6 Danger Zones of "Selfies"

IS IT WRONG TO TAKE A SELFIE?

I have recently been schooled in the inanity of Justin Beiber's (or is it Bieber's? I'm glad I don't know the answer to this question.) ubiquitous collection of self-photography.

When pressed by the people around them to tell the story of their lives from their own perspective, important people used to write autobiographies. Now we have the selfie as a means of sharing one's own perspective. It's an equal-opportunity form of self-promotion, often undertaken more by the unimportant than the important.

Now of course, let me get it out of the way: it is not inherently "wrong" to take a selfie. 

I've taken a few. You probably have too.

But I want to challenge us all to think about the things that we do. We have to be careful with any-- ANY-- activity that is self-focused, and self-promoting. We have to be willing to transparently investigate our own hearts--

• WHY are we doing this thing? 
• What is the purpose of our self-focus in this particular moment? 
• What is the point of taking so many photos of ourselves?

Sometimes we want to have a close-up of ourself with another person. Sometimes we want a particular perspective. Sometimes you want to chronicle a moment and there's no one else around to take the picture. Sometimes we want to know how our newly-done hairstyle looks, haha. 

There can certainly be innocuous reasons for a selfie.

However, in a few of the times I've taken "selfies," I can see other things happening in my heart. I feel the pull to care about externals and perception more than I do at other times of life. This picture makes me look like I have a double chin. Why do my eyes look weird in that one? Uh-oh-- my dirty laundry is in the background; try again!

There are some potential pitfalls or "danger zones" when it comes selfies:

1. We may glorify UNreality. - Am I choosing a picture that cuts out every 'negative' thing, thus glorifying something that most likely (in truth) does not exist? Am I, knowingly or not, buying into a culture that idolizes the airbrushed celebrity or starving model, and disdains things like everyday moments in a normal, imperfect family? Do I put more effort and intentionality into presenting an image, rather than BEING a Christ-follower in everyday life?
2. We may glorify ourselves. - Who am I pointing to? Who is being made much of? Am I acting as if my own emotions, facial expressions, and experiences are the most significant thing in life? Am I sinfully focused on myself and my perspective, instead of seeing myself as God's creation-- part of His story, His world, His tapestry?
3. We may glorify sensuality. - Am I revealing things that should not be revealed? Am I, through the positioning of a camera, the arching of my back, the pouting of my lips, or (some other factor) contributing to a pornographic culture? Would I want my dad, grandparents, pastor, and future grandchildren to look carefully at the picture I am taking?
4. We may glorify the sardonic. - In my expression/demeanor, am I glorifying a self-loathing, cynical, ungrateful heart that highlights my despair and downplays the goodness of God in my life?
5. We may delude ourselves. - Am I confusing myself about what actually exists, or about what is most important in life? 
6. We may deceive others. - Am I confusing others about what actually exists in my life? Am I discouraging others by how 'perfect' everything appears? 

In all of these, I used the word "may." 

Our intent might certainly NOT be to do these things, but Christ-followers have to live as sober-minded people, thinking carefully about the way that we live and the choices we make. Our actions say something about what we believe... we we value... what we want to glorify and hold up as "good" in our lives.

Is taking a "selfie" inherently wrong?

No. 

But it could be wrong. Each of us must sit before the Lord as He searches our hearts. He is so good to lead us into all truth, and to show us where we need to grow.

Let's make much of Him & His goodness, even in "selfies."

YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY:

• Thinking about your LEGACY
• Weight, Women & the Human Soul
• REMEMBER who you are in Christ
• How SIN can produce "watershed moments" of clarity about ourselves

Image courtesy of: imagerymajestic/freedigitalphotos.net

Unforgiveness & How Soon You Wash the Dish

Dishes get dirty.

Some meals (say, a ham sandwich with some Lays and an apple) leave almost no crumbs. But while we eat meals like that from time to time, we also all eat meals (say, spaghetti & meatballs with salad & dressing, or oatmeal with brown sugar and drizzled maple syrup) where our dish ends up dirty.

Relationships, especially everyday relationships, are like that dish.

Day in, day out, week in, week out, getting used.

Sometimes that dish can be brushed right off. It was used, but if you look at it, you can hardly tell. But in any dish that's really being USED, the time comes that you're going to have to wash it. The mess is ugly, and everyone looking on knows it.

Every dish gets that way from time to time.

Every relationship gets that way too.

FORGIVENESS
Forgiveness is when the dish is made clean. The old has gone, and the mess is no longer where the focus is.

Dishes weren't made to be relics that show just how dirty they once got. Relationships aren't made to be relics that tell the story of just how sinful he was, just how sinful she was, just how sinful I was, just how sinful you were.

Dishes are made to serve up meals that enable growth. Relationships are also made for growth... to fortify and strengthen us, to sharpen and shape us, to nourish and encourage us for the journey, and biblically, to propel us Godward.

WASH THE DISH
Dishes are much easier to wash when the mess is freshly made.

And I think forgiveness can be like that too.

When Doug & I argue, there may be a short time where we need to breathe deeply and remind ourselves to let love carry the day, but we forgive before the night is out, and we keep accounts short. It's easier to wash the dish right away than to let it sit and harden.

The mess is easier to clean up when it's not also hardened and stinky and germ-infested.

UNFORGIVENESS
Unforgiveness is like using your bowl for oatmeal and setting it on the counter. There's a mess in there and you know it. It's hardening by the minute.

UNFORGIVENESS IN MARRIAGE/OTHER DAILY RELATIONSHIPS
The problem is that that relationship still exists and needs to be used. So you pick it back up but- "UGH! There's a mess in there. I hate this bowl. I hate this stench."- but you go on and pour your cornflakes because you need to eat. Pretty soon that same bowl is back in that same spot but now there's some bits of cornflake stuck on there too. Hardening.

Before long it's time to eat some soup and so you- "gulp"- get over your grossed-out-ness and grab the bowl. Now you're sucking down mold and bits of whatever that was from a few breakfasts ago, everytime you eat.

Unforgiveness does that to us.

We keep choking on the thing that hurt us ages ago because we didn't deal with it rightly. We didn't work through it. We didn't choose love in action. We didn't choose to walk in health and peace and biblical reconciliation. And so we keep choking and hurting and being grossed out and angry by the thing that ultimately, we should have dealt with through forgiveness.

WHAT ABOUT IF I HAVEN'T WASHED THE DISH RIGHT AWAY?
Well, we all have done this (at least a little bit) in real life, haven't we? Dishes can get nasty dirty and the food seems utterly cemented on... while it appears impossible and we could kill ourselves trying to scrape that dadgum 3-day-old-spaghetti sauce OFF the plate, that's not ultimately the answer. No.

