Five!

Just think five years ago right now, I didn't even know how my life would change the next day when I opened a private message "From Damascus" that was sent to me on a MySpace account I'd had all of three months.  I mentioned the Middle East on my profile, and something must have prompted Samer to contact me.  His note was a slight challenge, albeit very polite.

On October 9, 2007 I read the message, wrote him back, and he wrote me back within an hour. It was during Ramadan so he was up despite the seven hour time difference.  I remember wondering if he were legit. What are the odds that some Muslim Arab guy in Syria would write me?  Was he one of those internet weirdos they warn you about on the news?

Maybe so, but we became fast friends. Family really. And I'm thankful for three times we've met in real life. Once in Syria (where we met his mom, brothers and sister, and friends) and twice now in Germany.

I'm thankful to God for what he has taught me - and where He has taken me - through knowing Samer!

Eagle's Nest - August 2012

Jesus is the answer

This was just something I read in a magazine a few days ago that I liked as it was a timely reminder for me as I've struggled with my thinking on the human condition and the brokenness of life and such things.


"Dramatic testimony or not, Christian home or 'rough background,' life is broken for everyone. But Jesus saves. Regardless of the circumstances, the backgrounds, the histories, the bad deeds and even the good ones, the Gospel is the answer."

I remember "gospel" being defined as "good news."  And a friend telling us the good new is Jesus.  Not religion. Not Christianity.  Not all the stuff people tell you that you have to do to please God and make it to heaven.

It's just Jesus.

Jesus is the answer.  He offers good news for my broken life.



Source: "From Death to Life: Redeemed by the Gospel" pg. 17

When a little cub comes to visit ...

In recent weeks there has been talk of black bears being spotted in areas populated by people and airplanes.  In fact a black bear had to be killed after it was roaming a nearby international airport. They just couldn't take a chance of a plane hitting it on the runway.

But no one warned us about little tiger cubs prowling around with all of their cuteness ready to pounce and overpower unsuspecting adults!

Behold! One of those bundles of adorableness showed up at my house.

Thankfully it was caged because 

they like to bite!

and growl  *roar!*

And their little faces scream "Kiss me!"

which I do - with joy!

And who knew they enjoyed milk so much?

May your life be as blessed by a cute little cub as mine was today.

Amen.

Hear ye, hear ye ... I have an announcement to make!

So last evening, May 3, 2011 

Zach holding his daddy's finger

I got a new nephew to go along with the adorable one I already have, Michael!

Zachary Alexander  

about 45 minutes after Zach was born

Welcome to our hearts, little buddy!

Zachary means "the Lord remembers"  source

How Much "Otherness" Can You Handle?

I finished reading the book on the Greeks the other day and last night was looking through the 60+ pieces of art included in the picture section.  Three times the author makes mention of the Greeks' disgust with physical deformity and how the statues wouldn't show, say, an Amazon who cut off her right breast in order to wield her sword with more proficiency because they didn't really want to picture an abnormality.  Even a man playing the pipes would be of the servant class since "well-born Greeks avoided any physical distortion, and pipe playing, because it distorted the cheeks, could not be taken up by citizens."




For what it's worth: "the lyre was their instrument."

I was kind of surprised to read this.

Not sure it's exactly related, but that coupled with the niqab talk going around - thanks to France - and a video I saw earlier today,  got me to thinking about "otherness" and how much of it we will allow to touch and maybe even influence our lives.

I think some people are much more tolerant than others, but maybe even those who have seemingly high degrees of tolerance have their limits. 

It might be someone with a different culture or religion.  Someone of a different race.  I remember a friend married to a Greek man told me some of her inlaws believed blue-eyed people were evil.  Maybe you dislike people of other genders. Or those of different sexual orientations. Maybe you don't like those who speak another language than you? Those who can't speak your language without a thick accent?   It could be any number of things.  Perhaps you are Catholic and greatly dislike Protestants. Or a Sunni who despises Alawaites or Druze. Or a Republican who has no time for someone on the opposite side of the aisle. 

In reality we could divide ourselves all day, couldn't we?


