Hmmmmmm . . .

This morning I've been pondering. For me, that's a common occurrence. I'm a deep thinker, a contemplative, an introvert, introspective, shy, a bookworm. My motto has always been, 'you learn more by listening than by talking'. So here's what I've been pondering this morning:

I used to think there was one right way to do church and my church did it. Probably every church goer has had the same thought, that's why they were there. It was kind of an 80's model, corporate, which was good, because at the time I worked for a corporation so everything fit together. But recently I've come to realize that just as the body of Christ within one church is made up of a variety of people, who all fit together with their gifts and personalities, each church has it's own focus and personality to minister to different segments of society, according to what God has called them to do. Some churches are very missions oriented, some are very fellowship oriented, etc. It's their focus and they attract people looking for that.

But recently as I've been reading books that have challenged me a great deal in who I minister to, it seems there is a trend for churches to get back to the grassroots of the faith. Pastors are going back to read Acts 2, they're preaching on it and writing books on it. They're stripping away superfluous ministries, they're doing the things that bring the most transformational changes in people. Books are being written on the nitty-gritty of ministry, like Messy Spirituality, and being In A Pit With A Lyon On A Snowy Day, and The Unstoppable Force. People are being encouraged and stretched to minister to those who are not like them. God is no respecter of persons. He ministers and loves everyone equally. Why don't we?

Look around you. Is everyone you work with and interact with each day like you? Look at my life for example. I'm a middle-class baby boomer, homeowner, with 2 kids, 2 dogs, a cat and a fish, 2 cars and a college education. I work with similar people. My neighbors are similar people. Our kids' friends' parents are similar people. The people in our church are similar people. So I ask myself, how is that stretching me? It's not. It's easy. It's comfortable. It's status quo and keeps me in my soft, puffy world. Is that what God wants for me? If everyone ministers only to people like themselves, we have segregation. Even our society woke up to the negative aspects of that in the 50's.

So here's my challenge to me and to you. Look around you. Whether you know them or not, how can you bless someone who is not like you? Maybe they're richer than you, poorer than you, smarter than you, less educated than you, older than you, younger than you, addicted to chemicals or emotional habits, haven't showered in weeks, handicapped, sad, homeless, hungry, angry, been in prison, been in jail, sick, the list goes on. Jesus would talk to and minister to them all. Why don't we? Is it uncomfortable? Yes. Will you get dirty? Possibly. Will you be blessed as you bless them? Definitely.

I think the time of staying in the glass houses of our churches and only ministering to fellow believers one or two days a week is over. It's time to step outside the doors and into the sunshine of God's love and be a conduit of generosity to those who are really in need. Then, yes, bring them in, love them, heal them, train them, and release them to do likewise. That's the call. Are you up for it?

Beautiful Things

Today I thought I would share some of the things that I've noticed recently that I think are absolutely beautiful. (in no particular order)

The way my friend Joanne writes.
My husband ministering boldly to a friend.
Our kids' smiles and humor.
A sunny day.
The heart of a Pastor shepherding his flock.
A child praying.
God speaking.
God-given peace.
A new Christian.
My husband's hairy chest.
My skinny jeans fitting!
A good haircut.
A clean house.
A mountain side of pine trees.
Snow-capped mountains.
The ocean.
Our dogs licking each other.
Our cat's white tummy and purr.
A good book that challenges the actions of my faith.
Time with God.
A great sermon.
Wisdom.
Integrity.
Humility.
Fear overcome.
The movie The Notebook.
The movie Philadelphia.
Lives transformed.
Healing.
A mother's prayers for her children.
A heart turning from an inward focus to an outward focus.
Birth.
People all dressed up to honor a deceased.
An engaged couple planning their wedding.
A wedding.
Running further each day.
Getting a lot accomplished in a day.
My husband planting flowers for me as a surprise.
Sleeping in.
My husband's blue eyes.
My family making dinner while I sleep as a surprise.
Hot chocolate chip cookies and cold milk.
A good cry.
Trust.
Faith.
Kristen playing the drums.
Mark playing the piano.
God's provision.
70 degree weather.
God's calling.
Truth.
Knowing God.

Since I can't think of anything better than knowing God, I'll stop here for the day. What are your beautiful things?

