On the surface this post by Jon Acuff about grumbling is pretty funny ... I mean Church Olympics!!! How funny is that!
And anyone who grew up Catholic like I did, probably is a master at the art of palm branch fencing (my brother and I were stealth palm branch fighters - at least I don't think my mom ever knew)
But it makes you think too - not just about other people - those who can never be happy in spite of all they are blessed with because this one little stinking THING isn't the way they want it, but also about our own thoughts and attitudes that over shadow the good things in life. That one thing dominates.
I know - I'm a master at that too.
I'm single - so who cares that I have a wonderful church family and a close circle of dear friends. It doesn't matter that I have a job (in fact a great job) in these hard economic times or that I am in relatively good health considering the polluted gene pool I call my family medical history. I'm single, I don't want to be single and that one fact is what defines me
Ever have thoughts like that. I used to revel in them. Don't now. Can't really. I have too many blessings in my life.
Now when I am tempted to nose dive into that "place", I force myself to look at what God has blessed me with - job, home, family, church. Lets not forget Salvation - that should have been #1 on the list.
That's what I do to pull my head out of the quagmire of thoughts. Its not always easy, but its well worth it ... to look up into the light of blessing that surrounds me.
So what do you do when the negativity threatens to overwhelm?
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
Living Mary in a Martha World
You know the story - two sisters in Bethany back in the day - one cooks and cleans all day the other sits around listening to Jesus talk. In the end Jesus said Mary choose the better way.
I've always had trouble with that. I'm a Martha - definitely. Gimme a task list and some time to accomplish it and I'm off and running. Trouble is sometimes the goal becomes more important than the people involved in the task. It becomes a battle between getting the job done and maintaining a relationship.
That's what happened with Martha. Maybe she really did have the right attitude at first. Then more of the disciples stopped by - more cooking, more clean up and there was Mary just sitting on the floor. I can really relate to that.
It happened on a church project once. We were organizing a special service and some things happened during the process that caused hard feeling. People were offended and hurt, but the service - well that was a screaming success - at least on the surface where the world might judge.
It wasn't until later, when our pastor got us all together to sort through some of the mess that followed that a different perspective came out - a more godly one. He said if relationships are damage, it isn't a success in God's eyes.
The checklist isn't all important - the relationships, the heart, the attitude - those are of more concern to God.
Those are where the clashes are, the weak spots in our armor so to speak.
Just as Jesus said - Mary did choose the better way. She chose to sit at the feet of her Master and listen to His voice. Its not that Martha's task list was wrong - just her attitude.
Next time you are tempted to choose tasks over people, remember this story. Try living Mary in this goal oriented Martha world and let the relationship be most important.
I've always had trouble with that. I'm a Martha - definitely. Gimme a task list and some time to accomplish it and I'm off and running. Trouble is sometimes the goal becomes more important than the people involved in the task. It becomes a battle between getting the job done and maintaining a relationship.
That's what happened with Martha. Maybe she really did have the right attitude at first. Then more of the disciples stopped by - more cooking, more clean up and there was Mary just sitting on the floor. I can really relate to that.
It happened on a church project once. We were organizing a special service and some things happened during the process that caused hard feeling. People were offended and hurt, but the service - well that was a screaming success - at least on the surface where the world might judge.
It wasn't until later, when our pastor got us all together to sort through some of the mess that followed that a different perspective came out - a more godly one. He said if relationships are damage, it isn't a success in God's eyes.
The checklist isn't all important - the relationships, the heart, the attitude - those are of more concern to God.
Those are where the clashes are, the weak spots in our armor so to speak.
Just as Jesus said - Mary did choose the better way. She chose to sit at the feet of her Master and listen to His voice. Its not that Martha's task list was wrong - just her attitude.
Next time you are tempted to choose tasks over people, remember this story. Try living Mary in this goal oriented Martha world and let the relationship be most important.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Celebrating Freedom
Consider freedom. What would you do if your freedom was being threatened? How far would you go to protect it?
Celebrate freedom. This 4th of July remember all those who have fought for your freedom - those men & women who have taken the job of defender so that the rest of us can live in peace.
Treasure freedom. Cherish it - it is a blessing that not all the world enjoys.
