Palace of the King
Built in the chambers of my heart
Your kingdom here on earth within me
The light that burns so deep
Holy Spirits work a part
With gifts and warmth that free me
The King stands at the door
Generously giving more and more
Out of my very life ,I am amazed
As His voice of Love cries out
My mind, my will yeild and obey
Not this world ,but of His Way
Kingdom of Christs rule
Built from living stones
Strengthened as a wall with firm foundation
Love that mortars all
Gods eternal power alive
Making precious gems from pressured dust
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Silent Night
There is a science to picking out the right mattress, pillows and bedding. The promise of a perfect nights sleep hangs over a shoppers head as one carefully purchases and prepares an inviting sanctuary to rest in. Decorating experts declare wall color can have a tranquil effect on mood (hospitals have used this info for years).
I must say that in spite of any best effort to employ a comfortable environment, certain variables in young families prevent a good nights sleep! When my babies were arriving, I had no idea how quickly sleep deprivation would distort my ability to maintain mental and physical balance. I remember feeling like my energy levels would never come back up, my focus was on constant care of the little ones needs, and I mean constant!
Diaper changes, feedings, teething, colds, ear infections, and mixed up days and night time schedules would reap a dragged out mommy. My life became a six year push toward a real nights sleep. It was at this time I became more vulnerable to mood swings and irritability. I argued with my husband over which one of us got to nap on the weekends or whose turn it was to answer the midnight cry of a little one. I felt like a walking zombie at times!
I had to learn that conserving my own energy was of major importance during those years. I also remember my support network of other mommies helped me to not place myself in some kind of defeated position. I even grew comfortable with what I called"parralell parenting". I had two girlfriends that would visit with thier children, we would share the task of diapering, rocking and holding kids, addressing booboos, and preparing meals and snacks a couple times a week while our husbands worked. We also folded each others laundry, ran a vacuam, washed a few dishes and allowed each other time for errands. We had one thing in common, we had no family around us to support us in the day to day needs. We became sisters in the cause! We barely got the chance to finish a sentence, but just being in it together seemed like an unspoken answer to prayer. This was my cavalry! The reinforcements would arrive in our lives. The days would seem less tiring, the kids would have all the attention they required and the household tasks would become less tedious and demanding. A certain groove was felt by us all as we shared each others load.
We didn't all have the same style of parenting, but we did all trust and respect each others boundries. So we modified our times together to reflect tolerance of a corperate nature that if one child could not have, none would! If one child required certain structures and rules all would. I mean, for the sake of the benefit we mommies received 2-3 days a week, the children could do without certain freedoms they enjoyed in their own homes and learn to accept different rule and authority. But most of all we loved each other and deeply cared for the needs of each others families and lives.
You probably are wondering what this all has to do with a good nights rest? I can't promise anyone that! But I can tell you that it does help to know you are not alone, it does renew your energy to have accountablility to others about where your head is at when you are cranky and tired from those who see you and care about you on a regular basis. And " many hands make light work", so you can be more than you might have thought to all who depend on you.
One of my favorite prayers is a simple one word expression "HELP". If you try it, be prepared to receive it! You may still be tired but you will "sleep in heavenly peace"!
In Galations it says"bear ye one anothers burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ"
I must say that in spite of any best effort to employ a comfortable environment, certain variables in young families prevent a good nights sleep! When my babies were arriving, I had no idea how quickly sleep deprivation would distort my ability to maintain mental and physical balance. I remember feeling like my energy levels would never come back up, my focus was on constant care of the little ones needs, and I mean constant!
Diaper changes, feedings, teething, colds, ear infections, and mixed up days and night time schedules would reap a dragged out mommy. My life became a six year push toward a real nights sleep. It was at this time I became more vulnerable to mood swings and irritability. I argued with my husband over which one of us got to nap on the weekends or whose turn it was to answer the midnight cry of a little one. I felt like a walking zombie at times!
I had to learn that conserving my own energy was of major importance during those years. I also remember my support network of other mommies helped me to not place myself in some kind of defeated position. I even grew comfortable with what I called"parralell parenting". I had two girlfriends that would visit with thier children, we would share the task of diapering, rocking and holding kids, addressing booboos, and preparing meals and snacks a couple times a week while our husbands worked. We also folded each others laundry, ran a vacuam, washed a few dishes and allowed each other time for errands. We had one thing in common, we had no family around us to support us in the day to day needs. We became sisters in the cause! We barely got the chance to finish a sentence, but just being in it together seemed like an unspoken answer to prayer. This was my cavalry! The reinforcements would arrive in our lives. The days would seem less tiring, the kids would have all the attention they required and the household tasks would become less tedious and demanding. A certain groove was felt by us all as we shared each others load.
We didn't all have the same style of parenting, but we did all trust and respect each others boundries. So we modified our times together to reflect tolerance of a corperate nature that if one child could not have, none would! If one child required certain structures and rules all would. I mean, for the sake of the benefit we mommies received 2-3 days a week, the children could do without certain freedoms they enjoyed in their own homes and learn to accept different rule and authority. But most of all we loved each other and deeply cared for the needs of each others families and lives.
You probably are wondering what this all has to do with a good nights rest? I can't promise anyone that! But I can tell you that it does help to know you are not alone, it does renew your energy to have accountablility to others about where your head is at when you are cranky and tired from those who see you and care about you on a regular basis. And " many hands make light work", so you can be more than you might have thought to all who depend on you.
One of my favorite prayers is a simple one word expression "HELP". If you try it, be prepared to receive it! You may still be tired but you will "sleep in heavenly peace"!
In Galations it says"bear ye one anothers burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ"
Monday, November 24, 2008
Coffee my daily baptism
Morning is my favorite time of day. It wasn't always. I must confess that the smell of fresh brewed coffee has an hypnotic effect on me. I can be roused from a deep sleep by the aroma! It is almost a spiritual experience for me to slowly descend the stairs to the kitchen, pour my mug full, position myself comfortably at the table and feel the mind and body begin to pull together.
A new day stretches out before me. Some of it I have planned, most of it God has Planned in spite of my plans! Since I have chosen to give my life to Christ , I feel like I am living in a constant state of anticipation. I just never know how He will surprise me, or what He will bring me each morning. So I wait on Him expectantly, coffee in hand. This is a comfort to me as I don't really like noise in my house upon awakening. I can easily meditate on scripture in these early moments. I let His Spirit do much of the talking, I have learned to listen.
When my children were young I would not have this luxury of peace and quiet, they required me to make lunches, sign permission slips or hunt library books as well as watch the clock for the school bus. It seemed that my mornings weren't mine. But after so many years of getting up and going, I still get up early and look forward to the precious company that awaits me in pre dawn light. Each day a gift, a chance to love, serve and share. Each day with it's own challenges, a chance to learn, forgive,and pray. Each day a fresh beginning, a chance to have do overs kind of like the Movie"Ground hogs Day".
I do greet the morning with a certain faith and prayer, I still have the habit of lifting up my loved ones to Christs purposes and protection, I prayer for those in authoritative positions, I remember the sick in my prayers and I thank God for all His wisdom.
I suppose that I am revived each morning, baptized from death to life (symbolicolly with coffee) and prepared to recieve the new mercies each day that have been specifically placed into my life. Experiencing Gods presence from the onset of each day is the most amazing and freeing thing you can do. Start early, when you open your eyes , open the eyes of your Heart!
A new day stretches out before me. Some of it I have planned, most of it God has Planned in spite of my plans! Since I have chosen to give my life to Christ , I feel like I am living in a constant state of anticipation. I just never know how He will surprise me, or what He will bring me each morning. So I wait on Him expectantly, coffee in hand. This is a comfort to me as I don't really like noise in my house upon awakening. I can easily meditate on scripture in these early moments. I let His Spirit do much of the talking, I have learned to listen.
When my children were young I would not have this luxury of peace and quiet, they required me to make lunches, sign permission slips or hunt library books as well as watch the clock for the school bus. It seemed that my mornings weren't mine. But after so many years of getting up and going, I still get up early and look forward to the precious company that awaits me in pre dawn light. Each day a gift, a chance to love, serve and share. Each day with it's own challenges, a chance to learn, forgive,and pray. Each day a fresh beginning, a chance to have do overs kind of like the Movie"Ground hogs Day".
I do greet the morning with a certain faith and prayer, I still have the habit of lifting up my loved ones to Christs purposes and protection, I prayer for those in authoritative positions, I remember the sick in my prayers and I thank God for all His wisdom.
I suppose that I am revived each morning, baptized from death to life (symbolicolly with coffee) and prepared to recieve the new mercies each day that have been specifically placed into my life. Experiencing Gods presence from the onset of each day is the most amazing and freeing thing you can do. Start early, when you open your eyes , open the eyes of your Heart!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Hats
This Sunday the women in my church will all wear hats. Not to make any fashion statement, but as a way of visably supporting our sister in Christ who has lost her hair from Chemo-therapy. I have searched my arsenal of accesories and found I don't have one appropriate for worship service.
I do have hats for the beach,gardening,assorted caps with logos of teams but not one that shows reverence and respectfully calls out a worshipful covering for my head. I will have to buy one. As I meditated on what this purchase really needs to be I found some personal insight to this show of support.
I live in Lancaster Pennsylvania, the home of many Amish and Mennonite communities. These women cover their heads daily with lace scarf snoods or bonnets. This is part of their culture and symbolizes that Almighty God is there above them protecting , guiding and caring for them. This covering is an outward sign to the world that they trust Him and recognize His authority. As a former New Yorker I have also seen the Orthodox Jews make such witness of their faith,as well as reformed Jews who also wear Yamakas. Other practices of faith include head coverings such as the Catholic Church did when I was a young girl.
