The thirty days of Thankfulness are wrapping up and you can tell it by fewer people posting to Twitter and Facebook. I found myself pretty cynical about the whole thing, not that I am cynical about being thankful. Friends posting that they are thankful for modern conviences, hankful for all their wealth and riches, while some are thankful for family and friends. Now I know I am sounding a bit like Scrooge here, but I think we miss the point of being thankful all together.
It is not enough to be thankful for what you have; you must be thankful for who He is!
The bible is full of scripture telling us to give thanks to God as part of our worship. How many of you when going through this thirty days of thankfulness have really thought about why you have what your thankful for? A blog ago I talked about my "why" questions and how God isn't afraid of them. I choose to ask him this powerful "why" question...
"Why do you bless me beyond what I deserve?"
I have a great husband, I mean it, the kind of guy little girls dream of. I have three men-in-the-making who are going to change this world for God. I live in a country where I can worship who, where, and when I choose. I have a lovely home, plenty of food, and more than this girl can really even wrap her head around and all I can come up with is, "why God?"
"I AM, WHO I AM"
God can't help but be a great Dad! He is who is character is, which is love, peace, steadfastness, gentle, just, protective, HOLY, and I could go and on. God is... that is why we offer our thanks to him. Everything I am, are, or will ever be is because He is.
I do not want this to be a normal Christmas season focused on gifts, and stress. I want this to be a peace filled, joyful, holy, special season just like He is. Today I stand up, with hands raised in the air, to just say THANK YOU GOD! FOR YOU ARE....
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Monday, November 14, 2011
Flush Away the Flesh
SWHOOOOSSSHHHH.... That would be the sound I hear quite often in my house. Yep, my toilet it seems gets much use in a home with four guys and a little ole me. Not only does it flush when in use, hopefully, but also because it flushes when it is cleaned. I clean clean those toilets all the time because as I said above I have four guys living in the house. Now this might seem strange but God and I have lots of talks while I am around that bowl scrubbing. Don't get me wrong, this isn't the only time God and talk but for some reason I seem to hear him better next to that small white throne. Maybe it is in preparation for the Great White Throne one day!
We have a small group that meets at our house every Friday night, and like most women I feel judged if everything isn't just so. In a week that is often busier than I would like the house and especially the bathrooms can get quite gross. Friday is my dedicated clean day. It is the day of the week that I try not to plan anything, and force myself to stay home. Yes I said force, but I will get to that in a minute.
This last week I had worked longer hours and had taken on some additional responsibilities at work which meant I used additional brain power. So physically I was tired and mentally I was empty. Friday rolled around and I all I wanted to do was go and have fun. Fun for me usually would mean having lunch with a friend or shopping. Even with the temptation of a friend to go lunch I knew I had to clean because of the commitment I made to host our small group. So there I am cleaning most of the morning in my "mad" cleaning mode.
Do you have a mad cleaning mode? My family usually knows when I am irritated by the fast and furious pace at which I clean and by the constant sighing as if I was a martyr. There was no family around; instead I proceeded to put on quite a show for the dogs and God. I made my way to the bathroom and as I started to clean I started to complain. Complaining loudly about how I got stuck doing this and why doesn't anyone help me more. Feeling like I deserved more I sat there and stared at the toilet and yelled, "I hate you, you stupid toilet. Why are you always so gross?" Yes, I realize how this must have looked not only to my dogs but more importantly to my God.
Here I am in a nice house, with a nice job that kept me busier than I wanted but God used to provide. I have cleaning supplies to make my job easier, and in all honesty my family did do more than they usually do to keep the house picked up. Yet here in this moment all I could focus on was.... ME. Me, me, me, me, me... I call that my "flesh" speaking. Romans 8:5, " Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires."
Your flesh is that part of you that doesn't like the things of God. It is what tells you that you don't need to spend time with God, read your bible; it is what tells you that you are better than your neighbor. The flesh we have in our lives is really what hinders us more than anything else in our pursuit of a God-filled life. The Apostle Paul struggled with it and he talks about it in Romans chapter 7 verses 13-24. We all have flesh in our lives that crave to do the exact opposite of what the Spirit of God wants for us.
So I am cleaning this toilet, my flesh is crying out, and what do I hear? The sweet Spirit of God whisper in my heart, "Flush your flesh!" Yes, I needed to send the ugly that comes out of my exactly where the other ugly goes, down the toilet. I was in this position with a toilet brush in my hand because God trusted me! There are a group of people that he is entrusted to us and by providing them a warm and inviting place to meet it blesses them. God gave us this house, should I not use it for his Glory?