Happy 4th!
Celebrate freedom. This 4th of July remember all those who have fought for your freedom - those men & women who have taken the job of defender so that the rest of us can live in peace.
Treasure freedom. Cherish it - it is a blessing that not all the world enjoys.
Happy 4th!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Feeling Uninspired
When this blog was started, I committeed myself to one entry per month. I was doing better than that, then January hit, and there was a crisis and it seemed like God was inspiring me to use song lyrics to blog about faith and things.
Fast forward ... crisis over ... there are still great songs out there (Born Again, Hold my Heart, and anything by TFK/FM Static - its just so bouncy!) but yet I find myself blogging less. I said to myself, I'm just not "inspired", but you'd think that not being in a crisis or helping a friend through a crisis or witnessing a crisis on TV would be incredibly inspiring. I mean whats more inspiring than being safe and happy and contented?
This past Sunday my pastor spoke on the Bible Basics of Knowing God's Will (I do the sermon slides so the title does have to be in that initial upper case :o). And it got me thinking about writing ...
I used to think that if God wanted me to write, then He would just fill my head with stuff and I'd translate it to paper (or pixels as the case may be). After all, thats how most of this blog came into being. But maybe that thinking is backwards - maybe if I want to write for God I ought to just write ... its not rocket science after all. I don't have to be all profound and whatnot.
Maybe God knows I love to write and have been doing it since junior high - with notebooks filled with stories no one will ever see - and here is one opportunity to write and actually have people read it [waving to our "fan" now].
And what could be more inspiring than an opportunity to do something I love and maybe pass on a little of God's love and life experience along the way.
Hmmmm ... I'm kinda feeling inspired now. I bet there is a song lyric for that!
Fast forward ... crisis over ... there are still great songs out there (Born Again, Hold my Heart, and anything by TFK/FM Static - its just so bouncy!) but yet I find myself blogging less. I said to myself, I'm just not "inspired", but you'd think that not being in a crisis or helping a friend through a crisis or witnessing a crisis on TV would be incredibly inspiring. I mean whats more inspiring than being safe and happy and contented?
This past Sunday my pastor spoke on the Bible Basics of Knowing God's Will (I do the sermon slides so the title does have to be in that initial upper case :o). And it got me thinking about writing ...
I used to think that if God wanted me to write, then He would just fill my head with stuff and I'd translate it to paper (or pixels as the case may be). After all, thats how most of this blog came into being. But maybe that thinking is backwards - maybe if I want to write for God I ought to just write ... its not rocket science after all. I don't have to be all profound and whatnot.
Maybe God knows I love to write and have been doing it since junior high - with notebooks filled with stories no one will ever see - and here is one opportunity to write and actually have people read it [waving to our "fan" now].
And what could be more inspiring than an opportunity to do something I love and maybe pass on a little of God's love and life experience along the way.
Hmmmm ... I'm kinda feeling inspired now. I bet there is a song lyric for that!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
So where's your stupid?
Its been a while since I've posted. I'd like to say that I've been busy researching the next great idea in the Christian blog-o-sphere, or that I've been so deeply involved with my Bible studies and my small group and my deeply profound quiet times that I haven't had time to to write about it - I was too busy doing.
Unfortunately none of those is true ... I've just been doing other stuff, things that may or may not have kingdom value (although I am still trying to figure out how to make card making a ministry!)
One of the things that does take up my time is reading blogs - mostly paper crafting ones, but a few Christian bloggers who alternate between profoundly serious and hysterically funny. John Acuff is one of those - he writes at Stuff Christians Like.
Today he wrote about when he takes small steps toward stupid.
This was one of the profoundly serious and deeply moving entries he does on Wednesdays. Got me thinking ... what are my steps toward stupid?
Do I discount them or am I just a better Christian than Mr. Prodigal John - sorry I can't even write that without snickering. I know I discount them - brush off the adventures into thought patterns that are of no value and can become damaging to both myself and to those around me.
That's my biggest step - living in my head. Thinking thoughts that have no bearing on reality. That leads me right to stupid ... to that place where I miss a step and get caught in free fall. Or worse yet take a hit and spiral down to that dark and airless void that lives at rock bottom.
