Following Christ

Categories Following Christ, Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday: Bits and Pieces

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Today I’m thankful…

  • For ends and beginnings
    • Finishing my last grading for the semester
    • Packing up the lab in preparation for next semester with Joyce
    • Getting close to done with my last couple of classes (some papers written–still some more to go)
    • Almost done with a couple of good books (due back tomorrow so I’d better be almost done
    • About to embark on an adventure that scares me and excites me at the same time
  • For friends and Menter’s (pun intended)
    • A heart to heart with my mom while baking Christmas cookies yesterday
    • Lunch with Grace (grilled cheese and tomato soup) and help with packing this afternoon
    • Dinner with Rodney and Malinda and then quilting with Malinda this evening
  • For unexpected blessings
    • Being able to get out of my on-street parking after packing this afternoon
    • Having a bright sun-shiny day despite the cold
    • Getting all the lab reports graded today
    • Having Malinda call and invite me to dinner and quilting
  • For the limitless love of Christ
    • He knows me better than I know myself
    • He cares for me better than I could ever care for myself
    • He guides me into things better than I could ever dream of myself

Thank You, Lord, for Your unending love. Thank You for Your mercies that are new each morning. Thank You that You are entirely trustworthy. I give You my life–I am Yours.

Categories Following Christ, Reflections

Satisfaction in Christ

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From Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby:

If you knew all you had was a relationship with God, would you be totally and completely satisfied? Many people would say, “I would like to have that relationship, but I would also like to do something” or “I would like for Him to give me a ministry or something to do.” We are a doing people. We feel worthless of useless if we are not busy doing something. Scripture leads us to understand that God is saying, “I want you to love Me above everything else. When you are in a relationship of love with Me, you have everything there is.” To be loved by God is the highest relationship, the greatest achievement, and the noblest position in life.

And such is my struggle. I seek to be content in my circumstances only to find them changing. I speak of learning contentment in my singleness–and then something happens and I’m fighting that battle all over again. I speak of learning contentment in school–and then something happens and I go over the same road again. Because learning to be content in my circumstances only lasts as long as my circumstances last. (Not long!)

Perhaps the problem is that I’m seeking contentment in my circumstances rather than satisfaction in Christ.

If I am satisfied in Christ, then regardless of my circumstances, He is my all. If I am satisfied in Christ, everything else is just an extra. If I’m satisfied in Christ, those external circumstances have no bearing on my contentment.

Paul says “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.” (Phil 4:11) How can he learn contentment in every state except that his contentment is found outside of his state? Contentment is found in Christ.

I was reflecting on Psalm 42 this morning: “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And [why] are you disquieted within me? Hope in God.” I’ve often thought of “Hope” as being the main word of those verses. Hope. Hope. Hope. Yet I realized this morning that “hope” is not the key word, “in God” is the key phrase.

What is hope unless it is placed in the right someone? It’s an empty campaign slogan.

My satisfaction, my hope must be found in Christ alone.

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

Categories Following Christ, Reflections

Expecting guests

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We’re expecting guests for our Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow noon–sixty-five guests, to be exact.

The Life Groups delivered bags of food to several families from our community who were in need–and followed up with an invitation to dinner tomorrow at church. Eleven families have confirmed that they will be there–about 65 people.

Pastor Jason sent out the word so everyone could prepare. The women were urged to bring extra food; Pastor Jeremy went into overdrive trying to find enough workers to handle the 40 extra children that we expect in children’s church.

I hadn’t signed up to bring anything–but I’d planned on doing it anyway. This news means I amped up my preparations. A 9×13″ fruited jello salad sits in my refrigerator. Five pounds of potatoes are sliced and in the crockpot on low overnight for mashed potatoes. And three pounds of onions are in another crockpot on low overnight–caramelized onions to (hopefully) cover the taste of the (in my opinion, awful) turkey the church is buying.

I accidentally sliced one of my fingernails in my preparations, and now my hands reek of onions. But I can’t help but be excited. We’ve got houseguests coming tomorrow and everything must be ready.