The What If Game

Friday Greg, Kristen and I went to Pollock Pines to visit my mom. Mark had to work on Saturday, so he didn't go. On the way up, Greg and I played the What If game, which we love to play in the car or on walks. It went like this:
I asked Greg, "What if someone came into our church sanctuary, who had just killed someone and said they wanted to claim safety, since they were in a church. (There's a word for this, but I can't think of it). What would you say and what would you do?"
Greg said to me, "What movies have you been watching? That's no a law, at least in the US."
Greg continued. "First, for the safety of myself and my staff, give me your guns and knives and any other weapons, and I'll put them in the safe and we can talk." Then he said he would have the secretary call the police and tell them to come in quietly. He went on to talk to me like I was the young man and I answered him. He asked him why he did it and asked about the family of the one killed, and did he think of how they would be mourning? Did he think this thing out all the way? What would happen to him? How would his family and friends feel if he was given the death penalty? God can forgive him of this sin and all the others, but there is still punishment that comes from our choice to sin. Then he led him towards a presentation of the gospel. The police came in and Greg promised to visit him in jail and continue the conversation.

Next, he asked me a question. "You have 10 minutes to make three points on stewardship. What would you say?"

I talked about the different kinds of things we're stewards of, like relationships, possessions, money, our children, etc. Then I talked about the different between managing things and owning them, and that since we came into this world naked and broke and will leave the same way, we really don't own anything, but God provides things for us to use and care for while we're here. 1 Tim 6:7: "For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it." Then I talked about how everything we have comes from God and how some people confuse the channel of our provision with the source of our provision. Some people think their source of their income is their job, but that's just the channel. The real source is God, for without his will that we have that job and make that money, it wouldn't happen.

I love our What If conversations. They challenge me to step up and do what is needed in the moment and educate me on how to handle a variety of situations. It gives him a new perspective sometimes, as I see different angles to things that he doesn't always think of. Try playing the What If game with someone you're discipling or with a friend or your spouse. Proverbs 27:17 "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Blessings on this peaceful Sunday.

A Friday Giggle

Last Friday I was sitting at my daughter's drum lesson and as she rocked out, I read my Facing Your Giants book. In the midst of the thumping, I broke out in laughter. They looked at my like I was making fun of what they were doing, but I pointed to the book, apologized, and continued reading, when I broke out in laughter again. I hope you find this story just as funny.

The chapter is called Blind Intersections and it's about seeking God before making decisions.

"The Lord says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you." (Ps. 32:8)

Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths. (Prov. 3:6)

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." (Isa. 30:21)

My sheep recognize my voice; I know them, and they follow me. (John 10:27)

The God who guided David guides you. You simply need to consult your Maker. I wish I'd sought counsel before I made a recent decision. I awoke early one morning for a meeting. When searching for some breakfast, I spotted a plastic bag of cookies in the kitchen. Denalyn (his wife) and our daughter Sara had just attended a school bake sale, so I thought, 'What great luck! Breakfast cookies. Denalyn must have set them out for me.'

I ate one and found it very chewy, almost gummy. 'Interesting texture', I thought. 'reminds me of a pita bread.' I ate a second. The taste was a bit subtle for my preference, but when mixed with coffee, it made for an interesting option. I grabbed a third for the road. I would have grabbed the fourth, but only one remained, so I left it for Denalyn.

Later in the day she phoned. "Looks like someone has been in the bag."
"It was me," I admitted. "I've had better breakfast cookies,but those weren't bad."
"Those weren't breakfast cookies, Max."
"They weren't?"
"No."
"What were they?"
"Homemade dog biscuits."
"Oh..." That explained a lot. That explained the gummy texture and the tasteless taste. That also explained why all day each time I scratched my belly, my leg kicked. (Not to mention my sudden interest in fire hydrants.)"

I can so see that happening! We're off to Pollock Pines to see family this afternoon. Sadly, Mark is staying behind as he couldn't get tomorrow off. I'm hoping I can reschedule the texture guy to come this afternoon instead of Monday morning to do Kristen's room, which will give me Sunday to paint too. The furniture comes Wednesday! It will be so nice to have somewhere comfortable to sit in the living room! I'm reminded of a book Greg started re-reading by Gordon MacDonald called Ordering Your Private World. I feel I need that! Next Saturday we move the concrete. I'm sure I'll be whining about how sore I am that next week. Blessings this sunny Friday and have a wonderful weekend. I'll try and blog tomorrow morning, but no promises.