In my own case, I think it's funny to think about my past. I grew up in an almost all-white, all-Protestant school and church.  Even then I found people from other parts of the country so interesting. Since they were still white Protestants, I'd detect their different accents and culture.  So fun. I've always been fascinated by foreigners, but my area is not that diverse so my mingling with them wasn't an everyday occurrence.  I still recall my time at the community college. I had black classmates for almost the first time ... and found many of them quite fun. In fact my best friend for a time was a young black man who grew up completely differently than I although we lived in the same small county! We'd sit together at breaks and talk about our backgrounds.  I remember asking him why black people named their children such funny names.  Yes, I'm brazen like that sometimes, but we had that kind of friendship.  And I've always been curious about names so why not ask?  :)

Then most of you know my interest in Syria and by default other Arabs and Muslims and Middle Easterners and that all started with God bringing Samer into my life.  He and I were talking about this just recently because we are still often amazed at how two people of such vastly different backgrounds became dear friends.  On paper you never think of folks like us having enough in common to form a lasting friendship. A passing acquaintance...no problem.  I have those all the time with a wide variety of people.  But a true friendship? 

It's something for which I thank God.

So how much otherness can you handle?  Are you like the Greeks?  Do you draw the line at physical deformities

(and do those include such things as puffy cheeks from someone playing pipes?) Have you had experiences with "other" people that you found surprising in good or bad ways?  Learned any valuable lessons? Made any dear friends? Share your experiences if you'd like.

Lessons Learned from "The Year of Living Biblically"

In this final post about The Year of Living Biblically I want to record a few lessons that either the author pointed out while writing about his year-long project or lessons I learned from his experiences.  Joni recommended that I read this book because her husband was reading it, had read parts of it to her and she thought it would be of interest to me.  As I said in my initial post, it was different than what I expected. I thought it would be more serious.  A man who worked at soup kitchens and washed people's feet and AJ Jacobs did do the former, but - again - this book was much more humorous than I imagined. (It even has a "HUMOR" label on the back cover.) 

So here are some final things about this book.


I recall that AJ would admit how difficult it was for him to pray. Other parts of his project - wearing certain clothes, eating kosher foods - were fine, but as an agnostic, worshiping God when he didn't know if God existed felt weird.  Yet the more he did it, the more he felt OK with it.  As he gave thanks for food and drink and the fact that he made it to and from work safely, he realized how many things went right every day, how many good things there were in life. By giving thanks, AJ developed a more grateful attitude.

And I like this!  When we focus on being thankful, we aren't moping about how bad life is and complaining and gossiping. So that's a good lesson!

Another...



One day as AJ was admiring an article he'd written for his work, he suddenly stopped short...

Here I am being prideful about creating an article in a midsize American magazine. But God -- if He exists -- He created the world.  He created flamingos and supernovas and geysers and beetles and the stones for these steps I'm sitting on.

"Praise the Lord," I say out loud.

I'd always found the praising-God parts of the Bible and my prayer books awkward.  The sentences about the all-powerful, almighty, all-knowing, the host of hosts, He who has greatness beyond our comprehension.  I'm not used to talking like that. It's so over the top. I'm used to understatement and hedging and irony. And why would God need to be praised in the first place?  God shouldn't be insecure. He's the ultimate being.

Now I can sort of see why. It's not for him. It's for us.  It takes you out of yourself and your prideful little brain.  (pg. 220)

And I like this!  When we start focusing on God, we stop being proud and self-centered. We realize how insignificant the things we "create" really are so why should we go about thinking we are "all that" compared to the neighbor next door or someone in another culture?


Another ...

During his year-long project AJ gets input from groups who follow the Bible - some more literally than others. He visits the Amish, Orthodox Jews, evangelical Christians, serpent handlers in Tennessee and a creationist museum in Kentucky.  Even though he admits that he could never believe the creationist point of view since it's not based on science, he admits they did teach him that life isn't random and that we do have a place in this universe.  Later in the book he notes, "My existence is not a meaningless collection of actions, so I should take seriously every decision." (pg. 275)

And I like this! The Bible says we are fearfully and wonderfully made!  We aren't products of chance who have no purpose in life.  While we should never have inflated pride in thinking we are better than others, we should realize our lives have meaning and we are here for a reason. Our decisions matter.



Lastly and most importantly...


On day 336 AJ mentioned that he'd had a "bit of a mental breakdown" the week before about his Bible project.

