Flexibility

The word of the day--perhaps of the week--is definitely flexibility.

We have two precious like-family little girls with us for a few days, my mother-in-law is surprising us a with a visit, and this is the week I need to train someone at work.  Each one a blessing, yet 'all at the same time' with the potential to push my I-want-to-manage-everything-perfectly-and-with-a-minimum-of-chaos brain into panic.

"My peace--my shalom, a calm in the midst of the storm--I leave with you...don't let your heart be troubled."

Breathe, bend, flex, release control.

Years ago I exercised at a Curves Fitness Center.  Many elderly women also exercised there and I was surprised at the difference in their mobility and balance.  Some of them were well into their 80s and quite flexible and strong.  Some were in their 60s and not nearly so mobile.  Of course I struck up a conversation with them!  Besides finding people so interesting, I wanted to discover the secret.  I want to be a strong and flexible ninety-year-old!

The ones who were strong and flexible had maintained a practice of regularly stretching and exercising.

Ah, stretching.

I found a of list of benefits to stretching and it includes:  increased energy and flexibility, better range of motion, stress relief, improved posture and coordination, greater circulation of blood to various body parts, and a greater sense of well-being.

When I'm rigid and controlling there's potential for breakage--mine or perhaps someone I love!  When I stretch and bend there's stress relief and a sense of well being.  That thought makes me smile.

My prayer for today is for your grace to fill me, Lord.  I choose to stretch and to be okay with things not going according to my plan.  I invite your shalom to increase my energy, range of motion, and coordination.  Please keep me from becoming twisted up in self-centeredness.  I want greater circulation of your life and love flowing in me and through me to others.  Help me to stretch and flex.  All and only by your power and grace.  Amen.


John 14:27

A Day of Rest

My Opa was a dairy farmer who never made hay on Sundays.  Even when the forecast called for rain for the rest of the week.  He took some ribbing for it, but every year he got his hay done.  I love that he had that kind of faith.

That being said, I don't for a minute think that God is waiting to catch us "breaking the Sabbath day".  Which day of the week would that be anyway?  Rather, I see His instruction to take a day of rest as an expression of His loving care for us.  It is good for us, spirit and soul and body, to take a day of rest.

"You must keep the Sabbath day, for it is a holy day for you... For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day he stopped working and was refreshed."

At this point, I must confess that I've definitely indulged in a little self-pity that there's no such thing as a day of rest for a mom!  Also, Sundays can be a very busy day around here.  So what does it look like to take a day of rest?  I'm pretty sure it's something different for everyone.

The New Covenant says, "For all who have entered into God's rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world."  There are many, many layers of meaning in this verse.  I know that for me to take a 'day of rest' from my labors means to take a break from The List.

There's a to-do list in my life that never ends and I get great satisfaction from crossing things off of it.  However, that list that never ends can sap my strength and be a vicious task master.  For me it is an act of faith to take a day off from The List.  In taking one day every week wherein I don't let myself do anything on the list, I'm saying that I trust Him to provide the energy and the time I need to get the important stuff done if I honor His instruction to take a day to be refreshed.  Part of the refreshment definitely comes from consciously using that time to connect with the heart of the Father.

Trust is a form of worship.  That trust is what makes this day of rest holy--whether the time is spent "laboring" in hospitality or reading or enjoying a day outdoors.

What does it mean or would it mean for you to take a day of rest from your labors?

*Opa is Dutch for Grandfather
Genesis 31:14, 17; Hebrews 4:10

Friends

Adam and Eve lived in a beautiful garden as God's friends.  Then their glorious relationship was smashed to bits by sin.

The results were devastating.  Loneliness.  Insecurity.  Hunger for connection.

Until Jesus came and made a way back into friendship.

"...our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son...so now we can rejoice...because Jesus has made us friends of God."

He is the best of friends.

Friends listen and they speak.

If you've never experienced this kind of friendship with God, just tell Him that you'd like Him to be your friend.

In fact, He's hoping you'll ask...

"If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends."

Talk to Him as you would to a friend and be sure to listen too--He has things He wants to tell you.

"Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets..."

It could have been a lonely day, but it wasn't.  I'm really thankful for His friendship.

"My sheep hear my voice..."


"I have loved you with an everlasting love."


Romans 5:11; Revelation 3:20; Jeremiah 33:3; John 10:27; Jeremiah 31:3

Love is an Action Word

Today I visited a friend with very precious little girls.  My kids love being there and it's always hard to leave.  I was trying to pull away and the little girls were hanging on, begging us to stay just a while longer.

"Don't go!"

"I need to go.  I want to go."

"Why?"

"Because Uncle Brian is at home and he's probably hungry."

Perplexed looks.  "But he's okay.  Please stay."

"He is okay and he's very kind and patient, but I still want to go make supper for him.  He's worked really hard all week--it's one of the ways he shows us he loves us.  I want to go make supper to show him that I love him... Love isn't just words.  It looks like something."

I loved their wonder-filled eyes and my wonder-filled heart.

Love doesn't have to.  It gets to and wants to.

Love is an action word.

"But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us..."

Romans 5:8a

Sensory Gifts

Today I'm thankful for my five senses.

