Eyes on the Prize

Over Christmas break, Natalie and I went bowling with Uncle Matt. With little bowling experience, Natalie seemed to be challenged with the game. We tried a few tips and modeled it some for her, trying to encourage the learning process without being overwhelming. Well, that first game was 90% gutter balls for Natalie. I can't remember the score but maybe she hit double digits...

Coming up on the second game, I said we better get some bumpers up if Natalie is going to experience any of the joy of actually knocking down pins. So up they go, and out goes Natalie to bowl. I couldn't believe what I saw next. That ball rolled straight down and knocked over a bunch of pins... didn't even get near to the gutters! And so went the second game, a complete reverse of the first game she played.

Amazing what happened when she began to focus on hitting the pins rather than avoiding the gutters.

Ever had an area of your life that feels like it's one gutter after another without reaching your goal? Maybe it's your diet & exercise, spending habits, or like me... negative mental ruts that hold you back. Ever noticed that the harder you try to overcome it, the more you find yourself falling into it?

Maybe rather than fighting against the 'gutters', we'd do better to change our attention to the goal.

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14 NIV)

 

 

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Food for Thought

It's all in the timing.

My daughter LOVES pancakes. Loves them. Let's just safely say I've made hundreds of pancakes over her 13 year life span. The other day she decided to cook some herself. It became quite the learning lesson as I taught her how to control the heat of the pan and watch for the "bubbles" to show when they were ready to be flipped.

Flipping pancakes too early doesn't really work, and causes a mess as they break. Turning up the heat doesn't necessarily cook them any faster, just leads to burnt ones. Too cool and they don't have the nice brown coloring. There is a fine art in timing pancakes, and it's worth the attention and the wait to make them right.

Which leads me to think about how many other things in life are just the same way. Why do we push and hurry and worry? Maybe if we focused more on watching and finding the right timing, and less on getting something done we'd enjoy ourselves and experience much better results.

 

 

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When Heaven Smiles

Papa looked down 

eyes running to and fro

looking for his loved ones

his sons and his daughters

Those who were not

distracted by cares

entertained by earthly pleasures

angry with unforgiveness

There they were

humbly obedient

arms open wide in worship

rejoicing in Papa

Heaven smiles

Take Up the Towel

"I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you." John 13:15









Jesus spoke these words to his disciples as he assumed the humble role of a servant and knelt before them washing their feet. 

Serving means we intentionally lower ourselves to do for others what they may not even want to do for themselves. It is a calling for us as we follow the life of Jesus. 

When we serve, we naturally align ourselves with God's design; releasing his power and love in our own lives, as well as the lives of those we serve. It is a beautiful, humbling obedience to Christ that brings freedom.

"Freely you have received, freely give." Matthew 10:8 

When we receive freely the goodness & service of Jesus in our lives, we in turn are free to give generously to others. As we freely serve other people, we create a more open heart to freely receive from Jesus. 

It's really not about you or the other person or the act of serving, although those are all necessary factors. It's about Jesus and freedom.

Who can you serve today? 

At the Corner of Carefree Lane

Last Saturday, I volunteered for a "Pieathlon" (Sprint Triathlon) hosted at the Waukee Family YMCA. The Pieathlon is a charity event in honor of cancer survivorship and the proceeds go to cancer research. Oh yeah, the pie part?  It's dessert at the end, adding a little bit of fun to the day and a yummy reward for participants.

My role: to cheer and guide runners. My location: the corner of Carefree Lane. No biggie, right?  I can ring a cowbell, shout out my encouragement and send 136 runners around the corner and down the next street. 

Did I mention it was in the 40's with a strong, gusty northern wind? Yep, thankful for my hood and the gloves that were still stuck in my jacket from our last snow. Prepared for the weather, but little did I realize the impact it would have on me to stand and watch the runners proceed down the block towards me.

Down they came. One or two at a time, they trickled by me. Differing levels of fatigue showing on their faces, as they pushed through the last leg of the tri. Amidst their physical exertion, nearly all of them found the energy to flash a smile at my cheers. So many eyes expressed gratefulness as I guided their steps and they could just keep moving.  Voices cried "Thank you!" and even a few hands extended to share celebratory high five's. Wow, I couldn't believe how important my little role was.