"In the final stretch, I've been frantically trying to read every single book on religion, trying to interview every religious leader, trying to figure out how to obey every rule.  What if I miss an insight? What if I overlook a potential translation?  I haven't paid God five shekels to redeem my first-born son. I haven't talked to a Seventh-day Adventist yet. What if they have the secret?  I've barely made a dent in the Bible."  (pg. 313)

I remember when I mentioned on Facebook that I was reading this book. I'd only read maybe 50 or 75 pages (out of more than 350) and my friend said that her husband was a bit frustrated with the author's fearfulness. At the time nothing had bothered me this way, but I said I'd look out for it.  AJ had admitted he was a germophobe so I thought maybe that would come into play in an annoying way, but nothing like that bothered me.  Then as I read further I realized maybe AJ's fear that bothered Josh was his inability to keep every rule, his list of 700-plus biblical rules were too many to keep up with!  If he focused on food laws and eating kosher, he couldn't focus on praising God or avoiding lying so much.  Not gossiping. Not lusting.  Those were super-tough and AJ was honest in admitting this.  Rather than this frustrating me, it made me note this Monday night as I finished the book:  "his wanting to keep all the rules, striving, yet he cannot: that is THE POINT."

AJ (rather, using him as a metaphor for all those who take God seriously) was trying to earn God's favor by keeping every rule. By wearing his hair a certain way, by growing a beard, by not mixing fabrics, by eating certain foods and avoiding others, by not lying, by not coveting or lusting or stealing or murdering, by keeping no record of wrongs, by forgiving, by doing good just for the sake of doing good, by giving a tithe, by feeding the poor.

He realized it was exhausting. It caused a "bit of a mental breakdown"! 


This is what is great about grace. The Law was there to show us we could never measure up to God.  It was a tutor, a school teacher if you will.  It taught us, there is no way I can keep myself pure.  Even if I keep these rules, I still have to worry about ritual impurities almost constantly.

This is why Jesus is important.  He made a way where we don't have to keep 700-plus rules in order to reach God.  He is the bridge.  We can rest in the work he did for us on the cross and fall on the mercy and grace of God.

"God, I can't keep all these rules!  Trying to do everything right is driving me nuts!  I cry out for your mercy in dealing with me. God, be merciful to me a sinner!" 

And the wonderful thing is, God is merciful. God is full of grace.  He abundantly pardons. He is the Savior.


And I love this! Enough said.

Ringing in 2011!

So last night was really good.  I met my sister, Will and Michael at their house and we drove to CiC's Pizza where we ate our last meal of 2010 as a family. I ate mostly spinach and veggie pizza..quite good.  My parents, Daniel and Lorraine met us there.  Andrew didn't get to come because he had a youth event with the church. They needed van drivers since they had five vans going on their weekend trip to Virginia so I've not seen him yet this year. Ha!  But most of my family was there.  (Little brother was planning to come, but got to feeling bad.)  After eating we went to Target and Walmart to check out their clearanced Christmas items.  Then we went to my brother's house where we brought in the New Year.  His house is in the country and it was quite dark when we arrived. I had one of those "wow, look at the stars" moments such as Amber described so nicely in her first post of 2011.  (Unlike her though, I refrained from lying down in the driveway.)

At Daniel and Lorraine's house, we watched a little TV, looked on the computer, played air hockey, checked out their weight room/gym in the basement and had fun taking pictures.  

See more of our awesome pictures from last night by clicking here.  I put them on Facebook and that is the public link. Go ahead...look.  They are cute.

We then looked at the pictures on the big-screen TV. There were more than I posted online and some quite funny that didn't make the cut to be shown publicly. But we surely had fun laughing at them.  We watched the last ten minutes of Ryan Seacrest and Dick Clark as they brought in the New Year in New York City.  Michael started the countdown with them and then we cheered in 2011.

We watched that for a few more minutes. Then Daniel said Michael wanted to watch Gomer Pyle, USMC so we watched one episode on a DVD Daniel owns.  Yes, at 12:15 in the morning. Shazam! :)

We left soon after it ended and I got home at 1:02 A.M.   So wild for me. I'm usually at home asleep by 11 each night.

One of the best parts of the evening was the ride home.  Michael (the one who called himself a "heat pump" just a few days ago because he tends to be warm when most of us are chilly) actually was cold. Perhaps because he was in short sleeves, yes? (He had taken off the long-sleeved shirt shown above.) He and I were sitting in the backseat and he said "are your hands cold, Susie?" as he grasped them and then said "Oh, they are warm." (Really? My hands are notoriously cold all.the.time.)  But I guess they felt warm to him because he was cold. Anyway.  He snuggled up close to me and I just wrapped my arms around him keeping him warm and basking in how good it felt to hug that sweet young fellow and what a wonderful way it was to start a new year.

