If you thought that this fan of all things Tar Heel would write about the UNC victory over Duke in basketball last night, you would be incorrect...
HA! Are you kidding??? Of course, I've got to write about it!! So if you despise all things Carolina, just go right ahead and delete this post. I'm apologizing in advance. After all, Duke has beaten the Heels multiple times, and plenty of those losses have been brutal last second victories which have pretty much ripped our Carolina blue hearts out--not that I'm bitter or anything.
Not to mention Duke has won multiple national championships, and Coach K is obviously a great recruiter of freshman phenoms, oops, I mean coach. And let's face it: Duke is gonna beat the Heels many more times, because they're a truly great team. In fact, March 9th will unfortunately be here before we know it, and the Blue Devils will be looking for revenge. They very may well get it, and I'm bracing myself now for it.
The point is, Duke absolutely and deservedly can always hold it's Blue Devil head up high. (I won't comment on that choice of a mascot...but a devil??)
I promise not to gloat...although for the record, just so we know, UNC beat the unbeatable Dookies 88 to 72. (One more disclaimer: I really do apologize to my many dear friends who have gone to Duke and love Duke--there is so much to admire about your outstanding school...and it is modeled after Princeton, so there's also that to love.)
But seriously, I simply wanted to share one little incident that Adam Lucas wrote about in his wonderful article about the game (okay "wonderful" from the perspective of Carolina fans). Luuuuuuuuke Maye (no, fans aren't booing him, they're yelling his name) had just had an incredible game, scoring 30 points and grabbing 15 rebounds. Lucas pointed out that Maye was the first Tar Heel in 56 years to do that in a Carolina-Duke game. Billy Cunningham is the only other UNC player who ever did that. Not bad company. But here are Lucas' words--
"In the cramped Cameron Indoor Stadium locker room, Maye sought out Shea Rush, a walk-on who was dressed and about to walk outside to see his mother. Maye stopped him.
'Hey, man,' Maye said, before he went and talked to the dozens of cameras who wanted his thoughts, 'thanks for rebounding for me.'
Rush just shook his head. During pregame warmups, instead of getting up his own shots, Rush makes it a point to rebound for Maye, then fire crisp, game-speed passes back to him so Maye can get in a rhythm. Now, here was Luke Maye, after scoring 30 at Duke, taking time to thank Shea Rush for his pregame warmup passes.
No one does that. No one.
Rush just shook his head. 'He's a special guy,' he said of Maye.
The night's superstar shook the hand of the player who never took off his warmup shirt. To watch the interaction was to see two equals, just two members of a team, everyone doing anything they possibly could do to win a game. Luke Maye got 30 and 15. Shea Rush helped, and even if no one else noticed--Luke Maye did."
Such a small thing in the big scheme of things, right? But it's the seemingly insignificant things in life that often reveal the monumental things. Reading that story about said it all for me--because our character--and who we are when we don't think anyone else is watching--is infinitely more important than any accolades we might garner or wins we might enjoy. And the character Luke displayed in that simple little gesture evidenced sweet humility.
Humility is such a beautiful quality, isn't it? G.K. Chesterton once explained that "we become taller when we bow, " and Tim Keller says, "the essence of humility is not thinking more of myself or thinking less of myself; it is thinking of myself less."
True humility means knowing it's not all about me or my performance. It's not about my agenda or my success or my plans. It's not about my greatness or glory. It's all about the ways and will, the greatness and glory, of Almighty God. And it's about loving and caring for other people, taking the low place, and seeking to serve rather than to be served.
To develop true humility, we must take the focus off ourselves and instead fix our eyes on Jesus, basking in His beauty, greatness, and splendor. Humility means our aim is life is to glorify God, not ourselves, and to love and serve those the Lord has placed in our paths.
This quality of humility has been in the forefront of my mind recently as our Bible study has recently been studying the life of Paul in the book of Acts. What an example of humility he was. Paul was extraordinarily gifted--brilliant and well-educated--and he was mightily used by God in far-reaching and astounding ways. How easy it would've been for Paul to be proud.
Yet instead, Paul modeled and lived out incredible humility. He surely never got over the utterly undeserved and amazing grace of God in choosing to "save a wretch like me." Because the grizzled old apostle was singularly focused on His Savior and on sharing God’s gift of salvation with the world, he was a humble, self-forgetful man who brought glory to God.