The scriptures tell us that Christ is the Head of the Church. We are his body of believers. He is over us in all that needs to be accomplished according to HIS PLAN. It also regards women in such a special inclusion to recognize their covering, as a Husband over their wives or as a father over their unmarried daughters.
I began to ponder the depth of my own Husbands position as my covering. In a culture that offers so many freedoms to women today, I had one major thought. How do I reverence my husband as the direct head of my household? My second thought was what are the benefits of seeing him in this regard?
I quickly made a mental list of the different ways in which men and women respond in the process of healthy relationship. The scriptures say "husbands love your wives as Christ loves the Church and laid His life down for it". "And wives respect your husbands". I take from those verses a basic command that shows me to have Christs model of harmony and purpose as we are called to respect our mates.
Some days I don't even like my husband! Come on now, I'm just keeping it real! Days when he throws a wrench in the works of my plans, like walking across a just washed floor in dirty boots, or times when I have had a hundred things to do and he can't fathom the importance of it all! Or how about when I'm trying to be serious about a concern and he laughs and makes jokes! Sound familiar? Yea, it's because we are challenged to make known to our hubbys how to love us!
Men are not mind readers!! And the truth is that we keep forgetting that. But that does not absolve us women from our part in showing respect to them. It is respectful of us to open up to them in a loving and gentle ways about our heart issues. To give them time to truelly know us and see inside us. To esteem them as responsible before God for their adjustments. As we are responsible to maintain a regard for the lessons of life and love our Lord wants to apply in their lives. If we can simply wait for God over them to bring that love into them for our benefit, we can reap the rewards of a harmonious union.
I want to give you a personal example of how this model works. We as a couple were approached by one of our children for gas money during this past cost increase period. We had felt that our expenses needed to be limited in this area. My husband didn't want to place new restrictions on our kids over this issue, so he gave the teen the cash for gas. Instead of argueing with him I stopped driving around town. I began to walk to mail items, I made careful loops on days when I needed to use the car, and I frequently would call on him to pick up milk , or bread on his way home from work. He had held me to support the household budget-yet didn't see that his pride in giving to his kids would have effect. The next time our children came to us for gas money my husband suggested they get air in their bike tires, get some excersise, and save the car for practical uses.
My husband knew deep down that we needed to partner in this issue, at the time I also knew that I needed to respect him in the budget. I held up my end of the deal and God held up His ,God brought about the ownership and knowledge of the decision to have the kids come under their fathers leadership. My husband saw in me a gentle spirit of support and his heart was touched to trust that I was with him as he worked out his position on behalf of our family.
Because my husband can trust me to share my ideas without manipulation, he is free to love the real me! I am free to respect and honor this man as one who is doing his best to provide, protect and offer me the oppertunities to grow in Christ as his wife. I have more freedom in being the woman of God I am because of the way I allow him to lay his life down for me. If a major decision needs to be made I know I am covered by God as well to see the best result because I walk in obedience to the Word.
Well, I think that when I don my hat on Sunday, I will do it as an expression of Faith , the kind that reminds me I am a humble servant of the Lord, looking to Him to work out my friends healing. Knowing that no matter what that may look like I can trust His plan. Standing before a powerful God and seeing His tenderness toward those of us who recognize our position in unity. Allstate has nothing on God, I know with Him we are in good hands!
I do have hats for the beach,gardening,assorted caps with logos of teams but not one that shows reverence and respectfully calls out a worshipful covering for my head. I will have to buy one. As I meditated on what this purchase really needs to be I found some personal insight to this show of support.
I live in Lancaster Pennsylvania, the home of many Amish and Mennonite communities. These women cover their heads daily with lace scarf snoods or bonnets. This is part of their culture and symbolizes that Almighty God is there above them protecting , guiding and caring for them. This covering is an outward sign to the world that they trust Him and recognize His authority. As a former New Yorker I have also seen the Orthodox Jews make such witness of their faith,as well as reformed Jews who also wear Yamakas. Other practices of faith include head coverings such as the Catholic Church did when I was a young girl.
The scriptures tell us that Christ is the Head of the Church. We are his body of believers. He is over us in all that needs to be accomplished according to HIS PLAN. It also regards women in such a special inclusion to recognize their covering, as a Husband over their wives or as a father over their unmarried daughters.
I began to ponder the depth of my own Husbands position as my covering. In a culture that offers so many freedoms to women today, I had one major thought. How do I reverence my husband as the direct head of my household? My second thought was what are the benefits of seeing him in this regard?
I quickly made a mental list of the different ways in which men and women respond in the process of healthy relationship. The scriptures say "husbands love your wives as Christ loves the Church and laid His life down for it". "And wives respect your husbands". I take from those verses a basic command that shows me to have Christs model of harmony and purpose as we are called to respect our mates.
Some days I don't even like my husband! Come on now, I'm just keeping it real! Days when he throws a wrench in the works of my plans, like walking across a just washed floor in dirty boots, or times when I have had a hundred things to do and he can't fathom the importance of it all! Or how about when I'm trying to be serious about a concern and he laughs and makes jokes! Sound familiar? Yea, it's because we are challenged to make known to our hubbys how to love us!
Men are not mind readers!! And the truth is that we keep forgetting that. But that does not absolve us women from our part in showing respect to them. It is respectful of us to open up to them in a loving and gentle ways about our heart issues. To give them time to truelly know us and see inside us. To esteem them as responsible before God for their adjustments. As we are responsible to maintain a regard for the lessons of life and love our Lord wants to apply in their lives. If we can simply wait for God over them to bring that love into them for our benefit, we can reap the rewards of a harmonious union.
I want to give you a personal example of how this model works. We as a couple were approached by one of our children for gas money during this past cost increase period. We had felt that our expenses needed to be limited in this area. My husband didn't want to place new restrictions on our kids over this issue, so he gave the teen the cash for gas. Instead of argueing with him I stopped driving around town. I began to walk to mail items, I made careful loops on days when I needed to use the car, and I frequently would call on him to pick up milk , or bread on his way home from work. He had held me to support the household budget-yet didn't see that his pride in giving to his kids would have effect. The next time our children came to us for gas money my husband suggested they get air in their bike tires, get some excersise, and save the car for practical uses.
My husband knew deep down that we needed to partner in this issue, at the time I also knew that I needed to respect him in the budget. I held up my end of the deal and God held up His ,God brought about the ownership and knowledge of the decision to have the kids come under their fathers leadership. My husband saw in me a gentle spirit of support and his heart was touched to trust that I was with him as he worked out his position on behalf of our family.
Because my husband can trust me to share my ideas without manipulation, he is free to love the real me! I am free to respect and honor this man as one who is doing his best to provide, protect and offer me the oppertunities to grow in Christ as his wife. I have more freedom in being the woman of God I am because of the way I allow him to lay his life down for me. If a major decision needs to be made I know I am covered by God as well to see the best result because I walk in obedience to the Word.
Well, I think that when I don my hat on Sunday, I will do it as an expression of Faith , the kind that reminds me I am a humble servant of the Lord, looking to Him to work out my friends healing. Knowing that no matter what that may look like I can trust His plan. Standing before a powerful God and seeing His tenderness toward those of us who recognize our position in unity. Allstate has nothing on God, I know with Him we are in good hands!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Spiritual Economics 101
We all have areas of expense that require our priority! A roof over our heads, food on the table, and clothes on our back. How we are able to address these needs in todays economy depends on the wisdom ( or should I say common sense) of our decision making.
Finance is a subject that can reveal a great deal about our insecurities and mindsets. (1)It can expose our need to seek acceptence- the style of dress, the car we drive, the vacations we take , the restaurants we frequent, the status we seek! (2) It can create boundries - Things we would not take time to do that we pay others for, preferential entitlements, participation in social events. (3) It creates obligation- to debt, to stewardship, to pretense and self image. (4) It determines choice- how many children to have, future skill levels and education, responses to outside needs,as well as the (5) False judgements - we all make assumptions based on outward appearances, and we all appear as we want others to identify us!
Imagine if you will, a stripped down version of our basic concerns . We need protection for our bodies, a covering that guards us from over exposure. We need nourishment to grow and sustain health and vitality. We need Shelter in which to trust our tired souls to rest. We need relationships that connect us to each other. Finally we need significance in our ability to contribute to community.
Now in light of facing the weight of paper dollars, metal coins, and plastic cards where do we find ourselves? I found myself in the image of a creative God! The HOly Scriptures tell me I was created in His image. That what he created He saw as good. I'm reminded that God so loved me that he gave His only son that if I believe in Jesus, (my paid in full cost to gain full access to all God has when I enter His presence) I too am His child! And as a child I am a dependent!
If your Father in heaven is concerned about how you use the resources that He gives you generously, then you must take an inventory of where they are going and why. A spiritual audit over the care of His property in your keeping. You may be required to ask for more from Him then you now have. He is generous! You may need to give away the excess you have to make right the image you reflect to the world of Him, instead of storing up treasure to self protect. You may need to go deeper in your trust relationship of where He is keeping you to gain wisdom which is more precious than gold. Perhaps you may need a Holy Spirit Make over to discover how you were intended to represent God to this world. We are in this world but not of it!