To avoid this I know I need my quiet times. I need to be in serious prayer. I need fellowship. When its a struggle I need accountability.
So where's your stupid?
Unfortunately none of those is true ... I've just been doing other stuff, things that may or may not have kingdom value (although I am still trying to figure out how to make card making a ministry!)
One of the things that does take up my time is reading blogs - mostly paper crafting ones, but a few Christian bloggers who alternate between profoundly serious and hysterically funny. John Acuff is one of those - he writes at Stuff Christians Like.
Today he wrote about when he takes small steps toward stupid.
This was one of the profoundly serious and deeply moving entries he does on Wednesdays. Got me thinking ... what are my steps toward stupid?
Do I discount them or am I just a better Christian than Mr. Prodigal John - sorry I can't even write that without snickering. I know I discount them - brush off the adventures into thought patterns that are of no value and can become damaging to both myself and to those around me.
That's my biggest step - living in my head. Thinking thoughts that have no bearing on reality. That leads me right to stupid ... to that place where I miss a step and get caught in free fall. Or worse yet take a hit and spiral down to that dark and airless void that lives at rock bottom.
To avoid this I know I need my quiet times. I need to be in serious prayer. I need fellowship. When its a struggle I need accountability.
So where's your stupid?
Monday, June 1, 2009
Indescribable
Watched a video this weekend called Indescribable - it was a talk by Louie Giglio on the Indescribable tour (Thanks Ben for bringing the video along on the camping trip!).
It was all about creation declaring the glory of God. He showed examples of pulsars and nebulae and centers of star systems from the Hubbell space telescope. Mr. Giglio made the comments that each time we create a larger/better/ more powerful telescope we see more things that we've never seen before - how God is encouraging us on so we can see just how great He is, how creative, how powerful.
Mr Giglio also mused about how the sounds emanating from a pulsar could just as easily be that star calling out "He is great! He is awesome! He is God!"
Later after the video our little camping group was sitting down by the lake. The geese were all stirred up - honking and calling to each other. Someone in the group (I think it was Ben again) started calling out "He is awesome", "He is great", "He is ..." fill in the blank with a character trait of God. It was so cool to think that all the commotion may have really been creation declaring the wonders and power and majesty of the Creator.
I used to think "oh just be quiet" when I heard the birds making noises in the morning. After all they were waking me up - usually quite a while before I wanted to be awake!
But after this weekend I think "yes you are right - He is awesome and powerful and good and just and ..." and I join in the chorus and sing along, praising my Creator.
It was all about creation declaring the glory of God. He showed examples of pulsars and nebulae and centers of star systems from the Hubbell space telescope. Mr. Giglio made the comments that each time we create a larger/better/ more powerful telescope we see more things that we've never seen before - how God is encouraging us on so we can see just how great He is, how creative, how powerful.
Mr Giglio also mused about how the sounds emanating from a pulsar could just as easily be that star calling out "He is great! He is awesome! He is God!"
Later after the video our little camping group was sitting down by the lake. The geese were all stirred up - honking and calling to each other. Someone in the group (I think it was Ben again) started calling out "He is awesome", "He is great", "He is ..." fill in the blank with a character trait of God. It was so cool to think that all the commotion may have really been creation declaring the wonders and power and majesty of the Creator.
I used to think "oh just be quiet" when I heard the birds making noises in the morning. After all they were waking me up - usually quite a while before I wanted to be awake!
But after this weekend I think "yes you are right - He is awesome and powerful and good and just and ..." and I join in the chorus and sing along, praising my Creator.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Just Be
Its been a while since we've posted here. Life just got busy ... you know how that goes. Work and church and small groups and service projects and homework and kid activities and ... the list goes on and on. It never seems to end if you add laundry and housework and pretty soon yard work into the mix.
But with all that's going on its good to take time out to spend time with God. Take a walk - not a power walk, more of a stroll. Look at the trees and flowers and chirping birds ... be amazed by all the differences our creative God built into the world around us.
Think about how they came to be ... God spoke them into existence. A single word from the Creator and everything was.
Don't get so busy that you forget that.
Dont get so busy that you miss God's love in amongst all the scheduled appointments. He's got a sunrise (or sunset) just for you. Take some time to enjoy it and just be ...
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