I might add that there is also a very practical blessing that happens as well. On Saturday the house is clean and we actually get more family time. So I have the opportunity to serve God, serve my family, and serve others. Isn't that what the Christian life is all about? It makes me more like Jesus, so of course my flesh wouldn't want me sacrifice. I am pretty sure that you will all laugh the next time you clean your toilets at the thought of me yelling at mine. I just pray that you do what I did next: FLUSH THE FLESH~ AWAY!
We have a small group that meets at our house every Friday night, and like most women I feel judged if everything isn't just so. In a week that is often busier than I would like the house and especially the bathrooms can get quite gross. Friday is my dedicated clean day. It is the day of the week that I try not to plan anything, and force myself to stay home. Yes I said force, but I will get to that in a minute.
This last week I had worked longer hours and had taken on some additional responsibilities at work which meant I used additional brain power. So physically I was tired and mentally I was empty. Friday rolled around and I all I wanted to do was go and have fun. Fun for me usually would mean having lunch with a friend or shopping. Even with the temptation of a friend to go lunch I knew I had to clean because of the commitment I made to host our small group. So there I am cleaning most of the morning in my "mad" cleaning mode.
Do you have a mad cleaning mode? My family usually knows when I am irritated by the fast and furious pace at which I clean and by the constant sighing as if I was a martyr. There was no family around; instead I proceeded to put on quite a show for the dogs and God. I made my way to the bathroom and as I started to clean I started to complain. Complaining loudly about how I got stuck doing this and why doesn't anyone help me more. Feeling like I deserved more I sat there and stared at the toilet and yelled, "I hate you, you stupid toilet. Why are you always so gross?" Yes, I realize how this must have looked not only to my dogs but more importantly to my God.
Here I am in a nice house, with a nice job that kept me busier than I wanted but God used to provide. I have cleaning supplies to make my job easier, and in all honesty my family did do more than they usually do to keep the house picked up. Yet here in this moment all I could focus on was.... ME. Me, me, me, me, me... I call that my "flesh" speaking. Romans 8:5, " Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires."
Your flesh is that part of you that doesn't like the things of God. It is what tells you that you don't need to spend time with God, read your bible; it is what tells you that you are better than your neighbor. The flesh we have in our lives is really what hinders us more than anything else in our pursuit of a God-filled life. The Apostle Paul struggled with it and he talks about it in Romans chapter 7 verses 13-24. We all have flesh in our lives that crave to do the exact opposite of what the Spirit of God wants for us.
So I am cleaning this toilet, my flesh is crying out, and what do I hear? The sweet Spirit of God whisper in my heart, "Flush your flesh!" Yes, I needed to send the ugly that comes out of my exactly where the other ugly goes, down the toilet. I was in this position with a toilet brush in my hand because God trusted me! There are a group of people that he is entrusted to us and by providing them a warm and inviting place to meet it blesses them. God gave us this house, should I not use it for his Glory?
I might add that there is also a very practical blessing that happens as well. On Saturday the house is clean and we actually get more family time. So I have the opportunity to serve God, serve my family, and serve others. Isn't that what the Christian life is all about? It makes me more like Jesus, so of course my flesh wouldn't want me sacrifice. I am pretty sure that you will all laugh the next time you clean your toilets at the thought of me yelling at mine. I just pray that you do what I did next: FLUSH THE FLESH~ AWAY!
Thursday, November 10, 2011
The "Why" Heard 'Round the World
"Why, whhyyy..." It was the "why" heard around the world on January 6th, 1994. American ice skater Nancy Kerrigen was clubbed on her right knee seven weeks before the 1994 Olympic Winter Games. News outlets played this video of her crying "why" over and over. Everyone was shocked and outraged by the brutal attack that came from the hand of the ex-husband of her rival. I actually mimic her voice when I ask "why" sometimes.
Why, it is such a powerful three letter word. It means "for what reason, for what purpose" and it is asked over and over by most two and three year olds and every child of God.
"Why, Lord?"
"For what reason, Lord?"
We all have times in our lives that we go to God and ask him why. I have had big why moments in my life like, "Why God was my son born legally blind?" To every why question we ask do we always receive an answer. I believe we do, because God does everything for a reason and purpose. Now, with that said, do we always know what the purpose is? The simple answer to that is - no.
The Children of Israel asked it, Moses asked it, Elijah asked it, Isaiah asked it, Jeremiah asked it, David asked it over and over, and even Mary asked it: "Why Lord?" Some of those above not only asked why then took it a step further and proceeded to ask God to kill them. (I don't think my life has ever gotten quite that bad, but again, I wasn't an Old Testament Prophet either.)
I am in a season of life right now that I don't always see the value in, and I think that is why we begin to ask the question, "why?" We feel like there has to be value in what we do, that someone surely has to be getting something from my going through this valley. I remember a particularly hard period in my life when I was questioning God about why I was going through this rough patch and his answer was loud, clear, and astonishing:
"For my Glory and for your good."