A thousand thoughts start to dance through my head. Is the nursery prepared? Has Debbie thought of it? Did Tracy find someone else to help me cut desserts? Joanna’s scheduled for the nursery. Is her helper reliable? What if they come for Sunday School? Is John prepared for extra kids? He just started teaching the kid’s Sunday School–I hope everything will work out fine. Just a minute, am I scheduled to be in the nursery during Sunday School? I don’t know, I don’t remember, we’ve had so many re-schedules this month. Tracy said she knew for sure that I wasn’t in the nursery for the service. So that at least is good. But what about…

My thoughts run on and on. I want us to make a good impression. I want them to be welcome. I want for us to show them love. I want for there to be plenty of food. I want for their children to be excited. I want for the parents to feel relaxed. I want them to be blessed.

Houseguests, strangers, walking through our doors. We offer them food because we want them to have life. I want them to taste and see that the Lord is good–and come back for another bite.

Categories Following Christ, Reflections

Which reminds me

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I just thought of something to say. Really.

I’m going through Experiencing God, an awesome Bible study, at my church–and God revealed something to me today.

I was complaining to God this morning when suddenly the first principle of Experiencing God popped into my head: God is always at work around me. And then it struck me that I should be asking myself “How is God at work in this situation [that I’m complaining about]?”

And so I’ve been working on being aware today, asking myself where God is at work. And that got me wondering, “Hmm, I wonder how God is at work in my roommate’s life?” Which got me thinking, “Hmm, it’s been a long time since I talked to my roommate.” Which got me thinking, “How can I know how God is working in my roommate’s life–and how can I join God in what He’s doing in my roommate’s life–if I don’t talk to my roommate?” Which inspired me to Facebook my roommate asking if she’d like to do dinner and movie tonight.

She accepted and we enjoyed Cornbread and Chipped Beef Gravy and 101 Dalmatians. We didn’t have a “deep” evening–no theological discussions, no heart baring. We just enjoyed each others’ company.

I didn’t discover what God is doing in Casandra’s life, but I did discover something that He’s doing in mine. He’s showing me that whatever He’s doing, I want to join Him–and whatever I join Him in, I want to do it with my marvelous comrade beside me.

Categories Everyday Life, Following Christ

A Weekend in Review

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The Daughter’s of the King ladies retreat was this last weekend, and it was fantastic.

The weekend was themed on Beth Moore’s Get out of that Pit. We watched some of Beth’s videos, heard from the book, heard teaching from the book, had small group times discussing the concepts found within, and had some personal time with God.

I’d already read the book, but the retreat was still pretty powerful. Especially the personal time with God. We had several questions to think through and pray through–but the great part was when God started talking. He told me what my pit is: self-PITy. He said, “You’re so busy longing for something different, something else, that you aren’t seeing what I’ve already given you. And, paradoxically, this has kept you from attaining your deepest desires. Wallowing in self-pity over how things HAVEN’T turned out as you expected is keeping you from enjoying the abundant life I have for you now and from anticipating the abundant life I have for your future.”

Yikes! But it’s so true. Knowing is half of the battle. Now, I’m daily practicing the steps Moore discussed for getting out of the pit: Cry out, Confess, Consent. And by God’s grace, I’m on my way out of the pit.

Apart from the wonderful time with God, I had a fantastic time with my girls. We swam Friday night–and stood in the shallow end of the pool singing all our favorite kiddie songs: “He’s a Peach of a Savior”, “I’m in the Lord’s Army”, and “The Hippo Song.” We cracked ourselves up with each different version–and decided that we were having so much fun that we NEEDED to share it with others. So we sang for everyone at our break Saturday morning.

On Saturday, we made leaf door hangers–one for each of us and some extras for the Thanksgiving baskets we’ll give out last month. I painted quite a few. I took pictures of quite a few really good ones–but somewhere between the ride home and Sunday morning, I lost my camera. So, I don’t have any pictures for now. (Hopefully I’ll find the camera soon.)

After we returned Saturday night, we had cheesecake at my Mom and Dad’s house for Mary’s birthday. I found a trivia question book that I’d given the family for Christmas years ago. At first I just threw the questions out to a couple of people, but by the end of the night, there were a dozen of us draped around the living room, trying to figure out which of the listed first ladies didn’t have “Smith” as their maiden name.

Sunday morning, I slept in–and then worked in the church nursery during the service. That’s when I really missed my camera. I only had three little kiddos in the nursery, but boy were they CUTE!

We closed the weekend with the movie “New in Town” (which I thoroughly enjoyed.)

