I collect heroes. I highly recommend it for anyone blessed enough to be surrounded by people they admire. God has blessed me with that in such abundance that I spend a lot of time just dazzled by the wonderful people whose examples make my heart soar.
Ron and I were in Atlanta this past weekend staying in the home of Mark and Lin Ottenweiller. Mark flew in from Haiti the same day we did where he led a team of 5 other doctors and 1 dentist up into the dry hill country to set up a temporary medical outpost. In 3 days they served 570 people. He had slept on the ground while there. Mark was happily exhausted. The word that seems to be most prevanent on Mark's vocabulary is "hilarious." He'll tell a story of some outrageous sacrifice he made (not that he sees it as a sacrifice), or some place where he risked his life and say, "It was hilarious!" Mark find the joy in every moment of the day--even when he's weeping.
Lin was our chef, chauffer and administrator of our schedule while we were there. She worked in these tasks amid her own heavy schedule of responsibilities. She's the queen of cheerful hospitality--and faith, and zeal and insight and joy and compassion and....
What makes a person a hero in your eyes? For me, it is the fruits of the Spirit evidenced in a life of exuberant zeal and quiet faith. Got any heroes? Make a list. Keep them in your prayers. It may be the Ottenweillers or it may be the afflicted, quiet widow who makes it to church every Sunday in spite of pain and hardship. Let these shining examples of faith be a joy to your heart. Seriously, make a list!
But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such there is no law.
Galatians 5:22, 23
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Sing Along
I Corinthians 14:15 (NIV)
I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.
When we left South Africa after 3 months the thing I missed the most were the friends we had made there. But next I missed the singing at church. African rhythms and harmonies are thrilling to me. It is almost impossible to stand still and most people in the congregation don't. A room full of 500+ people seem to sway as if precise choreography had designed their movement. It is transporting!
Music affects our hearts in ways that no other form of communication does. I think that's why
God placed such emphasis on music, beginning with temple worship and carrying on into his church. It reaches us intellectually, spiritually and emotionally.
Certainly it is wonderful when our voices unite in song, but it is more important that our hearts unite. Secular music demonstrates that different types of music stir the souls of different people. Maybe there is someone out there who would not be deeply moved by African hymns (I can't imagine this, but I'm sure it's true).
I have a grandson addicted to hard rock gospel. I am unmoved by this genre, although I can appreciate the words when I can decipher them beneath the screaming instrumentals. To each his own. The important thing is that his soul is stirred and moved closer to God in worship.
I have a special aversion to songs where I feel the message is unclear. I am concerned when a song with a symbolic message from scriptural reference is belted out and I wonder how many people in the congregation are familiar with the spiritual analogy. This includes songs about crossing the Jordan. While most people are familiar with the story of the Israelites crossing the Jordan to enter Canaan, I wonder how many know the lyrics referring to the Jordan River are analogous to a faithful crossing from the wandering in life to the promised land of Heaven? I wonder when we belt out "Wade in the Water" whether we understand the idea of God expecting us to faithfully step into the deep counting on Him to stir things up?
Many things are most inspiringly communicated through analogy. I would just beg every Christain to become students of lyrics. If you sing something at church that has a rousing rhythm, but you aren't sure what it means, go study it out in scripture or ask around until you find someone who knows so you can sing with you mind--with understanding.
Regarding this Jordan analogy, years ago I wrote a little song that I have taught children's Sunday School classes when we study Israel's crossing of the Jordan. At the Red Sea the Israelites walked across on dry ground to commence a 40 year wandering in the desert (Exodus 14:21, 22). At the end of that journey on the banks of the flood-swollen Jordan, God told them to step into the water before he opened a path for them (Joshua 3:15). Here are the words to that little ditty:
Ya gotta launch out on faith
Ya gotta get your feet wet
Ya gotta trust God to do
What he hasn't done yet
So put your faith in him
Step into the swollen deep
Before the Lord will part your waters
Let him see that you believe.
These word would be meaningless, no matter how catchy the tune, if this wonderful story of the Israelites journey from fear at the banks of the Red Sea to faith at the banks of the Jordan were unfamiliar. Don't settle for singing with your vocal chords alone! Engage you mind!
