Although the official day of thanksgiving has passed, I cannot let the season slip away without acknowledging with gratitude, what seems to finally be the end of a Job season and the commencement of rest.
If you've followed this blog, then you know that I've made no secret of the challenges and set-backs that have littered my path. The last several years have felt like an ascent up the jagged side of Mount Crazy harnessed only by the caribiner of faith, with God as my scout. On many occassions, I told the Lord that, "I don't understand, but I trust you so, I will keep climbing" and now, we seem to have finally reached our destination. It is exilharating. I have to pause and marvel, once again, at God's provision and protection.
During this season of tribulations, I have been safer swinging from jagged rock under the watchful eye of my Lord and Saviour, than I would have been with both feet planted firmly on level ground without him. And, for that, I am extremely thankful.
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" Romans 8:38-39
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Lest My Readers Think That I've Capsized and Drowned....
I'd better get something published on this blog (assuming that there are still one or two faithful that continue to peek at this view from inside my head.)
I have not, in fact, capsized rather am enjoying a new vantage point of life from outside of the ordinary. My family has been displaced from our house since mid-August when our defective clothes dryer blazed up, incinerating itself, the load of whites that it was supposed to be drying, and causing some nasty smoke damage to the top floor of our house. Thankfully, we were home, awake, and able to remove ourselves without incident. (I have to laugh thinking about how calm everyone in the household was. I suppose that living the last few years with high decibel drama has mellowed us all. My children's chief concern was which of their garments might have been sacrificed in the dryer. And, I was worried about the loud alarms waking our neighbors, as it was rather late in the evening. Apart from that, it was business as usual).
God in his faithfulness is using this situation to demonstrate how he always gives beauty for ashes. When this is all said and done, we will have fresh carpet, walls painted in the colors of our choosing, new appliances, and best of all new mattresses. Everything should be restored and refreshed just in time for the holidays. Once again, we win.
"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" 1 Thessalonians 5:18
I have not, in fact, capsized rather am enjoying a new vantage point of life from outside of the ordinary. My family has been displaced from our house since mid-August when our defective clothes dryer blazed up, incinerating itself, the load of whites that it was supposed to be drying, and causing some nasty smoke damage to the top floor of our house. Thankfully, we were home, awake, and able to remove ourselves without incident. (I have to laugh thinking about how calm everyone in the household was. I suppose that living the last few years with high decibel drama has mellowed us all. My children's chief concern was which of their garments might have been sacrificed in the dryer. And, I was worried about the loud alarms waking our neighbors, as it was rather late in the evening. Apart from that, it was business as usual).
God in his faithfulness is using this situation to demonstrate how he always gives beauty for ashes. When this is all said and done, we will have fresh carpet, walls painted in the colors of our choosing, new appliances, and best of all new mattresses. Everything should be restored and refreshed just in time for the holidays. Once again, we win.
"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Sunday, July 14, 2013
I am Trayvon Martin.
I was sick yesterday when breaking news reported that George Zimmerman had been acquitted and then proceeded to show a clip of his emotionless face as the verdict was read on his behalf. Utterly. Sick.
I am sick that our nation is so broken and so divided by the colors of our skin. I am sickened by the understanding that human life has been so cheapened that defending our "stuff" is more important than preserving another life. I am sickened that our justice system is not at all just. And, I am saddened because regardless of what the jury ruled in this case, one young man is gone and another man was validated in the taking of that life. I am sure that he and the jurors will have to wrestle with that one for the rest of their lives.
I am Trayvon Martin. I have been watched and followed, and assessed based on the color of my skin and the texture of my hair. My husband is Trayvon Martin. He has witnessed women clutching their purses closer as he boarded the bus, clean-shaven and well-dressed headed to high school. My son is Trayvon Martin. Clad in any one of his hoodies while listening to Sho Baraka proclaim the goodness of God on his ipod, the idle passerby would never figure him for the scholar and godly young man that those who actually know him understand him to be. The truth is, regardless of race or gender, we are all Trayvon Martin to eyes not knowing nor understanding instead simply reacting to what they have been socialized to see and believe.
I pray for George Zimmerman that he might come to know the peace of knowing God, and put his trust in Him rather than firearms. I pray for the Martins. May they sense God's arms around them as never before and be bathed in the comfort the he alone can give. And I pray for this nation. Oh how we need a savior. How very much do we need The Saviour
"There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28
I am sick that our nation is so broken and so divided by the colors of our skin. I am sickened by the understanding that human life has been so cheapened that defending our "stuff" is more important than preserving another life. I am sickened that our justice system is not at all just. And, I am saddened because regardless of what the jury ruled in this case, one young man is gone and another man was validated in the taking of that life. I am sure that he and the jurors will have to wrestle with that one for the rest of their lives.