Because we are a people made up of flesh( will, emotion,body and mind) we need to grasp that if Father ,Son , and Holy Spirit are the royal family and they operate primarily on a supernatural level, we too must enter the realm of Spiritual living. It is the reality we can't touch or see until we by faith believe it exists to accomplish all that is of heavenly priority here on earth. That place in us already has access to all we need to enable the work we are called to in this sojourn.
In these times of fear and anxiety we need to confess that if God is for us who can be against us. No weapon formed against you shall prosper, If man being evil knows how to give good gifts, how much more will your Father in heaven give to those whom he loves! All our needs are met in Christ Jesus.
Dear Father- Give us this day our daily bread! For Body, Soul, Spirit and Mind. Amen!
Finance is a subject that can reveal a great deal about our insecurities and mindsets. (1)It can expose our need to seek acceptence- the style of dress, the car we drive, the vacations we take , the restaurants we frequent, the status we seek! (2) It can create boundries - Things we would not take time to do that we pay others for, preferential entitlements, participation in social events. (3) It creates obligation- to debt, to stewardship, to pretense and self image. (4) It determines choice- how many children to have, future skill levels and education, responses to outside needs,as well as the (5) False judgements - we all make assumptions based on outward appearances, and we all appear as we want others to identify us!
Imagine if you will, a stripped down version of our basic concerns . We need protection for our bodies, a covering that guards us from over exposure. We need nourishment to grow and sustain health and vitality. We need Shelter in which to trust our tired souls to rest. We need relationships that connect us to each other. Finally we need significance in our ability to contribute to community.
Now in light of facing the weight of paper dollars, metal coins, and plastic cards where do we find ourselves? I found myself in the image of a creative God! The HOly Scriptures tell me I was created in His image. That what he created He saw as good. I'm reminded that God so loved me that he gave His only son that if I believe in Jesus, (my paid in full cost to gain full access to all God has when I enter His presence) I too am His child! And as a child I am a dependent!
If your Father in heaven is concerned about how you use the resources that He gives you generously, then you must take an inventory of where they are going and why. A spiritual audit over the care of His property in your keeping. You may be required to ask for more from Him then you now have. He is generous! You may need to give away the excess you have to make right the image you reflect to the world of Him, instead of storing up treasure to self protect. You may need to go deeper in your trust relationship of where He is keeping you to gain wisdom which is more precious than gold. Perhaps you may need a Holy Spirit Make over to discover how you were intended to represent God to this world. We are in this world but not of it!
Because we are a people made up of flesh( will, emotion,body and mind) we need to grasp that if Father ,Son , and Holy Spirit are the royal family and they operate primarily on a supernatural level, we too must enter the realm of Spiritual living. It is the reality we can't touch or see until we by faith believe it exists to accomplish all that is of heavenly priority here on earth. That place in us already has access to all we need to enable the work we are called to in this sojourn.
In these times of fear and anxiety we need to confess that if God is for us who can be against us. No weapon formed against you shall prosper, If man being evil knows how to give good gifts, how much more will your Father in heaven give to those whom he loves! All our needs are met in Christ Jesus.
Dear Father- Give us this day our daily bread! For Body, Soul, Spirit and Mind. Amen!
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Happy Holidaze!
The weather has cooled, the days become shorter, the thermastat has been set to warm. Catalogs have started to arrive in the mail along with department store coupons. Christmas music plays in every building from the drug store to the Dr.s office, and the telephone inquiries have been about the who,what, where, and when of gatherings for the next two months I like to call the "Holidaze".
Most families have traditions they keep up with each year. Decorations, music, visits to friends and family,as well as charitable giving. Even recipes and cooking for this season trigger nostalgic nuances to warm both hearth and home. Merry Mail is sent and recieved with the intent to touch those at a distance. The calander gets jammed with reminders of concerts, parties, luncheons with friends, and family activities. There are so many good people and things to look forward to. We pick out presents that reflect the perfect message of thoughtful consideration for those we love and those we look to appreciate in the true spirit of giving.
But someone somewhere has no one,somebody out there is looking to be invited to the celebration of life! In my family, we were always taught to invite an outsider in to our family during this season. And I can tell you that the days are better spent with an added person baking or decorating or simply chatting away while setting the table. My children used to groan at the notion of having a lonely neighbor, divorced friend or widowed co-worker join us. They felt uncomfortable sharing our home at times. But as they grew, they also included friends that could find laughter and love in our quirky family.
I think the most fun we have is our game time after holiday meals! Even our guests help us to create new stories and jokes. And if you ask anyone around here what are the favorite memories of this season it wouldn't have much to do with gifts or wrappings. It would be the simple pleasures of laughter and love. So if you want to make this season the best ever just plan an easy evening with others God has shown you to include, add some simple snacks or treats, some music and a fun game like Balderdash or Madgab and everyone is a winner!
If we are not comfortable opening our homes and selves up to others with this kind of invitation, how will we ever show this world Christ! He is alive in us. He always welcomes everyone to share in His love. We too can see Him in the face of those we know are in need. Shake off the daze and give God the praise.
Emmanual, Christ with us - the gift that keeps on giving!
Most families have traditions they keep up with each year. Decorations, music, visits to friends and family,as well as charitable giving. Even recipes and cooking for this season trigger nostalgic nuances to warm both hearth and home. Merry Mail is sent and recieved with the intent to touch those at a distance. The calander gets jammed with reminders of concerts, parties, luncheons with friends, and family activities. There are so many good people and things to look forward to. We pick out presents that reflect the perfect message of thoughtful consideration for those we love and those we look to appreciate in the true spirit of giving.
But someone somewhere has no one,somebody out there is looking to be invited to the celebration of life! In my family, we were always taught to invite an outsider in to our family during this season. And I can tell you that the days are better spent with an added person baking or decorating or simply chatting away while setting the table. My children used to groan at the notion of having a lonely neighbor, divorced friend or widowed co-worker join us. They felt uncomfortable sharing our home at times. But as they grew, they also included friends that could find laughter and love in our quirky family.
I think the most fun we have is our game time after holiday meals! Even our guests help us to create new stories and jokes. And if you ask anyone around here what are the favorite memories of this season it wouldn't have much to do with gifts or wrappings. It would be the simple pleasures of laughter and love. So if you want to make this season the best ever just plan an easy evening with others God has shown you to include, add some simple snacks or treats, some music and a fun game like Balderdash or Madgab and everyone is a winner!
If we are not comfortable opening our homes and selves up to others with this kind of invitation, how will we ever show this world Christ! He is alive in us. He always welcomes everyone to share in His love. We too can see Him in the face of those we know are in need. Shake off the daze and give God the praise.
Emmanual, Christ with us - the gift that keeps on giving!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Dishes in the sink
There are two places in my house to go to be alone. Only one of them is never violated. Although you might think it's the bathroom you'd have guessed wrong! Even the bathroom is no place to hide when your family tries to talk through a closed door, or a spouse pops in while you're showering to have a few words. The most isolated place in my house is in front of the kitchen sink.
Don't get me wrong, I've taught the kids to handle after dinner chores. My husband even helps with dishes if things appear magically overnight. The whole family has been known to make light work after holiday meals or when company joins us. But as a rule, when I step up to the sink without a request for help, the kitchen is vacated in the blink of an eye.
Not one member of my family has ever enjoyed the quietude I've come to cherish as I slip my hands into warm sudsy water, stare out the window that overlooks the park behind my house and rest my mind after a busy day and family meal. It is my prayer closet. Everyone scatters to leave me with the dirty dishes. The secret I have with God is that in this place I lose my mind! In this place I gain the mind of Christ. I thank Him for my day, I lay my concerns down before his feet, I listen for his still small voice. Here in this place I am totally surrendered.
I like busy work. I like the mindless action committed to autopilot that frees my spirit. I release myself to being one with the water, I float my mind out to the reaches of higher places. It is in this place I can hear! I can see more clearly! I can become refreshed. I can feel the fine tuning of the Holy Spirit.
The window over the sink is an ever changing panoramic view of Gods creation. Each day new things appear. The season brings dazzling color, hope and promise. Even the advancing storms on the horizon speak of the mighty God. The sunsets & rainbows remind me of Glory! The Clouds speak to me of His presence as sharp rays slice down to select spots on earth. The wind pushes wildly against the trees to bend them into submission or snap the rigid ones off. So much of God is learned from this perch while washing dishes.
Next time you are washing dishes look out your window, relax your busy mind by entering the prayer closet, worship the Lord, and say "Holy Spirit take me away!"
Don't get me wrong, I've taught the kids to handle after dinner chores. My husband even helps with dishes if things appear magically overnight. The whole family has been known to make light work after holiday meals or when company joins us. But as a rule, when I step up to the sink without a request for help, the kitchen is vacated in the blink of an eye.
Not one member of my family has ever enjoyed the quietude I've come to cherish as I slip my hands into warm sudsy water, stare out the window that overlooks the park behind my house and rest my mind after a busy day and family meal. It is my prayer closet. Everyone scatters to leave me with the dirty dishes. The secret I have with God is that in this place I lose my mind! In this place I gain the mind of Christ. I thank Him for my day, I lay my concerns down before his feet, I listen for his still small voice. Here in this place I am totally surrendered.
I like busy work. I like the mindless action committed to autopilot that frees my spirit. I release myself to being one with the water, I float my mind out to the reaches of higher places. It is in this place I can hear! I can see more clearly! I can become refreshed. I can feel the fine tuning of the Holy Spirit.