I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.
When we left South Africa after 3 months the thing I missed the most were the friends we had made there. But next I missed the singing at church. African rhythms and harmonies are thrilling to me. It is almost impossible to stand still and most people in the congregation don't. A room full of 500+ people seem to sway as if precise choreography had designed their movement. It is transporting!
Music affects our hearts in ways that no other form of communication does. I think that's why
God placed such emphasis on music, beginning with temple worship and carrying on into his church. It reaches us intellectually, spiritually and emotionally.
Certainly it is wonderful when our voices unite in song, but it is more important that our hearts unite. Secular music demonstrates that different types of music stir the souls of different people. Maybe there is someone out there who would not be deeply moved by African hymns (I can't imagine this, but I'm sure it's true).
I have a grandson addicted to hard rock gospel. I am unmoved by this genre, although I can appreciate the words when I can decipher them beneath the screaming instrumentals. To each his own. The important thing is that his soul is stirred and moved closer to God in worship.
I have a special aversion to songs where I feel the message is unclear. I am concerned when a song with a symbolic message from scriptural reference is belted out and I wonder how many people in the congregation are familiar with the spiritual analogy. This includes songs about crossing the Jordan. While most people are familiar with the story of the Israelites crossing the Jordan to enter Canaan, I wonder how many know the lyrics referring to the Jordan River are analogous to a faithful crossing from the wandering in life to the promised land of Heaven? I wonder when we belt out "Wade in the Water" whether we understand the idea of God expecting us to faithfully step into the deep counting on Him to stir things up?
Many things are most inspiringly communicated through analogy. I would just beg every Christain to become students of lyrics. If you sing something at church that has a rousing rhythm, but you aren't sure what it means, go study it out in scripture or ask around until you find someone who knows so you can sing with you mind--with understanding.
Regarding this Jordan analogy, years ago I wrote a little song that I have taught children's Sunday School classes when we study Israel's crossing of the Jordan. At the Red Sea the Israelites walked across on dry ground to commence a 40 year wandering in the desert (Exodus 14:21, 22). At the end of that journey on the banks of the flood-swollen Jordan, God told them to step into the water before he opened a path for them (Joshua 3:15). Here are the words to that little ditty:
Ya gotta launch out on faith
Ya gotta get your feet wet
Ya gotta trust God to do
What he hasn't done yet
So put your faith in him
Step into the swollen deep
Before the Lord will part your waters
Let him see that you believe.
These word would be meaningless, no matter how catchy the tune, if this wonderful story of the Israelites journey from fear at the banks of the Red Sea to faith at the banks of the Jordan were unfamiliar. Don't settle for singing with your vocal chords alone! Engage you mind!
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Grammar and Such
When my oldest son, Greg, was in high school, he had an English teacher he was not particularly fond of. (Oops, I just ended an sentence in a preposition). She intimidated him with her severity.
The first time I met her I was picking up an assignment for Greg. I was intimidated, too, knowing she held a strong opinion that athletics were a waste of scholarly time. Greg's absence lent credibility to her position since his hospitalization was for a concussion suffered in the previous Friday night's football game.
She made me sit in a student's chair and wait while she attended to other things and, at first, she refused to give me the assignment saying his excuse for missing class did not fit her criteria for justifiable absence. She said he would just have to accept an incomplete on that assignment.
Bad mother that I am, I did not plead Greg's case. But before I left, I mentioned that it must be hard teaching with the construction noise going on at the time. She added other woes to this acknowledgement of her hardship, and I was genuinely and increasingly sympathetic.
Among the things she shared in the next half hour that we talked was that this would be her last year of teaching before retirement. She shared about the pain she suffered from arthritis in her hips and knees, and that she had just attended the funeral of her last living relative. I told her of the comfort I found in the word or God. I invited her to our home Bible study and she got tears in her eyes. She declined, but said she was touched by the offer.
She gave me Greg's assignment. But I had no manipulative motives in my concern for her. I went and bought her a Bible, a New International Version, and had her name emgraved on it's leather cover. I gave it to her with no expectations, but a sincere hope that it would be a blessing to her.
