Getting Your Socks Wet

I call this photo, "Relationship."

It was raining cats and dogs. Though the morning was unseasonably warm, afternoon storms had brought with them winds and much colder air. It was just after 2 pm, when I saw the taillights of my husband's truck refracted by the deluge, and creeping into the backyard. Large puddles had collected in the grass, the dirt path around our stepping stones had become a river of mud, and the deck was holding more water than I'd ever thought possible. Everything about the scene gave me to sigh with relief; we were all in for the day, cozy and warm. The family room had become gloomy with the departure of sunny skies, and I turned to flip the light on for Mom. Just then, I heard it, a voice choked with astonishment:

"What are you doing?! Get back in that house!"

That quickly our grandson had exploded out the backdoor, across the deck and straight onto the banks of Mud River. Bad enough he had no jacket. Bad enough he had not stopped to ask. But this little man was in his stocking feet, running full tilt, and screaming, "POPPI!!!" as loud as his lungs would allow.

Hence, the sopping wet socks which hang, more than a day later, drying on the laundry cart. Abandon, reckless abandon. Excitement. Fervor. Impulse which could have sent him gliding across a slick deck. Disregard for comfort, or well-being, or convention; not a split-second pause to consider what he was doing, or carefully step onto what could be treacherous terrain. A completely spontaneous, unbridled, even excessive response to the presence of his Poppi, the one with whom he longs to work side-by-side. His friend was home, nothing would stop him, and he met him with all he had.

I'm thinking, if my relationship with Jesus hasn't yielded a pair or two of sopping wet socks, maybe it's time.

Most Thankful

Are you thinking about gratitude or blessings today? Maybe you're thinking about turkey and stuffing, or uncomfortable moments with your mother-in-law. But, it's Thanksgiving, the day we are all supposed to be happy and thankful; the day we all say, "We should be thankful everyday." And then go out and get into it with someone over a parking spot on Black Friday. (Or, maybe, we're struggling to make it past dessert without a conflict.)

It seems appropriate we begin the holiday season with a day of thanks-giving. After all, Christmas, the coming of Jesus to mankind is one of the most significant events for which we should be thankful. Without Christmas, there'd be no Easter; without Easter, there'd be little reason for Christmas. And Thanks-giving? Well, that is where Christmas and Easter converge.

2 Corinthians 5:19 tells us:

"...God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation."

We were out there! I mean, we had broken relationship with the very One who designed us, created us, and has a plan for us, as individuals and humanity in general! We wanted nothing to do with a faithful, loving God. Why? All kinds of reasons. Fear, self-centeredness, a rebellious nature, bitterness -- you name it. So, we separated. In Christ, by His coming to humanity (Christmas), God gave us a glimpse of who He is. In Christ, by His suffering in agony and dying on a cross for humanity(Easter), God gave us a clear picture of what He was willing to do to have us back.

Additionally, all that stuff we did while we rebelled against our Creator? All that stuff we still do, and will do in the moments of fear and self-centeredness and rebellion and bitterness and more, that grip us even now? He doesn't hold any of it against us. Any of it!

Lastly, we are free to tell everyone what has been done for us and for them. We are encouraged to tell everyone what has been done for us and for them. We are made responsible to tell everyone what has been done for us and for them. In a way that is special to how God made us. Back when we were living our lives for ourselves, rebelling and being self-centered, apart from God? We were carrying with us all along, the interests, experiences and abilities God gave us that we might serve Him once we were reconciled! Were you born with a beautiful voice? As you experience more fully all God has done for you, you may begin to realize your love of music was given to you that you might praise Him before hundreds in song. Have you always been curious about nature? As you walk more closely with Jesus, you might walk with your children through nature, explaining to them the intricacies of God's creation. Or maybe your difficult childhood has made you "perfect" for helping troubled kids. God created each of us to tell others in some way, what His love has done.

And if we, celebrate Christmas fully knowing and embracing what was accomplished at Easter, our eyes will be opened to the reconciliation, forgiveness and empowerment given to us. And it is with overflowing gratitude we will greet everyone on Thanksgiving Day, and every day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

What Has God Asked You to Do?

"Can carrots drown?"and"Why not?"and"How do you know?"

Nap time in which I am the only one napping.

7:30 am dance parties in the living room.

Brand new boots "shined" with chalk dust.

Snot bubbles and other unnatural phenomena.