Plopping Points

Catchy title, huh? I'd love to take credit for it but I can't. It's from Facing Your Giants by Max Lucado. I was intrigued by the title and even more intrigued when I read the chapter. It reminds me of the paradigm shift I talked about yesterday with visiting people who don't want visitors. Kind of a different way of thinking about that situation, huh?

In this chapter it talks about how we run ourselves ragged sometimes doing this and that for everyone until we just can't do one more favor, run one more errand, have one more long conversation, etc. We're so pooped! Max goes on to talk about when David and his six hundred soldiers return from the Philistine war front to find utter devastation. The Amalekites had come to his village, taken everything, even wives and children. The men are sad, then angry, but not against the Amalekites, against David, their fearless leader. David had led them into battle, leaving everything behind to be stolen. They want to stone him.

David seeks God. In 1Sam. 1 Sam. 30:6 "But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God." David asks God if he goes after these raiders, will he catch them, and God says, yes. They head out, already tired from the last war, but they have to retrieve their families and possessions.

They come to Brook Besor, dismount, wade in the water, drink, refresh, wiggle their toes in the grass. Aaahhhh. When it's time to continue on, two hundred decide to stay at Brook Besor and rest. They're exhausted, can't take another step.

Quoting from the book: "How tired does a person have to be to abandon the hunt for his own family?

The church has its quorum of such folks. Good people. Godly people. Only hours or years ago they marched with deep resolve. But now fatigue consumes them. They're exhausted. So beat-up and worn down that they can't summon the strength to save their own flesh and blood. Old age has sucked their oxygen. Or maybe it was a deflating string of defeats. Divorce can leave you at the brook. Addiction can as well. Whatever the reason, the church as its share of people who just sit and rest.

And the church must decide. What do we do with the Brook Besor people? Berate them? Shame them? Give them a rest but measure the minutes? Or do we do what David did? David let them stay."

The story goes on the say that David and his 400 men went and retrieved all the wives and children and possessions. Max talks about how the wives must have felt, being dragged off, captured, but then David and his men come and rescue them. But some are saying, "Honey, where are you?" Some are at Brook Besor, that's where they are. The rescue squad is thinking that the 200 at Brook Besor are leaches, letting them do all the work rescuing their wives. Resentment brews. How does David handle all the disgruntled people?

1 Sam. 30:23-24: "Don't do that after what the Lord has given us. He has protected us and given us the enemy who attacked us. Who will listen to what you say? The share will be the same for the one who stayed with the supplies as for the one who went into battle. All will share alike."

From the book: "Noe David's words: they "stayed with the supplies," as if this had been their job. They hadn't asked to guard supplies; they wanted to rest. But David dignifies their decision to stay.

David did many mighty deeds in his life. He did many foolish deeds in his life. But perhaps the noblest was this rarely discussed deed: he honored the tiered soldiers at Brook Besor. It's okay to rest. Jesus fights when you cannot. Who are the strong to criticize the tired? Reserve passing judgement on the tired. Odds are, you'll need to plop down yourself. And when you do, Brook Besor is a good story to know."

If I hadn't read that story in this book and had it explained to me in that way, I would have cruised right over it in my reading. I'm so thankful for spiritual books that slice God's Word in different ways so can see the subtleties that I would have otherwise missed. Good stuff, huh? Blessings this sunny Thursday.

Challenges

God sure likes stretching us, doesn't he? But he also encourages us in it. Yesterday was a bit of an emotionally challenging day for me. First our church hosted the funeral of a young man shot on the west side a week ago. You can read about it here. Seeing the young man in his casket reminded me of when my boyfriend was killed in a motorcycle accident when I was 19. So, so sad, but I was thankful that the family had him for the number of years that they did.

The next challenge was going to the hospital last night to visit our friend from the west side (who lives on the same street as the shooting). He had shoulder surgery yesterday. The challenge for me is that I really struggle with seeing people with tubes and needles and stitches and all the other stuff that goes along with surgery. When I was a child, I would faint and have small seizures when I saw blood or anyone talked about 'gross' stuff. Greg promised we would only be there for 15 or so minutes and he kept his promise. It wasn't as hard as I thought, but it wasn't easy. They mentioned their son hated hospitals and wouldn't come to see him. Greg mentioned I also hated hospitals and they know that I love them because I came. They poured out so much love on me, saying they loved me too and thanked me so much for coming. We were all touched. God so encouraged me in that moment. I felt like visiting them mattered, it wasn't just a cordial act of 'I was supposed to' or 'we promised we would' or 'it's expected'. We prayed for them and as we left I wiped my sweaty hands on Greg's arm and he laughed. God is so good.

