Spring Plays

If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. - Matthew 5:47 (NLT)

It's high school play time. I went to a hilarious play last night called Rumors at Nokomis High School (yes, for those who have seen Rumors, they cleaned up the language to make it more appropriate for a high school production). And I'm going to Once Upon a Mattress at my alma mater tonight.

The high school musical was a big deal when I was in high school. We didn't have a theatre department, so the musical cast was made up of lots of different people...those you'd consider jocks, geeks, preps, and flunkees (okay, only if they could keep their grades up for a few months). I enjoyed being in the musical so much that I've choreographed many high school musicals for my alma mater and enjoy watching my daughters in productions.

After any production I've been involved with, someone comments about a benefit of being in all-school musicals that not many consider when auditioning...coming in contact with so many people you'd otherwise not have contact. After my daughter's opening night last night, she said, "I would have never gotten to know a couple of these guys if we weren't all in the play." And we're in a small town with a small high school! I had the same experience. Most of the people I've stayed in contact with the most consistently after high school are not the friends I hung out with on a weekly basis but the ones I spent months of nightly rehearsals with, trying to solve problems, be creative, and entertain together.

The production experience was initially uncomfortable for many. They'd never been on stage, performed, memorized lines, developed a character, worn a costume or makeup. But their friends encouraged them to try it, or they heard is was a fun experience, or they were looking for a way to be out of the house most weeknights. Regardless of the reason, they ended up meeting new friends, often for a lifetime.

How will we come in contact with new people, people who are different from us, unless we step outside our comfort zones and try new experiences? Perhaps you don't have time to commit to a production, but what opportunities do you have every day to meet new people and begin to develop new relationships?

While you're busy with your everday routines this week, look for people who are different from you. Share a smile, or start a conversation. You never know who will become a lifelong friend!

Mouth Shut

Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble. - Proverbs 21:23 (NLT)

"I didn't mean to let it slip. And I only told one person. Really, it's not that big of a deal, is it? I mean, if she didn't want anyone to know, why did she tell me?"

"I didn't mean it really. I ws just gabbing with some friends and we talking about another friend. What I said about her was true...at least, a little bit. The truth hurts sometimes."

I was recently leaving a gathering of women and briefly overheard a conversation of three women making some plans for the following weekend. The conversation took a turn from "who would be there" to "so-and-so, who probably wouldn't be there, but that's just typical because she....." You get the idea.

I've said my share of hurtful things to and about other women in the past, and I've been hurt by what others have said about me. Why do we women do that to each other? Isn't there enough hurt in the world without us talking about each other? We rationalize it and sometimes even enjoy the feeling of having juicy information or being "in the know"! Whether or not we'll openly admit it, we like the power. Or, we're so insecure ourselves, we somehow twist our thinking into believing if we tear others down, we build ourselves up.

Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut. Try that this week. Place 15 pennies in your left pocket when you get dressed each morning. Each time you hold your tongue, move one penny from your left pocket to your right pocket. When you say something hurtful or judgmental or you share confidential information or gossip, move 5 pennies from your right pocket to your left.

Where are your pennies at the end of each day?

Measure Up

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. - Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)

How often do you not "measure up"? You don't have enough, do enough, give enough. And yet your energy and time is depleted. How could you possibly do more, get more, give more? After all...

• "I'm tired of others getting the credit. Why even try anymore?"
• "My church is too small and doesn't have __________________"
• "My church is large and doesn't need me."
• "I've already served. It's someone else's turn."

Write your own reasons why you think you don't measure up.

Then put an X through all the words that reflect back to you. Like "me," "my," and "I."

Where's God?

I sat at church this morning and watched a man I don't know get baptized. Of course, that's always a thrill! We clapped. A couple men in the balcony loudly whistled. We sang a praise chorus. And then the man sat down on the front row. By himself. The row, even though short, seemed to swallow him. That is, until two men left the balcony, strode right up to that front row and sat on either side of him, clapped him on the back, introduced themselves, and settled in for the rest of the service. Suddenly, that row seemed full.

