Sometimes I think this world and all its systems is designed specifically to shake up our faith. There are so many things that need my attention in any given day. So many things that can go wrong. So many distractions. And all of them rage against everything I know to be true. They attack the peace I know is mine. They taunt me, trying to convince me that I really have no victory over anything. Is God really in control? Or does He even care about these things?
As you may have read in my last entry, I had an incredible revelation via a post of Serenity's and it really has changed my life's perspective. And yet yesterday, I was completely deflated. So many things went wrong at work. There were so many pressures weighing on me, I felt like I was being crushed beneath them. I knew in the back of my mind that I wanted to LIVE the day. I just couldn't seem to get it to the front of my mind.
One of the things that has always impressed me the most about Peter was the way he passed along to others what Jesus taught him. When he told people that the devil wanted to devour them and they needed to pray that their faith would remain strong, he was just passing along what Jesus told him in Luke. Then it suddenly occurred to me there were several times Jesus said we need to pray that our faith doesn't fail, that our faith remains strong. And that's when the intent of the message really hit me.
Jesus knew. He knew how many distractions and struggles there would be, trying to rob us of our faith.
Pray that your faith remains strong.
Now, I have prayed a lot, especially in the midst of despair. But I don't think I've ever really grasped the importance of saying, "Lord, in the midst of this and every other circumstance I come up against, please keep my faith strong. Whatever else happens, don't let my faith fail." Have I ever really grasped the fact that faith is my #1 weapon? That everything else I have hinges on that? No wonder Satan is trying to break down our faith. He's going for the jugular, so to speak.
I don't think there's anything wrong with praying about our situations. We're encouraged to do that. But it's absolutely crucial that we pray our faith remains strong through it all. We'll have more peace. We'll feel more secure. And it will definitely be easier to keep our heads in the right place.
There will always be times when it feels like the world is trying to devour you . . . It's because it is.
Pray that your faith remains strong.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Today is for Living
I know a young mother, Serenity, who battled cancer three years ago and won. AND she found out she was pregnant with her third child right before she found out about the cancer. I can't imagine the conflicting emotions she must have had during that time. And although there certainly had to be times she felt down, overall she came through it the best possible way . . . with a fresh, new insight and appreciation for life (and a beautiful, healthy baby boy!) She wrote a book sharing these insights, which she is still working on getting published. She also shares some of it through her blog.
Today in her blog I read what she wrote about her last check-up. Apparently, they found a spot on her bone that they need to do a biopsy on. They aren't expecting bad news, but Serenity still has to live through that stretch of uncertainty again until the results come back. My heart sunk when I read it. Not because I'm expecting bad news... I'm not. But because I feel bad their family has to again go through anything remotely like what they went through before. They're such a young family. Although I've only seen pictures of her boys, you can see the enthusiasm for life in their eyes. I've sworn off asking this question so many times, yet again I ask, "God, why???"
But then I read farther into Serenity's entry, and I see the hand of God at work. You see, Serenity has a gift for writing in which she can actually help people feel and experience the things that she is going through. I think this excerpt from her blog has forever changed the way I will look at life:
But since the bad news, in between the moments of despair, I feel intensely, deeply happy. It's like - I remember this feeling. The feeling that every single moment of every single day is an amazing gift. Plus, all the lessons I learned the first time? They won't leave me alone. It's like my children are screaming them as they run through the house blissfully unaware that cancer is anything to fear. The loudest one is this: No matter what they tell me that day about the biopsy, that news can't have today. No matter how difficult the recovery is, it doesn't have today either. Cancer doesn't have today. Whatever trouble is ahead, it doesn't have today, unless I let it.
I read it again. And again. And again.
How many things, so much less threatening than cancer, have I let rob me of my todays? How many worries have I let consume me? How many times have I missed the beauty, the wonder, the miracles of today because I was sad about yesterday or worried about tomorrow? And each time I do it, it's like I'm giving away a day in my life. A day I was meant to discover something, learn something, do something. A day of living with a grateful heart because regardless of what happens, God is near. From now on, I'm determined to live my todays. Not exist in them, but live them.
Because Whatever trouble is ahead, it doesn't have today, unless I let it.
