Sunday, July 20, 2014

Road Construction

Summer is here and with it the inevitable road construction projects. They seem to be everywhere. At least that was true yesterday and I had places to be; a time schedule to keep.

Now I must admit there had been warning signs. They were up a week or more ago. Those signs warn me of the type of construction, the day it is to begin, the day it is projected to end, and even to expect delays. They are big signs, flashy signs, and I read them. I could have made an alternate plan, in fact I should have, but here I was right in the middle of it. I had read the signs, filed away the information for later access, and I failed to go back and access the information before I set out for my jam packed day of errands.

As I sat waiting for that road sign to rotate from "Stop" to "Slow" I contemplated my schedule of errands. What did I have to do that was so important that I should stress about sitting and waiting. Hmmmm, nothing. That's right, NOTHING. It was then that God began to whisper to me.


"I gave you signs, you read the signs, you tucked away the information, but you never went back. You do this with Me you know. You read my Word, you even tuck away tidbits of good information in your journal, you see the warning signs, but you never go back. You do your morning time with me and then head off on your day, with your schedule, and you forget all about Me. Once and awhile you have a big decision and you ask me for a big sign. Why? You ignore all my little signs and I give you many little signs everyday. The key here, my dear daughter, is that they are little signs. Like that "Stop/Slow" sign ahead of you. You wouldn't notice that one either, except you are sitting here. You are quiet and still, and you see that small sign. I don't yell, my dear. I whisper, and you need to be quiet and still to hear me; to see the signs."

BAM! God got me right between the eyes. He got me in the mind and in the heart.

I do need to be listening more throughout my day. I do need to focus on God's priority for the day. I do need to let go of my desire to control all things, even little things. I need to be watching for road signs of warning. I need to heed signs to slow down, signs to be quiet and still so that I can hear God. How about you? What sort of sign will you need to hear the voice of God?

Friday, July 4, 2014

Fences

Each time we visit the midwest, particularly when it is a driving trip, I am struck by the lack of fences between yards. We live in the Pacific Northwest, near a very large city, and 90% or more of the homes have a fence to separate your yard from the neighbor's yard. However, in midwest towns, both small and large, I would guess that less than 50% of the homes have a fenced yard.

Which brings to mind the question, "Why?" or better yet "How?" How do you know where to stop mowing? How do you keep your kids from playing in their yard? How do you keep your dog from wandering away? How can anything be private? How do you keep your neighbor's nose out of your business?

But maybe that is the point. Maybe we strive so hard to keep our neighbors out of our business that we wall off relationships and thus begins a downward spiral into sin. If our neighbors see and know then we have to be accountable and we don't want that. We use the fence to set boundaries so we don't have to exercise discipline, and lack of discipline can draw us into all sorts of behaviors that aren't what God has planned for our lives.

If we have a fence, we don't have to teach our kids about boundaries. We don't have to teach our dog to obey commands like "come". But following God is about boundaries and obedience. As Americans, we have rebelled against these two things, we have found the need to construct fences, "walls", so that no one can intrude on our choices to do what we want. We don't have to be disciplined or obedient and we don't have to be accountable.

Today is Independence Day; a day we celebrate our freedom. Many Americans think this means the freedom to do pretty much whatever we want, freedom from accountability and discipline. True freedom is found in Christ. True freedom is having the ability to roam wherever we want whenever we want, but understanding and choosing to limit ourselves—disciplining ourselves and being accountable to others.

Let me suggest that on this Independence Day, you choose to tear down some fences you have built to "protect" yourself. Get to know a neighbor today, or build a relationship with a fellow believer, become accountable to someone, choose to find True Freedom in Jesus Christ.


Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Defining a New Normal

There are two kinds of new normal—the good and the bad. Big surprise, right?

When defining new normal is good, we are on our way to college, as so many will be in just a few months. Good new normal might be our choice and we are finding our place in a new job; we are making new friends and discovering new talents. Our new normal might be adjusting to our new home or better yet, our first home.


But then there is the new normal that is not welcome. The loss of a family member causes us to define a new normal. In my case, my siblings and I are now the oldest generation of our family. This is not a new normal I wanted, however this new normal was expected and I had months to expect this new normal. Dad was going to be 83 this year; the new normal was impending.

For many families, particularly two of them, today begins a new normal they never expected. A child is shot and another child shot himself. While we attempt to face today normally, these families are finding a new normal. How in the world do they do that? How do any of us define the new normal when it isn't planned or expected? Maybe the real question is should we define the new normal? Maybe that is the point; we are not supposed to define the new normal—God defines the normal.


When horrible things happen, like yesterday's shooting at Reynolds High School, people wonder where God is at a time like this. God is everywhere. God is with the teacher who kept you safe; He is with all the responders who took charge of the situation; He is with the counselors who will help you sort out your feelings; He is at the funeral providing peace that surpasses understanding.


When new normal forces us to get up and face another day, God gives us the strength to do that. God defines the new normal moment by moment, then day by day, week by week, month by month, and soon the new normal isn't new anymore. It's just our normal.


In my mind, the worst thing about new normal is when it becomes the normal and we stop asking, "Where is God?" When we are right in the midst of defining the new normal we turn to God and plead for help, but when normal arrives, we give up on God. We figure we have it handled and we stop seeking God. This is the greatest tragedy. When we see God as some special wizard to shows up when we say the right words, we miss the true God. He is a God who loves us all the time, the God who is with us all the time, the God who hears us all the time.


Find the God who defines your new normal; find the God of all the time. If you need help finding Him I would be happy to help. You can

contact me through the comments or on facebook.