I am Trayvon Martin. I have been watched and followed, and assessed based on the color of my skin and the texture of my hair. My husband is Trayvon Martin. He has witnessed women clutching their purses closer as he boarded the bus, clean-shaven and well-dressed headed to high school. My son is Trayvon Martin. Clad in any one of his hoodies while listening to Sho Baraka proclaim the goodness of God on his ipod, the idle passerby would never figure him for the scholar and godly young man that those who actually know him understand him to be. The truth is, regardless of race or gender, we are all Trayvon Martin to eyes not knowing nor understanding instead simply reacting to what they have been socialized to see and believe.
I pray for George Zimmerman that he might come to know the peace of knowing God, and put his trust in Him rather than firearms. I pray for the Martins. May they sense God's arms around them as never before and be bathed in the comfort the he alone can give. And I pray for this nation. Oh how we need a savior. How very much do we need The Saviour
"There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Ambassador
am·bas·sa·dor (amˈbasədər)
Noun
1: an official envoy; especially : a diplomatic agent of the highest rank accredited to a foreign government or sovereign as the resident representative of his or her own government or sovereign or appointed for a special and often temporary diplomatic assignment.
2: A person who acts as a representative or promoter of a specified activity.
-Lord forgive us for representing you so poorly.
-Lord forgive us for pursuing our own agendas instead of yours.
-Lord forgive us for getting taken in by the love of money.
-Lord give us your eyes, ears, and hearts for a sick and dying world.
"Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us..." 2 Corinthians 5:20
Noun
1: an official envoy; especially : a diplomatic agent of the highest rank accredited to a foreign government or sovereign as the resident representative of his or her own government or sovereign or appointed for a special and often temporary diplomatic assignment.
2: A person who acts as a representative or promoter of a specified activity.
-Lord forgive us for representing you so poorly.
-Lord forgive us for pursuing our own agendas instead of yours.
-Lord forgive us for getting taken in by the love of money.
-Lord give us your eyes, ears, and hearts for a sick and dying world.
"Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us..." 2 Corinthians 5:20
Sunday, May 19, 2013
"I See Dead People"
I have noticed a troubling phenomenon in the church lately that the famous line uttered by Haley Joel Osment in the movie The Sixth Sense* sums up beautifully. "I see dead people." The 21st century church seems to be experiencing a zombie apocalypse. It is filled with folks with lifeless eyes, and eery, waxed on smiles that say the right buzz phrases and appear to be in motion but, are not alive with the spirit of God. They, like zombies, seem suspended between two worlds, neither dead to the things of this world nor fully alive in Christ. The result is folks that are powerless, ineffective in the battle, and just plain old creepy.
2 Corinthians 5:17 declares, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ Jesus, he is a new creation. The old has passed away and behold all things are new." Accepting Christ requires that one lay aside one's old behaviors and perspectives and allow oneself to be created anew. The eighth chapter of Romans describes in detail what life in the spirit consists of, Galatians 2:20 verifies that, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I but Christ liveth in me", and Jesus himself told Nicodemus that, "unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3) All of these passages make it clear that we are not to remain as we were when we came to Christ. We are to be transformed by the relationship. No zombies allowed.
Just for the record, the only zombie that I've ever loved was the delicious cheese zombie served in my high school cafeteria which consisted of the perfect marriage of thick bread and gooey cheddar cheese, made to be dunked in creamy tomato soup which accompanied it.
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? it is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled by men." Matthew 5:13
*(aside: I have never seen the movie, but the quote was just that popular)
2 Corinthians 5:17 declares, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ Jesus, he is a new creation. The old has passed away and behold all things are new." Accepting Christ requires that one lay aside one's old behaviors and perspectives and allow oneself to be created anew. The eighth chapter of Romans describes in detail what life in the spirit consists of, Galatians 2:20 verifies that, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I but Christ liveth in me", and Jesus himself told Nicodemus that, "unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3) All of these passages make it clear that we are not to remain as we were when we came to Christ. We are to be transformed by the relationship. No zombies allowed.
Just for the record, the only zombie that I've ever loved was the delicious cheese zombie served in my high school cafeteria which consisted of the perfect marriage of thick bread and gooey cheddar cheese, made to be dunked in creamy tomato soup which accompanied it.
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? it is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled by men." Matthew 5:13
*(aside: I have never seen the movie, but the quote was just that popular)
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Nothing Surprises Me Much These Days
When I arrived at work on Monday afternoon, a co-worker informed me of the bombings that had taken place in Boston a few hours prior. She and others were huddled around their monitors watching the latest news breaks on the story.