So can any of you top that?  ;-)  How did you ring in 2011?

Christmas Snow!

Yes, I know it's December 26, but this snow started last night so technically it is a Christmas Snow, right? It was perfect really!  We had places we needed to go yesterday and Southerners aren't known for their getting-around-in-the-snow capabilities because we get much much less than our Northern and Midwestern counterparts. So, it worked out fabulously that yesterday was mostly clear and then it started snowing late in the day when all our festivities were over.  As I said on Facebook it was like icing on the proverbial cake!  Today we woke up to an absolutely gorgeous view. Lovely fluffy snow making the trees so beautiful!  Andrew and I enjoyed a fun walk this afternoon in the neighborhood. We tossed snowballs back and forth as we walked and then got back home and shook crape myrtle branches over our heads so it was like a mild blizzard!  (OK, "we" nothing. I did that.)   Here are some pictures for your enjoyment.  (click on each picture for a better view)

Usually this crape myrtle is green with nice pink blooms in July,
but now it seems I have a cotton tree!

My brother in law, Will, Bagel and Michael - so cute!

Are they not adorable?

Bagel modeling the latest from the Sponge Bob line

Michael and Will made a big snowman

Andrew made this one and brought it home in the back of his truck!

Happy Winter!  :)

Merry Christmas!

May your day be filled with joyous greetings and hugs from loved ones!

"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." (John 3:17)


"Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!"  (II Cor. 9:15)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Thanksgiving Day Tidbits - Part 2

Part 1
Thanksgiving Day hasn't always been celebrated at a set time each year like it is now.  In fact sometimes the colonists' leaders would ask for days of prayer and fasting after hardships like drought and then celebrate with a day of thanksgiving when blessed with beneficial rains.  The Continental Congress asked for a day of thanksgiving for the victory over the British in the Battle of Saratoga whereas President George Washington declared a day of thanksgiving in recognition of the Constitution's ratification.

Jefferson: Too busy to proclaim any days to offer thanks?

President Thomas Jefferson never proclaimed any thanksgiving days and states often varied on its appropriateness. "A thanksgiving day was annually appointed by the governor of New York from 1817. In some of the Southern states there was opposition to the observance of such a day on the ground that it was a relic of Puritanic bigotry, but by 1858 proclamations appointing a day of thanksgiving were issued by the governors of 25 states and two territories."  (Wikipedia article) 

Hale: Her editorials influenced a President

Thanksgiving was not celebrated on a set day by the whole country until President Abraham Lincoln "prompted by a series of editorials written by Sarah Josepha Hale, proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day, to be celebrated on the final Thursday in November 1863."

Later the day was changed to the fourth Thursday which means sometimes Thanksgiving is celebrated on the the last Thursday (such as this year) while some years it's the next to last Thursday.  This was done in order to allow more of a Christmas shopping season between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I saw this on Wikipedia concerning this change and found it funny enough to share.

Despite a civil war in the nation in 1863, Lincoln made Thanksgiving Day a national holiday.

"Republicans decried the change, calling it an affront to the memory of Lincoln. People began referring to Nov. 30 as the "Republican Thanksgiving" and Nov. 23 as the "Democratic Thanksgiving" or "Franksgiving" [because this change happened under Democratic President Franklin Roosevelt]. Regardless of the politics, many localities had made a tradition of celebrating on the last Thursday, and many football teams had a tradition of playing their final games of the season on Thanksgiving; with their schedules set well in advance, they could not change. Since a presidential declaration of Thanksgiving Day was not legally binding, Roosevelt's change was widely disregarded. Twenty-three states went along with Roosevelt's recommendation, 22 did not, and some, like Texas, could not decide and took both days as government holidays."

I wonder what would happen if you had both Republicans and Democrats in the same family! Ha, ha!  Maybe Texas had the right idea and one could celebrate both the last and next-to-last Thursdays with good meals! 