Boy, in our world of instagram and facebook (do we really need to know every single detail of your perfectly presented life?), of spoiled celebrities and overpaid sports stars, of self-promotion and selfishness, of loud-mouthed boasting and vitriol, isn't it beautiful to witness examples of humility? To glimpse folks who walk into a room, and instead of an attitude that says, "Look at me!," they declare, "Look at you!"
How thankful I am for the ultimate example of humility in the Lord Jesus, who "though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Phil.2:6-8) That's humility...and that's the One who came to die the death we deserved, and rose to new life in order to give us the gift of salvation and eternal life.
So, yep, this Carolina fan is mighty thankful for the example of Luke Maye...but I'm infinitely more grateful for the One who relinquished the unimaginable glories of heaven and came down--so far down--in order to save the likes of me...and you. Might we bow down in humble worship and then go out and share His love with others.
To God be the glory.
Thursday, February 21, 2019
Friday, February 8, 2019
A few more thoughts on worrying...
A few more thoughts on worry--prompted by this email from the SAT: "Help Peter Stress Less about the SAT!"
Our youngest son recently signed up to take the SAT in March. Ever since then, our inbox has been barraged by daily emails from the SAT about all the varied and multiple ways to prepare for this herculean task of taking the SAT. Emails with advice essentially ranging from "Here's what you have to do--and you better be doing it everyday." Or "Are you taking the multi-hour practice test every week...or better yet everyday?" Or "If your child isn't studying for the SAT at least three hours a day, you might as well kiss college goodbye." Or "Mom--are you sure you took enough pre-natal vitamins when your child was in your womb? Did you read to him every night for at least an hour? Did you make sure he never drank soft drinks or ate junk food? If not, oh well. Too late now. it's time to start stressing and wringing your hands...even though this will be absolutely no help whatsoever."
Okay, I'm slightly exaggerating. And I really appreciate the helpfulness of the SAT...so if anybody out there works for the SAT, thank you very much. Truly...
...but oh my stars! Do these high schoolers not already have enough stress in their lives? If my son wasn't stressed before, he is now. Or at least his mama surely is.
I share all this, because it's such a reminder of why worry is so counterproductive and deadly. Jesus commands us, "Don't worry about your life...Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying? And why do you worry about clothes? Observe the wildflowers of the field grow. They don't labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these. If that's how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won't He do much more for you--you of little faith? So don't worry...But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Mt.6:25-34)
Over and over again, Jesus repeats the command--do not worry, do not worry, do not worry...because He well knows that we little dust creatures will worry! Even though worrying does no good. Even though it steals our peace and robs us of joy. Even though it harms our health. Even though it betrays a refusal to trust God.
When we're worrying, we're essentially saying, "I'm gonna trust in my worry rather than in my Almighty God." Seriously. Is our worrying really worthy of such trust? NO!
But if you're like slow-learning like yours truly, you have to be reminded of the truths you know, but forget. Yes, I just wrote about this, but think of this as a little booster shot of encouragement Not. To. Worry!
So for all my fellow amnesiacs, here's our reminder--it's a battle of our minds. Our thoughts! We choose what thoughts we will dwell upon. Yes, fear is inevitable, but dwelling on that fear, churning that fear over and over in our minds in the form of our thoughts, that's our lousy choice. And we can choose differently!
Dallas Willard wrote, "The ultimate freedom we have as human beings is the power to select what we allow our minds to dwell upon. It is in our thoughts that the first movements towards the renovation of the heart occurs. Thoughts are the place where we can and must begin to change."
Change the meditation of your thoughts and change your heart and your life! Choose to replace worrying thoughts with worshipping thoughts. Anxious thoughts with trusting thoughts. "What if" thoughts with "Then my Almighty God will..." thoughts.
As J.B. Smith says, "God will always have the last word. So instead of worrying I will entrust my life to the good and beautiful and true God who reigns in the strong and unshakable Kingdom."
Yes and Amen! Our all powerful, all wise, all loving, all good, all merciful, all gracious, all forgiving Almighty Lord REIGNS! And we dwell in His strong and unshakable Kingdom. So since He's totally, completely, eternally got it, we can rest and trust in Him.
SAT--no stress from you. Or from wherever source worry is poking it's ugly head into your life right now. Our God reigns. We dwell in His strong and unshakable Kingdom. And we will choose to rejoice and trust in Him.
To God be the glory.
