Clock Watchers

With few exception, around the globe people work. Whether it be in a more traditional business setting, at home or in the field, people work. Of the people that work, most of those people have a time frame within which they work; be it an American 8 hour day or a stay at home mom's day that starts before her children awake and ends when she lays her head on her pillow. Without judging another persons work for quality or quantity, I think most every person feels like a worker bee.

Photo by: Digitalart

I can't speak to the mentality in other parts of the world, or even other parts of the U.S., but in my limited experience, I have found that working people are also clock watchers. Without doing any type of research other than exploring the memory files of my own mind, I have been able to narrow it down to two basic types of clock watchers:

1. The "Is it 5 yet?" Worker (or insert the time of day that you get off of work) - This worker often glances at the clock to see if time is magically passing faster than the standard sixty seconds per minute. This worker works for their evenings, weekends, vacations, their dream job or, in the big picture, retirement. They don't much care for their job, sure they have pleasant, possibly even fun, moments, but for the most part, their heart isn't in it. For people that work in a less scheduled work environment, they drudge through the day just waiting for the moment they can rest or shut down and watch T.V. They may see their work as an endless supply of projects and repeat tasks to be performed each day until they turn into dust or retire to the coast, where their life will truly begin.
2. The "Is it 5 already?" Worker (or insert the time of day that you get off of work) - This worker starts each day eager to see what awaits them. They thrive on accomplishing projects and tasks, relishing the opportunity to perform to the best of their ability. Sure, they have "Is it 5 yet?" days, but they aren't waiting for some special occasion or invitation to start living. Retirement isn't even on the radar, and it's not that they don't believe retirement won't come and that they haven't taken steps to prepare for it, it's just that they are focused on completing what is set before them. Their "job" is no "job" at all, simply a part of their life.

Now, I'm quite certain that these are extremes, but I believe most people ultimately fall into one category or another. I'm also sure that many people can justify falling into category one by the type of job they hold or the unfulfilled dreams that they once held dear, but the truth is we all choose how we approach our work.

Colossians 3:22-25 instructs us:  Servants, do what you're told by your earthly masters. And don't just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you'll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you're serving is Christ. The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being a follower of Jesus doesn't cover up bad work.

As Christians, we are also called to be workers. Jesus uses workers in various parables in the New Testament, so it stands to reason that in addition to being described as a Bride, Children and Siblings, we also have the less than glamorous role as worker. In His parables his workers are jealous, lazy, fearful, greedy, mean spirited, even oblivious to work that needs to be done. Humanity has not changed much over the centuries, and people continue to fall into these categories too, but what about the two categories submitted above?

As Workers for the cause of Christ, our charge, our job description, if you will, can be found in Matthew 28:18-20: Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

So, I ask you today, what type of worker will you be? The person waiting for heavens pearly gates, doing the minimum here on earth because you are so "Not of this World", that you can't be bothered to shed a little blood, sweat and/or tears? Or will you be the person who at the end of this life, as you stand before your maker, asks, "is it time already?"

My Favorite Thing I Did This Past Christmas Season

Shortly before Thanksgiving, I had a "lightbulb" moment.  I decided that I wanted to do something to mark the arrival of Christmas that was more significant than our annual, milk chocolate-filled advent calendars with the kids.  Being that my husband and I are both people that love to fill our house with friends and loved ones and then feed them, weekly Advent dinners seemed to be the answer.

Photo by Vudhikrai

For those of you unfamiliar with advent, I found the following term definition "The liturgical period preceding Christmas, beginning in Western churches on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and in Eastern churches in mid-November, and observed by many Christians as a season of prayer, fasting, and penitence."  Granted, we didn't fast, in fact, we kind of did the opposite, however, we did do some reflecting during the gathering and we also prayed.  Well, I prayed one of my lengthy, "when-will-this-chick-stop-talking-so-we-can-eat" prayers, but it was good nonetheless.

The other primary difference would be that we gathered on the three Thursdays before Christmas instead of the four Sundays, simply out of convenience.  A convenience that turned out to be a little less convenient than I had imagined, by the way.

I must admit, it was a bit more stressful than I had envisioned.  First off, on the day of the very first dinner we hosted, our power was out from 8:05 a.m. until 5:15 p.m., which made food preparations a bit of a mad dash to the finish line.  Secondly, I work on Thursdays.  It's a little tricky to get home to finish the final bits of tidying and prepare my food contribution prior to the arrival of the first guest at 6:30 p.m.  Fortunately, as stress prone as I am, my husband was always there relaxed and had most everything done before I even arrived home.  There was always something that I would freak out about though, like hand prints on the door jambs of the bathroom or the disaster that is my sons bedroom... Oh! the boys bedroom always got me!  But, it always worked out.  Every time.

In fact, once people arrived, it was always an amazing time.  My house was bustling with kids and conversation.  It felt like home should feel like during the holidays.  Then as we prepared to all sit down at one big table (kids were relegated to the "kid table"), I would read aloud the weekly Billy Graham Advent meditation in my typical pseudo-self-effacing, goofy manner with which I approach speak in front of people.  It was always something that had the potential of cutting deep like "Are you following the plan of God in your life?" or "Are you spreading the Gospel of Christ with those that need it most this Christmas season?"  It was a brief introspective moment in an otherwise fun and raucous night.  Then I would pray, as previously mentioned. 

Once everyone had their food, the adults would gather to eat at one table.  One really long table.  It was great!  A usual Harwood gathering would include buffet style serving and people sitting in small groups where seating could be found.  Not this time!  We crammed in around one table and I loved every minute of it.  To be able to see everyones faces at the same time.  Sure, you could only really hear the people in your immediate vicinity, but to share a glance or a smile with everyone throughout the night was priceless.

We of course had desserts, yes, plural.  It was kind of a different crowd each week and even the repeat visitors didn't want to bring the same thing week after week, so our menu was a little different every time.  Even now, I can't pick my favorite night in the arena of food or company! 