What has to happen? The dish needs to soak and soften.

We can be that way too-- we can scrape and work and weary ourselves trying to drum up some kind of human forgiveness, or we can stop. We can soak ourselves, washing ourselves in the water of the Word, ruminating around in the messages of our Lord-- "forgive us as we forgive those who have sinned against us," (which means according to the same measure that we forgive) "forgive from your heart," "be reconciled" -- reminding ourselves of the great forgiveness we ourselves have received.

This. THIS is what changes our hearts and makes us forgivers.

WHAT KIND OF HABIT WILL YOU HAVE?
Let me encourage you, and let me challenge myself... make it a habit to "wash your dishes" soon after they get "dirty." It's so much easier that way. It truly is EASIER. Forgive your husband. Forgive your mother-in-law. Forgive the friend that hurt you. Forgive your sister or brother.

Forgive. 

Today is a new day for each of us. Be-- become-- a person known for forgiving.

How Do We Walk in the Way of Wisdom?

I love Proverbs. Whenever I can, I like to read the Proverb for the day of the month, like I recently did with Proverbs 4 on the 4th.

Again and again, Proverbs 4 reminds us of the importance of seeking wisdom & letting it inform not only our THINKING but our CHOICES-- the way we walk.

Check out these things found in Proverbs 4:

COMMANDS FOR US, CONCERNING WISDOM--

• Hear (v. 1, 10)
• Be attentive (v. 1, 20)
• Do not forsake (v. 2, 6)
• Let your heart hold fast (v. 4)
• Keep (v. 4)
• Get (v. 5, 7) 
• Do not forget (v. 5)
• Do not turn away (v. 5)
• Love [wisdom] (v. 6)
• Prize [wisdom] (v. 8)
• Embrace [wisdom] (v. 8)
• Accept [wisdom] (v. 10)
• Keep hold (v. 13)
• Do not let go. (v. 13)
• Guard [wisdom] (v. 13)
• Incline your ear to it (v. 20)
• Let it not escape your notice (v. 21)
• Keep them within your heart (v. 21)

COMMANDS FOR US, CONCERNING EVIL--

• Do not enter the path of the wicked (v. 14)
• Do not walk in the way of the evil. (v. 14)
• Avoid it. (v. 15)
• Do not go on it. (v. 15)
• Turn away from it and pass on (v. 15)
• Turn your foot away from evil. (v. 27)

As I read through these list, and chapter 4 of Proverbs from which they are taken, I am struck by these things:

1. It must be easy to forget about wisdom, or to turn away from it. Look at how many different times and how many different ways he tells his son to KEEP HOLD of it. Prize! Hold fast! Be attentive!
2. We are to value wisdom, but that must not be our natural inclination. It is not just anything in life that we prize, embrace, love, hold onto. Wisdom is truly so valuable in our lives, and yet the writer tells us many times over to value it. Why would he say that if we were valuing what is valuable? But the truth is that we are often NOT inclined to prize wisdom as we should. The way of the flesh is to desire to be seen as wise, not to see others as wise & seek their insight. We have to reverse our natural inclinations and intentionally seek and prize wisdom.
3. We have a choice whether or not to walk in the way of evil. There is a clear "path of the wicked." The Bible says God has written His law on our hearts-- we KNOW when we are entering a way we should turn away from. 
4. We are to pay attention to where we're headed. Read this passage (selected verses from Proverbs 4:11-27) and think about the analogy of life like a walk along a pathway:

I have taught you the way of wisdom;
I have led you in the paths of uprightness.
When you walk, your step will not be hampered,
and if you run, you will not stumble.
...
Do not enter the path of the wicked,
and do not walk in the way of evil.
Avoid it; do not go on it;
turn away from it and pass on.
...
But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
which shines brighter and brighter until full day.
The way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know over what they stumble.
...
Let your eyes look directly forward,
and your gaze be straight before you.
Ponder the path of your feet;then all your ways will be sure.
Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
turn your foot away from evil.

LOOK IN FRONT OF YOU

I think it's fascinating that he tells us to have our eyes look "directly forward." What happens when we do that, intently, is that we SEE what is in front of us. We take notice of where we're headed, and can make mid-course corrections as need be.

I have that verse- Proverbs 4:26- up on a wall in our home to remind all of us to consider where the choices we're making now-- today-- will lead us. Here's a pic from when I painted it:

What about you?

• Are you truly looking at what's in front of you? (Consider people who have walked the path you are walking. Where does it lead? Are you walking in the way that they walked? What are the natural outcomes/consequences/benefits of continuing to walk in the way you are going?)
• How do you PONDER the path of your feet?

Image courtesy of Ohmega1982/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I Could Be "THAT" Woman... and So Could You

Recently, I was driving alone and looked over to the side where I noticed a flashing billboard offering $500 for a dance competition "this Friday" at such-and-such "Men's Club."

My heart broke as I considered the women who would line up for that. While some may go out of a desire to be admired or to entice, the truth is that all women-- even those who are now desensitized to it-- are driven there (and to situations like it) by desperation for what they do not have.

Fantine sums it up so well, in her solo in Les Miserables:

There was a time when men were kind
When their voices were soft
And their words inviting
There was a time when love was blind
And the world was a song
And the song was exciting
There was a time
Then it all went wrong

I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted

But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
As they turn your dream to shame

He slept a summer by my side
He filled my days with endless wonder
He took my childhood in his stride
But he was gone when autumn came

And still I dream he'll come to me
That we will live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather

I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed.

So many women live this reality. Still in their heart waiting for "him" to come, dull and deadened to life and its hardships in the meanwhile. This... THIS is the reality our boys need to understand when we talk to them about porn, sexting, strip clubs, and even the girlfriend who sexually offers herself, feeling she has to. No little girl dreams of being used and objectified.

The truth is...

...I could be THAT woman. YOU could be THAT woman.

Take away a few (maybe even just one) of God's mercies in my life:

• a good church
• a man who is committed to be husband and father to our children
• knowledge of Scripture and God's grace that drives me to love it, 

and I could be lured by a quick $500.

As I drove, I knew: it would not take much for me to be the woman who would see that billboard, drive into a seedy parking lot one evening, sit in the car and tell myself, "it's only this one time. It'll pay the utilities this month. I don't have to look these people in the eye ever again," and walk in there, even brazenly, to pursue the money.

This is not rhetoric. I know my own heart. I praise God for what He's done in my life. But truly, if you knew my heart you would know that I am capable of even the worst sin... capable of far worse than getting $500 by standing on a stage with my soul walled up in a cage within me while I strip items of clothing off of my body. 