Greg and I had a conversation before going to the hospital. We talked about visiting people in the hospital who didn't want visitors. I have always believed that you should respect the wishes of those in the hospital but Greg gave me a different perspective. He said that it isn't all about them. He said that sometimes people in the hospital are on medication that doesn't make them think right, or that they become very inwardly focused and don't realize that there are friends and family that may actually need to go visit them, whether it is to say good-bye, or to make amends for things in the past. There are two sides to every relationship, and just because someone says they don't want to see anyone doesn't mean they don't need to see someone. They just don't know what kind of blessing may come their way as a result. Maybe eternal life? Maybe forgiveness? Maybe laughter and a smile? Maybe peace or a few moments of joy in the midst of fear? So, Greg's advice is, next time someone says they don't want to see anyone, don't let them control what you do. You can still go see them. More times than not, they will be happy you did.

May God encourage and bless you in the big and small things of this beautiful Wednesday!

Proverbs

I've been going through Proverbs lately and it is one of my favorite books of the Bible. It's so full of wisdom in so many areas, I have highlights all over my Bible. I just opened my Bible to Proverbs 20 this morning and there are so many things to choose from. Here are a few of my favorites.

20:22 "Do not say, "I'll pay you back for this wrong!" Wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you." aka 'Revenge is mine sayeth the Lord'

20:24 "A man's steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way?"

21:2 "All a man's ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart."

21:3 "To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice."

21:13 "If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered."

22:9 "A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor."

22:24 "Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered"

This food is so rich. The last verse goes on to say that you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared. That reminds me of a line in Desiderata that says "Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexations to the spirit." I tend to shy away from people who are loud and aggressive. I gravitate towards direct, open, honest people. Who do you gravitate towards? Fun loving types? Quiet types? God loves them all equally. Blessings all over you this Tuesday!

Distractions

I learned something this morning. As I went for a run with my older dog, hoping to do well, but not expecting any miracles, I donned my new cell phone with MP3 player playing Billy Joel and hit the sidewalk. I had it up full blast in my ear phones, as I have some hearing loss. I learned that when you run with loud music in your ears, you are oblivious to the things around you. Not real good for a woman running alone, but the neighborhood is fairly safe and I did have a German Shepherd and a phone with me and I know several neighbors I can inconvenience if need be.

As I ran, I couldn't hear birds, dogs barking and best of all my own breathing. In the past my heavy breathing had a psychological effect on my performance I think. I would think, "I'm really huffing and puffing, I better walk for a while." Today I ran almost a mile. The only sensations I had were what I saw and any pain. It was weird, though, seeing my dog react to things she heard like dogs barking, (she would speed up and look at a fence), or an approaching car (she would look behind her). My eyes reacted to her ears and eyes. I became very dependent on her senses, rather than being concerned about what I heard and protecting both of us. It was rather freeing to get rid of all the distractions and just run. I was encouraged to see I could run better than I thought after all this time.

This morning's experience made me wonder what we would be able to accomplish without distractions in our lives. What could we do for God if we didn't have that voice whisper, "Don't do that, it isn't safe. You could get hurt. Think of your family and their safety. What would this do to your children? The risk is too high. They won't accept you. It will take too much effort and there still is no guarantee of success. Look what happened to them when they did something like this. God's not really calling you to do that, is He? It's all in your head. You made that up. Why would God put you there, when things are going so well here and you're so comfortable? Everyone is so happy. You might die."

If we could eliminate the distractions and the fear caused by them, how far could we run? How fast? What distractions and keeping you at the gate? Turn up the sweet music of God's voice and go for it! Blessings the gorgeous day!

A Good Day

Yesterday was a very good day. It started with our Prayer Walk. We had planned for six people, but ended up with three. Next month we will be inviting at least eight. The great thing was that when we got back and started sharing what we heard from God, two of us always got the same impressions. God talked to us about fences and walls around people's hearts and things, and how building trust will be the way to bring down those walls. He talked about the enemy robbing the seeds that are planted there, about His word not returning void and several other things. It was a great prayer walk.

Next we took my car down to get a couple of new tires.