I just hope that those that attended our dinners enjoyed themselves and left filled with the warmth that can be gained only by sharing a meal with those you love.  I also hope that each person that sat at our table had some time to consider Jesus; His birth, His life, His death and all that He means to each one of us. 

I cannot wait until next year!   

Russell

Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. 1 Cor 13:7 (amp)

Photo by Maggie Smith

I met a new person at church on Sunday.  His name was Russell and unlike most people hanging out after service, he showed up after service let out.

He was tall, slender and had warm, light-brown eyes.  He was tired and he was hungry.  He didn't walk onto campus as a result of an invite card, a personal invitation, seeing a post on facebook or seeing a sign.  He'd heard there was food.

He said that he hadn't eaten a good meal in two days.  I believed him.  He said he'd spent most of the previous night walking and had fallen asleep behind a trash enclosure at 3am.  I believed him.  He said that he was from Louisiana where he'd left behind parents and a brother to come to California for work.  I believed him.  He said that he'd spent time in Bakersfield trying to find work and instead found himself on the streets.  He said he'd never been homeless before and I believed him.

I found myself desiring to help him, but lacking in resources.  I gave him what I had - 3 bananas.  I listened as he told me some of his story.  I recommended Poverello and Fresno Rescue Mission, but he was discouraged by the drug use, alcohol abuse and prostitution in the downtown area.  Finally, I explained that Lifebridge down the street from us was possibly giving out groceries and eventually he headed off down the street.

Before he left, I invited him back for Christmas service and asked if there was a place where we could find him during the week, but his life has nothing stationary and promises cannot be made.  Such a kind man; in his fifties, clean shaved, hair combed, clothes cared for and polite; yet, he is found downtrodden and at his breaking point. 

I don't know if I will ever see Russell again, though I hope I do.  Our chance encounter was but a reminder that I need to be prepared at all times to meet a need.  Bananas were nice, but money for a hot meal would have been nicer; my conversation was pleasant, but I imagine that the opportunity to sleep in a bed in a heated room after a nice hot shower would have been more so.

It makes me think of the "good Samaritan", he was able to take the beaten and broken man to a place where he would have some time to heal.  What a blessing I could have been had I been prepared to take this man to a hotel to spend some time considering the goodness of God from on top of a fluffy bed under a warm comforter.  Instead, he most likely slept in the freezing cold of a Valley winter night.  Opportunity missed.        

Cramming for the 2011 Year in Review

I didn't learn much this year.  But, it's been a good year overall and I do feel like I've made strides in my personal growth, but I also know that I floundered a bit for the first 8 months or so, which, for the record, is like 66.6666666...% of the year.  That's a lot of sixes and, being a Christian, I try to avoid grouping the number 6 together as much as possible.

Side Note:
The appearance of the number 6 in triplicate is EEEEVIIIILLLL, in case you didn't know.  I'm not hyperspiritual or anything, but it's better to be safe than sorry. 

Back to my languishing the year away... In my defense I was adjusting to life with a baby and all that it entails (just in time to start adjusting to life with a toddler).  I think that counts for something, I sure hope it does. 

But, as I sit and reflect on 2011, I realize that what little I've learned has impacted me greatly. 

Picture by Dream Designs

First, I realized that I can't do everything.  I've tried.  It doesn't work.  People viewing my life from the outside think that I AM doing it all, while my loved one's who are stuck in my vortex of chaos are intimately aware that I, in fact, am not.  My knee jerk reaction was to dump everything and hide in my bed.  That choice was good and bad.  As I slowly start to rebuild, I will be more cognizant of what I'm choosing to add and whether or not it is intended for me.

It's funny, as often as I've discussed this topic with other women or read advice from ladies in "the know", one would think that I could have avoided this pitfall.  So, if you are reading this and think "I CAN do it all!", you might consider the possibility that doing a bunch of things half-way is not really doing it all. 

Second, I realized that among the things that I put on hold, my service to others is something I need.  Once you begin helping others in some capacity and choose to stop, the ickiness of being self-centered starts to build-up and become uncomfortable.  Without the purposeful action of serving others, we become emotional and spiritual hoarders.  We become so concerned with our things, it keeps others from us.  If you've ever seen the show Hoarders, that would be a good picture of it.  People need to see where you live.  They need to sit your living room and chat or at your dinner table and be fed.  My husband and I have determined that this, for us, is very literal.  So, hospitality it is! 

The third thing, and possibly the most important, is that there really is a world of hurting people surrounding us every day.  People say it, I've heard it.  We see pictures on television showing hurting people in third world nations, people at war, people being oppressed and we, or rather I, feel separate from it because it's so far away and not really a part of our reality.  We bury people in single graves and count individual deaths, in not so far away lands, they count them by the dozen or hundred and graves are communal.

As sad as that reality is, that separateness is prevalent all around us, even here.  I had the opportunity to help at The 99 (Link to website Here) and found that we are immediately surrounded by hurting people.  My role was to be one of about one hundred people to just talk to people as they came out of the walk-thru theater.  In the various "rooms" there were depictions of the top 5 real-life events that end in death for young Americans between the ages of 10 and 25.  The intent of the event is not to use fear but truth to simply reveal the real consequences of poor decisions that young people make on a regular basis.  In fact, the term The 99 represents the statistic that 99 young people die in the United States every day. 

Though it was designed for young people, men and women of all ages went through the tent.  It was freezing.  The lines were long, but in they streamed.  At the end of the nearly hour long tour, people were provided the opportunity to speak to a volunteer about what they experienced and how it affected them.  I had the honor of being one of the many volunteers, though only for one night.

What I found over and over again was that so many people are broken hearted, worried and need God.  As we find ourselves just less than a week away from the birth of our Salvation, it just reminds me that all of the cars on the road are not just cars.  Each vehicle represents a person or a family that needs kindness and compassion.  Regardless of how "together" a person may appear, there is likely an underlying struggle or situation that is causing them pain that you simply cannot see. 