I had the rare treat of going out for lunch at an Indian restaurant.  The dazzling smell as I walked through the door...mmmm.  The sound of the Bollywood music...impossible not to smile.  The laughter of friends, even better music.  The colour of the vegetables in the gorgeous yellow curry sauce...  Butter chicken.  Taste bud heaven. (If you have a good recipe, I implore you to share!)  *sigh*  It was all so good.

I'm sure that our senses are a gift.  They're practical in the way they keep us safe, but I'm also convinced that He had our delight in mind when He created them.  Of course these gifts have been corrupted--we're all too well acquainted with how they've been misused.  This has caused some to regard all pleasure with suspicion thereby creating a fear-based religion that demeans the very things that were meant to delight.

Perhaps you've been exposed to this type of religion and it's hard for you to view God as a Father who delights in giving His children sensory gifts.  Perhaps you're a bit resentful toward Him because you've wanted to enjoy these pleasures outside of the parameters that He says are good and beneficial for you.

Just as we are thrilled when our kids like the gifts we give to them, I know He likes it when He sees us enjoying His gifts.  Tonight as I made tortillas, I felt His pleasure in my joy.  The feel of the soft dough in my hands, the sweetness of the time spent with the boy who was flipping them as fast as I could roll them, and the moment in which we all shared one hot off the grill and slathered in butter and honey--all gifts.  The joy in our hearts was all worship...

"Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God.

For who can eat or enjoy anything apart from him?"

Ecclesiastes2:24b-25

A Recipe for Joy

This is my least favorite time of the year.  The glorious leaves are gone, the gracious mantle of snow hasn't yet arrived to cover the bleak landscape, and there's so...much...less...sunlight.  I'm pretty sure I'm solar powered.   For the rest of the year I cannot sleep in.  In October/November, it seems I cannot wake up or remain awake.  As a substitute for sun, my body demands carbs and sleep.  It is as though I'm overtaken by a primal urge to hibernate.

However, nothing else in my life recognizes or validates my hibernation theory so I trudge on determined to hang in there until my body adjusts.  I take my vitamins, try not to eat as much chocolate as I'm inclined, go to bed early when possible, and...well, I'm thinking about dusting off the elliptical machine.

Kindly, graciously, (might I add humorously?) my Father reminds me that my attitude also has a huge effect on my body, that there is a Source of strength greater than my circumstances.  Through the "mouths of babes" He speaks to me.  My daughter gave me a lovely picture--this is where the "humorously" comes in as I recognize it as a smack up the back of my head!

This is now posted beside my bathroom mirror--the spot where my day more or less begins and ends--to remind me of the best way to start and end.

"Every morning tell him, "Thank you for your kindness."  Starting the day by thanking Him that it's going to be a good one is a really good plan!  Something physically changes in my sleepy mind and body as I say, "Thank you for your kindness," out loud, first thing in the morning.  It's surprising that choosing this stance of anticipation of His kindness actually positions the heart to recognize that kindness throughout the day.  I spot it in the laughter of my coworkers, in an encouraging phone call from a friend, in the hugs of my children.  It's everywhere!

"Every evening rejoice in all His faithfulness."  Ending the day by counting it's blessings rather than groaning under the weight of it's challenges has a good way of putting those (very real) challenges where they belong:  in the faithful Hands that carried you through this day.  Remember, pause to make yourself aware, and rejoice in His faithfulness.  Faith grows.

"You have done so much for me...I sing for joy!"

It's true.  It's a recipe for joy.  Even when the sun's not shining.

Taking the Challenge

My Little One inherited my love of verbal expression.  One of the things she was really excited to try in our homeschooling adventure was the NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program.  She's committed to writing a story of 7500 words in the month of November and we get to count it as her Language Arts program.  This isn't the first year that someone suggested I do it too, but adults have to write 50000 words and that's not going to happen at this stage of my life!  However, this is the first year someone suggested that I participate in NaBloPoMo--National Blog Post Month, a blog post a day for a month.

She should never have done that...now here I am committing myself.

I spent a whole day and part of night deliberating, arguing for and against the idea.  I swung from excitement to lame excuses (I don't want to be under pressure and turn out poor quality--ha!).  I like to wait for the inspiration (which, by the way, means "breathing in") of the Holy Spirit.  Yet I do have a commitment to myself to blog once a week.  So I know that inspiration and discipline do have a meeting place.

The thing that cinched it for me was this verse that has been rolling inside me for the last few weeks.  I know this always happens for a reason...  The Apostle Paul was instructing Timothy, a man very young in his ministry, to "stir up the gift that was placed within you".

Stir up.  Sounds a bit like choosing.

The gift placed within you.  Sounds a bit like something given rather than earned, put inside you and me by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Sounds a bit like inspiration meeting discipline.

I know part of the gift placed within me is for the purpose of proclaiming hope and healing and restoration to hearts made weary by life (and perhaps by religion).  Blogging is one of the ways I do that.

So I'm committing to the discipline of writing a blog post every day for the month of November.  Trusting for the inspiration!

What's the gift that's been placed within you?  (If you don't know, ask Him to show you.  You do have one.)  How can you "stir it up"?

2 Timothy 1:6-7