God spoke that so clear to my heart, the message that there are times I am going through things that don't make sense at all. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to the events that have overtaken me, yet for God's glory and my good... That kind of stops you right there in your track. What if you are going through all kinds of horrible, terrible times in your life and God tells you that it is simply for His Glory and your good; would that be enough?
What if you never know the "why" of what you're going through? What if you never see the person who gets saved because of watching your life? What if you never know that your struggles helped another person walk closer with Jesus? What if you never see your kids become the men/women of God that they were supposed to be because of what you walked through? You can tell yourself that everything is terrible, that nothing will change, it was always be this way and walk through life like Eeyore, or you can realize that everyone has something that they have to walk through that will take them to their core. God is simply not afraid of your "why" question. He will answer you, but are you prepared for His answer? That is the better question...
Nancy Kerrigan went on to skate the best two performances of her life and walk away with the Silver Medal of the 1994 Winter Olympic Games. Some said if it wasn't for her experience of having to come back from her injury she might not have even placed in the medals. You see she might have missed the US Figure Skating Championships but went on to train harder, and pushed herself to a place that she would have taken for granted had she not experienced the tragedy of that day. Today's "why" is for His glory and for your good... So, ask "why" then tell yourself,
"Why NOT?"
Why, it is such a powerful three letter word. It means "for what reason, for what purpose" and it is asked over and over by most two and three year olds and every child of God.
"Why, Lord?"
"For what reason, Lord?"
We all have times in our lives that we go to God and ask him why. I have had big why moments in my life like, "Why God was my son born legally blind?" To every why question we ask do we always receive an answer. I believe we do, because God does everything for a reason and purpose. Now, with that said, do we always know what the purpose is? The simple answer to that is - no.
The Children of Israel asked it, Moses asked it, Elijah asked it, Isaiah asked it, Jeremiah asked it, David asked it over and over, and even Mary asked it: "Why Lord?" Some of those above not only asked why then took it a step further and proceeded to ask God to kill them. (I don't think my life has ever gotten quite that bad, but again, I wasn't an Old Testament Prophet either.)
I am in a season of life right now that I don't always see the value in, and I think that is why we begin to ask the question, "why?" We feel like there has to be value in what we do, that someone surely has to be getting something from my going through this valley. I remember a particularly hard period in my life when I was questioning God about why I was going through this rough patch and his answer was loud, clear, and astonishing:
"For my Glory and for your good."
God spoke that so clear to my heart, the message that there are times I am going through things that don't make sense at all. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to the events that have overtaken me, yet for God's glory and my good... That kind of stops you right there in your track. What if you are going through all kinds of horrible, terrible times in your life and God tells you that it is simply for His Glory and your good; would that be enough?
What if you never know the "why" of what you're going through? What if you never see the person who gets saved because of watching your life? What if you never know that your struggles helped another person walk closer with Jesus? What if you never see your kids become the men/women of God that they were supposed to be because of what you walked through? You can tell yourself that everything is terrible, that nothing will change, it was always be this way and walk through life like Eeyore, or you can realize that everyone has something that they have to walk through that will take them to their core. God is simply not afraid of your "why" question. He will answer you, but are you prepared for His answer? That is the better question...
Nancy Kerrigan went on to skate the best two performances of her life and walk away with the Silver Medal of the 1994 Winter Olympic Games. Some said if it wasn't for her experience of having to come back from her injury she might not have even placed in the medals. You see she might have missed the US Figure Skating Championships but went on to train harder, and pushed herself to a place that she would have taken for granted had she not experienced the tragedy of that day. Today's "why" is for His glory and for your good... So, ask "why" then tell yourself,
"Why NOT?"
Thursday, November 3, 2011
In Sickness and in Health
When you are 17 and getting married I have to tell vows aren't really important. The dress and the honeymoon were all I really cared about, so I didn't put much thought into the vows I made to Skipp. I do remember however using the traditional words like cherish, obey, rich or poor, sickness and health, and something about until death do us part...
As I have been dealing with a lot of sickness in our house lately I have noticed a couple of things:
1. People are tired when they are sick.
2. People are grouchy when they are sick.
3. People are less tolerant of others when they are sick.
4 People are self-focused when they are sick.
5. People have to decide to take steps to get well, it doesn't often happen on it's own.
When dealing with anyone who has an illness you know that you need to have patience, and love. In the vows I took, I agreed to have patience and love with Skipp when he was sick, but I also agreed to have patience and love when he was well. How are we as a church doing with those around us who may not be physically sick, but spiritually sick?
