Are You Radical?

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. 

Serving the Right Purpose

I can't pass up household disasters, no matter how small or great, when they have the potential to be great blog material.  To my unnamed son: thanks for the idea!  


Tupperware is a great product.  I love it! I will admit that I have other brands of the same type of product but I <3 Tupperware.  This stuff comes in all sizes, shapes, and functional uses.  You can always tell the era of Tupperware by the color; it's lasts forever so I have some 20+ year old country blue lids and I think my mama still has some that reflect the 70s in the yellows and browns and oranges that were popular then. 

Tupperware is awesome!  However, there are some things you just can't do with it, like put it in the toaster oven.  No matter how much I love Tupperware or how durable it is to be used for endless reheating of leftovers in the microwave, it's just not meant for certain things.  This picture, for your viewing pleasure, indicates just that. 

We're like Tupperware.  We are made to serve a purpose and to honor God with our lives.  When we do what we were created to do, we stay in tact.  Like a plate in the microwave, we may go round in crazy circles or get a little hotter than we like, but we're okay because we're doing what we are supposed to do.  At the correct time the plate comes out of the microwave and food is heated to "just right".  In serving our purpose we have been used to make something else better and to help it have it's own purpose through our discomfort and efforts. God uses all things to our good, remember? (Romans 8:28)

When we get outside of our purpose, however, say not living our lives to honor God, that's when things get messy.  The heat becomes too much, the activities too overwhelming, the crowd that we're with too influential.  This is when we start to run and melt, just like my poor plate.  And the thing  (food) that we were supposed to be helping along is also ruined because it gets caught in our mess (note the fate of the unfortunate waffles in the picture above - they're stuck in Tuppergunk)

Today as you make choices about how to live your life, remember my poor plate.  Hopefully it will help you to remember that when we live outside of our purpose that lots of people, including us, end up getting caught in our own mess. 

Boring & Stink Free

I love all animals.  We currently have three cats and three dogs in our abode.  I have had two parrots, too many snakes to remember, mice as pets after the snakes decided that they were not hungry, hamsters, a guinea pig, and a Savannah Monitor.  When I was much younger we actually had  17 cats at one time (nine of them were kittens!)  I have rescued countless birds because I decided that, if they were not going to live, they at least need to die with dignity.  I actually saved a squirrel from the clutches of death (at the paws of my horrible huntress and her brother) much to the horror (and secret delight) of my family.  I simply can't see my life without animals.  Poor Mark!  He probably harbors the secret fear that one day he'll come home to a Noah's Ark scenario. 

There are some "things" about animals, though, opportunities if you will allow me to use this word.  You have to learn how to take care of them.  Care of a parrot is much different than care of a monitor.  The environment to be created for a water snake is completely different than that of one required by a reptile who lives in an arid climate.  Dogs and cats speak for themselves; they are entirely different from one another. 

Another opportunity with animals is that, well, they sometimes leave a mess.  Occasionally the mess might smell.  Nothing reeks of "I love you" like a wet, muddy dog hopping on the bed.  House training a new puppy is always an adventure.  Rodents just smell.  Period.  (Sorry if you disagree - my experience has been that they stink).  Kitties have their own way of letting you know they're around. Even snakes are a little smelly and they don't even do much. 

If you wonder where I am going with this, I don't blame you.  To recap, I love animals but not everything about them is pain free or always pleasant.  Sometimes I have to learn something I didn't know,put forth effort when I don't feel like it (change the sheets late at night after the muddy dog jump), share them with others (a tough one for me!), or just trust them to be who they are. 

Here's the point: life without animals has great potential to be stink free.  But for me it would be boring.  I would be lost without the ongoing adventure of my silly critters, looking to see if the Beast has tucked herself away on a shelf or in a closet waiting to pounce.  What would coming home from work be like without little Dweezil dancing at my feet, terrorizing my toes?  Or Jack taking a minute to actually acknowledge me from his vantage point as kind of the jungle?  And what if Baby wasn't there to talk back to me?  or Milo to cuddle up, sleep, and keep me warm?  What if I turned on the bathroom light and Ferris wasn't sitting in the sink impatiently waiting for the water to be turned on for him?  Life would just be blah. 

I like the adventure of having pets in my life.  I think that this adventure parallels to being a Christian.  It's not always fun, easy, convenient, or what I'm ready for, but it is so worth the investment that Jesus asks me to make.  He never asks anything of me that is greater than His sacrifice on the cross. 

Today as I face the trials and tribulations of my daily routine, no matter how small or large, I'm going to smile and remind myself that although my life may be a little stinky at times, it is not boring, and there is great reward to be gained through tenacity in my walk with Jesus. 