Our youngest son recently signed up to take the SAT in March. Ever since then, our inbox has been barraged by daily emails from the SAT about all the varied and multiple ways to prepare for this herculean task of taking the SAT. Emails with advice essentially ranging from "Here's what you have to do--and you better be doing it everyday." Or "Are you taking the multi-hour practice test every week...or better yet everyday?" Or "If your child isn't studying for the SAT at least three hours a day, you might as well kiss college goodbye." Or "Mom--are you sure you took enough pre-natal vitamins when your child was in your womb? Did you read to him every night for at least an hour? Did you make sure he never drank soft drinks or ate junk food? If not, oh well. Too late now. it's time to start stressing and wringing your hands...even though this will be absolutely no help whatsoever."
Okay, I'm slightly exaggerating. And I really appreciate the helpfulness of the SAT...so if anybody out there works for the SAT, thank you very much. Truly...
...but oh my stars! Do these high schoolers not already have enough stress in their lives? If my son wasn't stressed before, he is now. Or at least his mama surely is.
I share all this, because it's such a reminder of why worry is so counterproductive and deadly. Jesus commands us, "Don't worry about your life...Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying? And why do you worry about clothes? Observe the wildflowers of the field grow. They don't labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these. If that's how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won't He do much more for you--you of little faith? So don't worry...But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Mt.6:25-34)
Over and over again, Jesus repeats the command--do not worry, do not worry, do not worry...because He well knows that we little dust creatures will worry! Even though worrying does no good. Even though it steals our peace and robs us of joy. Even though it harms our health. Even though it betrays a refusal to trust God.
When we're worrying, we're essentially saying, "I'm gonna trust in my worry rather than in my Almighty God." Seriously. Is our worrying really worthy of such trust? NO!
But if you're like slow-learning like yours truly, you have to be reminded of the truths you know, but forget. Yes, I just wrote about this, but think of this as a little booster shot of encouragement Not. To. Worry!
So for all my fellow amnesiacs, here's our reminder--it's a battle of our minds. Our thoughts! We choose what thoughts we will dwell upon. Yes, fear is inevitable, but dwelling on that fear, churning that fear over and over in our minds in the form of our thoughts, that's our lousy choice. And we can choose differently!
Dallas Willard wrote, "The ultimate freedom we have as human beings is the power to select what we allow our minds to dwell upon. It is in our thoughts that the first movements towards the renovation of the heart occurs. Thoughts are the place where we can and must begin to change."
Change the meditation of your thoughts and change your heart and your life! Choose to replace worrying thoughts with worshipping thoughts. Anxious thoughts with trusting thoughts. "What if" thoughts with "Then my Almighty God will..." thoughts.
As J.B. Smith says, "God will always have the last word. So instead of worrying I will entrust my life to the good and beautiful and true God who reigns in the strong and unshakable Kingdom."
Yes and Amen! Our all powerful, all wise, all loving, all good, all merciful, all gracious, all forgiving Almighty Lord REIGNS! And we dwell in His strong and unshakable Kingdom. So since He's totally, completely, eternally got it, we can rest and trust in Him.
SAT--no stress from you. Or from wherever source worry is poking it's ugly head into your life right now. Our God reigns. We dwell in His strong and unshakable Kingdom. And we will choose to rejoice and trust in Him.
To God be the glory.
Thursday, January 24, 2019
You choose
Recently, one of our children had a very brief medical scare (brief as in just a couple of hours before they learned all was well. Thank the Lord!). Our child called later that day to tell me all about it and explained, "I didn't want to call you before I saw the doctor, because I knew you'd freak out and start worrying." Oh my, that brought conviction all the way down to my toes! I don't ever, ever, ever want someone I love to fail to share a burden with me out of concern that I'll worry! No, I want to be a prayer not a worrier! I want my first response and the meditation of my heart to be faith, not fear.
But this little episode sadly reminded me that I've got a looong way to go. Because let's just admit it right here, I can be a worrier.
Yes, I know that worry is a sin, because it's a refusal to trust God. And because it sucks the life and joy right out of you. And because deep down, it somehow mistakenly assumes that your plans and ways are better than God's--so therefore this thing you're worrying about better work out the way you want or hope.
Worry assumes the worst. Worry basically removes God from the picture, failing to see that even if the worst occurs, God is still in control, still good, and will still be right there with you in the midst of it all, and that He will somehow, someway, ultimately use it all for your good and His glory.
Not to mention, worry does no good! Seriously, as the Russian spy repeatedly told Tom Hanks in the movie, "Bridge of Spies," when he was asked over and over again if he was he worried or fearful about various possible, terrible outcomes: "Would it help?"