The window over the sink is an ever changing panoramic view of Gods creation. Each day new things appear. The season brings dazzling color, hope and promise. Even the advancing storms on the horizon speak of the mighty God. The sunsets & rainbows remind me of Glory! The Clouds speak to me of His presence as sharp rays slice down to select spots on earth. The wind pushes wildly against the trees to bend them into submission or snap the rigid ones off. So much of God is learned from this perch while washing dishes.
Next time you are washing dishes look out your window, relax your busy mind by entering the prayer closet, worship the Lord, and say "Holy Spirit take me away!"
Friday, November 7, 2008
Working Mom
I opened the mailbox two weeks ago to find an envelope from The Social Security Administration. The contents of my work history contributions were spelled out as a reminder of the years of participating in the "workforce". I could easily see gaps in my employment. So I set about listing all the endeavors I had taken up since the magical age of sixteen.
Pregnancies and child rearing accounted for so much of the time vacancies. And a gnawing sense of feeling reduced to my income potential as a societal contributor left me a bit testy. All along the way I had made choices to prioritize my families needs as a filter for each position I had filled. Numbers have no sense of the true value I have represented in the lives of my children and extended family over the past 30 years.
I have tag team parented with my husbands schedule, taking on part time positions to supplement our budget at times of transition. Often working around his time frame in obscure jobs. I have done at home child care, cleaned houses, flipped burgers, waited tables, entered data, privately catered, driven a bus, sold candy, telemarketed,made subs, sliced Deli meat, flipped pizzas,worked in sales,and run an office, All while raising my family!
What this government assessment of me will never show is the many hours spent volunteering in the local school district, visiting and driving dependent neighbors, preparing meals for those in need, hours spent with teens in crisis, and in general being at home and flexible to answer the immediate needs of urgency!
I have been the Mom whose home was open after school to the neighborhood when other moms needed to be at work. I have been the friend to call when noone else was around. I have been the household that expanded to accomodate the homeless and the transient.
To effectively assume this kind of work, I have always believed in one core value. "Do all things as unto the Lord". Scrubbing toilets isn't glamorous, but provides for a healthy environment.( I esteem those called to the workforce to provide this service. I esteem those who do what must be done no matter how distasteful the task!) Someone is positioned to assume the work of service, all jobs serve Gods good reputation when carried out in this mindset even things we often take for granted everyday!
I know that the relevance of running a household is a formidible job to moms rearing small children, whether outside the home or within. We never quite feel we can meet all the demands. We desire to do well, but sometimes must settle for O.K. It is a 24/7 position. We are to become experts in education,socialization,health, nutrition,economics, travel agents, protocol experts, activists, advocates,psychologists, coaches, and spiritual advisors. ( After so many years at this stuff I believe I have developed the skill of mindreading as well. )
What I am really saying to all women is simply this, when doesn't a mom work! And how can anyone put a price on the multitude of jobs we perform! I have concluded that even the government is at a loss to fill in a number next to those years spent industriously prioritizing my family and neighbors. But God certainly has seen and approved of the sacrifices needed to get the job done!
It is by His Spirit of Wisdom we enter the sacred call to be wife and mother, it is a Holy Sacrement-Marriage. It is blessed and sealed to fullfill the very promises of our Lord and Savior Jesus, that all things are possible through Christ who strengthens us(Phillipians 4:13) and so The government does not recognize the hidden treasures that are stored up for me in my retirement, because my place of rest is not found in this world or it's economy, but in Christ and His Kingdom , a world without end!
Pregnancies and child rearing accounted for so much of the time vacancies. And a gnawing sense of feeling reduced to my income potential as a societal contributor left me a bit testy. All along the way I had made choices to prioritize my families needs as a filter for each position I had filled. Numbers have no sense of the true value I have represented in the lives of my children and extended family over the past 30 years.
I have tag team parented with my husbands schedule, taking on part time positions to supplement our budget at times of transition. Often working around his time frame in obscure jobs. I have done at home child care, cleaned houses, flipped burgers, waited tables, entered data, privately catered, driven a bus, sold candy, telemarketed,made subs, sliced Deli meat, flipped pizzas,worked in sales,and run an office, All while raising my family!
What this government assessment of me will never show is the many hours spent volunteering in the local school district, visiting and driving dependent neighbors, preparing meals for those in need, hours spent with teens in crisis, and in general being at home and flexible to answer the immediate needs of urgency!
I have been the Mom whose home was open after school to the neighborhood when other moms needed to be at work. I have been the friend to call when noone else was around. I have been the household that expanded to accomodate the homeless and the transient.
To effectively assume this kind of work, I have always believed in one core value. "Do all things as unto the Lord". Scrubbing toilets isn't glamorous, but provides for a healthy environment.( I esteem those called to the workforce to provide this service. I esteem those who do what must be done no matter how distasteful the task!) Someone is positioned to assume the work of service, all jobs serve Gods good reputation when carried out in this mindset even things we often take for granted everyday!
I know that the relevance of running a household is a formidible job to moms rearing small children, whether outside the home or within. We never quite feel we can meet all the demands. We desire to do well, but sometimes must settle for O.K. It is a 24/7 position. We are to become experts in education,socialization,health, nutrition,economics, travel agents, protocol experts, activists, advocates,psychologists, coaches, and spiritual advisors. ( After so many years at this stuff I believe I have developed the skill of mindreading as well. )
What I am really saying to all women is simply this, when doesn't a mom work! And how can anyone put a price on the multitude of jobs we perform! I have concluded that even the government is at a loss to fill in a number next to those years spent industriously prioritizing my family and neighbors. But God certainly has seen and approved of the sacrifices needed to get the job done!
It is by His Spirit of Wisdom we enter the sacred call to be wife and mother, it is a Holy Sacrement-Marriage. It is blessed and sealed to fullfill the very promises of our Lord and Savior Jesus, that all things are possible through Christ who strengthens us(Phillipians 4:13) and so The government does not recognize the hidden treasures that are stored up for me in my retirement, because my place of rest is not found in this world or it's economy, but in Christ and His Kingdom , a world without end!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
The Pocketbook
I previously mentioned in"Luggage" my connection to pocketbooks. I must expound on the tremendous value of choosing the right one. Although we all look for style, color, and size to fit our lives into, the outside is probably not as important as the inside.
At my last yard sale I sold 12 purses. Leaving me with only 10 assorted handbags to adjust to my wardrobe. I kept a brown suede to match my boots and jacket, a beaded and embroidered denim for any casual occasion, a black crocheted mini bag, a navy clutch, a white shoulder bag, a copper evening purse, a multi colored striped black leather evening, my fanny pack, a dove grey silk dress bag, and my olive green tote. When I was deciding which ones would stay and which would go, it was a very emotional experience. There were those that had served beyond the call of duty( like the pink barrel bag that would hold the contents of my medicine cabinet). And those that were destined to belong to a trendier youth( like the neon green). But the hardest one to cull was one of those that converted from a business style, expandable, multi-compartmental, cell phone sectioned, removable wallet, SUPERBAG!
This pocketbook contained all my sacred personal treasure. It had a side file pocket for documentation(I kept the kids immunization records, school permission slips, caculator & appointment-address book there). It had 2 detachable key rings with mini-lights, it also had a make-up mirror attached to the outside of it's cosmetic case! Now I know most men would not get the facination and awe that this tank of a bag inpired,but if it were a car I would say it was a fully loaded custom creation Hummer, that could really make a man weak in the knees at the thought of posession. But the truth about this bag is that it was heavy & ugly! So it went out for sale. No one bought it.
Now I do know that not all women view their world the same as I. But we all do make a statement about who we are by the way we keep our purses and by what we take with us as important! We recognize the need to be adaptable in a moments notice. We prepare ourselves to step out into each new day with all we need. We carry much of the load for the betterment of our household responsibilities. Coupons,Diapers, lollipops, hand sanitizer, kleenex, and the sort are placed inside the pocketbook with a fierce confidence that we are ready for anything that arises. And the greatest secret about all this is we don't all pack the same! The pocketbook is the universal mother of all womankind in a 911 situation! Any woman, anywhere at any time will graciously open hers to meet the need of a perfect stranger. Our pocketbooks might look different from one anothers but they truelly are the unspoken language of sisterhood.
By recognizing our dependence upon each other in times of need we open up to the mystery of Gods love. His name is "I am". And I have come to know that to mean - I am what you need. Sometimes I can't anticipate what comes my way, no matter how hard I prepare. But what I need is always available somehow in sharing my need with another. The body of Christ is given so much variety of giftings that I can ask and receive in the name of Christ! In the community of Christs' love doors are opened, lives are connected, needs are met. Knock and the door shall be opened unto you, ask and ye shall receive, seek out and ye shall find!!!
At my last yard sale I sold 12 purses. Leaving me with only 10 assorted handbags to adjust to my wardrobe. I kept a brown suede to match my boots and jacket, a beaded and embroidered denim for any casual occasion, a black crocheted mini bag, a navy clutch, a white shoulder bag, a copper evening purse, a multi colored striped black leather evening, my fanny pack, a dove grey silk dress bag, and my olive green tote. When I was deciding which ones would stay and which would go, it was a very emotional experience. There were those that had served beyond the call of duty( like the pink barrel bag that would hold the contents of my medicine cabinet). And those that were destined to belong to a trendier youth( like the neon green). But the hardest one to cull was one of those that converted from a business style, expandable, multi-compartmental, cell phone sectioned, removable wallet, SUPERBAG!