Sunday, June 1, 2014

The Evilness of Planning

"If something weakens you, even if you are good at it, it is a weakness. A strength is an activity that makes you feel strong. What are the activities that invigorate you?" (10/8/10 notes Women of Faith conference)

This causes me to ponder, "What makes me strong? What invigorates me?" I can easily list things that I do well, but which of those things invigorates me? Planning is what first comes to mind. I plan meals for the week, I plan lessons for school, I plan each day for a vacation, I plan for family gatherings. As I write that, I realize that the reason this planning did not always invigorate me was because when I planned, I expected everything to go as planned and I became stressed if it did not follow the plan. This was my error.

Planning, in and of itself, is not bad. It is the expectation that my plan is the only correct way for things to proceed. See, then it becomes a control issue, and that is where my error lies. Not in the planning but in the control.

A year ago I left a job where I was employed for 17 years. I had to leave because I thought I was in total control after 17 years. I had the perfect plan after all that time. God let me see that I was way off base. I had become so confident in myself, my skills, and my plan that I wasn't relying on Him at all. It was time to move on. It was time for me to let God take control of the plan.

In my new job, I still create a plan for the week or the month, but I have been continually reminded that God is in control of how things will actually play out. As I have given this over to him, I have found not only freedom but strength. I plan, God directs the plan, and when I allow Him to do that, every day is a good day. I am rejuvenated by my work rather than stressed by it. When I examine the days where I come home stressed, I can see that I pushed God aside and I took back control of the plan. When I actually visualize that picture of pushing God aside, I don't want to stand near myself. Lightning bolts they be a comin'!

A year ago I could not find praise or worship in a day filled with interruptions to my plan. Today, I am closer to "going with the flow". It requires a full trust in God. It requires me giving my plan to God each and every day. When I do that, the evilness of planning is gone and I am invigorated by planning and seeing what God will do with the plan.

How about you? What invigorates you?

Monday, May 26, 2014

Is your Trust—a noun or a verb?

Trust (n). reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing; a person on whom or thing on which one relies.

As Christians, we grab hold of God and in him we find our trust. In that case, it is a noun. It is a thing and it is permanent. If this is true, then why does Satan sway us?

"Satan hurls fear and reminders of our failure and watches what we do. Satan is not all knowing. Our response should be, 'I know I have failed before and that is why I give this to your Lord. This will be done through YOU not me.' Is our own real enemy our trust in God?" (sermon notes 10/8/10)

Trust (v). to rely upon or place confidence in someone or something.

You see, we are using trust as a verb; we are using trust as an action and doing it over and over again. Why? Do we think God wavers? Do we not rely on His strength, His ability, and His surety? Think of trust as a noun, trust is something we grab hold of and never let go.

Life should be thought of as one of those amazing bridges that span a great divide. It is made of flimsy wood—us, and the ropes that hold it together—God. As you walk across that bridge of life are you going to only grab the rope when you falter? Not me! I don't even want to walk the bridge without the ropes, and I am going to hang on to them all the way. The only thing that will change is how firm I grip. For me, the rope, the trust is always there. It is a thing, a noun. I choose not to go through life grabbing the rope only when I have nothing else.


Your view of the rope bridge



Are you thinking your rope bridge looks like this? Look at those lovely sturdy planks of your life. You've got it made, right? No gaps in your walk with God. No need to hold the rope. That is what Satan would love for you to believe.







How God sees your rope bridge.


In reality, our bridge probably looks more like this. Mine does. Notice the big gaps in my right walking with God. I need the rope. I need to trust all the way through this life. My trust is a noun. Trust is a sure thing to which I have grabbed hold and I'm not letting go.

Saturday, May 17, 2014

God is Love

Many people's view of God is about his power. He created all things, he oversees and controls all things. God has power but scripture doesn't say God is power. Scripture says God is love. The idea of a power god is wrong—it is upside down. God says those who serve and are more relational have the heart of God. Our world wants us, particularly women, to believe we need to the the top of the power pyramid. How many women have control issues? Myself included.

God's world is just the opposite. If we put ourselves at the bottom of the power pyramid and get relational with God, He will work through us, that is where the power is really located. God is a lover, Jesus is the beloved, and the Holy Spirit is the love between them. God created us for love not power. God created us for relationship not control, because God is love. (sermon notes 8/15/10)

A New Direction

It has been a long time since I have been here blogging. In that time much has happened, but what is most noteworthy to me is a true lifestyle change. Last year's decision to move to a single story home, and my decision to change jobs, created quite a lot of emotional stress to our lives. I threw myself into God's Word and determined I had to start each day with Him. I have grown to love my early morning quiet time. I have filled at least a couple of journals in a year, and I have more stashed away throughout the house. I began to wonder what to do with them.

It must be noted that my father passed away in this last year. One more stresser in my life. Helping my siblings clean out the house has been very eye-opening. So much stuff kept and for what purpose? So many things might have interest for the moment, but they are tossed on the burn pile. Thus my wondering what value my journals had once they are filled. No one will read them; they won't have meaning to anyone else. These journals will one day end up in the trash. How many of them are tucked away in my attic or file cabinet? Is there anything of note in them?

My church journal, the one where I take notes during services, was the first to be reviewed as it was the most recent to be filled. The first entry in this journal is dated 4/10/10. The length of time it took me to fill this steno pad journal is in no way a comment on the teaching at my church. It is a comment on my frame of mind and ability to engage enough to take notes. This journal contains a few grocery lists and to-do lists. In God's house I felt a need to unload my burdens on him, so it contains some lengthy prayers. And it contains some spiritual gems.

It is the gems that inspired me to transform my blog. The name of the blog is still very appropriate, but the focus will shift. I see God everywhere these days, not only in my journal notes, but at my job, in my family, even in sharing time around the table.

Join me in a new journey of Reflections.