My heart was broken many times on that night.  My only only regret was that I had not gone sooner and more often.     



 

Holiday Traditions

I love traditions. 

Photo By Naito8 

I'm not super sentimental about material things, but holidays traditions are a different story.  Which can be good and bad.  The upside is that I love the holidays and want to make them special for my own family.  The downside is that as a result of my love for holiday traditions, when things are not "just so", I can get all out of whack and my enjoyment levels plummet.   

The other day as I was sitting and folding laundry, considering where we might put the Christmas tree, my mind wandered to how much I loved Christmas when I was a kid.  I know, most people feel that way.  It wasn't just all of the presents, though presents are fun.  It was the way my Grandmother's house smelled, the guarantee of my favorite cookies, the laughter that filled the room for the whole night, moments of real connections with family members interspersed throughout the entire visit; it was the love.  Sure, the anticipation of Christmas Eve gifts following dinner, dessert and cleaning the kitchen wasn't too bad either.

I'm not sure if my Grandmother planned it out this way to delay the gratification of gift opening as long as possible, but on Christmas Even not only do we have to look at all of the sumptuous presents before and during dinner, people have to finish eating, snack on some dessert and then, are you ready for this?  I don't think you're ready for this.  The kids have to clean the kitchen, infants and toddlers excused.  In order to get to the present portion of the evening, the kitchen has to be cleaned by less than skilled hands at an achingly slow pace.  I remember eagerly waiting by my uncle and aunt's chairs, staring at their bowls, wondering if they were quite through, praying that they wouldn't ask for another helping.  Now, as an adult, I partake in the slow eating and the smirky smiles as I loudly contemplate the possibility of another bowl of soup. 

Christmas Eve at the Warren's home is likely different than yours.  Aside from tormenting the kids with slow dinners and piles of dishes, we do not eat ham or turkey or roast.  We eat soup and these delightfully artery-clogging, toasted cheesy english muffin thing-a-majigs.  You have the option of clam chowder or minestrone, that's it.  We have tasty eggnog... with or without a pick me up and persimmon cookies and pecan puffs, both of which are incredibly addictive and are not portioned out like it was World War II.

Back to the poor kiddies.  Ok, so once the table is clear, dishes washed, dried and put away, everyone gathers in the living room.  Imagine a beautifully decorated Christmas tree woven with red ribbon and sprinkled with snow, set just over a train set and surrounded by a sea of gifts, leaving little room for people to sit or stand, for that matter.  You would think that after all of that, we would dig right into present opening.  Nope. 

My grandmother has collected a nativity scene, made up of hand carved olive wood figurines purchased in Israel over the years.  Each person is assigned a figure, from baby Jesus to the shepherds, wise men, Mary, Joseph and even the sheep and other animals (camel included).  As the kids sit anxiously, again, surrounded by a sea of gifts with their names on them, we read aloud a pieced together version of the birth of Christ.  Now, this, however torturous for the kids, I think is the best part.  As the story is told, people bring up their figurines and place them in the Nativity Creche.  It's interactive, complete and poignant. 

Though, we acknowledge the importance of family at Christmas and participate in the tradition of gift giving, we absolutely do not forget to focus on who brought us together.  Jesus.

It saddens me that I will not be able to be there this year, but know that the evening will transpire just as described above.  Next year, when we are able to go, I look forward to being able to participate in this family tradition once again. 

Though I LOVE Christmas Eve at my Grandmother's, I look forward to creating our own family traditions and weaving in elements from the traditions I grew up with.  This year we decided to have Advent dinners with friends.  We weren't able to swing the four Sunday nights leading up to Christmas, but we just had our first of three Thursday nights.  We enjoyed our time with friends and took some time out to focus on the person who brought us together.  Jesus.  I can't wait for next week.

What are some of your Christmas traditions?  Do you love them or are you a person that likes to change it up? 

¡Viva La Revolucion! - Repost Original from May 2011

Saturday, May 7, 2011 - It is my hope that this date will be yet another "Shot heard 'round the world," or at least a shot heard throughout Fresno! Scarlet Revolution has completed it's first big "Love Run", providing lunches to more than 170 people in addition to handing out toiletry care packs and clothing to so many.

As many are are aware, the phrase "Shot heard 'round the world" has it's origins in the American Revolutionary War. Specifically it refers to the beginning of the War when an unknown party pulled their trigger in an armed stand-off between British forces and local militia, turning civil disorder into the battles of Lexington and Concord.

Think about it, someone had to pull the first trigger or else there would have been no movement. Just armed men, standing ready, but accomplishing nothing. Though there are so many individuals and organizations in the Fresno area that have been battling against displacement, addiction, starvation, prostitution, and so many other cancers that have been consuming our community from the inside out for years, the people involved in Scarlet Revolution have been armed, standing ready... accomplishing nothing. But Saturday, May 7, 2011 changed everything!

The first shot has been fired and we are believing that the enemies encampment has felt the repercussions to its very core! These bullets of truth have cut through the obsidian fog that surrounds the displaced communities in downtown Fresno, allowing light to penetrate. In the natural realm, the Central Valley is know for it's fog, it is especially heavy in areas that are not well populated. Where light standards have not been set, homes and buildings are spread out. This tully fog, as some refer to it, can be daunting. It's blinding abilities are two-fold, in that it not only conceals what lies just ahead, but it also intensely reflects, refracts and disperses the light being shined so that it affects ones vision as well.

In a simple search online, I found that Fog is described as "a collection of water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface. While fog is a type of a cloud, the term "fog" is typically distinguished from the more generic term "cloud" in that fog is low-lying, and the moisture in the fog is often generated locally".

I would assert that the fog that has gripped the downtown area of Fresno and the lives of so many throughout the Fresno/Clovis area meets this criteria, it is a collection, but not of water, but of lies, lies about who these people are, their value to God and others, their ability to change their circumstances, the very existence of a God that loves them and people that care.