Microwave Idol

We are definitely a society of instant.  We have microwave popcorn, instant coffee, instant grits (which I happen to actually enjoy although it betrays my true southern-ness), instant money access through online banking, instant weight loss pills, movies on demand - the list is seemingly endless. 

I was a bit shocked when God said to me tonight (on the drive home from church), "What about instant idols?"

I have never thought of idols as instant.  I always thought that idols were something that built up over time, something that pulled your heart away from God a little more each day if you didn't guard yourself.  I think those things are true of idols but tonight God pointed out something new to me:  the microwave idol.

You know the microwave idol; it's that thing that you wake up with on your mind:  the office gossip that is too good to pass up.  The bill that is due that you can't pay until Friday but somehow worrying today makes it all better.  It's the drama you can't control but must discuss.  It's the future that you say you trust God to handle but you are trying to figure out today how you can change it. 

The microwave idol.  The instant god.  The immediate deity.  Call it what you will - they hit you like a ton of bricks and, if you are not careful, they take over your thoughts and your mind.  They can stay with you for days.  Like the sudden onset of the flu the split-second onset of the lord of the now takes you over before you can blink. 

What do we do?  How do we combat this subtle and swift tool of the devil? 

We resist the devil and he will flee from us (James 4:7)
We take every though captive to the knowledge of Jesus (2 Corinthians 10:5)
We repent of our sin so we can walk in salvation (2 Corinthians 7:10)
We walk in the newness of Christ  (Romans 6:4)

Be aware of the long-suffering idol.  He is there.  He is waiting for you to let your guard down.  But today, beware of the microwave idol.  Look for him in the snack machine or the nearest drive thru for fast food.  He is just waiting for 9 seconds of your time to grow into something big. 

Lessons from Stone Mountan

I recently climbed Stone Mountain.  Wow! Spiritual lessons abounded as I traversed the face of a 300,000,000 year old piece of granite.  I'd like to share some of these with you. 

I find that I have much in common with weather rock that comprises the mountain.  As time passes the rock has been exposed to more elements parts of the rock have become fragile and break easily.  Only the parts of the rock that are firmly attached don't break off.  This is much like my relationship with God: when I am deeply rooted in Him it is not easy to break away because I am securely planted in Him and His word. 

The trees grow crazily on the side of Stone Mountain!  Trees that I judged, at a glance as dead, are not dead.  They are quite alive.  They just don't grow in the manner that I am used to seeing or that I think they should grow.  Some of these trees are growing in L or J shapes but they are alive.  How many times do I judge those around me because they don't look like I think they should look? 

The hardest lesson I learned was that I am out of shape.  Period.  I knew in my head that I was out of shape and I only look or give the appearance of  being somewhat out of shape but putting my physical abilities to the test of the mountain proved otherwise. Wow!!!  How is this like my spiritual life?  I give the perception of being spiritually in shape but when the storm comes my responses and my perseverance reveal the true nature of my spiritual health. 

The best lesson that I learned from the mountain is this:  stick it out.  We struggled, sweated, and climbed our way to the top of the mountain.  The hardest part was immediately before we crested the last rise; this section required more effort and concentration than the lower parts of the mountain.  When we came around the last corner, however, the view was phenomenal.  Standing high above birds and cities and being able to see for miles was amazing.  This lesson?  Walking with Jesus is worth all of the sweat, effort, sacrifice, and more that He requires of us.  There is nothing that will ever be better than when we come to the end of our journey and see what He has had in store for us all along. 

Thank God for Stone Mountain.  Thank Him for lessons learned.  I hope that these help you in your walk today. 

Spiritual BiFocals

As I mature as a Christian I thought that my vision for things that are spiritual would get sharper, that I would see things a little more clearly and understand a little better.  What I wasn't ready for was the fact that God is going to help me see more clearly, i.e. I have been given a prescription for spiritual bifocals.  b i f o c a l s Glasses that have two lenses in one and are required by the aging (I wasn't ready to include myself in that group).  Formerly the lenses were clearly separated by a heavy line in the middle but current technology now seamlessly blends the two panes into one lens.  Bifocals have two parts:  one part that corrects for near vision and one for distant vision (www.m-w.com/bifocal)  These are required when my eyes can't see everything on their own the way that they should.  


Spiritual bifocals.  Who knew???


The reason that I find I need spiritual bifocals is that I have trouble sometime focusing on the short term and the long term aspects of Christianity.  I tend to either say, "I know I will get my reward in heaven" and forget that God actually wants to provide blessing to me in this world, too, or I look through a blurred perspective and think, "I don't care about the long-term gain; this short term hurts too much" and then I decide that I don't want any part of it.  