This pocketbook contained all my sacred personal treasure. It had a side file pocket for documentation(I kept the kids immunization records, school permission slips, caculator & appointment-address book there). It had 2 detachable key rings with mini-lights, it also had a make-up mirror attached to the outside of it's cosmetic case! Now I know most men would not get the facination and awe that this tank of a bag inpired,but if it were a car I would say it was a fully loaded custom creation Hummer, that could really make a man weak in the knees at the thought of posession. But the truth about this bag is that it was heavy & ugly! So it went out for sale. No one bought it.
Now I do know that not all women view their world the same as I. But we all do make a statement about who we are by the way we keep our purses and by what we take with us as important! We recognize the need to be adaptable in a moments notice. We prepare ourselves to step out into each new day with all we need. We carry much of the load for the betterment of our household responsibilities. Coupons,Diapers, lollipops, hand sanitizer, kleenex, and the sort are placed inside the pocketbook with a fierce confidence that we are ready for anything that arises. And the greatest secret about all this is we don't all pack the same! The pocketbook is the universal mother of all womankind in a 911 situation! Any woman, anywhere at any time will graciously open hers to meet the need of a perfect stranger. Our pocketbooks might look different from one anothers but they truelly are the unspoken language of sisterhood.
By recognizing our dependence upon each other in times of need we open up to the mystery of Gods love. His name is "I am". And I have come to know that to mean - I am what you need. Sometimes I can't anticipate what comes my way, no matter how hard I prepare. But what I need is always available somehow in sharing my need with another. The body of Christ is given so much variety of giftings that I can ask and receive in the name of Christ! In the community of Christs' love doors are opened, lives are connected, needs are met. Knock and the door shall be opened unto you, ask and ye shall receive, seek out and ye shall find!!!
Thursday, October 30, 2008
When I Seek-(A poem By Vanessa Redman Thorp)
When I seek the beautiful face of Jesus in my pain, I see His thorny crown, cracked lips and sunken eyes filled with tears.
When I seek the beautiful face of Jesus in my anger, I see His authority- bold, honest, truthful, restrained by His love.
When I seek the beautiful face of Jesus in my doubt & fear, I see Him in the garden of Gethsemane, drinking the cup of courage, pain and self-denial.
When I seek the beautiful face of Jesus in hunger and loneliness, I see Him pressed by the crowds, feeding the five thousand, being touched by the sick.
When I seek the beautiful face of Jesus In my humiliation, I see the radiant Glory from His throne, a Glory He rains down over my soul.
He has been there before me, Now He welcomes me to share in all He is, Never will He leave me, In Him I am at home.
When I seek the beautiful face of Jesus in my anger, I see His authority- bold, honest, truthful, restrained by His love.
When I seek the beautiful face of Jesus in my doubt & fear, I see Him in the garden of Gethsemane, drinking the cup of courage, pain and self-denial.
When I seek the beautiful face of Jesus in hunger and loneliness, I see Him pressed by the crowds, feeding the five thousand, being touched by the sick.
When I seek the beautiful face of Jesus In my humiliation, I see the radiant Glory from His throne, a Glory He rains down over my soul.
He has been there before me, Now He welcomes me to share in all He is, Never will He leave me, In Him I am at home.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Where does the time go?
Calanders, clocks, watches, birthdays all help us to mark time. We look forward to events and holidays, bedtimes for cranky kids, meals around a family table. We find rythem to our days, and meaning to our schedules.
One halloween about 10 years ago, I thought of this genius costume ( in those days the kids were open to my creativity) TIME! I know, how do you wear TIME?
I had been cleaning out my junk drawers( I have one in every room) and I kept coming across these broken watches. That's when it hit me, if I sewed them onto a tee shirt I could make this concept a costume. From there the idea took off! I stapled a calander to the front of a painter cap, I took the oversized superman watch clock off my sons bedroom wall and used it like a belt, I wrote catch phrases like- "No time like the present",& "Time waits for no man" in puffy paint on the back of the tee. I made pictures of seasonal icons on each limb of my jeans & longsleeved thermal shirt. I looked ridiculous , but felt brilliant! No other parent at the elementary school neighborhood party would be escorting thier kids as" TIME".
After the party the outfit was thrown out, no other real use for it. That doesn't mean I still don't wear Time. I not only wear it, I lose it, I give it, I forget it, I relish it and most recently I was told my back is remembering it and my face is showing it!
Until last week I mentally felt 20 years old, but my body(back) betrayed me! I can't reasonably do the same things without feeling the wear. This week I am aged again as I recieved news of my mothers death. She was young, not supposed to go at 69. And as long as she was here I was always just years younger, my own daughter just years younger then me! Today I am the Grandmama- the oldest woman in my family! And guess what ,I just really want my mommy! Where did the time go?
One halloween about 10 years ago, I thought of this genius costume ( in those days the kids were open to my creativity) TIME! I know, how do you wear TIME?
I had been cleaning out my junk drawers( I have one in every room) and I kept coming across these broken watches. That's when it hit me, if I sewed them onto a tee shirt I could make this concept a costume. From there the idea took off! I stapled a calander to the front of a painter cap, I took the oversized superman watch clock off my sons bedroom wall and used it like a belt, I wrote catch phrases like- "No time like the present",& "Time waits for no man" in puffy paint on the back of the tee. I made pictures of seasonal icons on each limb of my jeans & longsleeved thermal shirt. I looked ridiculous , but felt brilliant! No other parent at the elementary school neighborhood party would be escorting thier kids as" TIME".
After the party the outfit was thrown out, no other real use for it. That doesn't mean I still don't wear Time. I not only wear it, I lose it, I give it, I forget it, I relish it and most recently I was told my back is remembering it and my face is showing it!
Until last week I mentally felt 20 years old, but my body(back) betrayed me! I can't reasonably do the same things without feeling the wear. This week I am aged again as I recieved news of my mothers death. She was young, not supposed to go at 69. And as long as she was here I was always just years younger, my own daughter just years younger then me! Today I am the Grandmama- the oldest woman in my family! And guess what ,I just really want my mommy! Where did the time go?
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Road Trips
With so many relatives now living in distant places, traveling seems to be a normal part of our monthly calander. Driving the highways can be a dread or dream depending on the mental state you enter the vehicle in.
My favorite part of our family vacation time was always those incidental moments that took place in the car. Those conversations you couldn't avoid. The doors were locked and the kids belted in, the auto speeding at 65 mph into what everyone thought would be a slice of heaven! Everyone but me! I kind of knew that the trip ahead was not the reward, but the treasure lay in the interaction and revelation of our togetherness. The car was our real nest.
This kind of togetherness meant that we would "let it all hang out". We would all have to give something up in our space to make each other comfortable. We would have to take turns at music choices as well as listening and speaking. Bathroom stops and hunger pains would bring about breaks in the miles traveled. These stops provided us with fuel and a good stretch before we got going again.
We were no longer able to pursue seperate endeavors, we needed to be of one vision. The final destination! That was our hope, that we all arrive intact to the destination! But the reality was, we had to work out all the petty stuff that was bound up in each one of us to make the trip a successful one.
Being in close proximity for 2-18 hours ( depending on the location) gave us a birds eye view of important adjustments to our thinking and relating. At the onset, we all seem excited for the promise of adventure,somewhere along the way the grumbleing begins(often because a touchy subject is exposed). And then the family magic happens ! We laugh at ourselves, the way families tend to do immortalizing the ridiculous behaviors we have been caught at.
We relearn how to get over ourselves! We create lasting landmarks with regard to our own discomfort. We see who we've become in the eyes of those we love most and whom we know love us. And we change in split seconds , to adapt to whatever comes our way.
I'm so reminded that our faith journey is not much different then this. We set out with a destination, To be with God. We recognize that Jesus is the vehicle we take to reach him. But the Holy Spirit is driving the car! The car is filled with all the people in our life that God loves, and we have to get real about how we relate with one another! Some of us refuse to ride together because we can't share our space, some believe to many stops will throw us off the schedule, others might need rest stops because they become stiff without a stretch. And there is usually one or two who know a shortcut and harp on the best route. At any rate we are still all in the same vehicle!
It may be cramped, it may be noisey, it may even be emotionally draining and physically demanding, but when you love God with all your heart & might & soul, it is still a trip worth taking. " Are we there yet!!!"
My favorite part of our family vacation time was always those incidental moments that took place in the car. Those conversations you couldn't avoid. The doors were locked and the kids belted in, the auto speeding at 65 mph into what everyone thought would be a slice of heaven! Everyone but me! I kind of knew that the trip ahead was not the reward, but the treasure lay in the interaction and revelation of our togetherness. The car was our real nest.
This kind of togetherness meant that we would "let it all hang out". We would all have to give something up in our space to make each other comfortable. We would have to take turns at music choices as well as listening and speaking. Bathroom stops and hunger pains would bring about breaks in the miles traveled. These stops provided us with fuel and a good stretch before we got going again.
We were no longer able to pursue seperate endeavors, we needed to be of one vision. The final destination! That was our hope, that we all arrive intact to the destination! But the reality was, we had to work out all the petty stuff that was bound up in each one of us to make the trip a successful one.
Being in close proximity for 2-18 hours ( depending on the location) gave us a birds eye view of important adjustments to our thinking and relating. At the onset, we all seem excited for the promise of adventure,somewhere along the way the grumbleing begins(often because a touchy subject is exposed). And then the family magic happens ! We laugh at ourselves, the way families tend to do immortalizing the ridiculous behaviors we have been caught at.
We relearn how to get over ourselves! We create lasting landmarks with regard to our own discomfort. We see who we've become in the eyes of those we love most and whom we know love us. And we change in split seconds , to adapt to whatever comes our way.