Welcome to my new normal. Tomorrow is my 53rd birthday. Fifty! Three! Now, I've been hearing fifty is the new forty and all that, but whether I look fifty-three or twenty-three, my parts have done fifty-three years worth of bending, twisting, lifting, moving, beating, and reaching. My parts will tell you -- they tell me all the time -- they are fifty. plus. It is because of this, several months ago, I decided to slow things down a bit. I know God has called me to write, and I committed to spending more time on that, and more energy living in the moment. I purposed to focus on relationships, to sit at my Lord's feet rather than busy myself about the kitchen, to pace myself that I might hear the voice of God more clearly. Silly, silly girl.

Perhaps it's my desire for clarity or my obtuseness -- "What do you want me to do, Lord? And You know how dense I can be, so please make it obvious" -- but God never seems to just whisper things to me, like, "There's a fortune in gold hidden under the third pew on the right side. Sit there today." Or, "Not that. Eat this chocolate torte today." No, God says, "TIME TO GO!" Ba-Bam! And I'm there, feeling like some shell-shocked time traveler whisked from Delco 2018 to the Storming of the Bastille. I don't speak the language. I am certainly not dressed for the occasion. I could get killed in this mess. And I can't imagine why I'm here.

How often I have just wanted to say to God, "It looks like there was some sort of error with my visa; but I'm here now, and I think this can work if You'd just..." The truth is, there is a plan. There is no mistake. And, providing I continue to listen and continue to yield myself to the Lord, He will equip me. He doesn't need my suggestions -- in fact, He doesn't need me or anything about me. Perhaps that's why He tends to speak so succinctly to me. "Here it is. This is it. Now do it." What choice do I have but to throw my hands up and say, "This is You, Lord. There's no way I'm going to do this on my own"? I was so not ready for my current role when it came to me, but God was already in it before I ever knew about it. He had already paved the way for this, just as He has already paved the way for your tomorrow while you're reading this today.

God is allowing us all to be a part of something. And "a part," by definition, means we are not the whole. There is a larger picture forming, and like the stroke of an impressionist's brush, the beauty and value of our role is revealed when the masterpiece is complete.

I was listening to an interview with Michael Todd this morning. He said, "If you do the thing God tells you to do, He'll do the thing no one can do." Do that thing today, and though it may be rigorous, though it may be long, God's masterpiece will emerge and your value will come to light.

Fighting Prayer Fatigue

"Don’t be weary in prayer; keep at it; watch for God’s answers, and remember to be thankful when they come." -- Colossians 4:2 (TLB)

I was praying about a situation the other day. I know I'm not praying the way I should, as often as I should. I am praying half-heartedly for an outcome that would bless others and bring glory to the Lord; I am praying once in a while for a situation which is before me day after day. To pray as I should makes me fearful and uncomfortable; to pray in a way that fills my heart with hope, could leave me disappointed with others or saddened by circumstances; to pray as I should is wearisome.

One of the participants in this matter is extremely important to me. I want restoration inside and out; I want a powerful, eternal rebuild within his heart. But, years of praying for him to return to the Lord, years of his "faking it," have left me cynical -- or, at least, that's what I wrote in my journal this morning. No sooner had the ink left my pen, the Spirit spoke: it had not made me cynical, he had not made me cynical, I had allowed myself to become cynical. I had allowed weariness in prayer to cause me to write this person off -- against what God says. I do not have the right to dismiss anyone or any situation.

"You can't worry about his choices," my self-placating voice whispers. And I can't -- I shouldn't worry about anything --  but I should certainly be praying! Always. With thanksgiving. Because of who my God is!

And what would happen if this individual did turn it around? A miracle! A miracle I didn't pray for, wrought by a God I didn't trust to do what I labeled "impossible". A miracle I rejected. A HUGE missed blessing. Prayer is God's invitation to us to be a part of something wonderful and rejoice fully when it happens. God invites us to blessing by commanding us to pray.

And then there's the alternative: what happens if this loved one doesn't get it together? What if his behavior continues in this vein until his freedom is forever relinquished -- or his life? What satisfaction is there in knowing I didn't "waste my time praying" for someone who didn't care? What consolation is there in knowing I was "right"? None. Guilt on top of loss.

Moses, lying prostrate and praying God would take him instead. Hannah, unmoved by the passage of time or the opinions of others. Stephen, stones cutting into his flesh, large rocks sending his head spinning, praying for those who would see him dead, praying blessing upon them! These people of God were blessed by their own prayers, by their right attitudes. And the world was blessed by their faith! For me to fail to pray and see my skepticism come to fruition is the greatest of losses -- for everyone.

Let us not become weary in prayer. "And remember to be thankful for God's answers when they come."