The day after Thanksgiving - often referred to as Black Friday (and in this case "black" is something good unlike "Black Death" or "Black September") is the official start of the Christmas shopping season.  That's why my family often looks through the sales ads at some point on Thanksgiving afternoon to see if there are any "must have" deals for those crazy enough [that'd usually be my sister!] to brave the massive crowds.   The Thanksgiving edition of the paper is usually stocked with ads from stores trying to lure you to spend your money at their establishments.

Some people actually enjoy the excitement of Black Friday sales and get most all their Christmas shopping finished.

Do any of you plan to shop on Black Friday?  Can anyone tell me why it's called Black Friday and why the "black" is good in this case?  What do you think about Texas declaring both the Republican Thanksgiving and Franksgiving as national holidays?  Anything here new to you as it was to me?

Thanksgiving Day Tidbits - Part 1

So, someone asked me the other day if I'd tell a little about America's Thanksgiving Day and how it relates to religion and most especially Jesus.  The short answer to that is, it really doesn't.  There is no Thanksgiving Day set up for Americans in any religious text, although the Israelites were commanded by God to celebrate the bounty of the Earth in the Feast of Booths or Sukkot.

But, hey, we aren't Israelites so ...

Wikipedia writes:

Sukkot was agricultural in origin. This is evident from the biblical name "The Feast of Ingathering,"   from the ceremonies accompanying it, from the season – “The festival of the seventh month” – and occasion of its celebration: "At the end of the year when you gather in your labors out of the field" (Ex. 23:16); "after you have gathered in from your threshing-floor and from your winepress" (Deut. 16:13). It was a thanksgiving for the fruit harvest. Coming as it did at the completion of the harvest, Sukkot was regarded as a general thanksgiving for the bounty of nature in the year that had passed.

Since the first settlers known to start the modern Thanksgiving tradition were religious, likely they were influenced by such passages.  Also being thankful to God is quite an ongoing theme of much of the Bible especially in the Psalms and Paul's letters to the churches. (see a few Thanksgiving verses here) 

Other cultures have held thanksgiving days and festivals to celebrate the bounty of harvest.  The beginning of this article told about some of those including this one: "The ancient Egyptians participated in a harvest festival in honor of Min, the god of vegetation and fertility. Parades, music and sports were a part of the festivities."  While reading of the other cultures was interesting, the mention of parades, music and sports reminded me of the tradition here for many to attend and many more to watch (on TV) the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City. Also many Americans enjoy watching football games as part of their Thanksgiving Day.

Macy's annual Thanksgiving Day parade features lots of exciting things to see!

The period around Thanksgiving - especially the day before - tends to be one of, if not the busiest traveling days of the year as many people try to make it home to celebrate the long weekend. 

"Thanksgiving also stands out from other American holidays in the sense that it isn't tied to any specific religion, and you can pretty much celebrate it however you want. The only essential traditions are to enjoy a meal with friends or family and to give thanks for what you have. In the pantheon of holidays, Thanksgiving is about as simple as it gets."  (source)

Almost time to eat!

This is why some people prefer it to Christmas.  Yes, it can be stressful to prepare the big meal for Thanksgiving if you are trying to do it all by yourself, but at least you don't have to worry about buying gifts for family and friends and coworkers and pastors and teachers and, and, and... who already have way too much stuff!


"The holiday also honors American history, of course. In countless Thanksgiving plays, American children have told the story of the first Thanksgiving when the Pilgrims and the American Indians celebrated the autumn harvest in cooperation and acceptance." (source)

So true!  I remember in kindergarten we would make those little paper headbands with feathers and Pilgrim hats to wear at our Thanksgiving party.

We'd make hats similar to these and have popcorn and candy corn at our party too!

Any thoughts, observations or questions so far?  Do you watch the Macy's parade, football, have memories of wearing similar Indian hats and having popcorn at your elementary parties?  What Thanksgiving plans do you have?  What foods do you look forward to the most each year?  Trying anything new this year?  What are you especially thankful for this year?

Stay tuned for part 2 coming soon.

Attitude, High View of God, Learning & Questioning

I love people who have a good attitude about nearly everything. Whether they are going through wonderful times or dealing with annoying situations (such as car trouble or the phone company getting the bill all wrong) or going through times of heartache, they just seem able to take to heart Paul's instruction to give thanks in everything.   I get the impression Paul just had a high view of God and to him our earthly problems paled in comparison.  