I need spiritually corrective lenses to help me see both of elements of Christianity.  For instance, I need these glasses to remind me that turning the other cheek today doesn't mean that I am loser (which feel like sometimes when I turn the other cheek) because God's word tells me that I am victorious in Him (Romans 8:37).  

I'm interested to see what other aids God is going to provide me as I age in Him.  I would guess that there is a hearing device and as well as some sort of filter for brain-to-speech functionality in my future.  Possibly even a heavenly Rascal for when I am too tired to move and God is going to carry me for a while.  I know this much:  because they come from my heavenly Father, I welcome them. 


Bring on the miracle ear! 

Being a Good Wait-er

Our Wednesday night group is working through a series about prayer called The Sacred Echo.  Every one really seems to be enjoying the series.  The first couple of weeks were about hearing God's voice and about how much He loves us.  Pretty good stuff and, for the most part, delightful to the ears. 

The title for our session last night was this:  How long?  Yuck.  Not delightful to the ears; not a cornucopia of  pleasantries.  Waiting is never really much fun. 

Or is it? 

We had some great discussion last night and I think it's too good for us to keep to ourselves.  Here are some things that we talked about; I hope you can put them to use in your life. 

• Everyone waits all of the time; sometimes we wait on small things, sometimes big things, but we are usually waiting for something
• We may not like the wait itself but we like the outcome that God brings when we do wait
• We are never alone in our wait; God is right there waiting with us
• God's Word promises us great things when we wait for Him (Isaiah 64:4, Psalm 40:1, Isaiah 30:18, Isaiah 40:31)

A general consensus among us is that we should learn to be good wait-ers.  In our times of waiting we need agreed that we feel the need to do something and one of the things that we can do is take our time of what seems like passiveness (although if you've been told by God to wait then you are being obedient) and seek Him diligently through prayer, Bible reading, and worship. 

Here's my closing thought for today:  Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. (Psalm 62:5)

I wish you a happy wait. 

The Magic Movie Moment

Come with me, if you will, to the movies.  You sit in a darkened theater with friends, family, and a crowd you'll likely never see again.  United by the movie on the screen, everyone in the movie house shares the common mission of finding out how the story before you will end.  You sit in the blackness of the theater and watch the main character as he or she struggles with the conflict at hand.  Faced with difficulties on every side, he or she is desperate for help.  You don't dare eat your popcorn or drink your soda, because you might miss it, the moment, that magical movie moment when the character you're following realizes that help is available.  You hold your breath, anxiously waiting. 

In the Lord of the Rings, Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin have this experience.   I held my breath as I watched this motley band of companions as they arrived at the Inn of the Prancing Pony where they are unknowingly being pursued by the Nazgul.  Naive in their assumed safety, Merry and Pippin tell stories and entertain the crowd.  Sam sits while Frodo is nagged by the uneasy and persistent feeling that something is not right.  As the scene continues, the jocularity of two innocent hobbits grows as does the gnawing fear inside of Frodo.  The Nazgul approach as the air chills and the night seems to grow impossibly dark. 

Suddenly the ominous stranger sitting in the corner throws back his over sized hood and reprimands the hobbits for their careless behavior as he whisks them off with a swiftly immediate safety. 

The movie moment has come.  You can relax and let your breath out.  The hero has revealed himself and you know that your protagonists are safe, at least for the moment.  

The funny thing is that as a Christian I sometimes find myself waiting for the magic movie moment in my life.  I am looking for the One who will save me from everything, even myself.  

Shame on me.  

My hero was no brooding stranger in a hood.  My hero was hung on a cross for all the world to see as He took the penalty for my sins into His body.  My Hero traversed hell so I don't have to.  

Look no further today; the magic moment in your life came the day that you met Jesus.  Don't forget - let Him be the One in every moment of every day. 

I Got Nothin'

Maybe it's the head cold or the steroid shot but I'm a little dry these last few days.  I'm sure you know this feeling:  the brain doesn't work too well, the body feels a little less than inclined to react to what you ask it to do, the emotions are just blah.  This being said, the idea of writing a blog is a little intimidating.

Thankfully for me, God loves the good, the bad, and the blah.  Even when I got nothin' I don't have to rely on me. He is strong for me when I cannot be,  He is my power even when I think I am strong.  Zechariah.   4:6 tells  us that God says Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty (NIV).  The Contemporary English Version says I am the LORD All-Powerful. So don't depend on your own power or strength, but on my Spirit.

Once again God's word is there to come to my rescue and pick me up and remind me of the reality of my today regardless of what my feelings may be trying to tell me:  I may feel like I got nothin' but with God this is never true.  In His power, His might, and His strength, I always got somethin', even on my driest of days.