Then Greg and our friend Burt rented a jackhammer and made rubble out of our patio. It took a couple of hours, but went smoothly. I was so thrilled they saved a concrete piece that had Mark's hand and feed prints and date from 1991. Burt is coming back over with a saw blade to cut the piece cleanly.

Next, it was time to pick up the car, but they hadn't called. We had to take the dog to the vet, so we loaded the dog in the truck and headed for the tire store. They had just finished the car. We then took both cars to the vet, making it on time to our appointment. We ran into a friend from church with her mom and had a nice conversation about her moving to California from Nebraska in her Model A car when she was 19.

Then it was home for dinner and Greg headed off to a neighbor's to give them a bid and I headed off to Target. I had a blast. I got everything on my list, then went to Home Depot to replace our power washer. Greg had taken it to use on a job and it started smoking, then went 'poof'. So I bought a better one. When I got home, Greg still wasn't home, though he said it would only be 15 minutes, so I put one of the dogs on our new leash and headed out to see if he was done. We were there almost an hour and had great conversation. Back home we watched a movie and went to bed.

Today we're bringing some friends to church who live on the westside. Then Greg will be painting Killz on Kristen's walls and I'll be power washing the front of the house. Lots getting done this weekend! Have a glorious Sunday!

New Books

Greg asked me to order a book for him last week called Found Faithful. It's about great Christian throughout history, that despite the huge obstacles in their lives, have been found faithful. It's a book that gives so much hope and encouragement. I can't wait to read it.

The I felt that I needed to read the book Oprah keeps promoting, A New Earth. I feel a need to know what it says, so I can accurately respond to it. Kind of like when the Da Vinci Code came out. Greg said okay, but as long as I read Hank Hanegraaff's book written in response to Eckhart Tolle's book called Paradise Still Lost in a New Earth at the same time. It can be ordered here.

Fun Summer Reading. I'm still reading Facing Your Giants by Max Lucado. I'm learning more and more about the life of David. I was at our local Bible bookstore yesterday and there is even a yearly flip daybrightener (like a devotional) on the book with excerpts from the book. Cool.

Anyway, time to get ready for our prayer walk. We look forward to anticipation of what God will speak to us today! Have a blessed weekend!

Finding Your Voice

A friend of mine and I were talking recently about blogging and how I have tried blogging about different things, like personal stuff or spiritual stuff, or books that I liked. She used the term 'finding your voice'. That phrase has stuck with me for weeks and as I sat down to blog this morning, I had a few thoughts about how versatile phrase it is.

A voice is something that comes from within. It is the result of what is put into you, a conglomeration of experiences, thoughts, conversations, education, wisdom, etc. It is something you share. It's something natural and everyone needs an outlet to express themselves.

Regarding blogging, I think my voice prefers commenting on books and sharing remarkable insights I've read. I like to sprinkle in personal stuff for variety's sake or connecting with my readers on a personal levels sake, but I really feel I'm pouring my best when I share books and tie the theme to personal experiences.

In ministry, a voice is the result of what God has done in your life. It is the way you express grace, mercy, joy, compassion, wisdom, knowledge, and all the spiritual gifts God has given you. As you allow God to pour into you via prayer, reading the Bible, meeting with other believers, etc., you have built up a reservoir that must spill forth into the lives of others. How you share your voice will most likely change over time. For me, I had a season of pouring into single moms, then a season of teaching, then a season of leading leaders, now my season is blogging.

In the physical, my voice is health. Today I ran. My body's voice cried out, "No!" (just kidding). My legs felt like tree trunks but the louder voice said, "Keep going." I think for the first time I did better than my dog. "Yeah!"

It the mental, my voice encourages others to read more. The brain is a muscle, use it or lose it. I've been so encouraged, so challenged, so redeemed, so confirmed, so set straight that I crave spiritual books.

Where's your voice? Is it blogging? Is it discipling others? For all that is poured into you, where do you let it leak out? Who is benefiting from it? Are you hogging it, becoming a spiritual glutton? Or are you healthy, freely giving what you have freely received? Blessings this beautiful Friday!

Prayer Walk

We have our next prayer walk scheduled for this Saturday at 8:00 am and we covet your prayers for that time.

Here's a video that a brilliant man at our church put together showing pics from Servolution. Hope you enjoy it!



We are excited to be moving forward in several areas. One is our remodel. We have a friend who will be jackhammering the concrete slab of our patio out on Saturday. Yeah!