Does worrying help?
Nope! The answer to that question is a definitive "No." Worrying about it helps no one, nothing, and it most especially doesn't help the one worrying!
Who wants to live this way? None of us!
But the thing is, we have a choice. Yes, a choice as to what will be the focus of our thoughts. Will we marinate in the fear? Will we meditate on the worry like a cow chewing it's cud? Or will we choose instead to focus our minds and hearts on God's goodness, God's faithfulness, God's sovereignty, God's power? Because thing is, we choose. We choose what we think about, and we choose whether or not we'll worry.
I remember reading a long time ago that if you know how to worry, then you know how to meditate on God's Word. Because worry is turning something over and over again in you head. So flip the switch! When that nagging worry starts rumbling around your brain, stop and choose to change the focus on your thoughts. Pick a specific verse or passage from God's Word and churn that over and over in your heart and mind instead! Or go put on a praise song to God and listen...and maybe even belt it out. Or don't forget the age-old but ever-effective, "count your blessings!" Literally, start listing them...even if you have to start with something like, "Well, thank You that I can take this next breath."
When you choose meditate on God's Word or on God Himself...when you choose to sing a song of praise rather than to sit in a mound of fears...or even when you simply choose to count blessings rather than worries, it will change everything--because it will change you. Your mind will start counseling your will to be thankful rather than fearful. Peace will prevail over anxiety. Faith will grow. And before you know it, joy will bubble up and over...and worry absolutely cannot compete with joy.
So if there are any fellow worriers out there, it's high time we stop allowing fear and anxiety to rob us of joy, peace, and trust in Almighty God. We have the choice as to what will be the meditation of our hearts. Let's tell fear to take a hike and choose faith. Choose the Word rather than worry. Choose a song of praise rather than a dirge of anxiety. Choose to count blessings rather than fears. And let's start choosing today.
To God be the glory.
Saturday, January 19, 2019
To my fellow cleverly disguised missionaries
A little follow-up to my last blog (because clearly God has quite the sense of humor)--
So, after writing that last blog, boy, I was fired up and ready to dig in and get to work on the lecture and that mountain of laundry. Yes sir, here we go...
...and then, later that afternoon, God in His infinite wisdom and mercy, gave me a terrible stomach bug! Out of the blue. And can I just say for the record: stomach bugs are the absolute pits.
Now, at the time I didn’t exactly view it as a gift from Him, but I do now. I felt really crummy for several days, but I realized two things. One is that once again I had taken for granted the incredible gift of good health and of simply waking up and feeling good.
How could I? My sweet sister-in-law, who went home to be with the Lord in early December after her brief battle with cancer, had said repeatedly, “I can’t believe I took for granted how great it was to wake up and feel good.” For several months after that, I would awaken and feel overwhelming gratitude for that gift of health…but somehow, by the time January rolled around and the to-list grew long, I had forgotten.
And that’s the thing—we’re all good forgetters, aren’t we? God teaches us something, and we think we’ll never forget that lesson…but before you know it, we’ve forgotten all about it and fallen back into a bad way of thinking and acting. We hear or read a Scripture that resonates deeply within us, and we know is God speaking to us in that moment…but then time marches on, and we quickly forget.
That’s why we have to be reminded of things we once knew, but we’ve forgotten! That’s why we have to get into God’s Word everyday! Yesterday’s mana from His Word won’t sustain us today, just as yesterday’s meal won’t give us energy today. No, we need to eat physical food today if we want to have the strength to do all we’ve got before us today. And we’ve got to get God’s spiritual food into us today if we want to have the wisdom, the love, the energy, the patience, the joy, the hope that we need for today's burdens and challenges.
And the second thing I learned—or I should say RE-learned—from the stomach bug is that it’s not us doing whatever we’re called to do, it’s Almighty God! Anytime we start thinking to ourselves, “How can I do all this?” or “What can I do about this?” or “Why am I having to do all this?” we’ve totally missed the boat! We need to be reminded daily that it’s not us, but Him! It’s not us trying to love or forgive the people God’s put in our lives—it’s Him doing it through us. It’s not us running errands or volunteering at our child’s school or working at that office—it’s Him doing it through us.
If you’ve asked Jesus to be your Savior, then He lives within you, empowering and enabling you for everything He’s put before you today. Yes, yes, you’re thinking, I know that. But seriously, don’t you need to be reminded? Because here’s the remarkable thing—you are God’s missionary. No maybe you’re not a missionary being sent to a faraway country right now, but wherever you go, whatever you do, whoever you talk to today, you’re His missionary.
