I Don't "One Two"!

My daughter is almost 7 and I was just reminiscing about her young life this morning. When she was just a toddler one of her cute phrases was..."I don't one two". What she really meant was "I don't want to." Well, the phrase, "I don't one two" stuck and John and I laugh thinking about her sweet voice saying it to this day.  Funny how those cute phrases from childhood stick with you!

I was just telling the Lord this morning something...."I don't one two" do. I don't want to love a particular person.  I don't want to. I know I need to. I know I'm called to but the fact of the matter is...I don't want to. Sometimes we need, like I did this morning, to ask the Lord for the "want to" in things. Things that, I don't want to obey. I don't want to wait in. I don't want to...you fill in the blank. 

 It made me think of Maggie's "I don't one two" phrase.  One....I need to see the need to "want to" in the first place and Two...I need to acknowledge the fact that I can't just suck up the "want to". I need Him to give me the "want to" of this Christian life.  It's His work in me and you...do we have the "one two" He wants to impart to all of us? Are we in the pattern of asking Him to give us His "one two"?  

Is He Alive Today?

Well, we just celebrated the most important holiday on the Christian calendar yesterday...Easter. He is alive! Churches were packed, bells were ringing. So many acknowledging the fact that He is risen...Jesus is alive!

So, I've been thinking and I question; Is He alive today? Of course, He is, that's the obvious answer but what does my life really say? What does my life testify too today? Yesterday my mouth testified that He is alive...but how about my life today?

Fundamentally speaking, what we believe is what we act upon. Think about it...what we truly believe is what we do. Belief and actions are directly connected. If I think I won't get caught, I just might...you fill in the blank. If I think I can, I will. If I don't think I can, I won't. If I believe I'm going to go for a walk later....I'll eat those jelly beans now. Whatever. What we do is directly connected to what we believe about something.

So, we need to ask ourselves....what do we believe about the resurrection of Jesus, today? Is He alive? What we believe about who Jesus is and if He is alive, today is directly connected to how we will live out our lives. The resurrection is not about a holiday we celebrate once a year...it is a reality that is suppose to transform how we view the world and transform us 24/7 ....365 days a year. What does my life speak really speak about what I say I believe? Not what I know about. Is He alive today? Yes. The question is; what do our lives say that we truly believe?

Pea soup...

I hate pea soup...always have. It looks, how shall I say it, like baby poop and the smell of it? Well, let's just say, I've had my issues with pea soup. I know I sound childish but I'd rather eat practically anything other than pea soup.

Earlier this year, I was at a weekend retreat where all the women involved were to make a meal...you won't believe it, at lunch one day, it was pea soup. I had seen her making it, I had desperately hoped two choices would be available, but no. The lunch menu was pea soup. This was a small gathering of ladies, no flying under the radar here, so I did the only polite thing I could think of; I took as little of it as I could to still look like I was eating and grateful. The childhood memories of pea soup and the hope of pea soup escape over-took me as I sat down for lunch... no way of escape. We prayed, I prayed harder that I would not shame myself at the table. Taking my spoon and with a "MMMMM" smile took a bite.

What happened next totally floored me...I liked it. This pea soup tasted nothing like the pea soup I have had in the past. This was good, it wasn't only good...it tasted great. I actually enjoyed it. I went back for more. I asked for the recipe. I went home and bought split peas for the first time in my life. In my book, pea soup has been redeemed. Wow. Never, ever thought I would think that! Pea Soup.

So, what does this have to do with anything? It made me stop and consider, how many things in my life, in my circumstances, or even a few people, I can tend to look at and even treat like pea soup. Yuck. There are things in my life that make my stomach twist and turn, I dread...things and issues that I hate, just like pea soup. Things that I have conditioned with a response, just like my pea soup response.

But, what if the Lord is able to make things that we have issues about, preconceived opinions about...even unpleasant experiences we have had and change the "taste"? What if He could make them "taste" different? What if these people or circumstances could be transformed into something other than what they are...what if I am transformed? What if my "taste" for these things changed...and it was great? Or am I just so conditoned with my response of "Yuck" I don't even give them a try? Do I just asumme it's the same old, same old. Ummmmm....

Isaiah 43:18-19

"Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."

Our God is in the business of making and re-making. He makes things new....even a pea soup life. How am I viewing my pea soup?

Faith...

Hebrews 1:1; "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not yet seen."

Do I really hope/trust/anticipate that I will really be completed in Christ? Am I convinced and convicted that it will be a reality? Am I convinced that He is enough? That He is able? Faith has such a high price tag to God...faith in Him. He knows exactly Who He is and what He is doing. He is supremely confident that He is able, that He is enough. I'm the one who doubts, who walks so often in that doubt- not by faith but by sight.

Philippians 1:6; "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began the good work in you will carry it out into completion in the day of Christ Jesus."

I need to operate today in the reality of the future...in faith, not by sight...not by feelings or circumstances not by what seems to be my current reality of life and situation. By faith in Him and in what He accomplished in His finished work on the Cross. He purchased my freedom and my completion. He is supremely confident He is enough and able and that I am not. He "betting" on Himself and not on me. I guess there really is a lot of freedom, grace, love, and assurance in that- now faith needs to be applied. I once heard Beth Moore say that we need to be Christ followers living lives of "faithing"...faith is a verb. I like that. I need that. Faith.

Where does the time go?

Where does the time go? I haven't posted since January and now it is the middle of February! What's up? Life. Busy, busy life. All is well but honestly a little crazy and more crazy. I'm not even sure anyone notices...know what I mean? This whole cyber-world thing is actually a bit creepy. Who is watching? Is anyone there? Hee, Hee...I crack myself up.