This fog is low-lying, it surrounds these individuals, the homes that they've made for themselves and keeps them from seeing the possibility of a different life. It keeps them imprisoned in patterns of behavior and broken thinking. It keeps them immobile in fear, fear of additional failure, fear of the unknown, fear of rejection.

This fog is generated locally, it feeds and grows solely on the lies perpetuated by their life experiences. Experiences that have told them: No one genuinely cares for me, therefore no one will. I have not accomplished anything in this life, therefore I never will. I have not been able to change, therefore I can not. These statements may be logical outside of a relationship with Jesus, but that does not make them true!

The opposite of fear is Love... dark, Light... death, Life...

Scarlet Revolution launched many flares into the darkness on Saturday and we pray that these flares would position us to go back in and lead people out of the fog by hand into the all powerful, never inhibited, all loving, never failing Love of Jesus. The One who DOES LOVE fully, CAN REFLECT the person God actually created them to be, IS ABLE to show them the path back to a life abundant, and HAS CHANGED so many lives already! Including mine.

If all Christians were honest, despite how the world might view our lives before Jesus, we were all in a dense fog of lies and are now free. Jesus alone offers true freedom!

Isaiah 58:6-12

Free those who are wrongly imprisoned;
lighten the burden of those who work for you.
Let the oppressed go free,
and remove the chains that bind people.
7 Share your food with the hungry,
and give shelter to the homeless.
Give clothes to those who need them,
and do not hide from relatives who need your help.

8 “Then your salvation will come like the dawn,
and your wounds will quickly heal.
Your godliness will lead you forward,
and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.
9 Then when you call, the Lord will answer.
‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply.
“Remove the heavy yoke of oppression.
Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumors!
10 Feed the hungry,
and help those in trouble.
Then your light will shine out from the darkness,
and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.
11 The Lord will guide you continually,
giving you water when you are dry
and restoring your strength.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like an ever-flowing spring.
12 Some of you will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities.
Then you will be known as a rebuilder of walls
and a restorer of homes.

If you find yourself armed, ready for something great and accomplishing nothing, I encourage you to join us! The more hands we have the more we can accomplish!!

Please go to the Scarlet Revolution facebook page for more pictures of Saturday's efforts and learn how you can get involved!

The Greatest Story Never Told

The greatest, most life-changing story that remains untold is potentially… yours.

Photo Courtesy of Free Digital Photos

The Basics

Let’s assume that everyone reading this blog post is a follower of Christ, a Christian, if you will.  Though many people bandy the term Christian about as though it were a hair color or a political party affiliation, easily changed and or open for line-item revisions of opinion.  However, for the purpose of this discussion I will use the term Christian in the strictest of forms; a person who has accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and has had a change of heart which reflects this decision. 

That being squared away, let’s assume that you have, in fact, witnessed the goodness, grace, mercy and love of Jesus Christ in your life.  Let’s assume that by receiving Christ as your Savior you acknowledged that there was something missing and something broken inside of you that prevented you from living the best life you could.  This brokenness may have shown up in dysfunctional relationships (friends, family, romantic relationships), addictions (alcohol, drugs, food, shopping, T.V., porn, technology, sex, etc.), anger issues, people pleasing, unfriendliness, abandoning people and situations, or any other unhealthy approach to your life and the people in it.  In my case, I was angry, bitter, unfriendly, addicted to food and was pretty much closed off to everyone around me. 

I chose my poison and you chose yours.  Regardless of the type of mess we all chose, we were all lost.  That is inarguable.  At some point prior to now, we were all faced with a decision; continue down this broken, dark path that inevitably leads to destruction or accept the love and forgiveness of an ever patient and merciful God.  Some of us might have been in the privacy of our bedrooms, at church on Sunday, at a retreat or meeting a friend for coffee when we made that decision, but we all made that life changing choice to turn it all around, by the grace of God. 

The Cockroach Within

Christendom, though well intentioned, turned one of the most beautiful scriptures into a cliché by writing it on poster boards and painting it across their unkempt bellies at sporting events.  Though considered cliché and possibly a verse so often heard that it is ever imprinted on the landscape of our Christian minds and unnecessary to review, I invite you to read it again.

"God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life.   God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world guilty, but to save the world through him.  People who believe in God's Son are not judged guilty. Those who do not believe have already been judged guilty, because they have not believed in God's one and only Son.  They are judged by this fact: The Light has come into the world, but they did not want light. They wanted darkness, because they were doing evil things.  All who do evil hate the light and will not come to the light, because it will show all the evil things they do.  But those who follow the true way come to the light, and it shows that the things they do were done through God."  John 3:16-21 (NCV)

In the message translation verses 19-21 can be read this way.

“This is the crisis we're in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won't come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is."  John 3:19-21 (Message)

It is easy to dismiss an entire section of scripture because we believe it to be elementary, but learning the things of God cannot be compared to the American education system.  In kindergarten when we all learned the alphabet, that was it, there was no deeper meaning.  At the age of 34 I don’t need to reconsider the ABC song and what it might mean to me today after three decades of life experience.  Such is not the case for the Bible.  There is always more; more understanding, more wisdom, more revelation, more illumination, more of God.  God’s Word is four dimensional (probably more, despite my feeble minds ability to conceive of such things); though never changing, it is ever ascending higher, ever descending deeper, ever expanding wider, and ever living and breathing and moving.

Back to John 3.  It says that even when God’s light entered the world, “men and women everywhere ran for the darkness.”  I am one of those women, my husband is one of those men, every Christian I know is one of those people.  When the Light of Christ hit my life, I ran like a cockroach to the fringes, to the shadows.  I stayed in my anger, my bitterness, my sin.  Had I been allowed to stay in that darkness unchecked, I would have remained there until, of course, a deeper darkness enveloped me.  What changed?