At the end of the year, when she was leaving her long career, I took her a retirement card, wished her well and asked if she had read any of the Bible I had given her.
"Very little," she replied, "but I don't like it at all. It is full of split infinitives." I was summarily dismissed.
I didn't point out that she was not current on changing grammar rules. I tried to stay in touch and encourage her to read her old King James Version. I didn't appeal to her that clarity in communication trumps grammatical precision.
And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message. so that we may proclaim Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly as I should."
Colossians 4:3, 4
This prayer request of Paul's has always intrigued me. Why would an apostle, inspired by the Holy Spirit in every word he spoke about the Lord have to appeal for clarity of communication? I don't know. But his request does impress me with the importance of God's message being understandable. It makes me grateful that translators keep up with our current vernacular as they update versions of the Bible for us.
The first time I met her I was picking up an assignment for Greg. I was intimidated, too, knowing she held a strong opinion that athletics were a waste of scholarly time. Greg's absence lent credibility to her position since his hospitalization was for a concussion suffered in the previous Friday night's football game.
She made me sit in a student's chair and wait while she attended to other things and, at first, she refused to give me the assignment saying his excuse for missing class did not fit her criteria for justifiable absence. She said he would just have to accept an incomplete on that assignment.
Bad mother that I am, I did not plead Greg's case. But before I left, I mentioned that it must be hard teaching with the construction noise going on at the time. She added other woes to this acknowledgement of her hardship, and I was genuinely and increasingly sympathetic.
Among the things she shared in the next half hour that we talked was that this would be her last year of teaching before retirement. She shared about the pain she suffered from arthritis in her hips and knees, and that she had just attended the funeral of her last living relative. I told her of the comfort I found in the word or God. I invited her to our home Bible study and she got tears in her eyes. She declined, but said she was touched by the offer.
She gave me Greg's assignment. But I had no manipulative motives in my concern for her. I went and bought her a Bible, a New International Version, and had her name emgraved on it's leather cover. I gave it to her with no expectations, but a sincere hope that it would be a blessing to her.
At the end of the year, when she was leaving her long career, I took her a retirement card, wished her well and asked if she had read any of the Bible I had given her.
"Very little," she replied, "but I don't like it at all. It is full of split infinitives." I was summarily dismissed.
I didn't point out that she was not current on changing grammar rules. I tried to stay in touch and encourage her to read her old King James Version. I didn't appeal to her that clarity in communication trumps grammatical precision.
And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message. so that we may proclaim Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly as I should."
Colossians 4:3, 4
This prayer request of Paul's has always intrigued me. Why would an apostle, inspired by the Holy Spirit in every word he spoke about the Lord have to appeal for clarity of communication? I don't know. But his request does impress me with the importance of God's message being understandable. It makes me grateful that translators keep up with our current vernacular as they update versions of the Bible for us.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
First Things First
I've always been a little amused at Jesus instruction in Matthew 6:33, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness...."
Priority number one? Two things! #1, his kingdom; #1, his righteousness. How does that work? I don't think it was that he couldn't decide between the two. I think it's that you can't have one without the other.
This kingdom that he wants us to place at the top of our priority list--in the context of this scripture, contrasts a kingdom-priority with life's urgent demands that we are tempted to make our priorty: food, shelter and clothing. Jesus is telling us that his kindom (the church on earth and heaven in the afterlife) needs to be our primary concern and not to waste our energy on worry about accumulating life necessities. Certainly he wants us to be responsible in providing for our families, but he doesn't want it to rob our souls of the truly important thing--living faithfully in a community of believers with a focus on making it to heaven. He wants us to have a spiritual perspective on our values.
The second #1 is a pursuit of God's righteousness. Jesus wants us to be ever-mindful of our character development. He wants to imitate the righteousness of God and to grow to be more like him everyday. Jesus lived out that righteousness in his time here on earth and had his story recorded so we could know what perfect righteousness in human flesh looks like.