I'm so reminded that our faith journey is not much different then this. We set out with a destination, To be with God. We recognize that Jesus is the vehicle we take to reach him. But the Holy Spirit is driving the car! The car is filled with all the people in our life that God loves, and we have to get real about how we relate with one another! Some of us refuse to ride together because we can't share our space, some believe to many stops will throw us off the schedule, others might need rest stops because they become stiff without a stretch. And there is usually one or two who know a shortcut and harp on the best route. At any rate we are still all in the same vehicle!
It may be cramped, it may be noisey, it may even be emotionally draining and physically demanding, but when you love God with all your heart & might & soul, it is still a trip worth taking. " Are we there yet!!!"
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Welcome to the neighborhood!
Everything has movement. Some things at the speed of light , other things barely seem to inch along. But time and space play out in such a way that we must not assume any vain sense of permanence in our lives. Boundries change, in our land as well as our thoughts. People come into seasons of our lives, and objects seem to be important one day and obsolete the next.
Have you ever had a day that seemed like it would never end? You set out to accomplish a list of mundane yet necesary tasks. Along the way you find the day has you and you are less in control of the unfolding plans that side track your expectations. Granted we all try to "work the list", but the harder we try the more frustrating it can become or the more rigid we become when the unexpected presents a demand of us.
I am a list person mentally! I like to set up my day , like bowling pins-and knock down each chore ! I feel a sense of productivity in each area of completion. For many years the things on my list gave me control over the hours I accounted for. It gave me dialogue with people around me. I t represented the image of someone who was industrious. I had a schedule to keep therefore I was needed to fulfill a responsible role. This role was sometimes as a part of a workforce, other times as wife & mother. And also part of the community in service and volunteerism.
Structure is a wonderful thing until it has a crack in it's foundation! And as Ecclesiastes 3 states "there is a time for everything under heaven, a time to build and a time to tear down". What does the tearing down have to do with my plans? It doesn't have as much to do with me as it has to do with Gods plan for me !
Years of identifying myself with various roles has me questioning my non-identity or place in the current scheme of things. I have more time to chat in a supermarket line with strangers, extra hours to spend reading, availability to do "on call " visits to sick or lonely friends & neighbors. And at first I almost felt guilty not sitting at home waiting to feed a teenager wandering in for a bite to eat , or jumping up to serve my husband after a long day at work.( Mind you none in my household are incapable of any of these things , it was just my territoy for so long.)
There I said it, I am a territorial being! My space, my time, my way! And as I now look back I have marked so many areas in My world. Have you felt ownership over your life , like me? Have you felt controlling tendencies? That is how foundations crack!!!
It has been a process to discover the areas of my life I have limited by my own harsh assessment of myself or expectations of others. I daily invite you to search out the Living God in your "things to do list". You may be surprised to find that "only a few things are necesary".
Two sisters invited Jesus to their home. One ( Martha) was frustrated by all the preparations for hospitality, the other ( Mary) sat with Jesus at HIs feet . Martha did not ask Mary to help. In her growing frustration she tried to manipulate her sister into doing the same thing she was doing, to accomplish her "to do list". She directed her statement to Jesus, to elevate the importance of her ideas on serving, and to reveal the lack of help she was recieveing . Jesus said "Martha, Martha, only a few things are necesary, Mary has chosen the good part."
Jesus was not infering that a meal wasn't needed, He was addressing the crack in Martha's foundation. It was time for Martha to stop validating herself at the cost of taking others hostage to her plan. Jesus loved Martha dearly! He wanted her to be free from the entanglements of control. He gently provided Martha with a way out and Mary with a way in to His truth about how to accept themselves in light of His love for them both. No guilt!
Focus on the importance of each task,does it leave time to spend with Jesus ? Does it really impress Him to have you knock yourself out at the cost of offending others? Will it bring you new insight to His heart of love for you? Or do you want all the pain so you get all the glory? Ultimately All Glory belongs to God!
A firm foundation keeps the Structure supported, Don't crack up!
Have you ever had a day that seemed like it would never end? You set out to accomplish a list of mundane yet necesary tasks. Along the way you find the day has you and you are less in control of the unfolding plans that side track your expectations. Granted we all try to "work the list", but the harder we try the more frustrating it can become or the more rigid we become when the unexpected presents a demand of us.
I am a list person mentally! I like to set up my day , like bowling pins-and knock down each chore ! I feel a sense of productivity in each area of completion. For many years the things on my list gave me control over the hours I accounted for. It gave me dialogue with people around me. I t represented the image of someone who was industrious. I had a schedule to keep therefore I was needed to fulfill a responsible role. This role was sometimes as a part of a workforce, other times as wife & mother. And also part of the community in service and volunteerism.
Structure is a wonderful thing until it has a crack in it's foundation! And as Ecclesiastes 3 states "there is a time for everything under heaven, a time to build and a time to tear down". What does the tearing down have to do with my plans? It doesn't have as much to do with me as it has to do with Gods plan for me !
Years of identifying myself with various roles has me questioning my non-identity or place in the current scheme of things. I have more time to chat in a supermarket line with strangers, extra hours to spend reading, availability to do "on call " visits to sick or lonely friends & neighbors. And at first I almost felt guilty not sitting at home waiting to feed a teenager wandering in for a bite to eat , or jumping up to serve my husband after a long day at work.( Mind you none in my household are incapable of any of these things , it was just my territoy for so long.)
There I said it, I am a territorial being! My space, my time, my way! And as I now look back I have marked so many areas in My world. Have you felt ownership over your life , like me? Have you felt controlling tendencies? That is how foundations crack!!!
It has been a process to discover the areas of my life I have limited by my own harsh assessment of myself or expectations of others. I daily invite you to search out the Living God in your "things to do list". You may be surprised to find that "only a few things are necesary".
Two sisters invited Jesus to their home. One ( Martha) was frustrated by all the preparations for hospitality, the other ( Mary) sat with Jesus at HIs feet . Martha did not ask Mary to help. In her growing frustration she tried to manipulate her sister into doing the same thing she was doing, to accomplish her "to do list". She directed her statement to Jesus, to elevate the importance of her ideas on serving, and to reveal the lack of help she was recieveing . Jesus said "Martha, Martha, only a few things are necesary, Mary has chosen the good part."
Jesus was not infering that a meal wasn't needed, He was addressing the crack in Martha's foundation. It was time for Martha to stop validating herself at the cost of taking others hostage to her plan. Jesus loved Martha dearly! He wanted her to be free from the entanglements of control. He gently provided Martha with a way out and Mary with a way in to His truth about how to accept themselves in light of His love for them both. No guilt!
Focus on the importance of each task,does it leave time to spend with Jesus ? Does it really impress Him to have you knock yourself out at the cost of offending others? Will it bring you new insight to His heart of love for you? Or do you want all the pain so you get all the glory? Ultimately All Glory belongs to God!
A firm foundation keeps the Structure supported, Don't crack up!
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Luggage
My oldest daughter has two little girls, one 3and one 6mos old, a hard working husband, a dog and an 80 year old home that they have been renovating since they bought it 4 years ago this week.
Atypical of most young women( most can't miss a good shoe sale) she never met a piece of luggage she couldn't find use for! From pocketbooks to diaperbags, she has amassed a collection Imelda Marcos would envy.
I recently visited her out of state residence. My plan was to spend 3 days at her house. So in my usual style of packing I grabbed my make-up case some clean underwear, 3 oldie but goody sweatpants, 2 funky tee shirts and a sweater. Shoved them in the nearest tote to the dresser, and drove off into the setting sun. I' m very much a low maintenaince women. My wardrobe has to be practical, day to evening wear. And what works better than stretchy spandex for sleep or play with the grandkids?
Anyway, I do have this one fabulous tote bag that my daughter gave me, I fill it with my bible, candy, tampons, aspirin, bandaids, pen, paper, gum, 2 pair of sunglasses, a pair of shoes, and a bottle or 2 of water & some granola bars, not to forget the various C D's & cassettes of music I constantly love to play as I travel. This bag sits right next to me on all trips.
As I was driving to her house I thought of Mary Poppins with her Black Bag dropping from the sky with umbrella in hand. I thought of Felix the cat who could solve any problem with his magical bag of tricks and I thought of my daughter.
I remember training all my children at an early age to pray and learn scripture. When they were infants I laid hands on them and blessed them. As preschoolers we sang scripture verses and had table grace as well as the bedtime prayers and readings. By the time they started school it was our habit to pray at breakfast for the day ahead, teachers, classmates and activities. I drove them to school and we would find something to be thankful for each morning and finish the ride by reciting the 23rd psalm , John 3:16, the Lords prayer or the beatitudes. I was packing them for the long life journey into each new day just like Duetoronomy challenged me to.
Those years went so fast and before I knew it I was shouting out prayers for their protection as they took themselves off to school with driving friends or by virtue of license a family vehicle.
Upon arrival at my daughters, it was easy to see what a diversity of roles she now played at a moments notice. Diaper bags, school bags, gift bags, laundry bags, recyclingbags, and earth friendly shopping bags, were in every corner of her existince. She certainly does get organized and packed up for every task of her busy household. But what most impressed me was my grandaughters statement at lunch the next day. Olivia stopped before taking a bite out of her PB&J and asked me to say a prayer for our food! It was at that point that I new the best container for Gods love for us through Christ is the Life of a child!!! My daughter really knows how to pack! And I'm sure that she has everything she needs as she esteems the reality of Christ above all else.