Internally Illuminated Advertisement

Though, ultimately, choosing God was always my choice, God sent people to help.  For some, it takes very little illumination to convince them to escape the darkness of a life without God.  For others, like me, it required a parade (visualize Disney’s Light Parade, pictured below).  A life filled with people illuminating my world with the love of Christ.  Sounds cheesy, but it’s true.  Though they did not constantly enter my personal space confronting me with the literal “Jesus Loves You” love of Christ, they did share their experiences with me.

Disney Light Parade

They were honest enough to be broken, yet miraculously whole.  To hear of literal miracles, inexplicable healing and provision has a way of chipping away at the darkest of hearts.  It is enough to draw our eye to Him.  When someone or something exceptional enters a room, heads turn, it’s in our nature to be attracted to goodness just as it’s in our nature to sin. 

“Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” Romans 2:4 (NKJV)

If we are designed to be drawn to God’s goodness, how can that happen while we are camped out in the dark, away from His Light, His goodness?  The answer:  Save those that are literally knocked on their hind quarters by God Himself (see Acts 9), most of us have to be made aware of God’s goodness and good intentions for our lives by other people.

Your Testimony is Key

Your testimony is important, not just for you, but for others.  It may seem small and pointless, but what you have experienced is, potentially, the key to unlocking someone else’s chains. 

Though it would be much more convenient and less embarrassing if we could just hand out “Jesus Loves You, No… He really does!” cards to passers-by, it simply does not work like that.  We’ve tried it, it doesn’t work.  People want something real and since Jesus is not here on this earth in the flesh, all He has to work with is you and me.  Unless we are real and transparent (with wisdom, of course) we are really quite useless.

Think about it, Jesus didn’t walk around telling everybody He loved them all the while doing nothing for them.  He was not this guy, regardless of how friendly this guy seems.  Jesus is not some cosmic bromantic comedy, leaving you smiling, unsure of the specifics and quickly empty.

God’s testimony of Jesus was found in the signs, wonders and miracles performed in His life on earth (John 10:25).  Jesus was sent with an arsenal to defeat doubt and unbelief; He spoke words of wisdom and knowledge, He healed, He multiplied provision, He calmed storms, He resurrected the dead, He showed unwarranted compassion and so He does today.  He understood that people needed a perfect Savior and a real God then and still do today.  If people are not made aware that God is real, then Christianity is simply a social group.

So, the question becomes, if Jesus is not walking the earth today in the flesh, then how can people experience a real God.  The answer is YOU!  You are the miracle!  We’ve all been brought back from death and destruction.  His testimony has not changed.  He is our redeemer, healer, provider, storm calmer, in Him is found all Truth. 

 

People did not follow Jesus because He was nice.  Though they may not have fully understood it at the time, they followed Him because He was God and could prove it.  People will not commit their lives and eternities to Christ because you are nice and follow a nice God.  They will commit because He is real and YOU can prove it.

Shame 

If you are not a person who shares their testimony, I challenge you today, share it!  There is power and freedom in it.  That freedom is two-fold, it is for you and for the hearer.  If there are elements of your testimony that are shameful, guess what, that’s true for everyone!  We’ve all done things for which we are ashamed and yet we are forgiven.  Shame is a weapon from the arsenal of the enemy, it is not of God.  Conviction?  Now, that’s a different story.  Let me illustrate this to you.

There are two men in the Gospel accounts.  One took the way of condemnation, shame and eternal damnation, the other took the path of conviction, repentance and eternal life.  Some may look at Judas Iscariot and see a man to despise and look down upon, but I do not.  We have all been thieves, we’ve all been liars, we’ve all betrayed our Savior.  If any of these fall on the list of unforgiveable sins, we’re all screwed. 

Some may look at Peter’s denial of Jesus as being a small bump in the road to sainthood, but I do not.  Peter was at a crossroads where he could have taken the potential shame of his denial and allowed it to upend the plans God had for him.  He chose to get back on plan A.

 

How powerful would Judas’ testimony have been had he not fallen prey to the weight of his shame? 

Do not become confused, I am in no way saying that if you don’t share your testimony you’re going to hell.  What I am saying is that pretending that God took you from good to better isn’t honest and it certainly doesn’t do Jesus’ work on the cross any justice.  While exercising wisdom, we should all be able to tell people how big our God is and give examples. 

If you fear sharing your first hand account of the expanse of God's love and forgiveness, look to Paul. He was responsible for persecuting and killing Christians. He could have allowed that shame to limit his testimony, but he did not. He connected to people on any level he could while remaining always in Christ.  People are broken without Christ.  Often times, they can only relate to brokenness.  If you were once broken like them and are now made whole, there is hope in that.  If you portray a life where you were never that broken, there is no hope for the hopeless, there is no freedom, there is no goodness to draw them. 

Actions Speak

We all know that actions speak louder than words in the world, it's practically an American proverb.  Since God has not ceased acting on our behalf, then, perhaps, it stands to reason we’ve just ceased talking about it.  People need to hear about what God has done in your life.

As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame^.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?  And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. Romans 10:11-17 (NIV)

Sow some seeds of faith in someone else today.  Tell them the truth.  Tell them who you were and where you came from, then live a life that illustrates that Jesus changes everything. 

What is one word that would describe your testimony?  Leave it in the comments below!

Night Walkers

Every now and then I get a wild hair to do something kind of random and lucky for me most of the time my kids get on board pretty easily. 

On Sunday evening around 5:30pm I decided that the kids and I should go for a walk.  Now, if it were during the summer or even last month, it would not have been unique.  However, it being the 20th of November, it was dark outside and CoLd! 

We bundled up, even the baby, and headed out.