Today is Kristen's last day of 10th grade, so we will be following tradition and taking the family to Pizza Hut after school gets out at noon. We look forward to this every year. In years prior, before she became lactose intolerant, we would get a cake and continue the celebration at home. I love this day, I get to go over all her papers, report card, SAT scores, etc. Fun! Next, driver's training and a job (hopefully!, if not, volunteering a few days a week).

Have a wonderful Thursday and may it feel like Friday to you too!

More About Ministry

Some of our staff is going through a book by Wayne Cordiero called Doing Church as a Team. It's a great book, and easy read, and is full of common sense about doing church. I highlighted a lot in the last two chapters I've read and won't share it all here, but here's some of what I loved.

"The ministry belongs to you and me, and it requires both of us. Doing church is not the responsibility of the professional clergy and a few talented staff people; it is the privilege of all of us-together.

You don't find the strength of a church in the beauty of its building, the number of attendees or the size of its budget. A church is only as strong as the involvement of its members; and the more each person takes ownership in the ministry of the church, the stronger it becomes. Only when we realize that God has called every one of us with an equally divine imperative can the church at large and our individual congregations begin to reach their fullest potential."

I believe this with all of my heart. My prayer is that all churches believe it too and act on it. No one should be left out of ministry, since God created everyone to serve. Who can you tap on the shoulder and involve in your ministry? I'm sure there are lots of people in every church who aren't serving. Let's get them involved in discovering God's purpose for their lives. Anything less is robbing them. Have a blessed Wednesday!

Volunteering

My son handed me something he found in his room this weekend while cleaning it out. I don't know who wrote it but thought it was pretty good, so I'm passing it along.

The difference between volunteering and being called of God.

1. Volunteers see their involvement at church as community service, but people called of God see it as ministry.

2. Volunteers whine about what it's going to cost to serve, but people who are called are committed to serving.

3. Volunteers shrink back from resolving relational conflict, but people called of God seek to resolve relational conflict for the sake of unity in the church.

4. Volunteers look upon rehearsal as another commitment they're obligated to fulfill, but people called of God look forward to rehearsal as another opportunity to be used by God.

5. Volunteers do no outside practicing or preparation, but people who are called of God come o rehearsals and a performance as prepared as possible.

6. Volunteers are not open to constructive criticism; they get defensive about it. But people called of God are grateful for feedback because they want to be the best they can be.

7. Volunteers feel threatened by the talent of others, but people called of God praise Him for distributing gifts and talents as He chooses.

8. Volunteers want to quit at the first sign of adversity or discouragement, but people called of God dig in and persevere.

9. Volunteers find their main source of fulfillment in their talents and abilities, but people called of God know that being used of God is the most fulfilling thing you can do with your life.

10. Volunteers can't handle being put in situations in which they're going to be stretched, but people called of God respond to God's call with humble dependence on Him.

Now for some fun. Here's a great musical skit on volunteering. Enjoy and have a wonderful Tuesday!

Feelings Follow Actions

This phrase has been said to me a few times this week. The first time was at the doctor's office. He's got me on an exercise plan and when I whined about running not being my favorite form of exercise, he encouraged me to give it a good litmus test and get up to 2-3 miles and I might find I actually like doing it. When I ran 2 miles a year ago, I still didn't like it. I doubt if that has changed.

The second time was yesterday when my Pastor said it. He said it wasn't enough to just make a decision to change something in your life, you actually have to act on it. Then he referred to New Year's Resolutions. I turned to my husband and said, "That's me with diet and exercise." My sweet husband said, "Maybe, but you have great discipline when it comes to the really important decisions. Those things you change." Aaaawwwwweeeee.

So, yesterday I sat down at the computer and whipped out a document to help keep me accountable. It has the names of the days of the week going across, and Date, Exercise, Total Fruit/Veggies, and each meal and snack with Calories, Carbs, Fat, Sugar and Fiber. Those are the things I want to track. My doctor said I could email the document to him then meet with him in 2 months. So far this month, I've increased my exercise, but not every day. The pizza, root beer and apple pie has also thrown me this week, three things I rarely eat.