While I am always saddened to hear of another incidence of violence perpetrated against the public, I am not terribly shocked by these occurences, anymore. And, its not because I no longer care or find these things to be reprehensible, its rather that unlike ancient philosophers, I don't believe in the concept of tabula rasa ( the purity of man at birth) nor do I believe that mankind is innately "good". Both of those philosophies fly in the face of the Word of God which plainly states that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Wrong-doing is the default setting of mankind apart from relationship with God.
The other reason that I am not easily shocked by these news stories is that, while incidents such as a bombing or a school shooting gain news coverage, widespread outcry, and the support of citizens nationwide, the disregard and destruction of life is part of the fabric our our daily culture. In courtrooms, boardrooms, and meetings across the country decisions are made on a daily basis (usually because profit is involved) that destroy individual's health and well-being. These stories seldom make the news, but the impact of those explosive decisions is equally devastating for those hit by the shrapnel.
While I am always saddened to hear of another incidence of violence perpetrated against the public, I am not terribly shocked by these occurences, anymore. And, its not because I no longer care or find these things to be reprehensible, its rather that unlike ancient philosophers, I don't believe in the concept of tabula rasa ( the purity of man at birth) nor do I believe that mankind is innately "good". Both of those philosophies fly in the face of the Word of God which plainly states that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Wrong-doing is the default setting of mankind apart from relationship with God.
The other reason that I am not easily shocked by these news stories is that, while incidents such as a bombing or a school shooting gain news coverage, widespread outcry, and the support of citizens nationwide, the disregard and destruction of life is part of the fabric our our daily culture. In courtrooms, boardrooms, and meetings across the country decisions are made on a daily basis (usually because profit is involved) that destroy individual's health and well-being. These stories seldom make the news, but the impact of those explosive decisions is equally devastating for those hit by the shrapnel.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
This IS What I Signed Up For
I signed up to take up my cross and follow Christ into a painful death of self.
I signed up to stand through trials and hardships, overcoming by the blood of The Lamb.
I signed up for more of God and less of me- to plumb the depths of who He is and to be transformed by the renewing of my mind.
I signed up to be salt and light; to share the truth of Christ with those in darkness.
I signed up to know God and the fellowship of his suffering.
Why?
"For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come." Hebrews 13:14
"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things that are seen, but at things which are not seen: for the things that are seen are temporal; but the things that aren't seen are eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:17-18
This is not a cruise. It's a voyage to a destination. I am not here to sight-see, to be entertained, or to gorge myself with decadent buffet food amidst luxury accommodations. Rather, I am bracing my dinghy against the wind, bailing out the water, when needed, with great anticipation for what lies at the end of the journey. That's what I signed up for and that's what keeps me rowing when my arms get tired.
I signed up to stand through trials and hardships, overcoming by the blood of The Lamb.
I signed up for more of God and less of me- to plumb the depths of who He is and to be transformed by the renewing of my mind.
I signed up to be salt and light; to share the truth of Christ with those in darkness.
I signed up to know God and the fellowship of his suffering.
Why?
"For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come." Hebrews 13:14
"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things that are seen, but at things which are not seen: for the things that are seen are temporal; but the things that aren't seen are eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:17-18
This is not a cruise. It's a voyage to a destination. I am not here to sight-see, to be entertained, or to gorge myself with decadent buffet food amidst luxury accommodations. Rather, I am bracing my dinghy against the wind, bailing out the water, when needed, with great anticipation for what lies at the end of the journey. That's what I signed up for and that's what keeps me rowing when my arms get tired.
Friday, February 8, 2013
Life at Sea
My life over the last few years has included an interesting chain of events that I could never have imagined. These years have been saturated with job loss, sickness, death, and financial distress. I have attended an unprecedented number of funerals, visited and prayed for countless loved ones with critical health situations, and am currently experiencing some wonky issues in my own body. Being one for neatness and order, I am astounded by the realization that despite the unceasing turbulence of late, I am more content than I have ever been. God's peace has constantly sustained me and I have discovered life at sea--
Away for terra firma, in the unfamiliar, with the uncertainty of the stormy sea dashing at will against my little boat, I have found that even there my saviour's love extends to me. I am at peace, resting in Him who has never failed me and continues to meet my every need.
" Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written:
“For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:35-39
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Sabbath
It is January and I am having a sabbath. I am resting amidst the hustle. I am delighting in quiet moments. I am devouring beautiful frosted mornings and still quiet nights. And I am giddy from the pleasure of doing so. I don't feel like rushing. I am savoring this season too much.
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