Well, one thing is for sure. The Lord is always there...check out Genesis 16, the account of Abraham, Sarah and Hagar. God reveals Himself as El-Roi, the God who sees. He sees. Hebrews 4 also says that all things are laid out before Him. He sees.

I need to be reminded that He sees. Not just for the sake of Him seeing all things I might try to hide but to know that I am seen. He sees me. He more than just notices. He sees.

Thank you Lord, that although I try to hide I'm seen but also thank you that you just plain see me. All of me. He is more than just aware or around...He sees.

Carrying the Weight of the Groceries…and the World.

Went to the grocery store last week, it was just an average trip but boy, was it cold! With that in mind, I decided that I needed to make as few trips as possible into the house. SO I decided to make one trip…I piled and spaced the plastic bags up my arms and on each finger. I was determined. Finally, I looped my small suitcase sized purse (in other words, my very large purse) over my last finger and headed to the door.

The first problem was to get the sliding door of the van closed…with much shoving, pushing and “foot tactics” I was able to get the door shut. Up the steps and to the door- literally arms extended, every muscle and finger strained and feeling like I was dying, I tottered. Really, this is not JUST a case of being out of shape; it was just a really bad plan- way too much stuff! No joke, my fingers were pinched and hurt for an hour!

Needless to say, I looked burdened and heavy-laden, which I was. Frankly, I looked like an over zealous idiot! It wasn’t until I realized that I didn’t have a plan to get the house door open that it hit me. This is what my life feels like, more often than I care to admit. It can feel like I’m carrying everything, in one trip. I can be heavy with life, with worry, with stress, with the lack of control- heavy with everything, even good things! Are you hearing me? It hit me, as I had to PUT DOWN all the groceries…

Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy- laden and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

What a lesson to learn and re-learn. How’s it going carrying the weigh of the world and all the groceries? It’s not a great plan. Lay down your burdens; exchange them for His light load. He already carried it all.

Eating Peanut Butter on a Rice Cake, in the Car, on a Snowy Day...

Eating peanut butter on a rice cake, in the car, on a snowy day...that is how my morning started. I was on my way to teach class this morning and I usually eat my breakfast in the car (yes, I am always late and multitasking). This morning was no exception. Except, I choose a rice cake and it was a very snowy day. Driving slowly and carefully and eating my peanut butter rice cake. Not a good scenario. Why you might ask? Well, rice cakes are... how shall we say...rather crumbly. And as I'm driving and eating my rice cake, crumblies (is that a word?) are falling all around. I was rather distracted by this...I hope you seeing my dilemma, on a snowy day.

Silly? Yes, I know. But I do have a point, really. I had to literally tell my self, "Let the crumblies go!" (I spoke to myself in my head...I'm not totally crazy!) I can deal with the mess later, when I'm safe and not driving on a snowy day. So I did just that and made it to Bible Study just fine and on time. Whew. The crumblies got taken care of and all was well.

Does life ever throw you a few "crumblies"? At a particularly difficult time or place...or "inclement weather" season of life? Can you relate to being totally sidetracked with cleaning up the "crumblies"...in turn, putting real serious issues at risk? Do you need to hear the words;"Let it go". There are so many things in my everyday life that I really need to treat as a "crumblie". I need to let them go...they will be there later. So few things really last and so much is at stake.

When God says "No"...

Has God said "No" to you on any particular issue lately? I have recently had a confirmed "No" from the Lord and honestly, I'm learning to be grateful. I thought I would be devastated but I wasn't. I'm learning that "No"s are not all bad...yes, it has taken me 40 years to discover that! That doesn't mean we always like it or enjoy the "No" but we can trust God and then, even in the "No"...

Psalm 37:3-5, "Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He will do it."

Trust, Do, Dwell, Cultivate, Delight, Commit, and more Trust...all verbs. All surrounding "getting" the desires of our heart. How does a "No" from the Lord work into this? Well, when I receive a "No", I'm tempted to drop in a heap and stop...Trusting, Doing, Dwelling, Cultivating, Committing and so on. My tendenacy is lack of faith in the midst of a "No".

He is good and He is God and He is actively and accurately designing a change in our desires. He is enough. Am I desiring Him, even in the "No"? Am I dropping in a spiritual heap to throw a spiritual fit? Sometimes. Today, though, I'll choose to thank Him for the "No" and continue to Trust, Do, Dwell, Cultivate, Delight and then Trust some more...

A New Year...

Can you believe it? 2009, another New Year. Where does the time go? I've been reflecting on 2008 and trying not to "look" too far into 2009- a general problem I have. I like guarantees, I want the promise that this year holds only wonderful things. What do you feel as you "look" into this New Year? Hope? Fear? Certainty? Uncertainty? Faith? Or, like me, all of the above and then some?

Proverbs 31:25 " Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future."

Honestly, that seems to sting a little...ok, a lot. I'm not so sure I'm smiling at the future and strength and dignity? I think my holiday pounds are causing me to not fit into that clothing, right now! LOL.

Where am I going to find the strength and the dignity to wear for the smiling at the future part of the New Year? 2008 left me exhausted...unless. Unless. Yes, that is it. It is His Strength. His Dignity or should I say my identity in Him, that gives me dignity, that I need to wear- holiday pounds or not!

Proverbs 31:30 "Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised."

2009 a New Year...trusting, revering the One who is Redeeming. Trusting the One who is the Strength and who always smiles at the future. Happy New Year. May our eyes be on Him this year, no matter what the year brings.