While the righteousness of God is unsearchable, we can know it includes obedience to his commands, an embodiment of the fruits of the Spirit and, above all, love. What a worthy and challenging pursuit Jesus laid out for our lives! It keeps us facing in the right direction, growing in our spirituality, emphasizing what really matters in life.
If we really let these two things be our first priority, we'll never get bored, never run out of things to strive for, and never be limited by our circumstances. First things first!
Priority number one? Two things! #1, his kingdom; #1, his righteousness. How does that work? I don't think it was that he couldn't decide between the two. I think it's that you can't have one without the other.
This kingdom that he wants us to place at the top of our priority list--in the context of this scripture, contrasts a kingdom-priority with life's urgent demands that we are tempted to make our priorty: food, shelter and clothing. Jesus is telling us that his kindom (the church on earth and heaven in the afterlife) needs to be our primary concern and not to waste our energy on worry about accumulating life necessities. Certainly he wants us to be responsible in providing for our families, but he doesn't want it to rob our souls of the truly important thing--living faithfully in a community of believers with a focus on making it to heaven. He wants us to have a spiritual perspective on our values.
The second #1 is a pursuit of God's righteousness. Jesus wants us to be ever-mindful of our character development. He wants to imitate the righteousness of God and to grow to be more like him everyday. Jesus lived out that righteousness in his time here on earth and had his story recorded so we could know what perfect righteousness in human flesh looks like.
While the righteousness of God is unsearchable, we can know it includes obedience to his commands, an embodiment of the fruits of the Spirit and, above all, love. What a worthy and challenging pursuit Jesus laid out for our lives! It keeps us facing in the right direction, growing in our spirituality, emphasizing what really matters in life.
If we really let these two things be our first priority, we'll never get bored, never run out of things to strive for, and never be limited by our circumstances. First things first!
Saturday, January 12, 2013
My friend, June
I went to see June yesterday. I try to go once a week. We had the best chat ever. I adore what remains of her lovely Swedish accent.
June was in her early 60's when I first met her and offered to study the Bible with her. She's 88 now. Her life has not been easy. Orphaned as a child, she was doing heavy farm labor by the time she was 14 yrs. old. She came to America at 25 yrs., and while encountering many hardships here, too, she now speaks of deep, joyful gratitude and the wonderful friends she made--mostly people who employed her as a caregiver.
In the early 1980's, when my husband, Ron, was undergoing radiation treatment for a malignant tumor, June made a weekly trek to our home to deliver her wonderful home-baked, whole wheat yeast rolls and pastries. There may have been no healing properties in these sumptuous, calorie-laden, carb-heavy delights, but her constant demonstrated love was a healing elixir for our heavy hearts.
June still climbs the steep hill behind her little house to pull weeds and tend her flowers. Her sight is going dim and her conversation betrays a failing memory, but her faith is still vibrant.
A widow for many years now, June's three children have arranged for her to have live-in help, but much of her day is spent alone--but not really. She maintains an on-going conversation with God. Her neighbor sometimes hears her across the fence and asks who she is talking to. It embarrasses her a little, but it never deters her.
Walking ever deeper into a fading light as age inevitably advances, there is no greater comfort than a companion who knows the way. June's hand is firmly held by the Lord she claimed as her own so many years ago. While ambition has lost its meaning, and possessions hold no value, comfort, hope and love remain through faith in the One who walks beside her.
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord, forever.
Psalm 23:6
June was in her early 60's when I first met her and offered to study the Bible with her. She's 88 now. Her life has not been easy. Orphaned as a child, she was doing heavy farm labor by the time she was 14 yrs. old. She came to America at 25 yrs., and while encountering many hardships here, too, she now speaks of deep, joyful gratitude and the wonderful friends she made--mostly people who employed her as a caregiver.
In the early 1980's, when my husband, Ron, was undergoing radiation treatment for a malignant tumor, June made a weekly trek to our home to deliver her wonderful home-baked, whole wheat yeast rolls and pastries. There may have been no healing properties in these sumptuous, calorie-laden, carb-heavy delights, but her constant demonstrated love was a healing elixir for our heavy hearts.
June still climbs the steep hill behind her little house to pull weeds and tend her flowers. Her sight is going dim and her conversation betrays a failing memory, but her faith is still vibrant.