Even now, this many years into my Christian walk, this many years into my marriage, this many years as a mother, I have to be so vigilant to fight off the sin that would entrap me. I have to forgive others as God forgives me, as I desire to be forgiven by Him; I have to live with my hands open. Open to the grace He gives, open to others.

Christian woman, let's today work to cut out any hint of superiority toward "those" who would do something like that (whatever "that" we're talking about), because the truth is, I could be "THAT" woman. And I think you could too. 

Every one of us needs the grace and forgiveness of God. 

Every one of us needs to live with open hands and open hearts, receiving and offering the grace and forgiveness of God to others.

Let's praise God for His mercy and offer it to women around us, even "them," knowing that THEM is really "us."

Seek Wisdom (Trail Blaze #10)

SEEK WISDOM

And wherever you find it, grab ahold of it, and prize it.

The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.

Proverbs 4:7

NO ONE HAS IT ALL
Aside from Christ, there is no one human who has all wisdom. So decide in advance that you won't fault someone for not having all wisdom-- because no one ever will.

But there are many, many people around you right now who have some portion, however big or small, of wisdom to offer you. Seek them out. 

BE A WISDOM-SEEKING MAGNET
Invite people to dinner. Talk with people before or after church. Be receptive to them, and tune your ears to hear the lessons they've learned. Pay attention, and listen to how they interweave Scripture into their opinions, decisions, and lives. Seek to learn from them.

Take time to really get to know people. When they share the difficult stories of their life, tune in. Ask questions, and then really listen.

• "So how did you handle that news?"
• "What have you learned about parenting sons?"
• "I don't know if I could do that. How did you make that decision?"
• "Has God ever given you any answers or closure about that?"
• "Your teens seem really well-grounded. How have you raised them to have good heads on their shoulders?"

CONSIDER HOW IT CAN APPLY
Don't be a person who digs in your heels and refuses to learn from others. It really doesn't matter how much they are or aren't like you, or whether or not their life is anything like yours... everyone has lessons to teach if we are willing to hear and learn.

Purpose now that you will learn and grow from the lives of others.  

God is at work all around each of us. Stop. Listen. Look around, and find the wisdom He has put within your reach.

Hear what the people around you share, and apply it to your life, even if not all of it fits. The principles of wisdom will apply to your life, even if precise methods or details don't always line up.

God did not design us to be islands, self-sufficient, and floating through life without connection. 

We need one another, and we need to be humble enough to admit it, and to seek wisdom in the human packages God puts in front of us. (TWEET THAT.)

• Who has God put in your life that you can seek out this week? 
• Share in the comments what you plan to do to seek God's wisdom in the human packages around you.

image courtesy of ImageryMajestics/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Need A Boost of Encouragement?

I love this! Hope you're having a great Thursday.

Discontentment & Gratitude

There are always things in life you can choose to be discontent about.

There are always things in life you can choose to be content with.

The difference lies in your choice.


Don't believe me?   Let me give a small example.

Recently, unbeknownst to me, one of my sons was looking forward to building a rifle from some old scrap wood in our workshop. He apparently went all through his schoolwork thinking that at the end of it, he could go out there and build it.

Unfortunately for him, I don't let the kids go out to work in the workshop by themselves when I'm the only one here. The risk of an emergency goes up with them going out there. Stepping on a stray nail or hurting onesself with a tool become real possibilities. And with me being here alone, nursing a baby, keeping an the preschooler, etc., I just won't take the risk.

After he finished his schoolwork, he said, "so, can I go out to build my rifle?" When I answered, my explanation was met with a downcast body and face.

His disappointment was natural, but I watched as it wedged its' way into his heart and threatened to ruin his whole day.

Discontentment sneaks in and steals the joy from what would otherwise be normal--or even good--days.

That also was a day when my husband went in to work around 5am and wouldn't get home until 10pm.  It was a full workday for him, which meant a full workday at home for me, with no rest for the weary.

This also meant that this particular son didn't get to fulfill his wish of building the rifle at any point that day. By bedtime, dejected that his daddy didn't make it home before bedtime so he could run out and make his rifle, he was darn near weeping. (I'm keeping this story anonymous for this reason.)

There's no shame in his feeling genuine disappointment, but we really do get to pick the things on which we will focus.  

After everyone was in bed (4 boys sleep in the one room), but before I took the opportunity to pray for them, I asked him to list out all the things he got to do that day... ordinary things and fun things, things he did by himself and things we did together... and pretty soon, his tears dried up.

After listing just a few items, his voice began to change. It wasn't crackly and emotional anymore.

Instead his whole being-- inside and out-- was reflecting the change in his focus. Once he began to focus on all the good things (big and small), the one thing he DIDN'T get to do was no longer eclipsing them all and everything about his attitude changed.

CHOOSE
By choosing to "count our many blessings" we are choosing contentment. When we choose to focus in on the difficulties, or the things we *want* but don't have, it eclipses the good things and keeps us disgruntled and our perspective skewed-- we are choosing discontentment.

Try it. Right now, take a moment to list out 3 people/things in your life for which you are grateful. Really and truly, imagine what your life would be like without those people/things.

Keep going past 3.

Keep going until you feel the change in your spirit.

However many things it takes, and however long it takes.

If you're not in the habit of doing this, it will feel difficult and pointless. "Really?  I'm supposed to thank God for towels?" Yes.  If that's something you're glad you have, then yes. "Cheddar cheese & a cheese grater?" Yes. List that too.  Include the hug you got recently or the book you have to read anytime you please. Include that you have enough money to buy toilet paper and internet to read this blog post.

It is not bad circumstances in your life that make you discontent. 

It is discontentment that makes your circumstances seem bad.

My son had plenty of things to be thankful for, but he was discontent because of his focus was fixed on the one thing he couldn't do that day. Once he changed his attitude to one of thankfulness, he no longer felt, looked, or sounded discontent because reality dawned on him and he was able to express and truly feel gratitude for the things he HAD done.

The same is true for all of us.

What we focus on- and the attitude with which we focus- changes everything.

Gratitude really is the game-changer.  


For further reading on this topic, check our CCEF's wonderful article on the subject of Gratitude:

• Start with Everyday Life, Now Overlay it with Gratitude

Images courtesy of David Castillo Dominici and anankkml/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Actively Listening to God

Lately I've been shaking off that post-partum mental fog, and as it is slowly replaced with greater clarity, I ask myself:

Am I actively listening to God?  

Am I watching to see where He's at work so I can join Him?

Am I leaning in to hear what He's saying to me?  