Here’s how pastor, author, and teacher J.R. Briggs explains it: “The King is looking for subjects to join His Kingdom in His mission, and He invites you to join with Him. You’re His missionary cleverly disguised as” a homemaker, lawyer, teacher, mother. Briggs shares a story about a woman from his church named Jess who really caught this vision and began to see her mission field as the hair salon where she worked. So one day, she knelt down in front of the whole church, and they commissioned her to be a missionary at that hair salon. With that, others in the church realized the same thing, and they wanted to be commissioned too! One was a missionary cleverly disguised as a public middle school teacher. Another was a missionary cleverly disguised as an accountant and so forth.
If you’re a believer, then you, too, are a cleverly disguised missionary! Perhaps God's plan for you is to go as His missionary to some faraway land to share the good news of the gospel. That may or may not be God's specific calling on your life. But this I know for sure--for every single one of us, today, right now, He has called you to be His missionary right where you!
When you walk into Target, you’re His cleverly disguised missionary to that exhausted clerk. When you’re at home, you’re His cleverly disguised missionary to all those little eternal souls that reside within your home or to your spouse or to anyone who comes to visit. When you go to work, you’re His cleverly disguised missionary to your fellow workers and customers.
God has sent you—specifically you—to be His missionary wherever you go today and whatever you’re doing! And not only that, but He's the One—through His indwelling Holy Spirit—who will fill you and enable you to be that loving, wise, joyful, and faithful missionary!
Today, you are sent as His cleverly disguised missionary...who will you love with the love of Christ? Who will you encourage with His encouragement? To whom will you show grace and forgiveness even if you don't feel like it or they don't "deserve" it? (and who among us ever deserves it?! Aren't you thankful Jesus didn't hold us to that impossible standard?)
So fellow cleverly disguised missionaries, let's go out there today and be His salt and light in the world. He's sent us, He goes with us, and He will shine through us. And no darkness can ever overcome the Light of the World. To God be the glory.
So, after writing that last blog, boy, I was fired up and ready to dig in and get to work on the lecture and that mountain of laundry. Yes sir, here we go...
...and then, later that afternoon, God in His infinite wisdom and mercy, gave me a terrible stomach bug! Out of the blue. And can I just say for the record: stomach bugs are the absolute pits.
Now, at the time I didn’t exactly view it as a gift from Him, but I do now. I felt really crummy for several days, but I realized two things. One is that once again I had taken for granted the incredible gift of good health and of simply waking up and feeling good.
How could I? My sweet sister-in-law, who went home to be with the Lord in early December after her brief battle with cancer, had said repeatedly, “I can’t believe I took for granted how great it was to wake up and feel good.” For several months after that, I would awaken and feel overwhelming gratitude for that gift of health…but somehow, by the time January rolled around and the to-list grew long, I had forgotten.
And that’s the thing—we’re all good forgetters, aren’t we? God teaches us something, and we think we’ll never forget that lesson…but before you know it, we’ve forgotten all about it and fallen back into a bad way of thinking and acting. We hear or read a Scripture that resonates deeply within us, and we know is God speaking to us in that moment…but then time marches on, and we quickly forget.
That’s why we have to be reminded of things we once knew, but we’ve forgotten! That’s why we have to get into God’s Word everyday! Yesterday’s mana from His Word won’t sustain us today, just as yesterday’s meal won’t give us energy today. No, we need to eat physical food today if we want to have the strength to do all we’ve got before us today. And we’ve got to get God’s spiritual food into us today if we want to have the wisdom, the love, the energy, the patience, the joy, the hope that we need for today's burdens and challenges.
And the second thing I learned—or I should say RE-learned—from the stomach bug is that it’s not us doing whatever we’re called to do, it’s Almighty God! Anytime we start thinking to ourselves, “How can I do all this?” or “What can I do about this?” or “Why am I having to do all this?” we’ve totally missed the boat! We need to be reminded daily that it’s not us, but Him! It’s not us trying to love or forgive the people God’s put in our lives—it’s Him doing it through us. It’s not us running errands or volunteering at our child’s school or working at that office—it’s Him doing it through us.
If you’ve asked Jesus to be your Savior, then He lives within you, empowering and enabling you for everything He’s put before you today. Yes, yes, you’re thinking, I know that. But seriously, don’t you need to be reminded? Because here’s the remarkable thing—you are God’s missionary. No maybe you’re not a missionary being sent to a faraway country right now, but wherever you go, whatever you do, whoever you talk to today, you’re His missionary.