When we lift Jesus Higher than anything else in our life He draws all men unto himself. Teach your children about their lord when they walk ,sit , play, eat, at all times model Him. As mothers we can't go everywhere our kids go, but we don't send them out alone . We must know that they too will walk with god.
I Guess I taught mine how to pack literally & spiritually,and now she is teaching hers.
Atypical of most young women( most can't miss a good shoe sale) she never met a piece of luggage she couldn't find use for! From pocketbooks to diaperbags, she has amassed a collection Imelda Marcos would envy.
I recently visited her out of state residence. My plan was to spend 3 days at her house. So in my usual style of packing I grabbed my make-up case some clean underwear, 3 oldie but goody sweatpants, 2 funky tee shirts and a sweater. Shoved them in the nearest tote to the dresser, and drove off into the setting sun. I' m very much a low maintenaince women. My wardrobe has to be practical, day to evening wear. And what works better than stretchy spandex for sleep or play with the grandkids?
Anyway, I do have this one fabulous tote bag that my daughter gave me, I fill it with my bible, candy, tampons, aspirin, bandaids, pen, paper, gum, 2 pair of sunglasses, a pair of shoes, and a bottle or 2 of water & some granola bars, not to forget the various C D's & cassettes of music I constantly love to play as I travel. This bag sits right next to me on all trips.
As I was driving to her house I thought of Mary Poppins with her Black Bag dropping from the sky with umbrella in hand. I thought of Felix the cat who could solve any problem with his magical bag of tricks and I thought of my daughter.
I remember training all my children at an early age to pray and learn scripture. When they were infants I laid hands on them and blessed them. As preschoolers we sang scripture verses and had table grace as well as the bedtime prayers and readings. By the time they started school it was our habit to pray at breakfast for the day ahead, teachers, classmates and activities. I drove them to school and we would find something to be thankful for each morning and finish the ride by reciting the 23rd psalm , John 3:16, the Lords prayer or the beatitudes. I was packing them for the long life journey into each new day just like Duetoronomy challenged me to.
Those years went so fast and before I knew it I was shouting out prayers for their protection as they took themselves off to school with driving friends or by virtue of license a family vehicle.
Upon arrival at my daughters, it was easy to see what a diversity of roles she now played at a moments notice. Diaper bags, school bags, gift bags, laundry bags, recyclingbags, and earth friendly shopping bags, were in every corner of her existince. She certainly does get organized and packed up for every task of her busy household. But what most impressed me was my grandaughters statement at lunch the next day. Olivia stopped before taking a bite out of her PB&J and asked me to say a prayer for our food! It was at that point that I new the best container for Gods love for us through Christ is the Life of a child!!! My daughter really knows how to pack! And I'm sure that she has everything she needs as she esteems the reality of Christ above all else.
When we lift Jesus Higher than anything else in our life He draws all men unto himself. Teach your children about their lord when they walk ,sit , play, eat, at all times model Him. As mothers we can't go everywhere our kids go, but we don't send them out alone . We must know that they too will walk with god.
I Guess I taught mine how to pack literally & spiritually,and now she is teaching hers.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
My bad ! According to Proverbs
I read a chapter out of the Bible book of Proverbs every day. There are 31 chapters in all, so one a day is like taking a vitamin. It supplements my mind and spirit with age old wisdom. I figured out long ago that basic principles of life can be absorbed, meditated on easily,recalled in times of need if I packed each day with tools for the job of training & teaching myself via Gods Word.
After all these many years of study I still find the verses about child rearing to be hard to swallow. So many of them talk about how wonderful good kids are to the Dads reputation, but how shameful it is when Moms miss the mark! What about all the great stuff we Moms do every minute of every day? What's up with that God?
Well, even my husband has made simple comments to me to that effect. " I always knew that kid would make me proud". Or"she must have gotten that mouth from you!" I don't want to be made soley responsible for the negatives that lie in the DNA of my children. But if I look deeper into this reoccurring pattern in scripture I find one word that unlocks the truth of it's intention, SHAME!!!
God is saying to us women that the enemy(Satan, evil, sin, disobedience) brings Shame. That we are vulnerable to receive this accusatory attack when we see our little ones or teens make public displays of their weaknesses. We are then weakened ourselves by the second guessing we do to correct their behavior. We ask all our friends to give us advice based on the common belief that more information from the outside will help straighten us out in what we need to do to have perfect kids!
The problem with this whole concept is that we have already bought into the mindset of the enemy! He said we failed and we put on this heavy coat of guilt! We have really screwed up! And we don't have what it takes to get the job done! Brick by brick Satan builds us into a prison of self doubt. Now we publicly aknowledge our sense of lack by stepping back from the task at hand.
Moms , Pull your heads out of the sand. My bad-No way!! I'm perfectly flawed, worthy of Christs never ending stream of grace. GRACE is the antidote for shame . If I immediately get my head and heart in position to receive Gods grace & let's not forget mercy, I can circumvent the effects of being weighed down and immobilized in the face of this challenging task of child rearing . First I have to put the air mask on myself so I can help the weaker ones in my care. Grace, the fresh air of Gods Holy Spirit, continues to sheild me & my vision of the kids by reminding me that Jesus was the only perfect person on earth. Probably because He never had children!!
After all these many years of study I still find the verses about child rearing to be hard to swallow. So many of them talk about how wonderful good kids are to the Dads reputation, but how shameful it is when Moms miss the mark! What about all the great stuff we Moms do every minute of every day? What's up with that God?
Well, even my husband has made simple comments to me to that effect. " I always knew that kid would make me proud". Or"she must have gotten that mouth from you!" I don't want to be made soley responsible for the negatives that lie in the DNA of my children. But if I look deeper into this reoccurring pattern in scripture I find one word that unlocks the truth of it's intention, SHAME!!!
God is saying to us women that the enemy(Satan, evil, sin, disobedience) brings Shame. That we are vulnerable to receive this accusatory attack when we see our little ones or teens make public displays of their weaknesses. We are then weakened ourselves by the second guessing we do to correct their behavior. We ask all our friends to give us advice based on the common belief that more information from the outside will help straighten us out in what we need to do to have perfect kids!
The problem with this whole concept is that we have already bought into the mindset of the enemy! He said we failed and we put on this heavy coat of guilt! We have really screwed up! And we don't have what it takes to get the job done! Brick by brick Satan builds us into a prison of self doubt. Now we publicly aknowledge our sense of lack by stepping back from the task at hand.
Moms , Pull your heads out of the sand. My bad-No way!! I'm perfectly flawed, worthy of Christs never ending stream of grace. GRACE is the antidote for shame . If I immediately get my head and heart in position to receive Gods grace & let's not forget mercy, I can circumvent the effects of being weighed down and immobilized in the face of this challenging task of child rearing . First I have to put the air mask on myself so I can help the weaker ones in my care. Grace, the fresh air of Gods Holy Spirit, continues to sheild me & my vision of the kids by reminding me that Jesus was the only perfect person on earth. Probably because He never had children!!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Overdue library books, salad & love?
I was recruited by a well intentioned member of my church to help in our childrens ministry. I've done many things in the past working with youngsters in and outside of the church arena, my background was in early childhood education. She told me that there were prepared materials she would send in the mail. My mini-message would follow the reading of the Gospel on Sunday morning.
The Scripture text is found in the book of Matthew, the 22nd chapter. "Render to Ceaser what is Ceasers and render to God what is Gods".
The prepared lesson explained that I should have the children stand, face the flag & pledge alliagence and tell them we honor our government. Then I should tell them to look at the Cross & recite the apostles creed to honor God .Well I think this might seem like a simple explanation to most people but I can't imagine too many 2-8 year olds that know both of these or can fluently read them. Besides the only place they might recognize the name Ceaser is from watching T.V. in the context of salad or dogfood commercials.
I decided that Ceaser, needed to be translated into the currency of a more limited experience. Therefore I'm going to use the Library, Blockbuster, & love as the basis for my message.
I know you're probably curious as to how that will explain this particular scripture. Most adults I know struggle with their understanding of God, how can we expect kids to connect a worldly system with an all powerful Creator? What was Jesus talking about here?
Oh, I also received a reminder to return my overdue library book in the mail the same day as I got the lesson. I think I'll have a fine to pay next time I want to check out a good read. I hate that don't you? I mean I know it's not that big of a deal, it just tells me that membership has it's priviledges until you mess up , then it has it's price.
I used to fear going into Blockbuster a few years back when my teens would rent movies, because I never knew if they returned things on time! My husband & I occasionally got a movie out and always were told to pay some late charge for flix we didn't even see, I could have owned the darn movies for some of the extended charges I've gotten hit with!
Anyway, as I thought about this message thing, I realized that most kids watch movies and read books. The library and Blockbuster is a world system that they already recognize. It represents my Ceaser . We have to give back the movies & books because they don't belong to us. We didn't buy them.
It makes me think about how I sometimes forget to pray or love others the way I should. Like an overdue book, I don't belong to me! I have to return to God . And Jesus says "I paid the fine because I Love you and you are one of my favorite works. " I imagine If I was His living letter my first page might be dedicated to God for wanting me, purchasing me and keeping me.
Return to the Lord your God ! The Price was Paid !
The Scripture text is found in the book of Matthew, the 22nd chapter. "Render to Ceaser what is Ceasers and render to God what is Gods".
The prepared lesson explained that I should have the children stand, face the flag & pledge alliagence and tell them we honor our government. Then I should tell them to look at the Cross & recite the apostles creed to honor God .Well I think this might seem like a simple explanation to most people but I can't imagine too many 2-8 year olds that know both of these or can fluently read them. Besides the only place they might recognize the name Ceaser is from watching T.V. in the context of salad or dogfood commercials.