What about you?

Do you expectantly read His word, confident that He is the Good Shepherd who will lead you?

Or, do you approach His word with a dutiful heart, or even not at all?

Are you leaning in and staying close enough to hear His voice?

Or, does He have to shout to get your attention?

Is His the voice that your heart is tuned to, so that when He speaks, you know it right away?

Or, are you so distracted that His voice get lost in the cacophony of noises in your mind and heart?


Throughout Scripture, we're given pictures of different people who looked for and listened to God:

• Adam and Eve WALKED with God, but ran from Him rather than to Him after they'd sinned.
• Job lost everything, and had "friendly" voices around him telling him what to do... still, he sat in ashes and waited to hear from God.  When God spoke, it was powerful.
• Noah was a righteous man in a wicked generation and when God asked him to do the illogical, he listened and did it, and his family was saved.
• Abram lived among idol-worshippers-- straight up pagans-- but when God spoke, He recognized it, gave up everything he knew, and willingly followed God into the unknown.
• David (before, during, and after times of great sin) sought God, poured out his heart to Him, and was given the description as "a man after God's heart."  His heart continually turned to God, and remained malleable and reachable by God.
• Jonah, the reluctant missionary, bitterly followed God, and then sat down to watch and bemoan God's mercy.

Among people who lived in or near Judea during the time of Jesus, there were different responses too:

• The Wise men saw a star... one solitary, easily-ignorable sign, but these men saw it, and sought out the meaning of this question in their minds... and found the Messiah, the true King. 
• The disciples were each called by Jesus, and responded to His call.  They left the familiar to follow the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
• Judas apparently also spent three years following this same Jesus, listening to His teaching, and yet was unchanged.  Was he not listening?  Did he hear but not understand?  Was his heart hardened?  Was his heart tuned to other things?  Did he love money more than God?  
• Paul was not one of Jesus' disciple; in fact, He actively worked against Jesus and the Way.  But once the truth was made plain to him, he left the old ways and threw himself wholeheartedly into the new Way.  

Different people, different responses.

Thinking back over the list, which response characterizes your heart and life?  

• Are you leaning in and listening for God's voice?  Are you regularly, actively, wholeheartedly searching Scriptures, eager to find and prize a word from Him?  Do you see Him at work and join Him in it?  Do you recognize His voice and act when He speaks?  Do you know His Word well enough that you can discern what is from the Spirit and what is from the flesh?
• Or, are you disconnected from Him? Are you distracted and non-committal when it comes to pursuing godliness?  Do you listen to other voices more than His?

Where are you, spiritually speaking?  And has God been speaking to You?

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ:

• The Powerful Benefits of the Word of God - PSALM 119
• How to Get More Scripture-- ideas for busy moms
• Holding Onto Truth-- even with fuzzy mom brain

Images courtesy of Jeroen van Oostrom/FreeDigitalPhotos.net and artur84/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Discontentment & Comparison

Discontentment & comparison often accompany one another.

Comparison will always kill joy, whether it's comparing UP or comparing DOWN.

COMPARING UP? 
It is interesting to consider that when we compare, if our hearts are yearning for self-pity, we compare up.  

If it's about our home, we compare ourselves to the gal at church or the rich cousin with the nicer home.  We don't compare ourselves to the poor women at church who just got evicted from her apartment because her husband lost his job.  Nor do we, in that moment, compare ourselves to the woman whose situation is slightly worse off (financially speaking).

If it's about our appearance, we compare ourselves to the woman who can afford nice things, the one who gets regular mani/pedis, the one who buys department store makeup and has a gym membership.  We don't compare ourselves to the woman who has an even *TIGHTER* budget than our own.

OR COMPARING DOWN?
And when we compare, if our hearts are yearning for pride and self-worth, we compare down.

If it's about our home, we compare ourselves with the woman who hasn't a clue about decorating, or the one whose house is a pigsty.  When our soul's goal is pride, we don't compare ourselves to the woman with slightly more organizational know-how or design flair than we possess, or to the woman who has a better knack for putting colors and fabrics together.

If it's about our appearance, we compare ourselves to the haggard woman, the one with frumpy out-of-date clothes, or the one who is overweight and out of shape.

No matter which way it goes, comparison is ugly, tempting us to compare ourselves to the rich and beautiful for self-pity, or to the poor and ugly for a sense of superiority, never the opposite. 

And I'm not encouraging any of us to make the opposite comparisons, necessarily.

For the most part, I think we should avoid comparisons, although, very occasionally, comparisons can be helpful (i.e., Last summer, when a friend received heartbreaking news, it put my own woes and temporary grumps and gripes in perspective of her great loss, and gave me good perspective.  Her hurts silenced my complaints.).

Mostly, though, I think we should opt to dropkick the comparisons to the curb, and feed our minds with truth.

DON'T COMPARE, CONSIDER
Instead of comparing, the Bible encourages us to "consider" certain things--

• "Fear the LORD and serve him... consider what great things He has done for you." ~1 Samuel 12:24
• "Stop and consider the wondrous works of God." ~Job 37:14
• "Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble, the LORD delivers him." ~Psalm 41:1
• "Whoever is wise... let him consider the steadfast love of the LORD." ~Psalm 107:43
• "Look at the ant, o sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise." ~Proverbs 6:6
• "In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other." ~Ecclesiastes 7:14
• "Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." ~Matthew 6:28-29
• "Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than the birds!" ~Luke 12:24
• "You must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus." ~Romans 6:11
• "I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing to the glory that is to be revealed to us." ~Romans 8:18
• "Consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.  But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world... so that no human being might boast in the presence of God" ~1 Corinthians 1:26
• "Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, but encouraging one another." ~Hebrews 10:24-25
• "[Look] to Jesus, ...who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted." ~Hebrews 12:2-3
• "Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God.  Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith." ~Hebrews 13:7

When we keep scripture as our standard, rather than people, our perspective changes.

We begin to consider all the things God has done for us... all the things He has done, period.  We consider ourselves in light of eternity, and consider ourselves in light of the vast universe He holds and cares for each day.  We get a vision for life that is bigger than ourselves & our comparisons.

Look to what GOD tells you to focus on, rather than what Facebook, magazines, Pinterest, and even your own deceitful heart, tell you to focus on.

Comparison kills; considering Scripture gives life. 



Chickens image courtesy of bplanet/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Making the Most of Our Multi-Tasking Abilities

We women tend to be multi-taskers.