Today in her blog I read what she wrote about her last check-up. Apparently, they found a spot on her bone that they need to do a biopsy on. They aren't expecting bad news, but Serenity still has to live through that stretch of uncertainty again until the results come back. My heart sunk when I read it. Not because I'm expecting bad news... I'm not. But because I feel bad their family has to again go through anything remotely like what they went through before. They're such a young family. Although I've only seen pictures of her boys, you can see the enthusiasm for life in their eyes. I've sworn off asking this question so many times, yet again I ask, "God, why???"
But then I read farther into Serenity's entry, and I see the hand of God at work. You see, Serenity has a gift for writing in which she can actually help people feel and experience the things that she is going through. I think this excerpt from her blog has forever changed the way I will look at life:
But since the bad news, in between the moments of despair, I feel intensely, deeply happy. It's like - I remember this feeling. The feeling that every single moment of every single day is an amazing gift. Plus, all the lessons I learned the first time? They won't leave me alone. It's like my children are screaming them as they run through the house blissfully unaware that cancer is anything to fear. The loudest one is this: No matter what they tell me that day about the biopsy, that news can't have today. No matter how difficult the recovery is, it doesn't have today either. Cancer doesn't have today. Whatever trouble is ahead, it doesn't have today, unless I let it.
I read it again. And again. And again.
How many things, so much less threatening than cancer, have I let rob me of my todays? How many worries have I let consume me? How many times have I missed the beauty, the wonder, the miracles of today because I was sad about yesterday or worried about tomorrow? And each time I do it, it's like I'm giving away a day in my life. A day I was meant to discover something, learn something, do something. A day of living with a grateful heart because regardless of what happens, God is near. From now on, I'm determined to live my todays. Not exist in them, but live them.
Because Whatever trouble is ahead, it doesn't have today, unless I let it.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Take time to stop & hear the music...
Dan sent out a link to a very interesting article on a human-response experiment done by the Washington Post. It's definitely worth looking at. And it's worth a little personal reflection time... How would I respond? What do I miss because I'm so "busy"?
They placed a very gifted and famous violinist (Joshua Bell) in the L'ENFANT PLAZA STATION in Washington DC, dressed as a street musician, just to see if the busy people hustling and bustling along would notice the greatness of the music they were passing by. Now, I'm not a classical music buff. And I think all street musicians sound incredibly gifted, so I certainly wouldn't fault people for not recognizing that this man was the best of the best. But I wonder why so few people took time to stop and enjoy the music. Maybe Leonard and I appreciate it so much because Lincoln has so few street musicians, but when we are downtown and there happens to be a musician playing, we're quick to stop what we're doing and find a spot to enjoy the music. It's such a treat! But I have to admit, if there were always musicians sitting every couple of blocks (especially with their cases open wanting donations) I think the excitement would wear off and the dollars would run out. It's possible the people of Washington DC couldn't possibly stop to listen to every musician or they would never get to work.
I'm inclined to think this experiment may say a lot more about how we condition ourselves to the familiar than about whether we're too busy to stop and listen. I think it would be interesting to run this same experiment in a place where people haven't had musicians there day in and day out. Would people take more notice? I think they would. We seem to be people who need change. If we hear the same things day after day (or even week after week), we quickly become accustomed to it and it loses that initial appeal. But one of the questions they posed in the article keeps replaying in my mind:
In a banal setting at an inconvenient time, would beauty transcend?
Do we only notice beauty in the midst of the best of circumstances? Does it have to be in our timing and on our terms? Is it possible to become aware of beauty in the midst of our busyness?
This whole subject has inspired me to enjoy more sunsets, take more notice of the squirrels playing in the park across the street, and most of all appreciate the people God has put in my life day after day. I don't want to take for granted these things that I would miss so much if they weren't here.
I wonder what the people of Washington DC would do if all the music stopped.