Categories Following Christ

Litany for Life

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Every finished venture, and every new adventure begun, calls for a time of reflection, of preparation, of prioritization. As I have just completed my internship and am returning to graduate school, this time for my first semester as a teaching assistant, I have been reflecting, preparing, setting things in order.

I have set a few SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achieveable, Relevant, Timely) goals for myself–some more frivolous than others. But beyond that, I have spent some time reflecting and praying over my next step, using a little tool the Navigators sent me at the beginning of the year. The tool is called “PREP for a New Year” and is intended as a sort of New Year’s reflection. The “PREP” stands for Praise, Reflect, Evaluate, and Pray and Plan.

When I got to the “Pray and Plan” segment, I found myself crying out to God that this year would be different than the last. My internship experience was great, but I felt like it was one of the few things that was great about the past 7 months. I experienced great professional and educational growth–but my growth in other areas has been stunted or non-existant.

When I look at what I REALLY want in life, apart from my professional goals, very little has been accomplished in 2009. I have not grown in my relationship with God like I would have liked. I have not grown in relationship with the body as I would have liked. I have not lived with the lost as I would have liked.

My life vision is to glorify God by growing in daily relationship with Him, being conformed to the image of Christ; by growing in relationship with others, taking time to live life together; and by growing personally, always learning and practicing what I’ve learned. Yet little I’ve done in the past seven months has moved me towards that vision.

So I was crying out, asking God for priorities for this upcoming semester, begging that it be more than the previous semester–and God directed me to three simple words. Listen. Love. Learn.

With a hundred things jockeying for my time, my attention, my heart. Listen. Love. Learn. Listen for the voice of God; Love Him with all that is within me; Learn to do His will.

Faced with a deep discontent with the status of my friendships. Listen. Love. Learn. Listen to what others are saying; Love them as Christ loved me; Learn how to serve them.

It goes against my instincts, against my fallen nature. I prefer to talk, to be proud, to teach. But God would have me Listen, Love, Learn.

It would have been easier if God had given me good SMART objectives (or at least something I could DO). You know, thing like:

  • Read a chapter of the Bible every day at least six days a week
  • Spend at least 15 minutes in prayer daily
  • Limit blog-reading to one half an hour per day
  • Don’t listen to secular music
  • No “R” rated movies
  • Memorize a verse a day

Those are all nice, good, EXTERNAL things. Things that only change what I do, but not who I am. They are the easy changes to make, the legalistic changes that can let me feel good about what a great Christian I am.

But God did not give me rules to follow. He did not tell me to do these five steps daily and everything will be just fine. He did not tell me to give up these five items and I’ll be a better Christian.

Instead, He gave me a litany to live each moment of my life by. Listen. Love. Learn.

Lord, may I keep Your word ever before me as I begin the next small chapter in this adventure You are taking me on. Help me to ever be mindful to listen, to love, and to learn.

Categories Everyday Life, Following Christ

Plants need water

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I’m considering myself a brand-new gardener, having never gardened successfully in the past. I have only gardened in the same way that Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and American car companies have been successful business–via the bail-out.

It’s only my mom’s patient bail-out that kept our family from starving (okay, I’m exagerating a little) those years that I tried “taking over the garden.” I didn’t water often enough, didn’t weed often enough, lost interest before harvest came close. I was a horrid gardener. Mostly because I didn’t really tend the garden.

This year, I’ve been a bit better–probably because “gardening” is on my daily to-do list. Even so, I have days (or weekends) where I fail to care properly for my plants–and the plants suffer as a result.

My tomato plants needed water this weekend, water I didn’t give them. So now they look like this.

Tomato Plants

My tomatoes need water every single day.

So do I.

…My soul thirsts for You;

My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.
Psalm 63:1b

Categories Everyday Life, Following Christ

Exhale

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“My son, if you become surety for your friend,
If you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,
You are snared by the words of your mouth;
You are taken by the words of your mouth.
So do this, my son, and deliver yourself;
For you have come into the hand of your friend:
Go and humble yourself;
Plead with your friend.
Give no sleep to your eyes,
Nor slumber to your eyelids.
Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.”

Proverbs 6:1-5

Not having heard a “No” from the Lord, I said “Yes” to a friend.

The Lord’s “No” didn’t take long in arriving.

Thankfully, my friend heard the same voice, and did what I would not: Humbled himself, pled with his friend, and delivered us both from our own hands.

Now I, and he, can breathe again. A nice, long exhale.

