Radical hope, faith, love, joy. When I first heard about the campaign and we talked about getting back to the roots of Christianity, I though that the items in the list of "radical elements" were things that I had licked. This campaign was going to be for someone else and I was going to coast through this six weeks.
Famous last words (well, famous last thoughts).
This six weeks has proved to be grueling for me. The struggles that I have faced as I let my spiritual guard down have been overwhelming at times. The battle has raged during fall campaign for us as individuals and as a congregation. Satan has been playing hardball and he's hit us low and dirty. Personally, I have been angry, confused, frustrated, lost, doubting, and a list of other emotions that are all negative. I have hardly felt joy or hope or love. I have felt much more like I was manifesting acts of the flesh (anger, rage, hate, discord, selfish ambition) rather than the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:19-26).
As we draw to a close of this campaign I am grateful for God's goodness and His never failing love. I am so thankful that even as I have not proven myself a mighty warrior during this time that He has and is lovingly showing me where my weaknesses are, where I must rely more on Him, and how to be better prepared for the next battle I face.
You see, His mercies are new every morning. His faithfulness is great. As Jeremiah said, "The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him!" (Lamentations 3:22-24) Because of God's goodness, I can say with confidence, "I am radical". I hope you are, too.
Showing posts with label Growth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Growth. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Time Bandits
"I'm so busy!"
"I simply couldn't get it all done today."
"Who expects me to do all of this? Shouldn't someone be helping me?"
Such familiar phrases! Schedules are overflowing with commitments and appointments that must be met. Blackberries and iPhones and internet and television and Tevo and OnDemand and cell phones and sports and exercise and the kids' homework and volunteering and service (the list is endless!) keep us running at full tilt, often times running even when our tilt is hardly full and could use a long overdue rest.
We are a busy society. Period. No questions, just a statement. In the midst of my busy-ness I find time bandits. Poltergeists - nasty little critters that cause disorder. Mischievous, petite demons make off with my precious time when I am not looking. Like the men in the 1981 movie, the Time Bandits in my life are moving about seeking treasure to steal. That treasure is the time that I can never recover.
Seemingly innocuous interruptions add up to days and weeks of stolen time that is forever lost. Five minutes talking in the break room turns into five minutes that force me to stay later in the office which in turn gets me home a little later which means dinner is rushed or cold and I miss time to enjoy my husband and children.
Perusing the appliance aisle in Lowe's and lusting over the Energy Star Washer/Dryer combo in fabulous shade of Mediterranean Blue for more than a minute becomes me being out of the house longer than I meant to be and I find that the day has somehow slipped away from me. (For the record, it is unfortunate but true that I correctly used the word "lusting" in reference to appliances because I can see this beautiful duo of appliance wonder sitting in my laundry room, shining in its glory, and somehow bringing an end to all of my domestic woes.)
It is not wrong to talk to a friend or spend a few minutes daydreaming. The point is that we have to be careful of letting these minutes add up to hours and then days and steal away our lives. God wants to be first even in our every day calendars; when we put Him there we quickly discover His presence causes the Time Bandits to go somewhere else and play.
Think about it: Banishing the Time Bandits. That doesn't sound too bad to me.
"I simply couldn't get it all done today."
"Who expects me to do all of this? Shouldn't someone be helping me?"
Such familiar phrases! Schedules are overflowing with commitments and appointments that must be met. Blackberries and iPhones and internet and television and Tevo and OnDemand and cell phones and sports and exercise and the kids' homework and volunteering and service (the list is endless!) keep us running at full tilt, often times running even when our tilt is hardly full and could use a long overdue rest.
We are a busy society. Period. No questions, just a statement. In the midst of my busy-ness I find time bandits. Poltergeists - nasty little critters that cause disorder. Mischievous, petite demons make off with my precious time when I am not looking. Like the men in the 1981 movie, the Time Bandits in my life are moving about seeking treasure to steal. That treasure is the time that I can never recover.
Seemingly innocuous interruptions add up to days and weeks of stolen time that is forever lost. Five minutes talking in the break room turns into five minutes that force me to stay later in the office which in turn gets me home a little later which means dinner is rushed or cold and I miss time to enjoy my husband and children.Perusing the appliance aisle in Lowe's and lusting over the Energy Star Washer/Dryer combo in fabulous shade of Mediterranean Blue for more than a minute becomes me being out of the house longer than I meant to be and I find that the day has somehow slipped away from me. (For the record, it is unfortunate but true that I correctly used the word "lusting" in reference to appliances because I can see this beautiful duo of appliance wonder sitting in my laundry room, shining in its glory, and somehow bringing an end to all of my domestic woes.)
It is not wrong to talk to a friend or spend a few minutes daydreaming. The point is that we have to be careful of letting these minutes add up to hours and then days and steal away our lives. God wants to be first even in our every day calendars; when we put Him there we quickly discover His presence causes the Time Bandits to go somewhere else and play.
Think about it: Banishing the Time Bandits. That doesn't sound too bad to me.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Bless Your Heart
I’m not terribly familiar with colloquialisms or slang from regions other than the south but I know that we have some good ones that make me proud to be southern. We eat our Sunday lunch at Mama-n-ems’ house and we are aware that fixin' in no way means we are going to solve your problem, rather it means that we are about to take action (I’m fixin to eat). Every good Southerner knows that he needed killin’ when presented as a defense at a murder trial causes the jury to nod their heads and understand that this incident in question, however unfortunate it may have been, was necessary.
There is, however, one expression that I cannot make my peace with. This is the ever-famous Bless Your Heart. To those that hail from above the Mason-Dixon line this phrase, at first glance, seems endearing. It gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling - until you hear how it is used. (For the record, Mark says that bless your heart is the Southern kiss of death). Try these examples:
“She just can’t stay away from the dessert table at the buffet, bless her heart”
“He is just not right in the noggin, bless his heart”
“If it weren’t for bad luck those poor folks would have no luck at all, bless their hearts”
We’re so busy blessin’ the hearts of others that we don’t take time to see their hurts or take a minute to help them. Merriam Webster says that a blessing is a thing conducive to happiness or welfare or approval and encouragement. Nothing about the southern bless your heart is encouraging. In my experience, this is our way of masking our insults while making ourselves feel better about what we just said.
God blesses us all of the time – He is good. Since I am not only a good southerner but I am His child, I have made a decision that I’m fixin’ to watch my words and make sure that the next bless your heart is sincere and offered with my Father’s love.
Y’all come back, hear?
There is, however, one expression that I cannot make my peace with. This is the ever-famous Bless Your Heart. To those that hail from above the Mason-Dixon line this phrase, at first glance, seems endearing. It gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling - until you hear how it is used. (For the record, Mark says that bless your heart is the Southern kiss of death). Try these examples:
“She just can’t stay away from the dessert table at the buffet, bless her heart”
“He is just not right in the noggin, bless his heart”
“If it weren’t for bad luck those poor folks would have no luck at all, bless their hearts”
We’re so busy blessin’ the hearts of others that we don’t take time to see their hurts or take a minute to help them. Merriam Webster says that a blessing is a thing conducive to happiness or welfare or approval and encouragement. Nothing about the southern bless your heart is encouraging. In my experience, this is our way of masking our insults while making ourselves feel better about what we just said.
God blesses us all of the time – He is good. Since I am not only a good southerner but I am His child, I have made a decision that I’m fixin’ to watch my words and make sure that the next bless your heart is sincere and offered with my Father’s love.
Y’all come back, hear?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)