Saturday, October 31, 2009

Falling Back



Tomorrow may just be my favorite day of the year—Fall Back Day. In fact, when I woke up yesterday my first thought was, “Is it possible to take my “fall back hour” two days early?”

Our lives are so jam-packed, crammed full, insanely busy…what could be better than an extra hour in our days? One minute we think we’re in control and the next everything feels like it’s spinning out of control. What’s wrong with this picture? Surely this isn’t what Jesus intended by a more abundant life?? So I’ll gladly take that extra hour (or 60 minutes, or even 3,600 seconds, however you choose to look at it) and I’ll spend it a hundred different ways in my mind…then I’ll sleep in an extra hour tomorrow morning.

I think time is fascinating because our time in this world is limited. We don’t know how long we have, and we don’t have the same number of days. In his book, Becoming Real , Steven James writes, "As far as we know, we’re all the same age. Not that all of us are the same distance from birth, but we are the same distance from death." The time we’re given is absolute, with a beginning and ending and a middle that, for the most part, is ours to make the best of.

A friend recently asked me this question: “If you could go back in time to when you were 18 and give yourself one piece of advice, what would that advice be?” Assuming I’d actually take my own advice (a big assumption when you’re 18 and know everything), I’d tell myself to let God use everything in my life for good, and I do mean everything.

I’ll turn 50 next year, and looking back now I can see that my life so far has been one long string of teachable moments. Some of those have resulted in valuable lessons I’ll draw on for the rest of my time here. Others, unfortunately, were painful to no avail, their usefulness lost on me, and thus lost for God’s purposes.

The truth is that I wouldn’t go back to being 18 for anything. And I wouldn’t change my life, even if I could. The road's not always easy, and occasionally it’s just plain hard. Sometimes that’s just life, while other times it’s a consequence of my hard-headedness.

But God is faithful, and I’ve learned that He can use my everything for His glory, if I’ll only let Him. So my goal now is to give it all to Him – good and bad alike. After all, he gave it all for me, and how sad it is when we let our suffering all be for naught. That’s a victory I’m not willing to hand over to the enemy.

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)

When I woke up yearning for that extra hour yesterday, Steven Curtis Chapman’s new song, Heaven Is the Face , was playing on the radio. I lay in my bed, overwhelmed by all this man and his family have been through and how he is letting God use their pain to further His kingdom. Here’s a description of the new album, Beauty Will Rise (available 11.33.09), taken from www.stevencurtischapman.com:

“Created in the past 10 months in the walk through the darkness of the loss of his daughter Maria, and while God continues to meet him there on the journey…part lament, part praise, part grief, part hope, part wrestling, part pondering…these tracks resonate as Steven’s personal psalms.”

Don’t misunderstand me; I’m not looking to be a martyr. But I do want to live my life as a book of personal psalms, singing about the journey from the mountains to the valleys, and everywhere in between.

“Heaven is our home. Let’s live like it.” ~ Steven James


Saturday, September 5, 2009

Overflow



Here I bring my stains and crowns
Gentle river wash me now
Your love is deeper than I know
Your ways higher than I can go

Lead me in Your holiness
I will follow, I confess
Glory is the song I sing
Your life is living me

And where would I be
Without You, without You?
Where would I be
Without You?

I will bow before the cross
Cherish my Redeemer's cost
There is nothing I can do
But only stand amazed by You

Mercy new with every day
Wrapped up in Your arms of grace
Nothing more, You're all I need
Your life is living me

Like a waterfall
You fill my heart and overflow
Like a candle flame
You light my way
And lead me as I go

Spirit overflow
Let me overflow

Chris Tomlin





Photos of Cascades Recreation Area in the Jefferson National Forest, Pembroke, Virginia by Hannah Link

Friday, August 28, 2009

Open up the Sunroof



Yesterday I helped Hannah move back into her dorm, and it was a bittersweet day for me. On the one hand, I missed her before I even drove off campus. I enjoyed her company at home this summer, and I can say with a glad heart that she’s my friend, as well as my daughter. The house seems very quiet and still tonight.

But on the other hand, when I told her goodbye I knew I wouldn’t want it any other way. During the drive back to Abingdon I was thinking how much easier it was to leave her there this year, knowing she’s going to be just fine. I was pretty sure she’d be okay last year…but you’re never 100 percent sure, you know?