We didn't know where we were going.  It was, what I like to call, an adventure!  I knew I didn't just want to walk around the block.  That would have been boring.  So, instead of turning right on the street just North of our street, we made a left.  As we made our way down the poorly lit, sidewalk-less street I began to second guess my choice.  But, I was brave, if for no other reason than I refuse to show silly fear in front of my kids.  Instead, I was excited. 

About halfway to Palm Avenue, which has actual street lights, I realized there was movement in the distance.  It was tall enough to be a human being, but it appeared to float from side to side.  It was clear the person was on either a bike or a skateboard.  Jacob took notice of it also, but he had just a the slightest hint of discomfort in his voice when he disclosed his discovery.  I assured him that I saw the individual and we scooted over a bit closer to the curb line.  As the man passed us on his bike, probably equally concerned we were some sort of street gang primarily made up of little people, my kids made him feel better by yelling "Hi!"  "Hello!"  "Hi!"  "Hello!", until finally he responded in kind. 

At this point we were like a little over a block away from home and only narrowly avoided a street battle, so far so good.  So when it came time to head either North or South on Palm, South being the direction to head if we wanted to quickly wrap up our excursion, we headed North!  The baby being asleep by this point, my boys were demanding some sort of explanation as to my plan.  I told them flatly that I didn't have one, we were wingin' it, flyin' by the seat of our pants. 

Walking up Palm Avenue, I realized that there is a lot of traffic.  With three loose little boys, I was quick to make sure they remained within sprinting distance.  Fortunately, my children are very aware of who would win if they went up against a vehicle, so we didn't even have any "close calls".  They did, however, remain quite curious as to the plan, as did I. 

When we found ourselves at Sierra Avenue, we were faced with another decision, turn right to head back home on the familiar route or remain heading North.  Turning left, wasn't really an option since it just headed into a neighborhood.  At that moment, I decided we weren't stopping until we got to Starbucks!  The plan was finally coming together and cocoa was definitely on the agenda. 

I only have one small character trait that emerges during moments like these, I hold my cards close to my chest.  As we crossed over into the unexplored world North of Sierra Avenue, the kids started to get a bit nervous.  Not scared, just a little concerned that I may not really know where I was going, but confident it was going to be fun. 

As we headed up Palm Avenue toward Herndon Avenue, it occurred to me that there were areas on the side of the street we were traversing that did not have sidewalk.  Had it been just me, it would not have been an issue of concern, but with three boys and a stroller, I was silently praying that a safe path would appear.  By this point, the boys were more comfortable with the idea that they'd never been down this particular road on foot and the baby was snoozing away.  It was getting pretty cold, but between hats and jackets and running too far ahead and back again, we were all comfortable. 

Then it happened.  The dark, overgrown end of the sidewalk appeared.  It was hard to see at first.  Part of me wondered if we'd have to walk through some sort of plant formed tunnel, but sure enough we could go no further.  We had three choices, turn back and find a cross walk, bolt across the four lane road to the other side or walk in the bike lane in hopes that a sidewalk would reappear.  We chose option three.

Fortunately, we only walked in the street for maybe twenty or thirty feet, but for that minute or two, we were living on the edge. 

Finding our way back on to a beaten path, we found ourselves being attacked by dogs on the other side of a very tall fence clearly labeled as housing security of the canine variety.  What was not clear was whether or not the dogs could break through the broken board and gaps.  Assuming that we were basically safe, I just warned the boys that if we didn't hasten our pace, the vicious mongrels might burst through and bite us.  It didn't happen and they were likely small breed dogs, but it sure did put a little pep in our step. 

Just as we passed Piazza del Pane, our destination came into view.  The green, glowing logo told the boys more clearly than I could have what my plan was, cocoa.  Excitement rippled through them like a shock wave, which may sound like an exaggeration, but you must understand that they very rarely get Starbucks or Dutch Bros and when they do, it is something to celebrate.

We carefully crossed the parking lot and made it to the door, where Domenic opened the door for the baby and I.  Once inside, I headed to the counter with the baby and the boys occupied three leather arm chairs and proceeded to look at the newspaper and chat.  It was a delightful sight for me to observe from across the room, my little men. 

Once we had our hot beverages and heated brownie, which we would split four ways, we decided to sit outside.  Between our bundling and the hot drinks, I knew we'd start overheating soon.  Someone brought the newspaper and there we sat on the patio discussing life.  At this point, the baby woke up to get some brownie, which she was quite pleased with.  I believe the term "best night ever" were tossed out, but who can be sure. 

Along the way home we took some pictures and had more fun, but the magical mystery of having an unknown destination was gone, though we did pass in front of an imposing, abandoned home.  There was some speculation as to whether or not it was haunted, but those sparks were quickly snuffed as I explained that the spirits of people who have passed-on do not remain on the earth.  There are only two choices.  Though I know this to be true, at night that very cool, two-story, brick home is a little creepy, even to me. 

We took the long way home that night; making our way down Palm Avenue, crossing over to Maroa Avenue by way of Sierra Avenue and found ourselves at home once again.  Once inside, we peeled off our outer layers of coats and hats and scarves only to find the air filled with coconut curry chicken... the perfect end to a perfect evening. 

Here are some pictures:

Life is Not Fair!

When I was a kid, I was always concerned with things being "fair".  If someone got three cookies, two simply would not suffice and don't even get me started on syncing up the glasses of milk.  I never thought it was fair that my baby brother got to stay up later than me, despite the fact that I was eight years older and had school the next day.  Even in junior high, I saw the inequity in the circumference of my thigh versus other girl's. 

When I started high school, I was the only kid who didn't live in the City.  As a result, every phone call I made was long distance and I rarely got to participate in extracurricular activities.  I went to a private Catholic High School, so needless to say it wasn't fair I didn't get my own car... or have a shopping budget. 

I've had "But, that's not fair!!" moments in my life far into adulthood.  Other than today, I don't think I've had one lately, but I think I might just be getting better at disguising them.

Did you catch that?  I had one today, but this time, it was a little different than in years gone by.

It's not fair that...