No, I wasn't a participant who swam 400 yards, then biked 12.2 miles, followed by a 5k run. No, I wasn't the event organizer. No, I didn't research a cure for cancer or for that matter even give a donation that day. 

In actuality my small role was simply to cheer and guide on the corner of Carefree Lane. From the faces of the runners, I know it wasn't a small role at all. 

"And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us..." Hebrews 12:2 

There's a destiny and plan for each of us, a course to be run. The reality is we all get tired along the way and need someone standing at the corner cheering us on and guiding us in our next steps. We can be that for each other and it's no small role at all. 

Who can you cheer on today?   

A Wide-eyed Wonder

"Taste and see that the Lord is good." Psalm 34:8

In a recent class, we were talking about the Triune nature of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  How God reveals himself as 'three-in-one' is both mystifying and magnetizing to me.

As I continued to think on this, I began to enter a wide-eyed wonder of the multi-dimensional love revealed to us through our triune God....

God, Creator and Father: He loves us through his plan and design for our lives. He had a story in mind, before he even formed the foundations of the world, 'choosing us to live before him as children, made whole and holy in his love.' Ephesians 1:4,5

As random as life feels as times, we can be assured and reassured that there is a plan and design of a loving, good God and Father. He brings order to the chaos and is able to make all things work together for good. You can trust your life in his hands.

Jesus, Savior and Son: He loved us enough to come to earth, take on the human nature and show us love through his life and actions. Ultimately, he paid the price of death, to eliminate any separation between us; proving there is nothing that can hold back his love towards us. If needed (and it's not), he would do it all again today. It's important to remember that's how much he loves you and is committed to your well being.

God, the Holy Spirit: He loves us through his presence and power living in and around us. The Holy Spirit is the tangible reality of God in our lives today, and our hope of knowing him personally and intimately. He is not a God who is far off and distant, who may or may not answer our cries for help. 'The nearness of God is my good.' Psalm 73:28

Rest, rejoice and be refreshed. Oh, how he loves you!

Where Miracles Grow

Once a month, I help host a Girls Night Out for tweener girls at our local YMCA. We met last week and our theme for the evening was Soul care and taking care of the inner lives. We planted seeds in pots to represent the idea that we will grow what we plant in our lives.

Last night I was surprised to walk by my daughter's pot and see the sprout of her Bachelor Button flower had popped through the soil. Somehow this Dollar Store seed being planted, heavily watered, spilled, etc. in a group of rambunctious girls... actually survived and GREW! A miracle, indeed.

I am struck by how miracles grow right in the middle of messy situations. In fact, I wonder if maybe that's the recipe for a miracle. Let me explain.

I had a phone conversation yesterday that showed evidence of a 'sprout' of life and healing in my life. The person and I were talking about a situation that had caused us both intense pain and loss. I found myself talking about forgiveness and what it really looks like. It's a miracle as I see how God has been working in me.

Forgiveness is a work of God's grace in my heart, and not dependent on a person.

It's great when you have a relationship that will work towards reconciliation and ask / receive forgiveness. But the truth is, I don't have to wait or be held captive to a person who is not able or wanting to reconcile. I can bring the sin and transgression to the cross of Jesus Christ and allow it to be crucified and buried with Him. This is the crux of the Gospel and what the cross is for - to make right that which cannot be made right any other way. Even if you do have reconciliation in the relationship, I think this is still a powerful aspect that must be experienced between you and God in your heart.

Forgiveness is a choice to release, and not hold on.

There is something innate in our hearts that cries out for righteousness and justice. I have a lot of reactions when my rights are violated. I've found it's really worth letting go and putting in the hands of a God who is just and who vindicates my life. This is not denial or pretending I don't hurt, it's choosing to place it where it can best be taken care of - His hands. When I work hard at protecting or proving myself - all I get in return is tired and frustrated. It's a trap to try to control something that is not mine to control.

Forgiveness is freedom. 

It was hard at first, but once I planted forgiveness in my heart; the most wonderful fruit of freedom took root. I am no longer defined by the injustice or pain. I am defined by the power of Jesus' love and his death and resurrection. I am free to live.  I am even free to love the very person who has wounded me. 

Forgiveness is the story of redemption.

When I walk with Jesus and in forgiveness, I experience the miracle of redemption. Yes, miracles grow in messy places.

"And He was saying to them all, 'If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it." Luke 9:23-24

"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly." Galatians 2:20-21