As I was heading south into the sunset on I-81, tired but thankful for the day, I opened my sunroof to get some fresh air. While I cruised along, deep in thought, I would occasionally smell something that would pull me into the moment. That’s just part of the fun of having a sunroof. Sometimes you get a wonderful fragrance, like freshly cut hay or wild honeysuckle. Other times it’s not so pleasant, like when a trucker burns up his brakes on a steep incline, or when I pass that chicken farm between Staunton and Harrisonburg on my way to visit Mom.

Either way, when the weather’s fine and you slide the sunroof open you experience the trip on an elevated sensory level. You become part of your surroundings, rather than just passing through them. And last night it occurred to me that living is like that, too. It’s easy to isolate myself and watch life pass through the windows. I may get to where I’m going, but I’ll miss so much along the way…

If I make the effort to be open to life though, I can experience everything God has for me, and never wonder what I might have missed. He may even prompt me to take a few detours I never would have been brave enough to explore on my own. And even if it rains in my sunroof, like it did the other night while we were celebrating Hannah’s birthday in Carrabba’s, I’ll count it as part of the journey. God is good, all the time.

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. ~ 2 Corinthians 2:14 (NIV)

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Super Sense

A good friend with a fun sense of curiosity recently asked me this question: If I could have any one super power, what would I choose? (And yes, this was the same friend who asked me what my "warning label" would say.) He picked flight and I hate to be unoriginal, but that would be pretty cool. I mean, who wouldn't want to be able to fly, other than people afraid of heights, and maybe my mother?

Ultimately I dodged the question with a vague mention of Space Ghost Coast to Coast, who had really neat wrist bands that could shoot out all sorts of "rays," the most memorable to me being an "odor ray." (Yeah, this is how people with three wishes end up wasting them all in fairy tales...) But then I found this illustration, and I wondered if common sense might not be a more valuable super power:


"Let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance - for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline."

Proverbs 1:5-7 (NIV)



Call it common sense or wisdom - it was precious enough for Solomon to ask for, and that makes it priceless to me.

Friday, May 22, 2009

WARNING(S)


www.weblogs.baltimoresun.com

Ever wonder what it would be like if people came with warning labels?

Yesterday a friend asked me what my warning label would be, if I came with one. I know his intent was to provoke a short, pithy answer, but the question really got me thinking. (Hint: Don't ask a writer for anything unless you're prepared to read their entire answer.)

Would interactions between people be easier if we came with warning labels, or would those warnings reduce our relationships to polite but distant exchanges? Would we ever think it would be worth the time and effort to really get to know someone, or would we write them off based on their warnings? For that matter, do we already write people off based on labels?? (Hint: You shouldn't have to think on that question too long.)

When I tried to write my own warning label I couldn't help thinking of several other people I could write labels for much more easily. And while I'm sure my friends and family could add several more warnings to my label, I'm just thankful God already knows all of the warnings, including the ones I can't see for the "plank in my own eye." The even better news is, He's still working on me.

So, without further ado, here's my warning label:

WARNING(S): While generally proven reliable in tests, there have been reports of starting difficulties, particularly during early morning hours and in cold weather. If unit will not start, prime engine with 1-2 cups of coffee and wait one hour. There have also been reports of problems shutting unit off at night. This technical difficulty is easily remedied with a glass of milk and any book. To accelerate shutdown, place in bed and cover with a goose down comforter.

Due to age, unit is prone to overheating. When this happens, simply turn a fan on high or set the AC on low until temperature regulates.

This particular model may occasionally become discouraged, anxious, worried, or just plain weary. To remedy these situations, whisper truth directly into the heart (Isaiah 40:28-31, Proverbs 3:6, or Philippians 4:6-7, depending on its condition) and let unit rest as long as necessary. In case of hurt feelings, it may be helpful to remind her that she is, “God’s baby girl,” and treat her like the princess she is.

Finally, in rare situations unit may act impulsively, sometimes changing direction entirely. If this happens, simply hold on tightly and wait for emotions to subside. Unit should self-correct in due time.

NOTE: This model includes the following modules: Cooking, Wine Tasting, Love of the Arts (Books/Music/Movies/Plays), Creative Writing, Sense of Humor, Loyalty, Encouragement, and Ability to Drive a Straight Shift. This model is NOT equipped with the following optional modules: Diva Personality, Camping, Skiing (water or snow), Crafting, Money Saving, Gardening, Puzzle Solving, or Enjoyment of Sushi.

Photo #2: www.thewritersworkshop.com

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Farmer's Market Finds



Tulips, fresh spinach, and edible flowers (Redbud blossoms and Johnny Jump-Ups)...also chicken cacciatore and a bialy - yum!


Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.
~ Song of Solomon 2:12 (NIV)

Lean Into It



I had a big agenda for yesterday…a long to-do list that started with me delivering breakfasts from our church to nine families around town. It normally takes less than an hour to deliver my usual route, so when I pulled into the church parking lot I was already thinking about what great things I might find at the Farmer’s Market later.

Pleasant View UMC has about 100 people on 8 or 9 delivery routes that we cook breakfast for every Saturday, and to my knowledge we’ve only missed one Saturday (due to an ice storm) in almost 10 years. Different people cook and deliver each weekend, so occasionally wires get crossed and a driver will have to deliver two routes. Such was my fate yesterday.

After making several calls and not finding anyone who could come and deliver the orphaned route, I grudgingly said I would do it in addition to the one I was already delivering. I think my exact words to God and my friend Sue were, “I’ll do it, but not with a joyful heart!” Not exactly a picture of Christian action and humble service, but hey, I had things to do, you know? I had a plan.

Well, it turned out God had a different plan. Typically when we deliver meals, the exchange is pleasant and fairly commonplace. “Good morning…I've got your breakfast. So, how’re you doing today? Great? Glad to hear it! Let me know if we can do anything for you, and we’ll see you next week.”

The conversation, which I believe is often more important than the meal itself, isn’t always that superficial. After you deliver to the same people for awhile you get to know their stories…their needs…what kind of place they’re at in their lives. A lot of them are poor, lonely, elderly, or all of the above, and you grow to love them.

All the same, you don’t delve deeply every Saturday, and sometimes people don’t even open their doors. So it was an anomaly when, on my very first stop, I was able to share with Mary's daughter that if she would call the church office Monday, I felt sure our Helping Hands Ministry could help take care of the birds in the eaves of their house. The daughter was relieved to have a solution that might keep her 80-year-old mother off of the ladder. I got a big bear hug and a blessing, and my heart was immediately softened and changed about my purpose.

A few streets over, I was surprised to find myself in a lengthier than normal conversation with Jerry, whose daughter and son-in-law are moving into the area and don’t have health insurance. I was glad to share information with him about our new facility that just opened this week – The Wesley Clinic – created specifically to serve the uninsured on Fridays from 9-4 p.m.

When I arrived at Della’s house, a crew was mowing her lawn. She mentioned that she was glad to have them there, but she would have to go out later and sweep the grass off of her sidewalk. That might not sound like a big deal to you, but Della has a condition that keeps her physically off balance all of the time, and so sweeping is a big deal to her. I’m ashamed to say I tried to leave, and ultimately had to turn around on my way to the car, go back and ask for her broom, and sweep the sidewalk for her.

The highlight of my morning came when I stopped at Marie's house. We'd never actually met; I'd only put her meal on top of the freezer in her enclosed porch, per instructions. So when I opened the door and she was waiting for me, it took me aback a little. But her daughter and three grandchildren lost everything they owned in a tornado in Florida this week; two of their neighbors were killed. Marie knows they have everything because they have each other, but she still wanted prayer for her daughter, and after I prayed with her (is there anything so humbling?) she told me her life story, filled with pain and abuse and sorrow that ultimately resulted in a testimony that absolutely blew me away.

Early on in my deliveries yesterday I heard God tell me very clearly, “Lean into this.” ...In other words, don't just go through the motions. And to think that my plan would have had me fly through my deliveries yesterday and not truly offer Jesus to anyone.

So don't just skim the surface with people. Take the time to ask the hard questions, and really listen to the answers. Sometimes you’ll have a solution, and sometimes you won’t. But if you’re where He wants you and you’re open to His leading, He’ll do the rest.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” ~ Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV)

Mowing photo from www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/.../outdoors/mowing.jpg

Thursday, April 16, 2009

The Promise



God, who began a good work in you, will be faithful to complete it. (Philippians 1:6)

Friday, April 10, 2009

Out of Focus

Somewhere between one Easter and the next, the cross tends to grow a little fuzzy to me. It’s not that my faith wanes, or Jesus’ sacrifice for me is diminished in any way. But we dash on to Pentecost, then through the Christian calendar to Advent and Christmas and before we know it, it’s Lent and we’re rounding the corner to Easter on two wheels again.

So tonight, as I knelt at the altar during our Good Friday service, I saw the cross move into focus like a slide projected on a screen in my mind. And I prayed the prayer author Anne Lamott freed me to pray every time I’m on my knees: “Thank You, thank You, thank You!” I want so badly to love Him more, to serve Him with abandon, and to let Him fill up the empty places in my heart that I’m so busy trying to fill with other things.