I suppose this quote goes along with that:

"A low view of God is the cause of a hundred lesser evils.  A high view of God is the solution to ten thousand temporal problems."    -- A.W. Tozer

If only I could remember these problems are temporary. But don't they seem overwhelming when we are going through them? Don't they just gnaw at our souls and make us feel uneasy?

Recently I read Primal and author Mark Batterson told of this positive outlook on life.  I really liked it and wanted to make it my own.  Attitude greatly influences how we go through life, doesn't it?  We choose to allow hard times to make us bitter or unthankful or blue.  But can't we also choose a grateful attitude? One that guards against resentment, bitterness and even crippling sadness? 

Hey, you don't have to tell me that that's not so easy.  I am an emotional person.  Quite melancholic, in fact.  So I recognize the struggle with choosing the thankful, joyful outlook in life.  I don't get a flat tire on the car and start shouting hallelujah.  My family can attest to how irritated, bitter and sad I can get.  But why choose to live this way when I don't have to?  

I liked this.

If you approach every person, every challenge, every situation with humble curiosity, it transforms each of them into a learning opportunity.  The outcome is no longer seen as success or failure, good or bad, positive or negative. The only measuring stick is this:  what did you learn from it? ...  I'm less afraid of failing, because I know it's the best form of education.  I'm less focused on getting out of situations and more focused on what I can get out of those situations. I'm less concerned with what I'm experiencing and more concerned with what I'm learning. Everyone and everything becomes part of my education.  God redeems them and uses them to shape me into the person He wants me to become.  And the learning process never ends.  (pg. 107)

Mark also wrote this which reminded me of some of you, my lovely questioning-and-learning friends.   :)

"The New Testament Greek word translated as 'disciple' comes from a root that means 'learner.'  By definition, a disciple is someone who never stops learning.  A true disciple makes the most of the hundred billion brain cells God has put on loan to him. A true disciple loves more because she knows more.  A true disciple is consumed with holy curiosity that doesn't take yes for an answer. The disciple keeps asking and seeking and knocking. And the quest is never over because the questions never end."  (pg. 107)

What are you currently questioning, seeking to learn, learning?  What things do you question most? What subjects do you enjoy learning about the most?  Do you tend to have a "what can I learn from this?" attitude when facing hard times?  How important is attitude in facing challenges in life?  Do you agree that a high view of God should help us during hard times?  Do you let it or do you tend to forget how big He is because your problems loom large? Do you agree with Tozer about a low view of God causing hundreds of lesser evils?

And in case you've not noticed, I do, in fact, enjoy learning from you.  And asking questions is often how I do that.   :-)

A Piece of Heaven on Earth...Hallelujah!

Just found this song while looking for something else. I kind of think heaven will be something like this! Black, white, brown...whatever color you are, all worshiping God together! Beware though...if you don't think followers of Jesus can be joyful in church, you might be offended! I was absolutely grinnin' like a cat that swallowed a canary by the time this video was finished! (My favorite is the last half - around 2:30 - with the 4:30 mark entering the most joyful part...if you must know. :-))

"Earth's crammed with heaven"

Yesterday I sat on my porch as a storm was approaching and basked in the might and glory of God's creation. The wind was tousling my hair, cooling my skin and making the trees sway. A large bird was soaring above and I watched it glide in the wind current looking so free. I stopped to enjoy the show.

I also saw a butterfly flit from blossom to blossom and a hummingbird zoom as those birds are prone to do. I enjoyed an ordinary bush outside...how I love the greenery with raindrop décor! God gives me much to enjoy. Every day. I just have to open my eyes and look past the hard times in life to recognize this fact.

"Earth's crammed with heaven,
And every common bush afire with God:
But only he who sees, takes off his shoes,
The rest sit round it, and pluck blackberries."
(Elizabeth Barrett Browning)

Today marks a year since my grandparents moved up here! It was on a Saturday though. I remember when we first told Michael that Mema and Pop were moving to NC, he said matter-of-factly, "Oh, they will be glad to see me."

"God is a God of life"

These words may challenge those who think of God as uninvolved or not very concerned about His creation or as one who is just sitting back to see how badly we mess up or how good we can make the world on our own. I just thought this was worth sharing. What do you think?

