)

Through the Fog

Driving through the wispy fog at night might be dangerous, or at the very least, distracting. The road was straight and familiar, so I had no fear of veering off the road. I hoped a deer or other critter wasn't hidden by the fog. I hoped the fog wouldn't become denser as I met oncoming cars. But any concerns I had were soon replaced with an appreciation for the beauty of the wispy fog.

Sometimes my car seemed to slide underneath a thin veil. The fog streamlined over the top like the aerodynamic tests I've watched on car commercials. Other times my car seemed to float as I had a clear view over the fog but lost sight of the road for a moment. As the road dipped, I thought of being on a plane, rising through clouds and dipping below them.

The fog was beautiful.

And yet as I drove, I realized I was focusing on the fog. My vision had become short-sighted. I no longer focused on the horizon of the road. I anticipated approaching edges of fog.

Look straight ahead,and fix your eyes on what lies before you. - Proverbs 4:25 (NLT)

What is your fog? Situations, people, or things that distract you from your destination.

Perhaps you've been distracted for so long, you're not even sure of your destination. But God has a purpose for you. Even when you're not sure where the road leads...even when your eyes are tired of searching what's ahead...even when what surrounds you is breathtakenly beautiful, remember God has a purpose, just for you. Persevere, and focus on your purpose.

...I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. - Philippians 3: 13-14 (NLT)

Worth Saving

My daughter was responsible for watering plants for one of my friends while the family was on vacation. Halfway through the week, Caitlin came home talking about a sick kitten near the barn. She was thin and weak, and her eyes were swollen. I looked Caitlin in the eyes and said, "No. You can't bring her home."

I grew up on a farm, and I cared for many animals, both pets and animals who weren't supposed to be pets but became my best buds. I don't have a steel heart, but...I tried to explain how some animals just don't make it and that we can't go to extremes to take care of every single animal and...my daughter wasn't buying it.

When have you felt a sacrifice was too much? You couldn't listen to that person's woes one more minute. You didn't have time to get help for the person stranded by the road. You didn't have enough to share.

The next morning I was getting ready to leave the house for a meeting, and Caitlin came home from watering. With the kitten. As she started to explain, I looked into her eyes and caught a glimpse of her heart. The kitten was worth saving.

If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it. - Matthew 10:38-39 (NLT).

After a trip to the vet's office and frequent trips to give her medicine, the kitten began to recuperate. She was still weak when our friends returned, but when Caitlin delivered the medicine to them, the kitten was receiving extra doses of pampering.

Some would argue that animals are different than people, and we don't have the same obligation to care and provide for them. That's perhaps another blog post. What struck me the most was my assumption of worthiness. What about you?

What is too much for you? Who is unreachable or unworthy of your efforts?

I am unworthy of Jesus...and yet he died on the cross for me. I'm thankful he doesn't extend the same judgment I often do. I hope he continues to change my perspective.

Are you allowing him to change you?

Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. - Philippians 1:27 (NLT)

19 Things I've Learned During 19 Years of Marriage

1. Our backgrounds, experiences, and personalities lead us to react to each other and situations in different ways. And that's okay. Our differences make our marriage better.
2. Men are different from women in not only the obvious by also many subtle ways. When I assume my husband needs and wants what I need and want, we both get frustrated.
3. Honesty, no matter how difficult at the time, is the only option when facing a situation that might divide our relationship.
4. When one of us is weak in an area, the other one "taking over" isn't the best option. Complementing each other means coming together where we are and walking together toward a common goal.
5. Dream together. Not "if only we could" dreams that breed discontent but a vision of where we want to go and grow together in our lives.
6. Competition can be fun but it has no place in our roles in marriage: who does what and contributes what. Replace competition with encouragement.
7. Say "I was wrong. You're right." as often as possible.
8. Express your love and respect for your spouse as often and in as many ways as possible. Say it. Do it.
9. Build each other up outside of your marriage...in front of your children, spouse's family, coworkers, etc.
10. Don't pack your bags. Avoid baggage by not packing any! Choose to face your spouse and resolve an issue or leave it behind. Packing it for later use only gives you a sore back and cranky spirit.
11. Develop a multi-faceted realtionship. Be friends, lovers, co-parents.
12. Foster healthy relationships outside marriage. Women need to hang out and do "girl" stuff." Men need to hang out and do "guy stuff."
13. Don't assume. We can't read each other's minds and no matter how sure we are of our spouse's motivation, it's always better to ask instead of assume.
14. Expect changes. You've (hopefully) grown in the last several years. You'll continue to grow and change. So will your spouse.
15. Take time for each other. Every day.
16. Clean up each other's messes. Big stuff and little stuff.
17. Take responsibility. Don't blame your parents, kids, work, etc. Grow up and own up.
18. Remember it's not about us. We made a commitment to both ourselves and God. To break one shatters the other.
19. Have hope. When times are tough, hope for better. When times are good, hope for better. I look forward to the next 19 years!