We try to squeeze as much as we can into a given moment- carrying the groceries in (loaded down like a donkey), calling instructions to the kids over our shoulder, using the tiniest sliver of our index finger (otherwise weighed down with groceries) to open the gate, kicking the gate closed with our feet, already mentally planning which steps need to be done in which order, in order to have dinner prepared in less than 20 minutes, so we can nurse the baby when he wakes up in 25 minutes.

But sometimes there's a tendency to think that we have to have silence and solitude in order to meditate or enter into spiritual truth in a deep way.  That the schedule has to be cleared in order to intake spiritual "food".  That if we could just get away from daily demands, THEN we'd have time to retreat and find rest for the soul.

But one of the things I've come to know in the last eleven years as a mom is this: silence and solitude and beautiful and rare... but a peaceful heart and calm spirit can happen in any setting, at any time.

Let me keep this short.  Basically, I try to (as often as possible) combine one item from list A with one item from list B:

In a nutshell, use those times where the mind is free to fill it up with things that are meaty and spiritual and encouraging.  Don't let the time fritter away and go to waste.  That's not to say every moment has to be filled with noise.  Moments of just letting my mind be at rest, and nestling into solitude, can be healing and helpful.

But our minds are not naturally bent toward godliness.  

If we perpetually give our minds nothing on which to focus, we will easily drift into self-focus--  replaying hurtful conversations, mentally jotting down a list of things we "never" get or "always" have to do, replaying compliments and reviewing "successes", or replaying hurt and criticism and reviewing failures.  Or we can drift into busybodying about others-- reviewing things they did (or didn't) say, things they did (or didn't) do, thinking of things they should (or shouldn't) say, things they should (or shouldn't) do.


Instead, I most often click on my audioBible or head to YouTube (or one of my apps) and turn on a sermon by Chandler, Piper, Chan, Harris, or Driscoll.

Let me encourage you to try it-- or do it more often-- give your mind something on which to focus during tasks when your hands or body are busy doing something otherwise mindless.

Please hear my heart: don't let this be a point of legalism or guilt for you.  

By all means, take time to enjoy the silence nursing your new baby... or if the kids have been at it all day, enjoy the solitude and relaxation of a hot, quiet bath.  But in moments when your mind craves something to do, or would tend toward self-focus or busybodying about other people, my encouragement for you is to give your mind something to do-- combine list A with list B and let God renew your heart, mind, and soul as you go about your daily activities.

Milk or Meat? Measuring Spiritual Growth

While laying in bed yesterday morning, nursing my little five-month-old Theodore, I watched him.

The milk was so comforting to him that he fell asleep, while his little mouth still lazily moved to continue making withdrawals.  When he finished on one side, I pulled him close onto my tummy, rolled over, and his hunger was ravenous.  Mind you, he'd already gotten more than half of his intake, but he was still aggressive in his pursuit of the last portion.  His little mouth open wide, he shook his head to one side and the other, back and forth, not fussing, but ferocious in his attempt to get what he needed.

He knew I would give and that it was coming, so it wasn't that he thought he might miss out.  This has been the routine for 6-10 times a day for more than 150 days.

But his desire was strong.

He had a need, and knows that I am his Need-Meeter.

It was right for him to turn to me, and to pursue until he got what he needed.

And it yielded in his satisfaction and growth.


It made me think of Scripture, and whether our desire for it, and pursuit of it, matches our need.

Do these descriptions describe us-- do they describe me? do they describe you?-- in our pursuit of Scripture?  (I promise I just wrote that last paragraph without thinking of this part)--

• comforting
• continually making withdrawals even when tired
• partially finished but still hungry for more
• ravenous
• aggressive in pursuit
• open wide
• not fussing but ferocious in an attempt to get what is needed

I have been lazy lately in my pursuit of Scripture.  I've been consuming a lot of spiritual food prepared and "cooked" by other people.  Now, granted, I'm in that postpartum foggy season where I have to remember to trust that my Shepherd sees me with gentle, compassionate eyes, rather than taking on guilt or shame for being more exhausted, and less productive, than I might otherwise be.  

But here's the thing, the thing I wish wasn't true of any of us:

Milk is for babies.  

1 Peter 2:2, 1 Corinthians 3:2, and Hebrews 5:12-13 explicitly compare spiritual growth of a believer to the physical growth of a baby.

Laying in bed, whether crying or not, and hoping that the food will come to us is the action of a baby, both biologically and spiritually speaking.

It would be silly for me, as an adult, to lay around in bed and expect healthy, body-nourishing food to come into my mouth.  No, I have to go into the kitchen and cook.  The same is true spiritually.

While there is always the option of convenience food, something someone else has prepared for me that I just heat up in one form or another, that is not most healthful long-term- biologically or spiritually.  

I like the way the New Living Translation expresses this: 

"You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others.  Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God's word.  You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food.  For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn't know how to do what is right."

There is maturity and health in learning to chop up my own vegetables, carefully and confidently wielding a knife to slice up meat, and knowing how to mix ingredients well, in order to prepare meals that will nourish my body in the ways that I need to grow.   That is true for my physical body and for my faith.

There are so many rabbit trails of analogy that I could pursue at this point-- 

1. A skilled chef would not just prepare donuts, cake, and cookies to eat day in, day out.  No!  Anyone who spends time thinking about food knows that while excellent flavor and enjoyment of food is wonderful, wise choices must be made in order to effectively and healthfully grow the body.  The same is true spiritually.  Only someone on the level of a toddler thinks that suckers, chocolate chips, and donuts could make a good diet... to grow, we have to consume things that make our spiritual "teeth" grind, and something that builds us up.  Consumed over time, too much sugary fluff will make us sick, not strong. 
2. Someone who makes food for others becomes responsible for what they serve up.   James 3:1 warns those who would teach: "you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness."
3. We can get a sense of where we are, spiritually speaking, by how skilled we are at procuring, preparing, and consistently consuming nourishing spiritual food.  It's not an exact science, but I think we can get a good sense of where we "sit" spiritually by examining what we're taking in, who is cooking it up, and how healthy and regular our portions and ingredients are.

And those may all be rabbit trails worth pursuit.

But the main point I wanted to make today is this: when I look at my new little son, I see a tiny, needy human who is aware of his need, and who cries out on a regular basis to have his need met.  He looks to me, rightly, as his loving Need-Meeter, and is satisfied, pleasant, growing healthily, and content.  

Do I, like him, turn to the One who will meet my need?  

Do I do what is in my power to procure what will help me grow?

Am I consistent in my pursuit of, and discerning selection of, spiritual food?

Am I healthy and growing?