Categories Faith, Following Christ

Still

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My dad used to tease my mom that she had only two speeds–slow and stopped. Of course, the only time that comment made its way out was when we were all waiting in the car for mom to finish grocery shopping. In reality, my mom is a speedy burrito.

I have two speeds as well–overdrive and hyperdrive.

It doesn’t matter what I’m doing, I’m doing it quickly. I rush to this and to that, from this and that. I pack my days plumb full–and then add a to do list a mile long on top. And then there’s my brain. Even when I get into bed, or watch a movie, or have some other “down” time, my brain is still moving a mile a minute. I worry about this or fret about that, I second guess one thing, and try to untangle another thing.

My mind was reeling last night when I read Psalm 46–and it was going crazy again this morning when I re-read Psalm 46. And then God spoke.

I am God! That’s not going to change, no matter what circumstances you find yourself in. In the toughest day of your life, I am God. In the most spectacular day of your life, I am God. I am God when you don’t see any hope for what you desire–and I am God when your imagination runs away with the possibilities. I am God. Be still and know.

“Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10

Still: adj 1. Free of sound. 2. Low in sound; hushed or subdued. 3. Not moving or in motion. 4. Free from disturbance, agitation, or commotion. 5. Free from noticeable current: a still pond; still waters

What a thought. What an idea! To be free. Free from noise, from disturbance, from current. To have a mind that is quiet, hushed, subdued. A mind that is not always in motion. A mind free from agitation and commotion. Still. I want a still mind.

What a dream. What a concept! To be free. Free from current, from agitation, from motion. To have a body that is subdued, calm, undisturbed. A body that isn’t constantly fidgiting for some next thing to do. A body that doesn’t slosh about with every current of the to-do list. Still. I want a still body.

Psalm 46:10 suggests that stillness is a choice: “Be still.” It is a command with an understood “You” as the subject. “[You] be still.”

But how can one choose stillness? I’ve certainly tried choosing stillness many times before–and failed every time. I try to clear my mind, but the thoughts just come back. I clear my schedule, but I end up fidgeting to refill it–uncomfortable with the lack of movement that threatens deadness.

Psalm 46:10 offers the answer to this question as well. “Know that I am God.” The implicit message, at least in my mind, is “…and you are not [God].” If I know that God is God and that I am not God, then I can let my mind be still–trusting God to “worry” out the details. If I know that God is God and that I am not God, then I can rest my body–trusting God to “work” out the details.

Still. Know. Rest. Trust. Words I want to characterize my life.

They don’t characterize me yet–but they will. I trust that they will. For now, I’m just learning–learning to KNOW God and to be STILL.

Categories Everyday Life, Following Christ, Reflections

The Ordinary and The Peculiar

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Ordinary: adj. 1. Commonly encountered; usual. 2a. Of no exceptional ability, degree, or quality; average. 2b. Of inferior quality; second rate.

It’s a word that often characterizes my life. Common, usual, without exceptionalism. Ordinary.

If my life had directions, a la shampoo bottles, the directions would read: “Wake up. Go to work. Work. Come home. Putz about. Go to sleep. Repeat.”

It’s not a bad life, when all is said and done. I enjoy my work, I love to putz. Sleep is good. As much as I long for the extraordinary, the unusual, the exceptional, the prime–I find myself quite content with the ordinary, the usual, the average.

I completed Nancy Moser’s Just Jane, a novel about Jane Austen, over the weekend. It was an enjoyable book–comfortably Austenish without trying too hard to mimic Austen’s voice. I could identify with Jane’s moods of peace and peevishness as she rode out the unexpected life of a spinster. Moser’s Jane was swept along by so many waves–decisions were made for her that were far less than her expectations or desires. And she let herself wallow in discontent for a while. But at some point, she has to find her home–she has to learn to be content to be “Just Jane.”

I feel that I am coming to that point–or at least that this ebb of the tide brings me to that place. I am content to just be me. I am content that my life be as usual. I am content to be unexceptional. To be ordinary.

Except that I know that ordinary I shall never truly be. For inside that “ordinary” capsule of day to day routine, I am one of the “peculiar people”.

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.” I Peter 2:9

Peculiar: adj. 1. Unusual or eccentric; odd. 2. Distinct from all others. 3. Belonging distinctively or primarily to one person, group, or kind; special or unique.

Yep. That would be me. Ordinary, but peculiar.