They placed a very gifted and famous violinist (Joshua Bell) in the L'ENFANT PLAZA STATION in Washington DC, dressed as a street musician, just to see if the busy people hustling and bustling along would notice the greatness of the music they were passing by. Now, I'm not a classical music buff. And I think all street musicians sound incredibly gifted, so I certainly wouldn't fault people for not recognizing that this man was the best of the best. But I wonder why so few people took time to stop and enjoy the music. Maybe Leonard and I appreciate it so much because Lincoln has so few street musicians, but when we are downtown and there happens to be a musician playing, we're quick to stop what we're doing and find a spot to enjoy the music. It's such a treat! But I have to admit, if there were always musicians sitting every couple of blocks (especially with their cases open wanting donations) I think the excitement would wear off and the dollars would run out. It's possible the people of Washington DC couldn't possibly stop to listen to every musician or they would never get to work.
I'm inclined to think this experiment may say a lot more about how we condition ourselves to the familiar than about whether we're too busy to stop and listen. I think it would be interesting to run this same experiment in a place where people haven't had musicians there day in and day out. Would people take more notice? I think they would. We seem to be people who need change. If we hear the same things day after day (or even week after week), we quickly become accustomed to it and it loses that initial appeal. But one of the questions they posed in the article keeps replaying in my mind:
In a banal setting at an inconvenient time, would beauty transcend?
Do we only notice beauty in the midst of the best of circumstances? Does it have to be in our timing and on our terms? Is it possible to become aware of beauty in the midst of our busyness?
This whole subject has inspired me to enjoy more sunsets, take more notice of the squirrels playing in the park across the street, and most of all appreciate the people God has put in my life day after day. I don't want to take for granted these things that I would miss so much if they weren't here.
I wonder what the people of Washington DC would do if all the music stopped.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Blog-Slacker
Yes, that's me. I have been a blog-slacker. There's no point in having a cell phone if you don't ever turn it on, there's no point in having an e-mail address if you don't ever check it, and certainly there's no point in having a blog if you don't write in it.
In my defense, I have been buried in work since I got back from our winter sales conference. But quite honestly, I just haven't had a lot to say lately. That hardly ever happens to me. I ALWAYS have something to say. Kind of makes me wonder what's up.
My life has taken a turn. As I mentioned before, Leonard and I are working together now (which I LOVE) and also our girls have moved out of the house. I'm getting used to the girls being gone now, and I'm even beginning to enjoy the quiet life that Leonard and I have together. We've been recording some mini-series off the Hallmark channel and we often cuddle up on the loveseat in the evenings to watch an episode. Most of them are on the dumb side. But we don't mind dumb.
All that to say, it's caused this strange feeling to come over me. I think I have nothing to say because I'm in a place where I'm not sure what's next. I'm not really wanting to come up with a plan and then pray for God to bless it. I just feel like it's time to enjoy what I have and wait to see where God leads us next. I'm entering a stage of my life that is unfamiliar territory. And it's probably the first time in my life that I've been able to be so unsure of what's next, yet so calm. (I've been a bit of a control-freak through the years... ALWAYS needing to know what's coming) I have no idea what is next for Leonard and I. But I also feel great peace.
Dan gave Leonard a handout at the last leader's meeting called "The Freedom to Live Loved". It lists a lot of different truths to ponder, but two of them in particular have been on my mind.
1. He wants to free us from the preoccupation of "getting from God" so we can simply live in the reality of what God gives.
2. The greatest freedom in this kingdom is from the tyranny of your own desires, agendas and plans.
I think that explains where I'm at right now better than anything else. I can remember so many times through the years, finding needs or injustices and crying out to God, "God, over here!" and "Now, God, come over here!!" The things were legitimate, I think. And I don't think God minded my prayers for His intervention. But I sense a different direction now. Now is the time to listen. Now is the time to wait for God's direction and follow. I'm not making any plans, I'm not going to try to fulfill any of my desires. Any agenda that's made will be made by God.
And somehow I know His plan will be just perfect.
In my defense, I have been buried in work since I got back from our winter sales conference. But quite honestly, I just haven't had a lot to say lately. That hardly ever happens to me. I ALWAYS have something to say. Kind of makes me wonder what's up.
My life has taken a turn. As I mentioned before, Leonard and I are working together now (which I LOVE) and also our girls have moved out of the house. I'm getting used to the girls being gone now, and I'm even beginning to enjoy the quiet life that Leonard and I have together. We've been recording some mini-series off the Hallmark channel and we often cuddle up on the loveseat in the evenings to watch an episode. Most of them are on the dumb side. But we don't mind dumb.