Cooking photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

For further reading on this topic:

• A CALL FOR BIBLICAL LITERACY
• IDEAS FOR GETTING MORE SCRIPTURE AS A BUSY MOM
• "ME TIME", BURNOUT, AND JESUS' EXAMPLE
• LIKE A NEWBORN BABY (ha! Had no idea I'd written about this passage before.)
• BEING A WISE-WORDED WOMAN
• ALL MY POSTS ON "STUDYING THE BIBLE"

A Little Peace & Quiet as a Mom

I can remember, when I was a teenager, praying for five sons.  I had a friend who was one of six boys, and another friend/mentor who had five children.  So maybe somewhere in the midst of all of that, I formed this prayer for five sons.  Now I'm the mom of five sons and one daughter.  Praise God, He threw in a "bonus" daughter that blesses my socks off.

I knew certain things about it, things I was prepared for.  Cooler-looking vehicles stop fitting a family well around 3-4 kids.  Boys eat a lot, I knew that.  I knew that God can stretch income and that it didn't have to be as expensive to raise kids as "they" say.  I knew some tricks about keeping toys tidy, and things like having a drink spot so we didn't go through a million cups a day.

One of the things I didn't know to expect with having a large family was how loud it would be.  

Now, my crew are good kids.  They really are.  But it is STILL loud... crazy loud sometimes.  I don't mean screaming and out of control; I just mean, eight people in one household-- at least four of whom are extroverts- is no small thing.  And there is constantly someone in our family in the stage of learning not to interrupt, which only adds to the cacophony.

We have a lot of extroverts.  I used to be one until I had kids!  Now I question whether I'm really an extrovert; it takes me a good hour or so to relax in a group before I feel like talking.  It just sometimes takes that long for my mind to unwind and find rest.  I think I'm still an extrovert; I'm just a tired extrovert.  (Yes, even as a Babywise devotee, I am tired, 11 years into parenting young children.)

What I've learned as a mom, especially in the last few years as my kids have gotten older and chattier, is that I have to steal away and use whatever time I'm given, thoughtfully.  I can't just mindlessly do tasks and let time fritter away, and later complain about not having time to myself or time to think.  It is so easy to either stumble through days without intentionally mentally engaging with God and His truth, or to be so busy thinking about other things (from homeschooling to busybodying about others to plans/dreams) that we don't intentionally engage with God and His truth.

But God has given each of us these 24 hour days... so what can I do with that?  What should I do with that?

I've found myself more and more taking advantage of quiet alone time I'm given while mowing the lawn or washing the dishes or doing the grocery shopping.

Those moments where my mind is free to follow one thought for a good length of time without interruption are rare, but when they come, I jump on it without skipping a beat.  I grab a book, turn on a sermon on youtube, sit down and write, speak out my prayers straight out to God, crank up the worship songs, whatever.

But I try to use that time thoughtfully and let God speak to and bless my heart through those rare moments of quiet.  Because the quiet does come.  Naptimes, time when they're coloring, building with Legos-- those times are precious and work like a healing salve for this tired mom.  I just have to use it thoughtfully.


What sorts of things recharge you when you have those small patches of peace and quiet in you rday?

Not Going to Bed Angry (Trail Blaze #4)

From the very beginning of our marriage, we've made it a priority to not go to bed angry.

"Do not let the sun go down on your anger" ~Ephesians 4:26

The Bible lays this out as a clear principle, and someone, at some point counseled us about how important it was.  So we didn't.  And the first few times it felt so pointless.  Several times we stayed up until 2 or 3am just working through an argument to get to the point of forgiveness, or at least mutual understanding where anger was not present, and we could move forward in unity as a "team".

Sometimes it's been him and sometimes it's been me, but each of us has been angry enough to want to pitch this rule if not for the other hounding us to not let the issue carry on into the next day.  The result has been that we don't seethe, stacking up our bitterness and anger and frustrations one on top of the other.

It has taught us to work through conflict at the time that it comes up, and not let it build up to a fever pitch of fury and loathing.

Just a few months ago, after a disagreement of some kind (of course now I don't even remember what it was), I quietly grabbed my things and sneaked out to the couch... I was hell-bent, stubborn in my refusal to grab my pillows and head back to bed.  (I will not share with you the thoughts going through my head but suffice it to say I was NOT thinking nice things.  I was ready to sit on that couch until the end of time.)  But he came out and pursued me... reminded me how much more important our relationship is than a little sleep... we worked through it and went to bed at peace-- unified.

Even after all these years, it did not come naturally to work through problems.  It still takes effort from us both in order to make it happen.  Him pursuing me, and me yielding... or me pursuing conversation with him, and him entering into that communication.

It is so easy to let momentary frustrations carry the day (or the night) and keep you in a state of unforgiveness and anger, but it is so much better to force communication (even when we don't want to!) in order to pursue peace in our marriages.

Don't let the anger of one stupid argument (that you won't even remember later) stack up bitterness in your relationship.  Maintain peace and unity as the "status quo" of your relationship.

Form vs. Heart (Trail Blaze #2)

It is so easy to get trapped (as a mom, as a woman, as a wife, as a child of God) in thinking that a particular *form* is what's needful, rather than understanding that it is the heart with which God is concerned.  Don't fall into this trap!

I'll offer one example, but it's merely an example... an example of a "good thing" that can be elevated to a "necessary thing" if you look at the form, rather than the heart of the matter:

THE 5AM "QUIET TIME"
For example- the 5am quiet time.   Is this necessary?  Some bloggers and books seem to communicate that waking before your children is the "right" thing to do.  That if you're godly enough, if you prepare enough, if you are diligent enough (see how all this depends so stringently on *you* being good enough?), then you'll make a way for this to happen.  "Because if God's Word is important to you," their 'wisdom' goes, "you'll make Scripture the first priority in your life."

Well, I would argue with that line of thinking for many reasons--

1. Your priorities in life do not always/necessarily line up with the chronology of your day.  Sometimes you do something first because it makes sense to do it first, not because it's necessarily the most important, or because it's the most valuable to you.  Sometimes you put off something that is extremely valuable to you because you want to be able to give it your best attention or focus.  The timing is not always the key factor in whether something is a priority to you. 
2. This way of thinking completely dismisses the idea of seasons in a woman's life.  God Himself, in Isaiah 40:11 among other places, indicates that expectations differ based on the stage a "sheep" is in. One who has only young children, a nursing baby, a child with special needs, or other unique demands, is simply in a different stage than someone with teenagers, a college student, or an empty nester.  
3. It smacks of pharasaical thinking.  One description that sticks out for me (of the Pharisees) is this one (Matthew 23:4) : 

They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. 

Christian woman, don't get caught up in thinking that because someone else does something a certain way that you must emulate her form!