I have four healthy, beautiful children, when some parents struggle with disabilities, disease and loss.

I have a wonderful husband, when some women struggle with being single, being abused or becoming a widow.

I have a home, when so many do not.

I have a good job,when so many better qualified and better educated individuals are struggling to find employment.

I have so many loving family members, when so many struggle with dysfunction, abandonment, abuse and discord.

I have never been imprisoned, when there are so many who are or were for reasons both valid and invalid.

Life is not fair. 

John Bradford is credited with the quote "There but for the Grace of God go I." and never before have I better understood that statement in my own life.  I have done nothing to earn or deserve the goodness that has infiltrated and inhabited my life.  In fact, I have done just the opposite.  If my life were based upon receiving my "just desserts", I should have none of it. 

So, today, as I made every effort not to weep at a table filled with co-workers celebrating my boss' grandfather's 100th birthday, I was once again confronted with the fact that life is not fair.  You see, across from me sat a woman with her son who appeared to be three years.  For the fifteen or so minutes that we sat fifteen or so feet apart, it became very obvious that her son was both developmentally and physically disabled.  He was so sweet, I wanted to grab him and just hug him, but that would have been weird.  I know.

But, I could not weep for her, there was joy and love at that table.  I could not have permitted my sadness to tarnish her happy life, though I'm sure that she has shed many a tear.  Though, I cannot assume that my life is any more or less fulfilling compared to anyone else's life, I can appreciate the things in my life that are truly extraordinary.

Have you taken an assessment lately on all of the extraordinary things in your life that, to someone else, simply are not fair?      

Word Count: 568

Thanksgiving

Much like last November, a number of my friends are taking a moment out of each day to post what they are thankful for on Facebook.  It’s pretty cool to see what they post.  There are things that they post that I identify with and others that I do not, but the best are the ones that I find true, but overlooked in my life.  I have so many things to be thankful for in my life, both historically and currently. 

Photo by Felixco, Inc.

There are the basics, the ones that rise to the top of the list, God, Husband, Kids, Job, Family, Church, Friends.  These are likely the same that rise to the top of your list as well, and most people to some degree.  Or at least that’s what I think, but is it really true? 

God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit

Does everyone have Jesus to run to on a daily basis?  I know that everyone has the opportunity to have Him in their life, but not everyone has made the choice.  Some people are blinded to the truth by pain, suffering, discouragement, depression, oppression, fear, and bitterness among other things.  Regardless of the reason, it’s all born from lies.

My Pastor is doing a series right now on “Is God Really Good?”  It’s a great topic.  I think most people who believe in God, don’t really consider the goodness of God.  That it is inherent to His Being.  They look at life and try to decipher what it says about God and His Goodness.  There is this underlying perception that, God is good, but He does bad things and we just don’t understand them, but they must be good because God is good, but He does bad things and we just don’t understand them, but they must be good because… you see where this is going.

So, if we doubt God’s goodness, how thankful can we really be?  How much confidence can we really walk in?  Perhaps, you are reading this and you’re thinking, “I don’t doubt God’s goodness, exactly, I just don’t see how He’s good to me.”

A lot of the time, we can identify the goodness of God in the lives of others around us, but not in our own lives.  If the goodness of God can only be identified in easily identifiable miracles or the external appearance of happiness in another person’s life, then we limit His goodness in our life.  It’s not that He’s not good, it’s just that we don’t see things as goodness. 

Here’s an example, let’s say that I feel like my husband never pays any attention to me.  That he never does anything nice to me and I feel unloved.  However, if I were to consider the fact that he makes and brings me a cup of coffee every morning because he loves me, then I might think differently.  The issue is not whether or not my husband loves me, the issue is that I have grown so accustomed to his love and goodness to me, that I no longer identify it correctly.  I think that there are many women who feel like this with their husbands and I think that there are many Christians who feel like this with God.

Each day, most of us have food to eat and a home to return to.  Each day, most of us have clean clothes to wear and our children are being educated.  Each day, all of us wake up to a brand new day and a brand new opportunity to connect with a God that loves us dearly , even when we do not choose Him.

Appreciation Takes Practice

If you are reading this today and cannot think of anything to be thankful for, I mean, really thankful for, not just the shrug paired with an obligatory fake smile and a flat “Thanks, God.”, then you must simply be out of practice.  You may even feel like clicking the “X” button at the top of this window because I’m annoying you now, but I ask that you finish reading and give thanks a chance!      

While writing this post, I saw this great quote, “It is not happy people that are thankful.  It is thankful people that are happy.”  I believe that regardless of your position on the goodness of God or even your belief in Him, this is true for everyone.  Happiness is the byproduct of thankfulness, not the other way around.  You may doubt it at first blush, but when you consider all of the individuals you have crossed paths with in life, you will find that in every case, the happiest people, regardless of financial stability and material means, were the most thankful for what they did have.

I have known people that have wanted for nothing, who came and went as they pleased, bought what they desired, needs were not even an issue, and yet, they were not happy.  If we are not careful, we can become much the same, though, we feel more justified because perhaps not all of our “needs” are being met.  Somehow, life in America has evolved much like the car industry; most of the “options” from years past are now standard.  Heating and Air Conditioning, convenient, but is it necessary to drive?  The dome light seems like and absolute necessity, but is it?  The list of vehicle upgrades that have become expected goes on and on. 

We treat life much the same way.  Annual vacations?  Necessary.  A vehicle for every person over the age of 16?  Necessary.  Simply having T.V. is not adequate, we must have cable, streaming video, DVD players, blue ray, video gaming systems, picture in picture, DVR, surround sound.  I’m not saying any of this is bad, but when the bar is raised so high that luxuries become necessities, how can we be truly thankful?  Practice, we must practice being thankful.  It may not be easy at first and we might even have to really stretch our imagination, but we all have something for which to be thankful.