I'm off to a good start, grape nuts, non-fat milk and 2 small peaches for breakfast. The pizza and pie are gone, so I'm safe there. If I can stay away from the cookies in the drawer I'll be good. Why do I keep thinking of making brownies? I go through times of sugar addiction. It usually lasts a week or two, then I suck it up and swear it off for at least a month. Today is suck it up day. :-(

I covet your prayers for self-discipline. Does taking down wallpaper count as exercise? Or shopping? Maybe baking brownies? Just kidding. Have a blessed holiday!

And the Walls Came Tumbling Down

Okay, so the walls didn't actually tumble, but they are crumbling! After a couple of appointments yesterday morning and a few hours of work, Greg continued cutting the walls of our stucco patio. As he did that, I helped Kristen clean out her room. Now the drums and all the stuff from her bedroom are in our living room. Then I started scoring the wallpaper in her room, spraying it with a chemical, and peeling off the wallpaper. I still have a lot of work to do today and tomorrow. Then we'll see what it will cost to have a texture guy come out and make her walls look normal again. Pretty fun!

I think I promised to have a picture of our church ready to serve on May 10th and I don't think I actually posted one. Here it is as we gathered in our sanctuary before hitting the streets. It was a great day, despite the hangover from a migraine I had that day. You can read the article that appeared in the local newspaper here.

I graduated from college 23 years ago today!

What's on tap for today? I'll continue setting up my new phone. We had to wait until Greg's contract ran out so he could have my phone, and I got a new one. It's cool. It's a PDA phone with Internet, MP3, GPS, and email. Then, it's wallpaper. If I'm lucky, some reading. For Greg, stucco, and other odd jobs. Have a beautiful Sunday!

Runts of the Litter

I was reading my Facing Your Giants book by Max Lucado yesterday and it was talking about David being chosen to face Goliath. David was the youngest of all his brothers, eight in all. He wasn't big and he was a shepherd, tending sheep when he was called. Just doin' his thang. He had slain a few wild animals in his short life though I don't think the Bible makes mention of it until we get to hear this story.

"What caused God to pick him? We want to know. We really want to know.

After all, we've walked David's pasture, the pasture of exclusion.

We are weary of society's surface-level system, of being graded according to the inches of our waist, the square footage of our house, the color of our skin, the make of our car, the label of our clothes, the size of our office, the presence of diplomas, the absence of pimples. Don't we weary of such games?

Hard work ignored. Devotion unrewarded. the boss chooses cleavage over character. The teacher picks pet students instead of prepared ones. Parents show off their favorite sons and leave their runts out in the field. Oh, the Goliath of exclusion.

"The Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." (1 Sam 16:7)

Those words were written for the haqqatons of society, for misfits and outcasts. God uses them all.

Moses ran from justice, but God used him.

Jonah ran from God but God used him.

Rahab ran a brothel, Samson ran to the wrong woman, Jacob ran in circles, Elijah ran into the mountains, Sarah ran out of hope, Lot ran with the wrong crowd, but god used them all.

And David? God saw a teenage boy serving him in the backwoods of Bethlehem, at the intersection of boredom and anonymity, and through the voice of a brother, God called, "David! Come in. Someone wants to see you." Human eyes saw a gangly teenager enter the house, smelling like sheep and looking like he needed a bath. Yet, "the Lord said, 'Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!'"(16:12)

God saw what no one else saw: a God-seeking heart. David, for all his foibles, sought God like a lark seeks sunrise. He took after God's heart, because he stayed after God's heart. In the end, that's all God wanted or needed . . . wants or needs. Others measure your waist or wallet. Not God. He examines hearts. When he finds one set on Him, he calls it and claims it.

The story of young David assures us of this: your Father knows your heart, and because he does, he has a place reserved just for you."

Don't you just love stories where the underdog comes out ahead? Saves the girl, wins the game, kills the giant, and becomes king?

A friend of ours prayed for us last week, and in his prayer, quoted the verse 1 Cor. 1:27 "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-and the things that are not-to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him." I'm sure most of us easily think of the things about us that don't quite measure up to those around us, or those in our society as a whole. This verse should speak volumes to all of us, giving us hope and encouragement that God can, does, and will use us irregardless of our inadequacies. Take joy in all that God designed in us! Have a blessed 3-day weekend!

Sovereignty of God

I was watching Deal or No Deal last night with my family. We all commented on how emotional people get when money is at stake. It's funny how it seems they pin all their hopes on winning the money, when the alternative is to go home and have everything you had when you went to the show. Your life doesn't get worse, you don't lose anything, life continues, and that's not bad.