I decided that Ceaser, needed to be translated into the currency of a more limited experience. Therefore I'm going to use the Library, Blockbuster, & love as the basis for my message.
I know you're probably curious as to how that will explain this particular scripture. Most adults I know struggle with their understanding of God, how can we expect kids to connect a worldly system with an all powerful Creator? What was Jesus talking about here?
Oh, I also received a reminder to return my overdue library book in the mail the same day as I got the lesson. I think I'll have a fine to pay next time I want to check out a good read. I hate that don't you? I mean I know it's not that big of a deal, it just tells me that membership has it's priviledges until you mess up , then it has it's price.
I used to fear going into Blockbuster a few years back when my teens would rent movies, because I never knew if they returned things on time! My husband & I occasionally got a movie out and always were told to pay some late charge for flix we didn't even see, I could have owned the darn movies for some of the extended charges I've gotten hit with!
Anyway, as I thought about this message thing, I realized that most kids watch movies and read books. The library and Blockbuster is a world system that they already recognize. It represents my Ceaser . We have to give back the movies & books because they don't belong to us. We didn't buy them.
It makes me think about how I sometimes forget to pray or love others the way I should. Like an overdue book, I don't belong to me! I have to return to God . And Jesus says "I paid the fine because I Love you and you are one of my favorite works. " I imagine If I was His living letter my first page might be dedicated to God for wanting me, purchasing me and keeping me.
Return to the Lord your God ! The Price was Paid !
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Why the name "Life Laundry"
Having had an active family involved in; multiple clubs, sports, performance arts, work endeavors, and social networks , we have had to put on so many uniforms of identification. Each costume requires the accompaniment of specific accessories. Hats, tee shirts, sashes,vests,aprons, pants, socks & name badges , are paramount to create the image of a team prepared for it's victory . It brings pride of belonging as well as support in the struggle toward success.
The concept of unity is a good one until it undoes the harmony of homelife by way of a missing sports sock or a late to the laundry work shirt! And as the hectic week progresses the piles of dirty linens and clothing just grows and grows. Even though the washer & dryer never take a rest.
One day many years ago, I had a revelation about God while facing a Mt. Everest of Laundry! I come to Him all messed up from playing out in a polluted world and He pours the fuller soap of His Son Jesus' sacrificial love on me , renews me by virtue of His gracious gift of water baptism, gently tumbles me at the right temperature to loose the soil and stains through the work of His Holy Spirit and prepares me for another day of service.
Now I have to say, some stains take special measures to get release. Grass ,ink, blood, mud & wine are real tough to work out! I remember one such stain that drove me to O.C.D tendencies. My son had a favorite pair of jeans that he stained the knees with mud & blood. No Oxy clean or Shout, no amount of scrubbing or soaking could remove the embedded traces left behind. I had failed as his mother to remove the offensive stains and restore what seemed important for his sake. I kind of gave up, took the wet jeans out of the washer for the 3rd time and put them stained knees and all over a patio chair to dry in the sun. That night I forgot about them and it rained . The next day they remained again to dry. I went to retrieve them and couldn't believe my eyes. The stains were gone!! The sun had bleached them out.
Thre are times in our lives when we work so hard to remove the stains of sin out of our lives. We Try so hard to not get dirty . Life gives us Laundry! The washer goes round and round. We start all over again . We come before God and ask Him to forgive us , sometimes we just scrub & scrub at the mess hoping we can clean up ourselves. But sometimes the deep stains require us to give up the struggle, place the offense outside our spirit by asking forgiveness or by forgiving. We may need to let the rain of tears fall over the stains as we repent. But when The Son comes to us with the light of His love to shine powerfully mystically and we receive Him. We are made clean!
Life is full of laundry-Christ removes all stains!!
The concept of unity is a good one until it undoes the harmony of homelife by way of a missing sports sock or a late to the laundry work shirt! And as the hectic week progresses the piles of dirty linens and clothing just grows and grows. Even though the washer & dryer never take a rest.
One day many years ago, I had a revelation about God while facing a Mt. Everest of Laundry! I come to Him all messed up from playing out in a polluted world and He pours the fuller soap of His Son Jesus' sacrificial love on me , renews me by virtue of His gracious gift of water baptism, gently tumbles me at the right temperature to loose the soil and stains through the work of His Holy Spirit and prepares me for another day of service.
Now I have to say, some stains take special measures to get release. Grass ,ink, blood, mud & wine are real tough to work out! I remember one such stain that drove me to O.C.D tendencies. My son had a favorite pair of jeans that he stained the knees with mud & blood. No Oxy clean or Shout, no amount of scrubbing or soaking could remove the embedded traces left behind. I had failed as his mother to remove the offensive stains and restore what seemed important for his sake. I kind of gave up, took the wet jeans out of the washer for the 3rd time and put them stained knees and all over a patio chair to dry in the sun. That night I forgot about them and it rained . The next day they remained again to dry. I went to retrieve them and couldn't believe my eyes. The stains were gone!! The sun had bleached them out.
Thre are times in our lives when we work so hard to remove the stains of sin out of our lives. We Try so hard to not get dirty . Life gives us Laundry! The washer goes round and round. We start all over again . We come before God and ask Him to forgive us , sometimes we just scrub & scrub at the mess hoping we can clean up ourselves. But sometimes the deep stains require us to give up the struggle, place the offense outside our spirit by asking forgiveness or by forgiving. We may need to let the rain of tears fall over the stains as we repent. But when The Son comes to us with the light of His love to shine powerfully mystically and we receive Him. We are made clean!
Life is full of laundry-Christ removes all stains!!
Friday, October 10, 2008
Keeping it Clean
Well, another week has passed and I can truelly say that no matter how many times I put something away it seems to reappear. And no matter how many times I leave something out it magically disappears! But worst of all I am usually called on to be Queen of my domain and know the exact location of all household inventory. From holiday ornaments to seasonal apparel, I could probably give TJ Maxx a few tips about inventory control.
My new philosophy is taking shape, I surveyed my sentimental stashes of cutesy clutter and decided if it can't make me cherish the time it takes to maintain it, it has to find a new home. I've decided that in todays economy re-gifting is a nice way of releasing small treasures of previous delight and recapturing the thoughtful sentiment that was intended with each objects purchase. There certainly is a place for everything to belong, but it just can't be here in my house.
With a simplified environment comes a simpler lifestyle. Hopefully one that will allow time for more relational priority than has this period of gadgets & trappings. I was thinking about the real basic elements that make for a home, table & chairs for dining, a sofa , comfy chair, 1 television, a bed & dresser per person , window shades,a placesetting per family member, basic bedding, a set of cookware. Believe it or not , that is probably more than what we all started out with when we set out on our own!
We seem to be overwhelmed in our everyday duties and decisions. We want more, but fail to be contented with the already haves, they become old fast ,no longer precious , losing value far too quickly. Sometimes not even lasting beyond the payments of our credit cards! I remember when less meant more. More room to move about,more time to get out, more freedom with our money. So I recently had a yard sale and let others walk off with so many of my stored up treasures for pennies. I regained a closet & a garage & emptied out an extra room of things I can't even remember anymore. But someone somewhere is getting the recycled benefit of more for less.
Have we lost sight of the real treasures of everyday life? The ability to let go of something material helps us to make room for something in the spirit. Dare I say an awareness of the true substance of life. Our focus is no longer lustful, our hearts no longer greedy, our identities not hidden away under masses of material possesions.
I hope that while I am purging my closets, God will hold up the lamp of his truth about who He really sees me as, I'm sure he would rather not confuse me with label on my jeans. I think it's long overdue for me to remember that as long as the robe of Christs righteousness covers me I'm always dressed for success!
My new philosophy is taking shape, I surveyed my sentimental stashes of cutesy clutter and decided if it can't make me cherish the time it takes to maintain it, it has to find a new home. I've decided that in todays economy re-gifting is a nice way of releasing small treasures of previous delight and recapturing the thoughtful sentiment that was intended with each objects purchase. There certainly is a place for everything to belong, but it just can't be here in my house.
With a simplified environment comes a simpler lifestyle. Hopefully one that will allow time for more relational priority than has this period of gadgets & trappings. I was thinking about the real basic elements that make for a home, table & chairs for dining, a sofa , comfy chair, 1 television, a bed & dresser per person , window shades,a placesetting per family member, basic bedding, a set of cookware. Believe it or not , that is probably more than what we all started out with when we set out on our own!
We seem to be overwhelmed in our everyday duties and decisions. We want more, but fail to be contented with the already haves, they become old fast ,no longer precious , losing value far too quickly. Sometimes not even lasting beyond the payments of our credit cards! I remember when less meant more. More room to move about,more time to get out, more freedom with our money. So I recently had a yard sale and let others walk off with so many of my stored up treasures for pennies. I regained a closet & a garage & emptied out an extra room of things I can't even remember anymore. But someone somewhere is getting the recycled benefit of more for less.
Have we lost sight of the real treasures of everyday life? The ability to let go of something material helps us to make room for something in the spirit. Dare I say an awareness of the true substance of life. Our focus is no longer lustful, our hearts no longer greedy, our identities not hidden away under masses of material possesions.
I hope that while I am purging my closets, God will hold up the lamp of his truth about who He really sees me as, I'm sure he would rather not confuse me with label on my jeans. I think it's long overdue for me to remember that as long as the robe of Christs righteousness covers me I'm always dressed for success!
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