"We cannot comprehend God's presence, not because it is somehow lacking, but because of its surplus. ... We're tangling with the Other nonstop all the time. It's what is all along creating, sustaining, and redeeming us. We don't live or breathe or walk or talk outside of our relationship with God. We are so tangled in it, so thoroughly and completely in it, we can't comprehend it. It comprehends us. This is all outrageous and odd and pretty much the central point of Christianity. We live by the grace of God."




"We seem to have idolatry in our DNA. But maybe at the deepest level we are not idolaters; we are people who need relationship. We are created in and for communion. We need love and relationship to breathe. But somehow, allowing ourselves to enter into communion, or to be who we really are, is more difficult or scary or unsettling than giving our lives to our belief systems, cultural codes, ideologies -- our idols that aren't alive. And our idolatry freezes and fixes and suffocates and knots and nooses and guts and stuffs and kills.

"The Bible witnesses, however, to a God who keeps calling us into life; keeps creating life, life, and more life, bringing life from barren wombs and shoots out of dead stumps; actually resurrecting.

"This may seem like a bit much, but the Bible presses on and on: God is a God of life.



"What could God be thinking, calling us into everlasting life? It might seem more responsible of God to call us to a simple coherent system, to organize a schedule of burnt offerings, to give us a way to redeem ourselves by following orders or rules or whatever, instead of redeeming us in relationship through love. It's frustrating. It's gorgeous.

"The Bible witnesses to the entirely deathless one, to the living Word. It calls us to relationship with the Other." (pg.31-32)

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. " -- Jesus (John 10:10)


Quotes (stuff in green) by Debbie Blue in From Stone to Living Word

Happy 234 & "The Eds"

Happy Independence Day!

Enjoyed: Watching fireworks with Michael, Andrew, neighbors and old church friends Thursday night

Started: painting our shutters last night

Watched: the Argentinian god humiliated as his team was soundly defeated by Germany in the World Cup yesterday

Talked: to my four-year-old neighbor when he dropped by for a visit last evening

Decided: to start reading and posting notes on Matthew again (join me)

Reflected: upon "to whom much is given of him much will be required" as it relates to my blessed life in the United States

Reminded: by a friend's Facebook note that not all people in the world go to bed safe and full

Challenged: by a local pastor to not idolize America and remember God (not "God and country") comes first

Grieved: that a friend lost her father on the morning of her birthday

Hugged: my little bug after missing him so much while he was at camp

Enjoyed: the crepe myrtles in full blossom around the area now -- God's creation is simply awesome!

My heart today ...

¹⁰ I delight greatly in the LORD;
my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

¹¹ For as the soil makes the sprout come up
and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise
spring up before all nations.

Isaiah 61

Bruised Reeds, Smoldering Wicks, Jesus!

"A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out."

~ Isaiah 42:3 & Matthew 12:20
Old Testament prophecy attributed to Jesus

Is there anything more frail than a bruised reed? Look at the bruised reed at the water's edge. A once slender and tall stalk of sturdy river grass, it is now bowed and bent.

Are you a bruised reed? Was it so long ago that you stood so tall, so proud? You were upright and sturdy, nourished by the waters and rooted in the riverbed of confidence.

Then something happened. You were bruised . . .

by harsh words
by a friend's anger
by a spouse's betrayal
by your own failure
by religion's rigidity.

And you were wounded, bent ever so slightly. Your hollow reed, once erect, now stooped, and hidden in the bulrush.




And the smoldering wick on the candle. Is there anything closer to death than a smoldering wick? Once aflame, now flickering and failing. Still warm from yesterday's passion, but no fire. Not yet cold but far from hot. Was it that long ago you blazed with faith? Remember how you illuminated the path?

Then came the wind ... the cold wind, the harsh wind. They said your ideas were foolish. They told you your dreams were too lofty. They scolded you for challenging the time-tested. . . . .







The bruised reed and smoldering wick. Society knows what to do with you. The world has a place for the beaten. The world will break you off; the world will snuff you out.






But the artists of Scripture proclaim that God won't. Painted on canvas after canvas is the tender touch of a Creator who has a special place for the bruised and weary of the world.




A God who is the friend of the wounded heart. A God who is the keeper of your dreams. . . . Let's ponder the moments when Christ met people at their points of pain. We'll see the prophecy proved true.

We'll see bruised reeds straightened and smoldering wicks ignited.



Quoted from He Still Moves Stones by Max Lucado; pgs. 6&7

Happy Resurrection Day!

"I am the resurrection and the life.
He who believes in me will live, even though he dies."