My son tried to give me an analogy to help me see their perspective. He said, "What if you worked for a company for 30 years and you had a chance to win a lot of money, which meant you could buy a lot of things, do things, and quit your job? The alternative would be you would have to keep working at the same place."

I said, "Well, since I'm not in control, I would figure if God wanted me to have the money, I would, and if not, I wouldn't. Either way would be fine because God is in control and his will for me is always best, no matter what."

He said, "What if you made decisions that affected God's will for you? What if you chose to do things, that made you not have the money for 10 years?"

Greg said, "It wouldn't matter. God, in the end, would work everything out the way he wants. If our choices make it so that we don't see his will now, eventually it will happen, it will just take longer."

This reminded me of Greg's life. God had a call on his life 20 years ago, but through choices he made, he didn't see that happen as soon as it could have. But God is sovereign, and His will eventually will come to pass. In the meantime, God continues to give life lessons, training, testimonies, and good works to take place in his life. God works everything out for good.

Part of understanding the sovereignty of God is letting go of control. There is great peace in knowing God has his best in mind for you and His will will prevail. We don't need to try and control anything in our life or in others' lives. We just need to let go, let God, and enjoy the ride. Blessings this Friday and throughout your holiday weekend!

The Blessing

I don't remember if I ever blogged about this or not, but if not, here goes.

Years ago, when the kids were small, I had a friend who told me about a book called The Blessing. I don't remember a lot of detail about the book, just a general idea that a parent can give a verbal blessing to a child each day and that if a parent is mean to their child, they're taking it away.

So, many years ago as I drove my kids to elementary school I started giving my kids a blessing. I do it to this day. It goes like this:

I say, "I love you guys." (Now it's just Kristen, as Mark is in college and drives himself).

They say, "I love you too."

Then I say, "Have a wonderful, glorious, beautiful, joyful, warm (or cool depending on the weather), fun, educational day."

And they say, "You too, Mom."

Then I pray for each family member's day after they get out of the car.

Greg had to learn to do this after we got married as he sometimes drives them to school. It's funny how I feel guilty on those rare instances when my mind is preoccupied with other things and I forget their blessing. That's when my prayer for them is extra-super-duper strong.

Do you give your kids a blessing each day? It's kind of like a covering for their day. Blessings on this Thursday.

Skewed View of God

Tying in to my post last week about Giants and Ants, Greg shared with me Sunday an illustration he did in his class for new believers.

He was talking about a person's view of God. Sometimes when we have a big problem in our life and we concentrate on that problem, instead of the greatness of God to see us through it, God looks very small compared to our problem. But if we concentrate on God our problem looks much smaller. Kind of like looking at giants or ants. Greg demonstrated this by asking a student to look at the TV on the wall across the room. It looked big to the student. Then Greg held up a pad of paper in front of her eyes. Suddenly she couldn't hardly see the TV (God) but just the pad of paper (the problem). This really hit home and it hit home with me when he explained it. Try it, it really works.

I finished my Chasing Daylight book yesterday and looked at 4 choices for my next book. They included Uprising by Edwin McManus, Just Walk Across the Room by Bill Hybels, Courageous Leadership by Bill Hybels, and Facing Your Giants by Max Lucado. I chose Facing Your Giants. Max takes us through the story of David, who killed Goliath, the giant. I've never read Max Lucado, but find his style interesting and frustrating at the same time. While reading, I got some great nuggets.

"For forty days, twice a day, morning and evening, the Philistine giant strutted in front of the Israelite army (1 Sam. 17:16). Yours does he same. First thought of the morning, last worry of the night-your Goliath dominates your day and infiltrates your joy."

"More than 'David versus Goliath,' this is 'God-focus versus giant-focus."

Talking about David cutting off Goliath's head: "You might say that David knew how to get a head of his giant. When was the last time you did the same? How long since you rant toward your challenge?"

"Rush your giant with a God-saturated soul."

"Focus on giants-you stumble. Focus on God-your giants tumble."

Many times David talks about God when facing his giant, not the size or power of the giant. "Do you ponder God's grace four times as much as you ponder your guilt? Is your list of blessings four times as long as your list of complaints? Is your mental file of hope four times as thick as your mental file on dread? Are you four times as likely to describe the strength of God as you are the demands of your day?"

Makes you think! Let's concentrate on the good God is doing in our lives, not the piddly things the enemy is doing to thwart us! Have a blessed hump day!