Here’s how pastor, author, and teacher J.R. Briggs explains it: “The King is looking for subjects to join His Kingdom in His mission, and He invites you to join with Him. You’re His missionary cleverly disguised as” a homemaker, lawyer, teacher, mother. Briggs shares a story about a woman from his church named Jess who really caught this vision and began to see her mission field as the hair salon where she worked. So one day, she knelt down in front of the whole church, and they commissioned her to be a missionary at that hair salon. With that, others in the church realized the same thing, and they wanted to be commissioned too! One was a missionary cleverly disguised as a public middle school teacher. Another was a missionary cleverly disguised as an accountant and so forth.
If you’re a believer, then you, too, are a cleverly disguised missionary! Perhaps God's plan for you is to go as His missionary to some faraway land to share the good news of the gospel. That may or may not be God's specific calling on your life. But this I know for sure--for every single one of us, today, right now, He has called you to be His missionary right where you!
When you walk into Target, you’re His cleverly disguised missionary to that exhausted clerk. When you’re at home, you’re His cleverly disguised missionary to all those little eternal souls that reside within your home or to your spouse or to anyone who comes to visit. When you go to work, you’re His cleverly disguised missionary to your fellow workers and customers.
God has sent you—specifically you—to be His missionary wherever you go today and whatever you’re doing! And not only that, but He's the One—through His indwelling Holy Spirit—who will fill you and enable you to be that loving, wise, joyful, and faithful missionary!
Today, you are sent as His cleverly disguised missionary...who will you love with the love of Christ? Who will you encourage with His encouragement? To whom will you show grace and forgiveness even if you don't feel like it or they don't "deserve" it? (and who among us ever deserves it?! Aren't you thankful Jesus didn't hold us to that impossible standard?)
So fellow cleverly disguised missionaries, let's go out there today and be His salt and light in the world. He's sent us, He goes with us, and He will shine through us. And no darkness can ever overcome the Light of the World. To God be the glory.
Thursday, January 3, 2019
Laundry and lecture...and the LORD!
Now lest you opine that I'm the worst homemaker in the history of the cosmos, let me explain. We realized on the evening of December 23rd that our dryer was spinning and spinning but nothing was drying. All the children were home. All of them were exercising (to work off all the holiday treats). And the girls wore all my clothes so that they wouldn't have to worry about taking back any dirty laundry to Charlotte. Normally a perfectly fine idea...EXCEPT WHEN YOUR DRYER IS BROKEN!
Christmas eve saw a teeming proliferation of dirty clothes. Then we left in the wee early morning hours of December 26th to take a family trip. Then, oh joy, we returned home and piled on all our yucky, smelly clothes from six days away. And can I just note that at least one of our children believes that if he even ponders wearing an article of clothing--even if it never actually graces his body--it should absolutely be considered filthy and in need of washing.
Oh, and did I mention that no one could come repair said dryer until today--January 3rd, 2019? Yes, by today our house looked a bit like NYC in the midst of a summer garbage-worker strike where all that trash accumulates in ginormous piles along the streets.
Now here's the semi-happy ending: the dryer has now been repaired! Hooray! And I've been reminded once again of all the terribly ordinary things in life that I should be grateful for but that I always take for granted...things like hot water, ovens, working eyes and feet and hands and ears, the postman, refrigerators, tea kettles, laughter, quietness, singing...and yes, duh, clothes dryers. Thank You, Lord, for dryers!
But right about now, I'm contemplating that Mount Everest of laundry to fold, and I just want to sit down, eat a large piece of chocolate cake, and read an entertaining book. Instead, I need to--and here comes the second thing that has me a bit overwhelmed--
I won't go into the other minor stuff that needs doing like trying to love, care for, and spend time with my family and friends. (By the way, did you notice that behind my work on the lecture...uhh outline...uhh ideas...sits a manger scene? Yes, not all the Christmas stuff has been put away. So sue me. And that wiseman on the far left lost his head--literally--in storage somehow, and I have been unable to superglue it back on him. I feel for him, I really do. But it gives me a real sense of camaraderie knowing I'm not the only one around here who has lost her mind.)
But here's the thing. Moaning and groaning gets me nowhere. Worrying and fretting accomplishes nothing. And procrastinating most certainly does not help in this herculean battle of fighting inertia and overwhelmedness (yes spellcheck, that is not a word...until now) and doing what I don't feel like doing.