Focus on the heart...  if you find someone you look up to, imitate what is godly about her heart... her motivations... her character.  But eschew ways of thinking that would convince you that you need to follow and subscribe to the specific details of someone else's life (the curriculum she uses, the time or method of her Bible study, the cleaning schedule she follows, her convictions about intimacy/ food/ birth control/ etc.).

Finding a Mentor?

As "younger women" like Titus 2 talks about, how do we go about finding a mentor-- an "older woman"?

Here are some places I've found them:

• In my local church
• From neighbors & friends in community
• Through books & biblical teachings
• Over the internet

But I think one thing that can trip us up is if we are only open to learning one particular thing at a particular time.  When I think back about the women I've learned from, most of the mentors of my life have not come *at the time that I felt like I needed* to learn that particular thing.

Instead, I have looked for women who do anything well... some are lifelong learners and have some interesting topics/subjects to teach me about (for example, one friend is really into personality theory --like MBTI-- and so I borrowed the best books she had on the subject and she explained to me how to apply those things in real life), so I learn things like that from certain friends.

While single and still in high school & college, I babysat for three different families, and I noticed that they raised their children thoughtfully & intentionally.  So I learned things about that from them even though I wasn't remotely near having children.

Some women I'm watching now have challenging/difficult marriages but persevere through them and I try to learn that even though I'm quite content & delighted in our marriage.   Another woman I've learned from lately is really faithful at Bible study and teaching and so I've been intentionally spending time to learn that from her.  A different woman I used to spend regular time with has an immaculate kitchen (despite having 4 busy children spread over 15 years) and is also an excellent cook.   I learned a lot just by watching her about food prep & keeping a kitchen tidier than I'd previously thought possible (not that I do that super-well now, but I do it better than I would've if I was only paying attention to try to learn one particular topic to learn from her and missed the things she did well).

If I purposed to only learn the one or two things I felt like I needed at a particular time in life, I might have missed learning from any of these women.  Instead, I try to focus on what other women do *WELL* and try to learn that, regardless of whether I think that's the particular thing I "need" at that moment in life.  

Look at what things a woman does "excellently" and seek to learn from her.  If we do that, I think regardless of our context (even difficult ones: overseas, with few friends/connections; in a small country church with few friends; in transition with no long-time friends, etc.), we can find a plethora of mentors even if it's not necessarily in the area where we ourselves are struggling.



Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The Pain of Discipline

Two nights ago, my husband was sick with food poisoning or some vile intestinal virus.  Though our medicine cabinet is chock-full of bottles and boxes, we had no digestive meds.  So, around midnight, eyes heavy and ready for sleep hours earlier (don't judge! remember, I'm 26 weeks pregnant!), off to CVS I went.  We were up until 1 or 2...

Then last night, while hanging out with my brother and sister-in-law and their family (who we rarely get to see), Moses spewed all over my lap, then all over himself.  Two baths and two new outfits later, we headed home in the car and about 3 minutes into our 14 minute drive, he spewed again, all over his new outfit and carseat, and not into the bag we gave him to throw up in (of course).  No, that bag was smooshed down in his anguished projectile-vomit-style hurls.

And you know what horrific thing I saw each night?  No, I don't mean the physical sights... YUCK.

I saw my own ugliness of heart.  I saw my own selfishness, desire for sleep despite the needs of people I love.  I saw my own impatience as I grumped at Doug last night.  I saw a demanding of my own rights, even if internally, though Jesus "was in the form of God and did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant."

Discipline.  God is disciplining me.  Showing me my weak spots and training me.  Giving me opportunities to do right or do poorly, and then shining light into ugly corners of my heart.

This passage in Hebrews is among my favorites.  Don't glaze over it because it's long, or because it's familiar... really read each word.  Take them in:

"6  My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by Him.  For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives.  7  It is for discipline that you have to endure.  God is treating you as sons.  For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?  8  If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.  9  Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them.  Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?   10  For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness.  11  For the moment, all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it."  ~Hebrews 12: 6-11

In that passage, I bolded the parts that particularly encourage me as a believer, and I underlined the parts that encourage me as a parent.  Here's a quick bulleted list of what some take aways are from this wonderful passage about discipline:

GOD'S FATHERLY DISCIPLINE:

• We may be likely to minimize, and/or grow weary of the discipline of the Lord... but we should not do this. (v. 6)
• God's motive for discipline is His love for us. (v. 6)
• If we do not receive the Father's discipline, we are not truly his children. (vv. 6-8)
• We should do more than just respect it as a human respects his father for having disciplined/trained him rightly... we should willingly subject ourselves to His discipline so that we will truly live.  (v. 9)
• God disciplines us for our good. (v. 10)
• God's discipline has the purpose/end of us sharing in His holiness (His purity & set-apartness). (v. 10)
• His discipline will seem painful rather than pleasant. (v. 11)
• His discipline will yield the peaceful fruit of righteousness in our lives, if we submit to His training. (v. 11)

HUMAN PARENTAL DISCIPLINE:

• Human fathers disciplining their children is assumed to be a universal truth for all parents/children. (v. 7)
• Those children who are not disciplined are being treated like illegitimate children, not sons and daughters. (v. 8)
• When earthly fathers discipline, earthly children respect them. (v. 9)
• Discipline in the life of a child happens in a "short" window of time. (v. 10)
• Human discipline differs according to "what seems best" to the parent. (v. 10)
• All true discipline will seem painful rather than pleasant. (v. 11)
• True discipline will yield a peaceful fruit of righteousness in the lives of those who have been trained by it. (v. 11)

I am thankful for the role of mom, as it has taught me the importance of training our own kids up, with love and consistency, and it also makes me more willing to submit myself to the discipline of the Lord, knowing how much more perfect His motives and methods are than my own.  Though painful, and though we'd never (in our flesh) choose it, it is so good to see God's hand at work, knowing He means it for our good.

Getting Real About Discipleship & Anger

Last week, I read something (I think it was from John Piper) to the effect that- "Being someone different when you think no one else is looking is functional atheism.  God is always there."   Transparency.  Authenticity.  No room for duplicity.

And then this week, I read this- about discipleship, and doing the real, day-in, day-out practices of faith that lead to spiritual growth & maturity in Christ.  It's from Dallas Willard:

"But, someone will say, can I not be 'saved'-- that is, get into heaven when I die-- without any of this?  Perhaps you can.  God's goodness is so great, I am sure that He will let you in if He can find any basis at all to do so.  But you might wish to think about what your life amounts to before you did, about what kind of person you are becoming, and about whether you really would be comfortable for eternity in the presence of One whose company you have not found especially desirable for the few hours and days of your earthly existence.  And He is, after all, One who says to you now, 'Follow me!' "

It is such a huge call, to follow Christ.  It is no small thing.  Not a decision made once, in response to an altar call at church camp... not a fire insurance policy.  No, following Christ is a daily thing.
Sometimes so painful, but in that pain, there is growth, and it is good.  Like those old growing pains... oh I remember when I was about 9 or 10 and my legs would have these shooting pains-- they were not pleasant, but they were for my good.  I needed to grow taller; God was stretching out my body so that I might grow into womanhood and have a frame that would support the weight and demands it would need to carry.