A widow for many years now, June's three children have arranged for her to have live-in help, but much of her day is spent alone--but not really. She maintains an on-going conversation with God. Her neighbor sometimes hears her across the fence and asks who she is talking to. It embarrasses her a little, but it never deters her.
Walking ever deeper into a fading light as age inevitably advances, there is no greater comfort than a companion who knows the way. June's hand is firmly held by the Lord she claimed as her own so many years ago. While ambition has lost its meaning, and possessions hold no value, comfort, hope and love remain through faith in the One who walks beside her.
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord, forever.
Psalm 23:6
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Whaddaya Think?
Twenty-four/seven, 365 days a year an omnipotent, omniscient God is patiently reading more than 6 billion minds worldwide. Not even close to being on overload, he is assessing the thoughts of each one. How would God depict your thoughts? What adjective would he use to describe your mind?
--Proberbs 12:8 warped
--Isaiah 44:17 closed
--Jeremiah 14:14 deluded
--II Corinthians 3:14 dull
--II Corinthians 4:4 blinded
--I Chronicles 28:9 willing
--II Chronicles 16:9 fully committed to Him
Examining our own hearts and minds is imperative to becoming the kind of thinkers that please God and profit ourselves. I want all of my thoughts to be willing to defer to the will of God and to be fully committed to Him! Whaddaya think?
Monday, January 7, 2013
I Mean It!
Jesus condemned the dogmatic legalism of the Pharisees (Luke 11:42); Paul similarly condemned using personal convictions as a standard of judgment for others. God hates self-righteousness. While legalism is wrong, adhering to a personal and narrow path is wise; too broad a path in the name of freedom in Christ is tempting, but self-serving and will not get a pass from God.
Galatians 5:13
You, brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature....
Watching my teenage grandchildren trying to live according to God's standards in the face of the intense peer pressure of adolesence keeps me on my knees. It is often hard to discern how to appropriately state your convictions without being self-righteous (although there is no avoiding being accused of that). My teen years were simpler and more innocent, but age doesn't obliterate the problem.
I was in my late 30's when I first entered the work world, but there were many ways in which I was very naive. I was receptionist, librarian and bookkeeper in a small company. The man who was our insurance agent came in almost everyday. The relationships in the office were strongly established before I arrived on the scene and I was regarded by most as little more than a piece of furniture.
The insurance man began flirting with me egregiously. At first, I just pleasantly assured him I had no interest in joining into his inappropriate banter, but I expected my bosses to come to my rescue. Instead, they were simply amused. This was before sexual harrassment was a legal issue. I would go home at night feeling guilty that I had been unable to put this man in his place and end his advances. But I couldn't figure out how to balance patience, and respect with conviction. I knew how to put someone in their place, but it was with a harshness I'd tried to repent of.
It was legalism that won the day for me. I was reading through Ehpesians and I came across these verses:
Ehpesians 5:3-4
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place , but rather thanksgiving.
"...but rather thanksgiving." I'd never considered thanksgiving an antidote to crudeness, but I decided--no, I commited legalistically--to try this tactic. So, on every future occasion when the insurance man visited our office and began his suggestive lines, I responded with things like: "Have I ever told you how grateful I am for my husband?" And then I would go into detail about some wonderful qualitiy in Ron. Or I would say, "Let me show you some pictures of my kids. I am so grateful for them," And then I would tell him all the reasons I was proud of each of my children.
It took about a month, but it worked! He started coming in and asking how my family was. Maybe I had just begun to look foolish to him and it was a turn off, but my job became much more enjoyable and I never had to get snotty to accomplish it.
I'm not suggesting that this is a perfect formula for dealing with unwanted flirtation. I'm saying that God blesses every effort we make to put his word into practice--even if we make fools of ourselves in the process. (I Corinthians 3:18)
This was probably not the first time I had looked for a scripture to disentangle me from a puzzling situation, but it stood out for me in a way that made it become my go-to strategy. Whatever problem surfaces, I find a scripture and commit to it faithfully (legalistically) and God always comes through--often in the most unexpected ways!