Besides a crystal clear image of the cross in my mind’s eye, I also left church tonight with a question that lingered from the shadow play our Youth presented. (And as an aside, they never cease to amaze me. What a tremendous loss for people who don’t see how genuine our kids are and how deep their faith runs.) The question on my heart tonight, taken from one of the Stations of the Cross, is this:

When have I carelessly nailed someone else to the cross?

Idle gossip that spreads like a wildfire...a reply that barely holds back anger...a judgmental heart that doesn’t see the big picture... It’s so easy to fall into the trap, and the worst part is that we don’t even usually realize we’ve done it. But there’s no justification. There’s only Christ on the cross, his heart grieved by our callous treatment of each other.

I want to drop my mallet and nails at the foot of His cross, and let His mercy wash over me like sweet spring rain. And I’m so very thankful that His cross makes that possible. As my friend Beth reminded me, “It’s Friday...but Sunday’s coming!”

For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from Him. ~ Psalm 62:1 (NRSV)

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Ordinary Donkeys



From Pastor Jim's Palm Sunday message...

Palm Monday

The donkey awakened, his mind still savoring the afterglow of the most exciting day of his life. Never before had he felt such a rush of pleasure and pride. He walked into town and found a group of people by the well. "I'll show myself to them," he thought.

But they didn't notice him. They went on drawing their water and paid him no mind.

"Throw your garments down," he said crossly. "Don't you know who I am?" They just looked at him in amazement. Someone slapped him across the tail and ordered him to move. "Miserable heathens!" he muttered to himself. "I'll just go to the market where the good people are. They will remember me."

But the same thing happened. No one paid any attention to the donkey as he strutted down the main street in front of the marketplace.

"The palm branches! Where are the palm branches?" he shouted. "Yesterday, you threw palm branches!"

Hurt and confused, the donkey returned home to his mother. Foolish child," she said gently, "Don't you realize that without Him you are just an ordinary donkey?"

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. ~ Isaiah 64:6 (NIV)


Palm Monday taken from Daily Wisdom, edited from Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks by Wayne Rice. Copyright 1994 by Youth Specialties, Inc.

Photo of Danny and Brandy, two ordinary donkeys, by my friend Johnna Hernandez.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Saints & Shamrocks


When I was about 14 I decided I had to have a St. Christopher medal. I didn’t just want one; I desperately needed one. Nevermind that our family wasn’t Catholic and I didn’t have a clue who St. Christopher was. It was absolutely imperative that I have a medal memorializing him.

My parents, infinitely wise when it came to knowing the difference between wanting something and needing it, just ignored me. But my Granna and Grandaddy, on the other hand, believed it was their duty as good grandparents to give me whatever would make me happy (and possibly get me to pipe down) at the moment.

And so it came to be that I wore the likeness of St. Christopher on a chain around my neck the rest of that summer. It turned out he was the Patron Saint of travelers, which was ironic, considering I didn’t even have my license yet.

I’m not sure why I had to have that medal. C.A., my closest friend growing up, was Catholic and when I slept over we would occasionally go to Saturday night Mass just so we could go out later and sleep in on Sunday. That alone made Catholicism way cooler in my book than Methodism, but I really think I wore that St. Christopher medal more as a fashion statement, much (and I really hate to say this) like some Christians wear the cross.

I know this is true about Christians and the cross because once, while browsing in the Cokesbury bookstore at Lake Junaluska, I overheard a mother and daughter shopping for a cross on a chain. I’ll never forget this mother asking her daughter if she wanted a plain cross, or “one with the little man on it.”

The older and hopefully wiser I get, the more that story breaks my heart. I wear a cross most days, and it’s meaning is deeply personal to me. It’s a reminder of whose I am and who He calls me to be in the world every single day.

I have no idea what happened to my St. Christopher medal. It’s probably in the bottom of a dusty box somewhere in my mother’s house, but today’s not his day anyway. It’s St. Patrick’s day. Just in case you know as little about St. Patrick as I did about St. Christopher, here’s his story from Catholic Online, Saints & Angels:

St. Patrick of Ireland is one of the world's most popular saints. Apostle of Ireland, (he was) born at Kilpatrick, near Dumbarton, in Scotland, in the year 387; (he) died at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland, 17 March, 461. Along with St. Nicholas and St. Valentine, the secular world shares our love of these saints. This is also a day when everyone's Irish.