HALLELUJAH,
WHAT A SAVIOR!

You may enjoy Chiara's interesting post Passover, Pasqua, Pilgrimage: Yeshua, Jesus, and Isa

Welcome back, Amber who was gone from the blogging world for Lent!

Finally Letting the Dream Die

I remember several months ago when I'd been home from Syria for about six months, I dropped off Michael and was talking briefly with my sister before heading home. Likely I said something about "Wow, it's been ___ months since we left for Syria" since I am prone to do such things.

*ahem*

Probably I also told again how kind and welcoming the people were to us and how much I missed them because my sister summed up my own thoughts by admitting if she went on a trip like that she'd have a hard time coming home! Precisely!

So this week - February 11 to be exact - marked a year since we got home from Syria. I've missed that place so many times since last February when we took that long flight home on Turkish Airlines. Secretly - or not - I have dreamed of going back and maybe living in Damascus for a while. Seriously, wouldn't it be exciting to live among the people, learn more about their culture, their thoughts on world events, family, politics, religion and enjoy the camaraderie, food, smells, sounds and experiences of this different culture? I've certainly thought so!

So that was my dream last year and, believe me, God knew it!

This year I finally decided to be a bit more mature about it. Instead of constantly longing for something I could not have, I have been slowly, but surely, trying to change my attitude to one of gratefulness that I was blessed by God with the ability to take this awesome trip!

Here are a few things I've read recently that have helped me along the way. Soon after the new year, Mark Batterson posted this gem: "Is Your Dream Your Idol?"

I'd thought for a while now that God wanted me to be content with HIM and not so much longing for everything else in life. I'd been complaining to Him about not really having much of a purpose and how He'd been really hard on me by taking away most of the areas where I'd had interaction with people (e.g. the women's gym closed and I loved the classes there and had friendly relationships with many people there; Angie got a job out of town so she was no longer in my area to visit at McDonald's as we did in years past). Don't get me wrong; I like my alone time and I don't really get bored since I enjoy reading books, looking on the computer and writing things. But I did on occasion enjoy something else that actually involves seeing humans face-to-face. And I felt stripped of that and was mad!

Anyway, I've lodged this complaint against God especially more post-Syria and often felt the impression of these lyrics from By Your Side by Tenth Avenue North.

Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough
To where will you go child
Tell me where will you run?

Yeah, so why am I searching as if God isn't enough to fill this void in my life? Back to the above-mentioned post by Mark Batterson. In it he writes,

"I realize that many of our dreams never happen for one simple reason. We want it more than we want God. God becomes a means to an end. And our dream, which was meant to be a form of worship to God, becomes our god."

Um, ouch! Then he questions:

"Is your dream your god? Or is God your God? God will not be used. God will not be manipulated. God will not be played."

So I read that over a month ago and saved it to consider later which I am now doing. Actually I believe God used this post to get my attention and it's been since then that I've realized I let my dream become more important to me than God. As if living in Syria or finding some noble purpose in life would fill the space that only a relationship with God can fill.

Within this last month God has used other posts and magazine articles to confirm the same message. Like another one from Mark's blog in which he asks if we are ministering FOR God or TO God. He concludes this short post with a thought-provoking statement:

"I think one of the greatest dangers leaders face is this: we get focused on what God wants to do THROUGH us instead of what God wants to do IN us."


Maybe I'd been thinking "God, how can you work through me to do something for you" instead of thinking, "Lord, what do you want to do in my life. How do you want to transform me?

Then earlier this week I read an article about envy and although I don't think envy is necessarily my struggle, I could strongly relate to challenges in this article about being content because discontentment is my struggle! There were many things in this article that I highlighted including:

• Brooding over unrealized expectations may lead to depression.
• Abraham, Moses and Daniel were patient and practiced contentment.
• Any other pursuit but satisfaction in Christ leads to a breach of character and loss of joy in serving Jesus.
• What God has given you is more than enough.
• Dwelling on what God has not given can draw away the heart to idolatry.
• Find your fulfillment in Jesus Christ alone.

Good stuff, eh? It was like looking in a mirror and quite the challenge to "practice contentment" that I needed.

As the song from Tenth Avenue North goes to chorus, I'll end this post:

Cause I'll be by your side, wherever you fall
In dead of night, whenever you fall
And please don't fight these hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you.