Just Do It

Don’t let it join the other well intentioned changes on your to-do list, like going to the gym or eating healthier or spending less time on the internet; start today.  It doesn’t even require much of your time, just a few moments of each day, make it a point to think of something that you have to be truly thankful for. 

I am thankful for breathing.  I think that breathing is awesome.  I am especially thankful that I don’t have any health conditions or sensitivities  that might try my breathing.  It’s reasonably amazing that I can breathe while I’m sleeping; it’s nice to not worry about whether or not my body will forget while I am peacefully in dreamland.     

Breathing, it’s simple and unless you have an issue with it, becomes overlooked. 

I, too, will be practicing my thankfulness this month, but perhaps in a more wordy (like fifty-thousand-words  wordy) fashion.

Start now!  Take a moment to document one meaningful aspect of your life you are thankful for.  Like a beating heart, those are handy.  Give it a shot, it feels good and it gets easier.  I promise.

Word Count This Blog: 1,202

Word Count Total:        3,835

 

 

I Am Not a Gloom Cloud... Anymore.

There are some people in this world that just naturally gravitate towards being positive and shining a good light on every situation.  They disregard negative memories and focus on the good times.  There’s a silver lining to every cloud and they act like the sunlight visible just past the edge of the storm is already shining over them.  These people remind you that the rain is good for the flowers and that one day you will all laugh about the painful situation you may currently be passing through.  This is not my nature.

I try to be this person, I really do, though admittedly, sometimes it is with only half of my heart. 

Photo by Meepoofoto

The Tug-O-War

Since, becoming a Christian, I do make an effort, probably not my best effort, but an effort to approach situations from a Biblical perspective.  Often, I ask myself, “What does the Word say about this? About me?  About them?”  What I have realized that the old Devil/Angel sitting on our shoulder is kind of true.  Humans definitely have inner struggles, from a Christian perspective, it is the age old struggle between our spirit man and flesh man, with our soulish man becoming the object of a lifelong tug-o-war. 

Without going into detail of yesterday’s post, because the topic is entirely different (or is it?!), here is the scripture I quoted, shortened and in the New Century Version:

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud.  Love is not rude, is not selfish, and does not get upset with others. Love does not count up wrongs that have been done. Love takes no pleasure in evil but rejoices over the truth. Love patiently accepts all things. It always trusts, always hopes, and always endures.

The Challenge

As I was sitting at my computer this afternoon, trying to come up with something to write about, I realized I wanted to write about something funny or uplifting.  Perhaps I could recall something from my past that was fun that I could share.  I wanted to make at least one person smile… well, hopefully a handful, but smiling was on the agenda.  As I sat considering what funny story I could share, the only stories I could think of revolved around my kids and the funny things they say and/or do.  I decided I didn’t want it to become another mommy post, so I went back further.  I realized that primarily the only memories that quickly surfaced were negative.  I decided that sucked.

I realized that the choices I make today to focus on the negative make it so that my memories are negative.  I know, sounds obvious, but have you considered that the choices that you make today to remain negative will be carried with you into your future and possibly for the rest of your life?  I think that is crazy!  Not only do my decision to respond to today in the negative affect my day, today, but ten years from now when I try to remember something fun from my daughters first year of life, I will have nothing but negative.  I decided that sucked too.

I’m not saying that I am negative every day or that I’m a giant, gloom cloud floating through life, but my flesh man (picture a little devil that looks just like me on my shoulder) tries to put a negative filter on my life.  At any given time in my life, if I dig through the reel of memories, I often find I can only remember the bad things that occurred.  That being said, I have decided that I am going to make an effort to dig through my memory bank and find the positive and see life as it actually was, good and bad.

Now, I know that not everyone is negative, but I think, to some degree, we all tend to be lopsided.  Some people have the opposite problem, they only remember their past as a wonderful experience, even though others may not recall it as such.  I think the key is to make an attempt at being honest with ourselves. 

The Truth

I had a conversation with my mom while she was down last weekend and she said something that, though, specific, can be adapted to be a more broad truth, “We allow ourselves to believe a lie [from our past] so that we can keep being angry.”  Again, I think that’s totally true, sometimes, even when people tell us that our memory is not correct, we don’t believe them so that we can maintain the anger, the hurt, the ignorance, our pride, or whatever broken part of our personality that we try to keep intact.  So we don’t let truth in and remain in the bondage of that lie and we pay for it day after day and we make our friends and family pay for it day after day.  There is freedom in truth.

The truth that I need to get acquainted with is that I have happy memories!  That there were good times in between the drama and the negative experiences I had.  I did have a happy childhood; I was happy in junior high and high school.  I must choose to no longer focus on all that happened that was negative.  No, this is not out of living in denial, but finally admitting that I was created to live in hope, in trust and in love.  The few things in my life that occurred that would counter hope, trust and love can no longer be enlarged in my life and affect my outlook today.

The Start 

So I have to start somewhere right?  Here’s my first neglected, happy memory:

The year:             1993

The setting:        My living room in Clements
The scene:         

Picture a medium size living room, with blue gray carpet.  It was rectangular and much longer than it was wide.  It had a window that faced west, framing a perfect sunset every evening.  It had a wide open space in the middle and a large, oak entertainment cabinet on the North wall.  It was an afternoon like any other, except that I was in a particularly good mood.  I was hanging out with my younger brother and sister, who were probably 7 and 5 at the time.  We were just dancing around the living room to “She Don’t Use Jelly” by Flaming Lips; it was on repeat.  The room was filled with laughter and crazy dancing.  It was a great moment in time, filled with a goofy song and even goofier kids. 

It’s a small, silly memory, but it’s mine.  It reconnects me to a moment where I didn’t take myself so seriously.  It makes my heart smile and I hope in the very least it made you grin, if for no other reason than I used to like that song.

Do you find yourself gravitating toward a certain memory filter?  Please feel free to share!

Word Count This Blog: 1,167

Word Count Total:        2,633