There are many legends and stories of St. Patrick, but this is his story. Patrick was born around 385 in Scotland, probably Kilpatrick. His parents were Calpurnius and Conchessa, who were Romans living in Britian in charge of the colonies.

As a boy of fourteen or so, he was captured during a raiding party and taken to Ireland as a slave to herd and tend sheep. Ireland at this time was a land of Druids and pagans. He learned the language and practices of the people who held him.

During his captivity, he turned to God in prayer. He wrote, "The love of God and his fear grew in me more and more, as did the faith, and my soul was rosed, so that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers and in the night, nearly the same." "I prayed in the woods and on the mountain, even before dawn. I felt no hurt from the snow or ice or rain."

Patrick's captivity lasted until he was twenty, when he escaped after having a dream from God in which he was told to leave Ireland by going to the coast. There he found some sailors who took him back to Britian, where he reunited with his family.
He had another dream in which the people of Ireland were calling out to him "We beg you, holy youth, to come and walk among us once more."

He began his studies for the priesthood. He was ordained by St. Germanus, the Bishop of Auxerre, whom he had studied under for years.

Later, Patrick was ordained a bishop, and was sent to take the Gospel to Ireland. He arrived in Ireland March 25, 433, at Slane. One legend says that he met a chieftain of one of the tribes, who tried to kill Patrick. Patrick converted Dichu (the chieftain) after he was unable to move his arm until he became friendly to Patrick.

Patrick began preaching the Gospel throughout Ireland, converting many. He and his disciples preached and converted thousands and began building churches all over the country. Kings, their families, and entire kingdoms converted to Christianity when hearing Patrick's message.

Patrick by now had many disciples, among them Beningnus, Auxilius, Iserninus, and Fiaac, (all later canonized as well).

Patrick preached and converted all of Ireland for 40 years. He worked many miracles and wrote of his love for God in Confessions. After years of living in poverty, traveling and enduring much suffering he died March 17, 461. He died at Saul, where he had built the first church.


Patrick was a humble, pious, gentle man, whose love and total devotion to and trust in God should be a shining example to each of us. He feared nothing, not even death, so complete was his trust in God, and of the importance of his mission.


Why a shamrock? Patrick used the shamrock to explain the Trinity, and has been associated with him and the Irish since that time.

So celebrate the good work of St. Patrick today. And remember: Green clothing? Good. Green beer? Bad.

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Let the March Madness Begin!



Congratulations to the Radford University Highlanders basketball boys, a.k.a the Big South Conference Champions! They beat VMI 108 - 94 this afternoon to not only win the title, but also a ticket to the NCAA tournament. Working their way up from 7th to 1st by the end of the season, they're moving on to March Madness for the first time in 11 years, and only the second time ever.

So well done to the Highlanders, from an old alumni. And Hannah and her friend Kaitlyn say, "WHAT WHAT!"

Radford bold and free, on to victory.
Hail our quest to be the best,
Tartan pride for all to see.
GO RADFORD!
Wave flags and sound the horns.
Hold the colors high.
Cheer our team on to victory,
That’s the spirit of ole RU!

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Spring Cleaning


www.thomasmichaelcorcoran.com

I grew up in the Methodist church but never observed the Lenten season until I was an adult. I'm not sure why that was, but I've since grown to appreciate Lent as my personal invitation to draw close to God again, and invite Him into the parts of my life that have become dusty, cluttered, or downright dysfunctional over time. The miracle of Easter is so much more real when I allow God to do some extra work on me during the six weeks prior to Resurrection Sunday.

So I went to our Ash Wednesday service this week and once again began my personal pilgrimage to Easter. I liked that Pastor Jim compared the cross he imposed on our foreheads to a “paid in full” stamp. But it also struck me that the cross is the great equalizer—a symbol of the debt of gratitude we all owe but can't come close to repaying. It may be the greatest irony of all, that the cross means I have a zero balance and, at the same time, that I owe Jesus my life. I call it the consequence of grace.

Sometimes I give something up for Lent; other times I don’t. Occasionally it seems more appropriate to take something up for Him, rather than lay something down. One definition I found for the word Lenten was, "suggesting Lent, as in austerity, frugality, or rigorousness; meager." While I understand the concept of sacrifice, it has to have a purpose. There's no point in putting something aside for six weeks just to pick it back up after Easter and go on as if nothing is different. The first Easter changed everything, and every Easter we celebrate should change us.