I think those are spiritually sick exhibit the same symptoms of those who are physically sick. They are tired, grouchy, less tolerant, self-focused and trying to decide if it getting well is worth the effort. I have been sick both spiritually and physically and can attest to feeling those ways. I also know what a struggle it is to get well.
How do we take care of those around us who are spiritually sick, or how do we take care of ourselves when we get sick spiritually? Before you go on and on about how we are redeemed children of God and we never are spiritually sick let me remind you that all of us fall short of the glory of God and from time we do get sick spiritually. Sometimes it is because the disease of sin sneaks in, sometimes it is the bruises of life that beat us down, and sometimes a brother or sister in Christ will unknowingly break your leg!
The first thing that I tell my kids to do when they are sick is rest! We all require rest, and I believe God knew exactly what he was doing when he introduced the idea of resting on your Sabbath. Here is the thing though, rest is not the absence of doing rather it is allowing yourself time with God to recharge. Jesus himself took times to go and just rest with the Father. Rest is not the absence of activity, rest is coming to Jesus because he promises to give rest to those who are weary and burdened.
The second thing I do when taking care of someone who is sick is feed them the right nutrition. If they have a stomach issue then clear soups and lots of fluids are perfect. So when you find yourself weak and needing nutrition when you're spiritually sick, dig into God's word. Not only is it honey on our lips and water to our soul, it is the whole nutrition we need. Jesus himself is the word made flesh, when we are sick we need Jesus!
Finally when treating those physically sick you might have to take them to the doctor and get them medicine. There are times in our lives when you are spiritually sick and it will run its course like a virus. You just need rest and nutrition to get over it, but there are times when you need to see someone who can give you the right medicine to cure you.
We are entering a season where stress and sickness abounds. I want to remind you that Jesus came into the darkness to be a light to all mankind, and that includes you. So whether you are called to take care of someone who is sick or you realize that maybe you're not as healthy as you want to be, call on the name of Jesus. He will answer you, he will take care of you, and he will heal you.
I will be taking sometime this season to self-care and make sure that I take care of the people around me. I will remember my vow to take care of those in sickness and health...
As I have been dealing with a lot of sickness in our house lately I have noticed a couple of things:
1. People are tired when they are sick.
2. People are grouchy when they are sick.
3. People are less tolerant of others when they are sick.
4 People are self-focused when they are sick.
5. People have to decide to take steps to get well, it doesn't often happen on it's own.
When dealing with anyone who has an illness you know that you need to have patience, and love. In the vows I took, I agreed to have patience and love with Skipp when he was sick, but I also agreed to have patience and love when he was well. How are we as a church doing with those around us who may not be physically sick, but spiritually sick?
I think those are spiritually sick exhibit the same symptoms of those who are physically sick. They are tired, grouchy, less tolerant, self-focused and trying to decide if it getting well is worth the effort. I have been sick both spiritually and physically and can attest to feeling those ways. I also know what a struggle it is to get well.
How do we take care of those around us who are spiritually sick, or how do we take care of ourselves when we get sick spiritually? Before you go on and on about how we are redeemed children of God and we never are spiritually sick let me remind you that all of us fall short of the glory of God and from time we do get sick spiritually. Sometimes it is because the disease of sin sneaks in, sometimes it is the bruises of life that beat us down, and sometimes a brother or sister in Christ will unknowingly break your leg!
The first thing that I tell my kids to do when they are sick is rest! We all require rest, and I believe God knew exactly what he was doing when he introduced the idea of resting on your Sabbath. Here is the thing though, rest is not the absence of doing rather it is allowing yourself time with God to recharge. Jesus himself took times to go and just rest with the Father. Rest is not the absence of activity, rest is coming to Jesus because he promises to give rest to those who are weary and burdened.
The second thing I do when taking care of someone who is sick is feed them the right nutrition. If they have a stomach issue then clear soups and lots of fluids are perfect. So when you find yourself weak and needing nutrition when you're spiritually sick, dig into God's word. Not only is it honey on our lips and water to our soul, it is the whole nutrition we need. Jesus himself is the word made flesh, when we are sick we need Jesus!
Finally when treating those physically sick you might have to take them to the doctor and get them medicine. There are times in our lives when you are spiritually sick and it will run its course like a virus. You just need rest and nutrition to get over it, but there are times when you need to see someone who can give you the right medicine to cure you.
We are entering a season where stress and sickness abounds. I want to remind you that Jesus came into the darkness to be a light to all mankind, and that includes you. So whether you are called to take care of someone who is sick or you realize that maybe you're not as healthy as you want to be, call on the name of Jesus. He will answer you, he will take care of you, and he will heal you.
I will be taking sometime this season to self-care and make sure that I take care of the people around me. I will remember my vow to take care of those in sickness and health...
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