So I've got a choice. I can continue to complain, wring my hands, and delay...or I can go to the Lord of all power, of all wisdom, of all everything, and ask Him to "lift my drooping hands and strengthen my weak knees" (Heb.12:12). I can remember His promises in His supernatural Word.
And I can recall His exhortation that because "we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted." (Heb.12:1-3)
Oh my, that's some good stuff, and boy, did I need reminding! Stop staring at the laundry. Stop worrying about the non-existent lecture. Stop focusing on the mess. Stop looking at myself...and start looking UP!
Start focusing on Him. Start pondering all that Jesus endured for my sake. Start remembering this Almighty One is with me and for me, and that while I was still a rotten, self-centered, utterly underserving sinner, Christ died for me. Then rose victorious, decimating sin and death on my behalf and clothing me instead in His glorious righteousness and power and love and strength and grace.
And guess what? You too.
Whatever overwhelming task you're facing right now...or painful family difficulty...or frightening diagnosis..or impossible challenge, please stop and remember that the shining, omnipotent King of Kings and Lord of Lords has already defeated far, far, infinitely far, infinitely more terrible and horrific problems on your behalf. He's conquered sin and death for you!
And if He's on your side, if He's filling you, if He's empowering you, if He's strengthening you, then it's not you, but Him. Not your power, but His. Not your forgiveness, but His. Not your paltry wisdom, but His. Not your waning love, but His. His unconquerable, unending, unbeatable love, grace, forgiveness, power.
So if you've got any mountains before you, pause and look up at your Savior. Remember all He's done for you. Rejoice in all He is for you and has for you. And then, by His grace, for His glory, start right where you are. Take that first tiny, tentative step...and before you know it, you'll be running. Running that race with eyes focused on the One who's already run it all the way for you. And you know what? He'll be running right beside you, cheering and smiling and laughing with His Father, "That's my girl! Look at her go!" Laundry and lecture, here I come!
To God be the glory.
Sunday, December 30, 2018
2018 and God's faithfulness through it all
At the end of this old year, I'm thinking back over all that has happened. There have been countless joys--thank You, Lord! Thank You for trips with friends and family, for joyous celebrations at holidays, for engagements and weddings. And thank You for the daily blessings of delicious meals, walks with dogs, brilliant fall foliage, exercise classes with friends, Bible study with wonderful women, going to church, waking up and feeling good, scarlet cardinals in the snow, laughter, hot tea, good books, roaring fires, chocolate cake, scalding baths, simply being with my people. Oh my, so grateful. Thank You most of all for sending Jesus to save us, Your Spirit to stay with us, and Your abiding, never-ending, never-failing love, forgiveness, faithfulness, power, and presence in our lives. Forgive us, Father, whenever we take any of it for granted.
But this past year has also held many heartbreaks, especially losing dearly beloved friends and family members. No, not really lost for we know exactly where they are, praise God, but lost to us for the rest of our short stay on this planet. How I miss them. What I would give to hear Jo Anna's hearty laugh, hilarious stories, stunningly wise counsel...and grow larger from her deep love of life and people. Or to hug sweet Katherine, tell her about the children, laugh over old family stories, and learn from how well she loves. Or Ray and his great wisdom, his love of the Lord, his way of living and looking so much like Jesus. And so many others.
All those we have lost leave holes that cannot be filled...but like those witnesses in Hebrews 12, we sense them cheering us on from above to press on. To love deeply. To forgive unreservedly. To live fully to the glory of God. To savor His gifts and to share them with others. To recognize in each day a precious, never-to-be-repeated twenty-four hours from Him that we must spend fully loving Him and others and deeply savoring this priceless gift of life He has given us.
Yes, we're all beginning to think about the new year approaching...with all those goals we long for, habits we want to change, dreams we hope to fulfill. But right now, let's just savor this past year. Grieve deeply for the hard losses. Ask forgiveness for the ways we failed God and others. But also rejoice over the relentless, daily goodness of God in our lives. For His holiness. For His presence. For His love and forgiveness. For His Word. And for His gifts. Countless gifts day in and day out. How can we not be grateful?
I've always loved these words from Shauna Niequist: "I think life, just life, just breathing in and out, is a great gift. God gives us something amazing when He gives us life, and I want to live with gratitude. I want to live in a way that shows how much I appreciate the gift. If life were a sweater, I would wear it everyday. I wouldn't save it or keep it for a special occasion. I would find every opportunity to wear that sweater, and I'd wear it proudly, shamelessly, for days on end."