I WIN!

I enjoy watching people. While at Panera recently, I saw many individuals and groups of people come and go. But one small boy stands out. In fact, I would have had to try very hard not to notice him.

He was three or four years old and arrived with his grandma, who met a friend. The boy sat on the inside of the booth while his grandma and friend chatted. The two women rarely took a break, even as the boy did his best to disrupt them. He asks questions, told stories and peered into the next booth. He walked and bounced on the seat and chatted with the with people waiting for their food. His grandma seemed to have an eye on the side of her head; although she rarely stopped looking at and talking with her friend, she constantly reached over to subdue the boy.

Finally, she gave him the warning: "We're leaving soon, so you need to get ready." Get ready? This boy had been blocked in this booth for way too long already. Oh, he was definitely ready. The problem was, grandma wasn't. The boy and his grandma didn't have the same interpretation of leaving soon. So he stepped it up a notch. He talked incessantly of what he was going to do when he got to grandma's house. And his voice got louder and louder. He leaned toward her and spoke directly into her ear and repeated "Graaandmaaaaa!"

When have you walked in place or bounced up and down in impatience? When have you repeated the same thing over and over, believing more words or louder speech would get someone's attention? How does this boy's behavior remind you of your prayer life?

After several minutes of the boy's constant and increasingly louder demands for his grandma's attention, the grandma peeled her eyes away from her friend, looked her grandson in the eye (frankly, I think he was startled to find her looking directly at him), and firmly said, "We're leaving now."

The boy raised his hands high above his head and yelled, "Yeah, I wwiiiiinnnnnn!"

I wonder how many times God has given me what I wanted simply based on my persistence. Was it his will anyway? Perhaps. His timing? Likely not or he would have chosen another time to answer and not rewarded my incessant demands and childish behavior.

When do you raise your hands high above your head and yell, "Yeah, I wwiiiinnnnn!"? When you get your way...or when God gets his?

All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. - 1 Corinthians 9: 25-26 (NLT)

Missed a Spot

I drive a van. Not the most stylish way to travel, but I've learned to enjoy it. I like to take care of the vehicles I drive, so I regularly wash and wax my van, keep the inside cleaned, and have the oil changed (something I haven't learned to do, nor do I have the desire to learn).

The first time I waxed the van, I met a new challenge. I'd never had such a tall vehicle. Usually, I could open a door, stand on the floorboard and reach the middle of the roof. Not with the van. I wasn't even close. I even tried standing on the seats, but I could only reach portions of the roof...and risked the probability of falling over backward. I don't mind risk, but it was easy to rationalize the risk was too great, so I decided to skip the roof. After all, who would see it?

I started waxing the rest of the van, but I kept thinking about the roof. Drat the inconvenient times God speaks to me. I could have been content to just shine what I could see...but he reminded me that's not the way he does things.

Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. - Psalm 51:10 (NLT)

He doesn't leave dirty spots. He doesn't ignore the places hidden from view; those are exactly the most important ones to get and keep clean! It doesn't matter whether or not I see the top of my van. It's exposed to rain and sun more than any other area of my vehicle, so it's the last area I should ignore! I was convicted. I fetched a ladder.

What in your life... thoughts, responsibilities, interests... are slightly out of reach yet need extra protection? God's already aware, and he's willing and able to clean it all.

...So, today I started with the top. I've decided it's a spiritual discipline for me, a reminder I need to place everything in my life under his cleansing and protection. I was pretty proud of myself as I balanced on my ladder. And then I started on the lower panels. The car wash had not completely removed the summer road grime. Ugh. What would it hurt to wax over a little streak here and there?

But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. - 1 John 1:9

How have you glossed over your imperfections? How did it work for you?

It never works well for me. Convicted again. Yes, it took me longer to wax the van, but I'm sure it was worth it. And I'll let you know next time I plan to wax the van, because I'm sure God will continue to teach me!

If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work. - 2 Timothy 2:21