Maybe you're measuring yourself with the wrong stick. God says that when we work with him, he'll use us to "accomplish infinitely more than what we might ask or think." Well, that blows how I measure what I do out of the water!

Do something different today. Cross yourself out of the equation. Put God into it.

Dust

I shook out the folds of my robe and said, “If you fail to keep your promise, may God shake you like this from your homes and from your property!” The whole assembly responded, “Amen,” and they praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised. - Nehemiah 5:13 (NLT)

I started Spring cleaning this weekend. I usually spread it over a month or more, tackling one area of the house at a time until I reach all forgotten corners...just in time the realize the first areas I cleaned need to be cleaned again. The amount of dust that accumulates in remote corners of my house baffles me!

I keep my house fairly clean, so I'm always surprised when I start deep cleaning and see how much dirt and "stuff" have accumulated. After all, I'm an organized person. How does this happen?! Certain things go in specified drawers, closets, cabinets. My family does a great job of picking up after themselves. So the fact that I suddenly find something I thought I'd lost catches me off guard. As I sort through a closet or drawer, I go through those items I've accumulated during the past year...and then I reach the organized section, where I finished the year before.

Hhmm...I wonder how many times that happens in my life. I've made a commitment or promise, and it seems neat and tidy, "do-able" to stick with. I'm sure I'll follow through. And I do well for awhile. But then, little by little, my attention wanes, and the dust settles. The mess grows. The organization is hidden.

How many times do you just "give up" because it looks too messy? Yes, I'm asking about your closets and drawers, but I'm also talking about the commitments you've made. You feel guilty for not following through, or you've let such a mess pile up, you don't even remember you were supposed to follow through!

But the foundation is still there. You can regularly sweep away the settled dust and the pile of unorganized items and get to the foundation of organization you've already put in place.

Look at your index fingerprint. Study the details. Now find a dusty place in your house (surely you have at least one!). Wipe the dust with your index finger. Then look at your finger and reflect how different it looks covered with dust.

Wash the dust from your fingertip. Has your fingertip changed?

In Matthew 10:14, Jesus uses the expression "shake its dust from your feet, " which is the same as shaking the "folds of my robe" in Nehemiah. Straighten up and clean up, Girlfriend! It's time to get back to the basics.

ExtraOrdinary

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they too note that these men had been with Jesus. - Acts 4:13

Go the extra mile. Make an extra effort. Earn some extra credit.

How much "extra" do you have? Time? Energy? Money? Probably not much. At least by your own standards. According to Merriam-Webster.com, extra means "more than is due, usual, or necessary."

Most of us live ordinary lives. We go to work, take care of our families, shop for groceries, spend time with friends, clean our houses...the list goes on and on. We're known by only a small circle of people with whom we live everyday life. Nothing we've done is widely known, and we're not quickly recognized (if at all!) by people we don't know. We're ordinary. At least that's how we see ourselves. In our own efforts and definitions, we are.

But God doesn't see us that way. He didn't create us to be ordinary. In our own efforts, yes, we're ordinary. If even that. But in God's purpose for us, when we rely on him, when we fully trust him, we become extraordinary. He's the "extra" in our ordinary. We not only shouldn't try to be extraordinary without God...we can't be extraordinary without God!

Whew! That's a relief! We can't do it on our own. But God can make it happen with us! He's amazing, isn't he?!

Pick up a pack of Extra gum. Unwrap the Extra wrapper, leaving the silver wrapper on the gum. That's us without God. Plain and ordinary. Now wrap the Extra wrapper around it again. God completes us. Put the fully wrapped piece of gum in your datebook or somewhere you'll see it regularly (but not chew it!). When you glance at it, you'll be reminded that God puts the EXTRA in your ordinary.

God did extraordinary miracles through Paul. - Acts 19:11