All that to say, it's caused this strange feeling to come over me. I think I have nothing to say because I'm in a place where I'm not sure what's next. I'm not really wanting to come up with a plan and then pray for God to bless it. I just feel like it's time to enjoy what I have and wait to see where God leads us next. I'm entering a stage of my life that is unfamiliar territory. And it's probably the first time in my life that I've been able to be so unsure of what's next, yet so calm. (I've been a bit of a control-freak through the years... ALWAYS needing to know what's coming) I have no idea what is next for Leonard and I. But I also feel great peace.
Dan gave Leonard a handout at the last leader's meeting called "The Freedom to Live Loved". It lists a lot of different truths to ponder, but two of them in particular have been on my mind.
1. He wants to free us from the preoccupation of "getting from God" so we can simply live in the reality of what God gives.
2. The greatest freedom in this kingdom is from the tyranny of your own desires, agendas and plans.
I think that explains where I'm at right now better than anything else. I can remember so many times through the years, finding needs or injustices and crying out to God, "God, over here!" and "Now, God, come over here!!" The things were legitimate, I think. And I don't think God minded my prayers for His intervention. But I sense a different direction now. Now is the time to listen. Now is the time to wait for God's direction and follow. I'm not making any plans, I'm not going to try to fulfill any of my desires. Any agenda that's made will be made by God.
And somehow I know His plan will be just perfect.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
The Journey
I just got back from a sales conference in Minneapolis. Leonard and I both get to go now since we work together, so I had the time of my life! They feed us great food (ALL the time), have very inspiring meetings, and lots of time to talk to other reps and vendors so we can get rejuvenated. (In sales, as in life, it helps to have a positive outlook.) And through it all, we get to stay in a really nice Hilton hotel in downtown Minneapolis. There are few things in life I enjoy MORE than a nice hotel!
At this conference I actually won a free makeover! I got to spend Thursday afternoon with some other reps at a spa getting our hair cut and colored. They then did our make-up and gave us all new clothes. I got the most awesome looking boots to go with my outfit! Then they took us back and had us all walk down the runway to show off our new looks to the 400+ other people that attended! What fun! I felt like such a superstar!
During one of the general sessions, our VP of marketing (Rose) asked a question that has really stuck with me. She asked, "Does the person make the journey, or does the journey make the person?" Wow. In so many ways, my journey has formed the person that I am. It has taken many turns that I wasn't expecting, and I've grown and changed because of the things I've experienced.
But at the same time, a person always has control of how they're going to respond to the journey. Cinderella is one of my all-time favorite stories. All through her life, as ugly as it got, she kept a positive attitude. Even though the people who should have been loving and nurturing her were mean, even vicious, she was always kind, caring, and optimistic. She had every reason to be angry and bitter. But if she had chosen to respond bitterly, I don't think the prince ever would have been attracted to her. It could have robbed her of her happily-ever-after.
So, I guess I'd have to say the two things work together. What do you think?
Lord, help me embrace the journey and go forward in eager anticipation, no matter what the future holds!
At this conference I actually won a free makeover! I got to spend Thursday afternoon with some other reps at a spa getting our hair cut and colored. They then did our make-up and gave us all new clothes. I got the most awesome looking boots to go with my outfit! Then they took us back and had us all walk down the runway to show off our new looks to the 400+ other people that attended! What fun! I felt like such a superstar!
During one of the general sessions, our VP of marketing (Rose) asked a question that has really stuck with me. She asked, "Does the person make the journey, or does the journey make the person?" Wow. In so many ways, my journey has formed the person that I am. It has taken many turns that I wasn't expecting, and I've grown and changed because of the things I've experienced.
But at the same time, a person always has control of how they're going to respond to the journey. Cinderella is one of my all-time favorite stories. All through her life, as ugly as it got, she kept a positive attitude. Even though the people who should have been loving and nurturing her were mean, even vicious, she was always kind, caring, and optimistic. She had every reason to be angry and bitter. But if she had chosen to respond bitterly, I don't think the prince ever would have been attracted to her. It could have robbed her of her happily-ever-after.
So, I guess I'd have to say the two things work together. What do you think?
Lord, help me embrace the journey and go forward in eager anticipation, no matter what the future holds!
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