Recently, God allowed me to see the extent of my sin-- specifically, He has graciously placed pressures in my life that have revealed my anger.  For many years, this sin lay dormant in my life, and then it slowly crept out as pressures mounted... but in the last year in particular, it has become clear: I have allowed myself to be mastered, enslaved, by anger... and the realization of this has brought me lower than I think I have ever been.

But IT IS FOR MY GOOD that God has brought me low.  He allows these momentary pressures so that He can refine and shape my life.  Just like that orange, He is simply squeezing out of me what is already there.  He is revealing what exists in me.
I am trying to willingly put myself under His hand... to submit to this refining process.  To work with Him, instead of kicking against Him.  This whole week has been a process of looking to Him daily, even moment-by-moment, depending on Him and greatly desiring His guidance (through the Spirit and the Word).

"Throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.  And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus..." ~Hebrews 12:1-2

Re-reading this book online-- free!-- that I read in college, has proven instructive and fruitful for giving me a biblical foundation for seeking a breakthrough in the fight against the hold of this sin in my life.  Rightly calling it what it is & confessing it with true contrition to those who have been hurt by it has brought it into the light.  And the light is where I long to live.  I want to have my life and heart be on the inside what it is on the outside, and what it is on the outside on the inside.  I want anyone who looks at any thread in my life to see what is in every other thread... a true desire to be like Christ.  To be a person who loves as I am loved, who roots out and fights against the hold of sin, who continually submits myself to this process of being shaped and refined by my Maker, who fights for justice, and encourages everyone to be free in Christ.  To be -truly- free in Christ myself.
Getting real about discipleship means that I have to do the real work of it, daily.  I can not sit back and "let go and let God".  I will welcome this squeezing, and will be real about what pours out of my heart.  Prayerfully, I will refill those squeezed-out places with Christ... with His Word, with His ways, with His Spirit.  With His strength, I will not allow those places to be reclaimed by the stronghold of sin.  By His help, I will work with all my might to be more like Jesus.
I am writing this in a continued effort to be transparent here, and this blog would not be a full picture of my life if I did not deal with my ugly sin in a straightforward way.  This is who I am, but I want to be more like Jesus.  I'm so thankful that He doesn't let me stay ugly, but that He keeps squeezing that ugly right out of me.  And in the process, He makes beautiful things out of us.

http://youtu.be/nJ4yNYY1hHM


Please pray for me.  And please feel free to share what God is doing to refine you.  The longer I live, the more I am convinced that He wants to make beautiful things of all of us, and I want to work with Him to that end.


Images:
Poppy- Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Squeeze- Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

AudioBible: Gospel Observations

I recently bought the entire New Testament from the Bible Experience (oh I love these recordings!) and took the opportunity to listen to the entire books of Matthew & Mark all in one afternoon/evening.  (Matthew took the entire length of my 3 year old's naptime, including the time it took him to fall asleep), and Mark took 90 minutes.



I had a couple of random observations from listening to the gospels in such a intensive format.

1. The writers shared specific details (5 loaves & 2 fishes for 5000 men plus women and children, 7 loaves for 4000 men plus women and children) because these are real stories-- real events-- not euphemisms or general impressions of how miraculous Jesus was.  
2. Boy, Jesus really came down hard on the Pharisees.  And really, a lot of both gospels was spent with all the ways they (and the Sadducees & Essenes) plotted and laid traps to try and trip Jesus up in His teachings.  Multiple times yesterday, my heart started praying, "Father, don't let me be like the Pharisees.... seeing, but not understanding, hearing, but not perceiving.  Help me understand.  Let me perceive what You really mean.  Discipline & shape me to be humble and teachable."
3. Jesus did a lot of healing.  It seems that physical healing is what drove most people to come out and listen to Him, rather than some inward spiritual hungering or thirsting.
4. The extensive, specific genealogies in both books immediately reminded me of recently beginning a book by Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a woman raised as a Muslim in Somalia, and how as a child, she was taught to be able to list out her ancestors, back at least 200 years.  Before she learned almost anything else (practical, religious, or educational) about life, her genealogy was of paramount importance.  We don't do this, so genealogies seem superfluous and dull to us, but to someone who values the heritage and history communicated in the lists of ancestors, this would be an important part of the gospels, and of the authority of Christ.
5. Jesus laid out the specifics to prepare the disciples for His arrest & death multiple times, "they will hand over the Son of Man to be killed,"  "She is preparing my body for burial," so many times in fact that it is difficult to believe that the Disciples didn't seem prepared.  
6. I wonder if the title "King of the Jews" came from the Jewish notion that the Messiah would be a military/political leader?  I wonder if He had really been called this by some people, and if certain portions of the population were really trying to thrust him into political power, or if (like I've been told all my life) it WAS solely to mock Him?  I don't know.  =
7. Stay SPIRITUALLY awake!  Don't fall into a noncommittal, bland, sideline-style faith.  We should always be engaged & prepared for His coming.  
   From Mark 13: "Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake.  Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— lest he come suddenly and find you asleep.  And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”  
8. I wondered as I listened to the account of Judas going out to betray Jesus if it was the acceptance of sinners that pushed him right over the edge.  See, the woman known as a prostitute came and poured out her expensive oil on Jesus, and instead of condemning her, He said she was preparing His body, AND that she would be honored for all of time.  From that banquet, apparently right after hearing Jesus say that such a sinful woman would be honored in the Kingdom of God, Judas went out to make his initial plans with the council to kill Jesus.  It made me introspectively consider if I am self-righteously put off when outright sinners are accepted and beloved by God.   I hope that is never the case in my heart... but that is one of the warnings of Judas to us.   

This was such a wonderful, wonderful exercise for me... and I'm so thankful to now own the entire NT  produced by the Bible Experience.  I highly recommend it for those of you who might be able to intentionally use & listen to an audio Bible.  It is dramatically done, and brings vivacity to the text; it enhances rather than distracting.  

The Bible Experience from zondervanpublishers on GodTube.

I hope to do this regularly, to remind myself of the core teachings and truth of Jesus Christ.

Bread Image: dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net