Galatians 5:13
You, brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature....
Watching my teenage grandchildren trying to live according to God's standards in the face of the intense peer pressure of adolesence keeps me on my knees. It is often hard to discern how to appropriately state your convictions without being self-righteous (although there is no avoiding being accused of that). My teen years were simpler and more innocent, but age doesn't obliterate the problem.
I was in my late 30's when I first entered the work world, but there were many ways in which I was very naive. I was receptionist, librarian and bookkeeper in a small company. The man who was our insurance agent came in almost everyday. The relationships in the office were strongly established before I arrived on the scene and I was regarded by most as little more than a piece of furniture.
The insurance man began flirting with me egregiously. At first, I just pleasantly assured him I had no interest in joining into his inappropriate banter, but I expected my bosses to come to my rescue. Instead, they were simply amused. This was before sexual harrassment was a legal issue. I would go home at night feeling guilty that I had been unable to put this man in his place and end his advances. But I couldn't figure out how to balance patience, and respect with conviction. I knew how to put someone in their place, but it was with a harshness I'd tried to repent of.
It was legalism that won the day for me. I was reading through Ehpesians and I came across these verses:
Ehpesians 5:3-4
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place , but rather thanksgiving.
"...but rather thanksgiving." I'd never considered thanksgiving an antidote to crudeness, but I decided--no, I commited legalistically--to try this tactic. So, on every future occasion when the insurance man visited our office and began his suggestive lines, I responded with things like: "Have I ever told you how grateful I am for my husband?" And then I would go into detail about some wonderful qualitiy in Ron. Or I would say, "Let me show you some pictures of my kids. I am so grateful for them," And then I would tell him all the reasons I was proud of each of my children.
It took about a month, but it worked! He started coming in and asking how my family was. Maybe I had just begun to look foolish to him and it was a turn off, but my job became much more enjoyable and I never had to get snotty to accomplish it.
I'm not suggesting that this is a perfect formula for dealing with unwanted flirtation. I'm saying that God blesses every effort we make to put his word into practice--even if we make fools of ourselves in the process. (I Corinthians 3:18)
This was probably not the first time I had looked for a scripture to disentangle me from a puzzling situation, but it stood out for me in a way that made it become my go-to strategy. Whatever problem surfaces, I find a scripture and commit to it faithfully (legalistically) and God always comes through--often in the most unexpected ways!
Sunday, January 6, 2013
NFL
"Of the eight teams in the playoffs, three have rookie quarterbacks--that never happens!" thus saith my 18yr old twin grandsons. These are the tidbits offered me that I can repeat in some appropriate setting and make people think I really know the game. I recycle quotes purposefullly.
I liked football even before I was watching my grandsons and their killer instincts on the highschool gridiron. I liked it when my own son, Greg played. I loved the Seahawks the minute we moved to Seattle mainly because our friend, Mack Strong played for them, but I'd have loved them anyway--regional loyalty, and all. I love that we (the Seahawks) trounced the Washington Redskins today on their own turf.
I knew I was getting old when I watched 6ft 4in, 280 pounders and thought they were cute boys. After all, these days even the pros are younger than any of my children and just barely older than most of my grandchildren. I knew I was a REAL fan when a receiver would fumble the ball and I stopped saying, "Oh, bless his heart!" And I started saying, "You Idiot! My grandmother could have caught that ball!"
Can't wait for the Superbowl!
I liked football even before I was watching my grandsons and their killer instincts on the highschool gridiron. I liked it when my own son, Greg played. I loved the Seahawks the minute we moved to Seattle mainly because our friend, Mack Strong played for them, but I'd have loved them anyway--regional loyalty, and all. I love that we (the Seahawks) trounced the Washington Redskins today on their own turf.
I knew I was getting old when I watched 6ft 4in, 280 pounders and thought they were cute boys. After all, these days even the pros are younger than any of my children and just barely older than most of my grandchildren. I knew I was a REAL fan when a receiver would fumble the ball and I stopped saying, "Oh, bless his heart!" And I started saying, "You Idiot! My grandmother could have caught that ball!"
Can't wait for the Superbowl!