For me, the point of Lent is to make room for more of what He wants to give me. It's all about less of me and more of Him...a spring cleaning of the heart if you will. And the riches of His blessings promise to make this season of life anything but austere and meager.

"He must become greater; I must become less." ~ John 3:30 (NIV)

Sunday, February 15, 2009

25 Random (Beautiful) Things



Do you have a Facebook page? A lot of people have been telling me I “need” one. And I’ve considered creating one, if only to check up on my kids. But ultimately I tell my well-intentioned friends that I have a daily electronic prayer ministry to 600 people in the body of Christ, this blog, and at least 6 personal and work email addresses, not to mention my day job as a copywriter. So no, I don’t think I do need a Facebook page right now.

One of the Facebook features that the media has been fascinated with recently is, “25 Random Things About Me.” For more about the random things flash-phenomenon, check out this NY Times article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/05/fashion/05things.html.


I can’t imagine coming up with 25 even semi-interesting things about myself that anyone else would want to read, but something that caught my eye in my dear friend and co-worker Nicki’s office space got me thinking…

Her husband has a calendar that’s 180ยบ opposite of the “Life Is Good” merchandise. It’s called, “Life Is Crap,” and he sent her this particular page one day, presumably because he knows how much she loves chocolate (don’t we all?).


Anyway, it got me thinking, and I recalled this “Found” item. Some days are more beautiful than others, but I believe the beauty in life outweighs the ugly, and so I offer you, "25 Random (Beautiful) Things About My Life":


1. A living, loving savior who gave it all for me.

2. Two healthy kids in college, both of whom I’d choose to be friends with even if I wasn’t their Mom.

3. Music that has the power to lift my spirits and move my soul.

4. Friends who are always there for me.

5. A church that has been my family away from home for 20+ years.

6. My Keurig coffee "brewing station." (I confess, I'm a coffee snob.)

7. Overall good health that trumps the occasional aches and pains of someone my age.

8. My age.

9. People who read my blog.

10. The amazing ways God works everything out for our good and His glory.

11. The living word of God, “Sharper than any two edged sword,” that comes to my mind and heart at the exact moments when I need it the most.

12. The prayers of others.

13. My little Jetta that has made it up the driveway with flying colors (flying being the operative word) every snowy day thus far this winter, with the added bonus of heated seats. Yes!

14. Parents who raised me right.

15 Days when my gym workout actually feels good.

16. Movies (and Netflix).

17. A clear view of the moon and stars through the rustling trees from my back deck.

18. Birdsong on a warm February morning (and peepers on a cool March night).

19. A job where they pay me to write.

20. Co-workers who inspire my admiration (and my writing).

21. A stack of books waiting to be read.

22. Freedom in Christ and in the USA.

23. A hot shower in the morning.

24. The joy of giving to others.

25. The privilege of reflecting the love of Jesus to the people I encounter every day.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." ~ Ephesians 1:3 (NIV)

Photo #1 thanks to Hannah Link

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Two Tales of Love & Laughter



One night while Hannah was home on break for the holidays, I casually asked what her favorite Bible verse was. Even though she’s involved with Campus Crusade for Christ and in a weekly Bible study I didn’t really expect her to have a favorite scripture, much less be able to quote chapter and verse.

She promptly came back with, "Job 8:21: ‘He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.’'"

I confess my first thoughts were, “Wow, she has one…but who picks anything from Job as their favorite verse?” I mean, come on…Job is the ultimate hard luck story that we all try to relate to when things aren’t going so hot in our own lives and we’re feeling really pathetic.

But then I thought, “Wow, how absolutely perfect.” That my daughter (the one laughing on the right) would glean this scripture and make it her own brought hope to my heart and tears to my eyes. What a girl.

I experienced another unique interpretation of a classic Old Testament story this weekend at Barter Theatre. (Spoiler alert: Yes, this is a short review.) Playing on the Main Stage now through April 18th, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor® Dreamcoat is sort of like the Bible on acid. After all, Tim Rice & Andrew Lloyd Webber are the same guys who gave us Jesus Christ Superstar. Here’s the “official” synopsis from the Barter’s website:

"A colorful, musical retelling of the Biblical story about dreamboat Joseph, his uncanny abilities and his designer coat, this family classic sings out to young and old alike with a fun score of wall-to-wall hit songs."


www.bartertheatre.com


If you’re a traditionalist when it comes to Biblical interpretation, you probably won’t be into this show so much. But if you’re open to creative costuming and music, and fantastic acting of course, by all means don’t miss this one. I absolutely loved it; what a great way to start Barter Theatre’s 2009 season!