Thank You, Lord, for 2018 with all it's sorrows and joys, losses and gifts. And thank You for carrying us through them all with Your powerful, loving, forgiving, righteous, redeeming, faithful presence. Help us to live this day, and as many days as You choose to give us, with abounding gratitude for You and for Your gifts. Help us, every single day, to love You and love others with every fiber of our being. Might we live this day and every day, in the words of Paul in Ephesians, "to the praise of Your glory."
To God be the glory.
But this past year has also held many heartbreaks, especially losing dearly beloved friends and family members. No, not really lost for we know exactly where they are, praise God, but lost to us for the rest of our short stay on this planet. How I miss them. What I would give to hear Jo Anna's hearty laugh, hilarious stories, stunningly wise counsel...and grow larger from her deep love of life and people. Or to hug sweet Katherine, tell her about the children, laugh over old family stories, and learn from how well she loves. Or Ray and his great wisdom, his love of the Lord, his way of living and looking so much like Jesus. And so many others.
All those we have lost leave holes that cannot be filled...but like those witnesses in Hebrews 12, we sense them cheering us on from above to press on. To love deeply. To forgive unreservedly. To live fully to the glory of God. To savor His gifts and to share them with others. To recognize in each day a precious, never-to-be-repeated twenty-four hours from Him that we must spend fully loving Him and others and deeply savoring this priceless gift of life He has given us.
Yes, we're all beginning to think about the new year approaching...with all those goals we long for, habits we want to change, dreams we hope to fulfill. But right now, let's just savor this past year. Grieve deeply for the hard losses. Ask forgiveness for the ways we failed God and others. But also rejoice over the relentless, daily goodness of God in our lives. For His holiness. For His presence. For His love and forgiveness. For His Word. And for His gifts. Countless gifts day in and day out. How can we not be grateful?
I've always loved these words from Shauna Niequist: "I think life, just life, just breathing in and out, is a great gift. God gives us something amazing when He gives us life, and I want to live with gratitude. I want to live in a way that shows how much I appreciate the gift. If life were a sweater, I would wear it everyday. I wouldn't save it or keep it for a special occasion. I would find every opportunity to wear that sweater, and I'd wear it proudly, shamelessly, for days on end."
Thank You, Lord, for 2018 with all it's sorrows and joys, losses and gifts. And thank You for carrying us through them all with Your powerful, loving, forgiving, righteous, redeeming, faithful presence. Help us to live this day, and as many days as You choose to give us, with abounding gratitude for You and for Your gifts. Help us, every single day, to love You and love others with every fiber of our being. Might we live this day and every day, in the words of Paul in Ephesians, "to the praise of Your glory."
To God be the glory.
Monday, December 24, 2018
The Light of the World
Praise God for His light--for the Light of the world--and that no matter the depth of the darkness, it will never ever overcome His light. His light will always pierce the gloom of darkness and overcome--just as Jesus overcame from the cradle to the cross.
I awoke early this morning and in the predawn darkness, turned on our Christmas tree..the inky darkness scattered and the riotous colors of light broke through and shined in our house. I felt overwhelmed at that moment with the gift of light and with God's greatest Gift of the Light of the World. Do we take that gift for granted? Will we pause in the midst of our busyness or distraction and thank God for His gift of light and for The Light that shines in the darkness and will always overcome it?
"The people who sat in the darkness have seen a great light and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned." (Mt.4:16) Many of us have experienced that shadow of death this past year. Our family has felt it's dark, sorrowful shadow pass over us twice just this Advent season. We have mourned and grieved the darkness of death, but we have not grieved as those without hope...for we know that this is merely death's shadow. Because the Light of the World came at Christmas, He has defeated and overwhelmed the real thing--death itself--so that we merely walk through the valley of the shadow of death. But even in that shadow, we walk in His light. We bear His light. And we travel towards His glorious conquering, shimmering, light.
So today, rejoice that it is the eve of the day we celebrate His coming. Today, acknowledge the darkness. Grieve the darkness of sin and death. But then celebrate that the Light has come! He is here. And the darkness will never ever overcome Him! In every Christmas light you see today, might it be a reminder to you of the Light of the World--and He is with you, lighting your world.
Might we be His light bearers this day and everyday to those who desperately need to see and to know that the Light of World has come and is coming again.
To God be the glory.
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