Friday, January 4, 2013
Smile at Me
What would it cost me
to buy your smile?
It wouldn't deplete your supply.
Please be generous;
I'm so in need--
Give upturned lips a try!
And if you included
some crinkly eyes
aglow with affirmation,
each smile from you
would be to me
a cause for celebration.
I'll pay you back--
I promise I will--
with a warm smile in return;
My inventory replenished because
your own smile slakes my yearn.
A happy heart makes the face cheerful....
Proverbs 15:13
to buy your smile?
It wouldn't deplete your supply.
Please be generous;
I'm so in need--
Give upturned lips a try!
And if you included
some crinkly eyes
aglow with affirmation,
each smile from you
would be to me
a cause for celebration.
I'll pay you back--
I promise I will--
with a warm smile in return;
My inventory replenished because
your own smile slakes my yearn.
A happy heart makes the face cheerful....
Proverbs 15:13
Thursday, January 3, 2013
a reflection on friendship
there's a certain time of life
you need a certain kind of friend--
one who speaks your language.
it's not about the words or
nuances, inflections or tone.
it's someone who speaks the dialect
of your heart and your history.
it's imperative that they be fluent
in the traumas of your childhood,
and can hear the needy places in your soul.
for them, your laughter needs no interpretation,
and your tears no explanation.
you need a certain kind of friend--
one who speaks your language.
it's not about the words or
nuances, inflections or tone.
it's someone who speaks the dialect
of your heart and your history.
it's imperative that they be fluent
in the traumas of your childhood,
and can hear the needy places in your soul.
for them, your laughter needs no interpretation,
and your tears no explanation.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Happy New Year
It has occurred to me that God had limiless options in creation. Instead of being born into families, He could have had us break off stalks like brussel sprouts. But then, how would we understand what He is trying to communicate to us by inviting us to call him Father?
Instead of color, He could have made the world all black and white and gray. It might have made the design of eyes a simpler task for Him.
Instead of seasons, He could have made endless summer or winter or spring or fall or some kind of season we cannot even conceive. Instead of day and night, He could have made us need no sleep and have no need for calendars or clocks--just one immeasurable, uninterupted existence until we die. It sounds awful to me. I think there is abundant evidence of the love and compassion of God in His creation.
The marking of time calls me to consider new beginnings. I have a theory: I think everything in God's visible creation is to help us understand the invisible, the unseen spiritual place where God dwells and to which He calls us. I think every new day, every new hour, every new season and year is to help us appreciate newness. How else would we understand the concept of newness?
As much as I love the invigorating posssiblities of a new year, my greater need is for a fresh start spiritually. Every day, every hour, as a Christian, I get a clean slate, a new birth! For some of us it is easy to carry around regrets and guilt and lose touch with a daily renewal. God has worked so hard to help us understand that we are so much more than forgiven--we are brand new in His eyes every minute! Every second is reason to rejoice in personal newness--more real than any newness we experience in this world!
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
II Corinthians 5:16-17
Instead of color, He could have made the world all black and white and gray. It might have made the design of eyes a simpler task for Him.
Instead of seasons, He could have made endless summer or winter or spring or fall or some kind of season we cannot even conceive. Instead of day and night, He could have made us need no sleep and have no need for calendars or clocks--just one immeasurable, uninterupted existence until we die. It sounds awful to me. I think there is abundant evidence of the love and compassion of God in His creation.
The marking of time calls me to consider new beginnings. I have a theory: I think everything in God's visible creation is to help us understand the invisible, the unseen spiritual place where God dwells and to which He calls us. I think every new day, every new hour, every new season and year is to help us appreciate newness. How else would we understand the concept of newness?
As much as I love the invigorating posssiblities of a new year, my greater need is for a fresh start spiritually. Every day, every hour, as a Christian, I get a clean slate, a new birth! For some of us it is easy to carry around regrets and guilt and lose touch with a daily renewal. God has worked so hard to help us understand that we are so much more than forgiven--we are brand new in His eyes every minute! Every second is reason to rejoice in personal newness--more real than any newness we experience in this world!
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
II Corinthians 5:16-17
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