Wishing It All Away

I had to take Lil' Dweezil to the vet last week and, as we sat waiting for a room, I encountered a truly radiant lady in the lobby.  She was obviously a woman of faith and as we chatted she said, "I'm just praying every day and wishing - wishing my life away".  We talked a bit more, she left with her dog and I sat there thinking about her words, "I'm praying and wishing my life away."  

Maybe she was an angel; regardless she had God's message for me.  She may has well have said to me, "Michelle, God says to tell you that you're praying and wishing your life away and He says that you need to change that behavior." 

It's true.  I spend so many of my days 't have to "work as hard" or when our financial situation is "different" or we're not so "busy" or I'm not "so tired all of the time".  I spend most of my days wishing that they were tomorrow (or the day after that or the day after that).  Satan's plan is to keep me focusing on what may be rather than what  is at hand and I'm letting him get away with it.  He's not stealing my joy; I'm handing it to him on a silver platter. Ecclesiastes 11:4 tells us that  those who wait for perfect weather will never plant seeds;  those who look at every cloud will never harvest crops.  I have to quit wishing it all away. 

Since my conversation last Thursday, I am determined that I will not spend my today chasing the tomorrow that has the stealth and obscurity of the wind.  Beginning now I will appreciate what God has given me and I'll walk with Him in the tangibility of today .  If it's sunny, I'll wear my good shoes and if it's muddy, I'll wear waders.   

I'm not a big fan of cliches but I'll close with this one which I think is appropriate: "Yesterday Is History, Tomorrow Is a Mystery, but Today Is a Gift. That Is Why It Is Called the Present."

Have a great today.   It's the only one you've got!  

Thanks for the Herd

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a blog about the fact that I feel like God is telling me to be quiet.  I may have also mentioned that I find this funny and ironic.  My confession to you is this:  I am struggling with being quiet.  I would even go so far as to say that since God has told me to do this that I am possibly saying more than before.  I forgot, and do forget, to be quiet.

I think that this is happening for a number of reasons; a couple of these reasons are that it's easy to be excited about a word from God and then forget what He said if I'm not really applying it to my life and seeking His direction constantly.  I also have to tell you that I let my guard down.  I guess I got a little too confident or smug and forgot that after God gave me a word He expected the appropriate actions from my side.  1 Peter 5:8 tells us to be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 

I guess me and Satan looked like a film of a lion chasing a gazelle during a National Geographic special on this topic; I was the slow one and I was prey.  But I have to say, thanks for the herd. 

Unlike the poor ol' gazelle described above who meets an unpleasant demise, I have the body of Christ.  I have friends who are prayer warriors in whom I have confided I know that they are lifting me up in prayer; they are encouraging me.  I can worship and praise and learn and grow with my church family on Sunday mornings.  I am blessed by the Wednesday night folks who always teach me so much more than I ever offer to them. 

Church, we are blessed by our Christian family.  Remember today to be thankful for the herd. 

Satan's Paycheck vs God's Retirement Plan

Do you ever wake up and wonder, "Is faith worth it? Is perseverance worth the pain?" Maybe you don't but some days I question these things.

When is the last time you slept in on a Sunday? Do you know that life exists on Wednesday nights outside of school walls? Do you look at your beat up (fill in the material blank) and compare it to that of your neighbors and you think that theirs is better because they don't tithe? Do you wonder it would be easier to let your child dress according to the current fashion and not fight the tiresome battle that comes with raising children by Christ's standards? Do you wish you could, just once, throw out the gossip/slander/curse word without the accompanying twinge of guilt?

Face it - some days Satan's paycheck looks pretty good. It seems like those folks on Lucifer's bankroll have an easier road to walk and that there is a big fat paycheck to go along with it. In comparison, the rewards of the Christian may not always seem to as lucrative as that offered by the devil; there are days when I feel downright underpaid.

Take a good look at the fine print, though.

Satan's payroll shows that the lines marked 401(k) and Retirement are not only blank, they're in the red. When that paycheck is spent, the employer is going to come to call and he will collect those that are his and he won't be gentle about it. The devil is going to remind his people that they owe him for what they received in this life and that they will pay a heavy price by spending eternity suffering in hell with him.

For the Christian, the details of the retirement plan show hope beyond what hope should be capable of. The investment of the believer is secured in a place where moth and rust cannot destroy and thieves cannot break in and steal (Matthew 6:19-20). The ROI for the Christian is beyond unreal; words cannot describe what God has given for us. And when He does come to call those who belong to Him there will be only happiness and joy are we sing His praises for all time.

God's word tells us that the road to hell is broad and, in contrast, that the way to life is narrow and not many people enter through that gate (Matthew 7:13-14). Put in that perspective, God's retirement plan looks just fine to me.