In his Director’s Notes, Richard Rose explores the themes of dreams, family, and reconciliation in the play, and when you break it down, isn’t that much of what Jesus wants to be about in our lives today? We dream of being good enough to be accepted and, if we’re very lucky, maybe even loved unconditionally. The bad news is that there’s no way we could ever come close to being good enough and unconditional love has nothing to do with luck.

But the good news is, through Jesus we’re reconciled to God, all is forgiven and His love never ends. Welcome to the family! I say that’s way more than enough to “fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.”

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Some Serious Pruning



Isn’t it funny how a 55ยบ day in early May or mid-October can send us to the sofa with a blanket and a good book, but the same conditions in February are cause to celebrate outside? And if there’s a winter storm on the horizon, it’s all the more reason to get out of the house and enjoy a healthy dose of fresh air and sunshine. After all, who knows how long it will be before we get another nice day?

I’ve been waiting on a reasonably warm weekend to pick up sticks. I live in the woods (or, as Ben once announced in kindergarten, “I live in a big old forest!”), so when I say sticks, I mean twigs, branches, limbs, and what feels like the occasional log scattered around our property. They’re the victims of winter’s war, brutally slain by wind, ice, and wet, heavy snow. My yard is a battlefield, and someone has to clean it up.

So today I slipped on a light jacket and my gardening gloves, plugged into my iPod and set to work. For awhile I’m working with the music, getting into the rhythm of bending over, scooping up as many twigs and branches as I can carry, trekking up to the woods’ edge, and slinging them on top of the existing brush pyramid.

About 20 minutes into my work, this thought appears unbidden: God has been doing some serious pruning here. I start to dwell on that idea for awhile and the correlation to His work in our lives is hard to miss.

We’re promised in the Bible that there will be pruning. Just as He prunes the forest, He will prune His children:

He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. ~ John 15:2

Although His purpose is to produce an abundance of fruit in our lives, the pruning process itself is never pleasant. It often happens in the dead of winter, the seasons of our lives that are bitter cold and gray, devoid of color and growth. We hunker down and hope to make it to spring, but sometimes we can’t even see as far as then next warm day, much less to a whole new season of life.

But here’s the most amazing thing about winter… Even when we can’t see signs of life and the ground beneath our feet feels as though it’s frozen solid, God’s at work in us, His Holy Spirit coaxing new growth to the surface in our lives. His creation is stirring below my seemingly dead, limb-strewn lawn, and there is no doubt that this season of winter will end and spring will come. All of creation will glorify the Creator, and fruit blossoms will one day begin to appear.

In the meantime, I take a break from my now tedious chore and poke around under the leaves, looking for signs of growth where I know bulbs are buried in my yard. Sure enough, I find a tiny hyacinth sprout and I can almost smell the sweet fragrance it will share in April. I cover it back up (remembering this week’s winter storm warning), and keep searching until I find four hearty iris shoots. My heart is encouraged and winter storm or not, I know spring is on the way. As my dear friend Debbie often reminds me, “God is faithful.”



Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Update From the Road



Readers rarely leave comments on my blog, so I was surprised to get one recently about an entry from last August. It was an update concerning my friend Steve, who travels around on his bicycle with a few belongings and a big passion for Jesus. Jenny B. wrote:

hello. i met steve this evening and thought you might like to hear that he is just fine. he is staying in a work trailer (someone has set up), in a church parking lot in dalton, ga. he is still telling everyone he meets about Jesus. what a wonderful witness he is…he (very humbly) showed me a copy of your blog with his pictures.

I’m glad to know Steve is ok, especially since the very day I received this update was colder in Abingdon, Virginia than in Nome, Alaska, according to the local paper. He’s crossed my mind several times, and I’ve wondered how he was making it through the winter. So I’m grateful to Jenny B. for leaving her comment and thankful that our God is so gracious to allow our virtual paths to intersect at another signpost in Steve’s story.

But I also find joy and inspiration in Steve’s continuing witness to the people he meets...not only the people who hear about Jesus for the first time through him, but also the ones like me, who are challenged in their faith through his example. When I think of Steve, I’m reminded of these basic truths:

This life is about people, not things.
This world is not our home.
This hope that we have in Jesus is for life today and life eternal.


Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. ~ Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

Keep the faith, Steve.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Our Call to Prayer



George and Laura Bush welcomed Mr. Obama and his wife, Michelle, to The White House before the ceremony. Photo: Andrew Councill for The New York Times


Inauguration Day, 2009. No matter who you voted for (or didn’t vote for), the day of a new administration has come. Former President Bush and Laura (how classy is she?) are back at home in Texas, and President Obama and his family are settling into Washington. It was an historic, emotional day, filled with symbolism and pride in the democratic process.

I couldn’t help wondering what everyone was thinking, from Sasha and Malia to George Sr. to Aretha Franklin (did you see that hat?). But at the end of the day, after the ceremonies, parades, and balls, it all comes down to this: Politics aside we are called to support our new President as we did President Bush—with fervent prayer, not only today, but every day for the next four years. As I heard Bishop T.D. Jakes say in an interview, "When he does well, we all do well."


Pastor Rick Warren gave the invocation as President-elect Barack Obama and President George W. Bush bowed their heads during the 56th Presidential Inauguration ceremony for Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. Photo: Pool photo by Pat Benic


I imagine President Bush is feeling “lighter” tonight, and I imagine there will be a point very soon when the weight of the Presidency will settle on President Obama’s shoulders like a ton of bricks (if it hasn't already). He can’t shoulder that responsibility alone. No man could. So let’s purpose to lift him up, that God’s will be done in him and through him.

...if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. ~ 2 Chronicles 7:14-15 (NIV)



Sasha approved of her father's performance. Photo: Susan Walsh/Associated Press

All photos from nytimes.com

Monday, January 19, 2009

Casting Our Nets



It didn’t work. Writing about the word cast didn’t release me from thinking about it. If anything, it’s been on my mind even more than it was before my previous post. So here are a few more thoughts about casting…

The Old Testament was all about casting. Casting idols, casting pieces for the temple, and even casting spells are commonplace in the first few books of the Bible. But those examples don’t fit the definition I wrote about in my last post—throwing forcefully and with purpose.

This instance of casting does work:

As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men. ~ Mark 1:16-17 (NIV)

A friend of mine tried her hand at casting a net while on vacation at the beach one summer, and she told me it was hard...

“Trust me. It only looks easy,” she said. “First you have to loop it around your wrist and arrange it just so, or you’ll end up tangled up in it yourself. Then you have to take aim with your feet a certain distance apart and turn your arm at the exact moment you’re flinging the net into the water.”

Not that I didn’t believe her, but I did a little internet research on my own and found this handy 9-step guide to throwing a cast net, should you ever need it. Personally, I’m pretty sure I’d starve to death before I ever caught any fish using this method.

My point is this: When Jesus called Simon and Andrew from their ordinary lives as fishermen to join him on the extraordinary adventure of a lifetime, I think he expected them cast their nets for souls with as much fervor and enthusiasm. And even if our technique isn’t perfect, we should be fishing with the same sense of urgency.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Let 'Em Fly

Anyone who knows me well knows that this time each year the demands of my job pretty much eclipse the rest of my life. Any semblance of a social life, regular (or even irregular) workouts, clean bathrooms, and yes, blog posts all fall by the wayside as “the little marketing department that could” works long hours to meet our biggest print deadline of the year.

But I have a few minutes to spare now, and it seems only thoughtful to let my friends and regular readers know I’m still alive, if not kickin’. Plus, I’ve had a word rolling around in my head for two days now and I think I have to share it to get any peace. So here it is: cast.

Driving home last night I was listening to WCQR and caught the end of a live concert, part of Sparrow Records’ “New Faces, New Music” tour. I enjoyed the few songs I heard, but what really got my attention was a young artist who shared a little of her witness between songs. And that’s where the word “cast” comes in.

She said she’d never really thought about the meaning of the word until recently, when she looked it up and discovered it means to throw something forcefully and with purpose, hurling it away from yourself. As she pointed out, knowing the true definition gives this scripture a little more depth:

Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. ~ Psalm 55:22 (NIV)

Too often we give our burdens to God halfheartedly, maybe because we don’t really trust in Him to deal with them for us, or because we intend to take them back in short order. In either case, how it must grieve Him to watch us staggering around under their weight. How His father’s heart must yearn to lift them from our shoulders and liberate us to be who He says we are. If you have children, you have dreams for them, right? More than any earthly parent, God knows our full potential (and our every shortcoming) and holds our futures in His hands. But we’ll never be free to follow His wildest dreams for us if we’re in bondage to our burdens.

He’s ready and waiting, so cast your cares on Him. Throw, fling, or lob them. Heave, sling, chuck them…shoot, catapult them if you have to! Just let 'em fly and don’t look back.