Joy to the World!

Joy to the World , the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

May His love fill your life with wondrous blessings throughout the coming year. Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday Jesus.

Test Pattern

I am a child of the 60s and 70s. Being such a child, one lived under the threat of nuclear destruction at any moment – or so we were lead to believe. In order to prepare for such eventualities by our enemies we were always practicing safety drills.

I recall that at Noon every Friday a huge air siren would blow from the top of City Hall, as an “all clear” signal. If we heard that siren at any other time we were to seek shelter. At school, we would practice seeking shelter by either getting under our desk top or lining up in the hall and crouching on the floor next to the wall. Neither one of these “shelter” methods strikes me as providing much of it, buts it’s what we practiced doing on a regular basis.

The most annoying of all the constant disaster-avoidance preparation had to occur while watching television, however. There you are enjoying a perfectly good program then suddenly and without warning a “test-pattern” appears accompanied by a loud horn. Then a voice is heard stating “This is a test of the emergency broadcast system. This is only a test. For the next 60-seconds the broadcasters in your area are conducting a test of the emergency broadcast system. If this had been an actual emergency the siren your heard would have been followed by …”

It was the most annoying thing in the world. It was sudden and unexpected. It was loud. There was no way to make it go away. It was on every channel, of which there were only three, four if you counted PBS. The only thing to do was sit there and wait for “the broadcasters in your area” to finish the test and restore normal programming.

But as annoying as that test was, it turned out to be pretty good practice. Turns out God does pretty much the same thing. God has this way of suddenly and without warning throwing me into these tests and challenges.

My life appears to be running smoothly then I’ll be interrupted by an event that will really test me. Generally speaking, there is no way to speed up these trials. There is no way to make them go away or avoid them. I just have to be patient and persevere through them.

We are told in James to “count it as joy” when we find ourselves in various trials “knowing that the testing of faith produces patience.” (James 1:2-3). Well, let me say now, that I am one joyful and patient person! Which is really to say, God has put me through lots of trials of faith.

It seems as if I get through one and there not too long afterwards I encounter a new and improved trial. That’s the ladder of faith we are asked to climb. We can stop and stay at any rung on the ladder we choose but if we want to climb higher with our God then we are going to encounter periods of testing. The higher we climb the testier things can get.

However, we are not alone during the testing; we have all the help we need to be successful, although it might not feel like it. David was promised that He would be king and rule the land. But to get there God had to prepare him and test his faith. David went through many, many trials along his way. Many times he felt he was not going to make it. Things got so bad he found himself hiding in a cave. There were times he got so off track and appeared not to be headed in the right direction but in the end David did sit on the throne that God had promised him.

When that test-pattern appears in our lives we need to be not so quick to try and make it go away. But try to embrace it. See it for what it truly is – an opportunity to grow closer to God. Because the test will end, our normal life will be restored but in the interim we will have become so much more of what we and God aspire for us to be.

I'd call that the ultimate safety drill.
~

Bullet Proof

"How do I protect myself?"

"Integrity is a good shield."

    - James A. Michener, The Covenant
     
Ephesians 6:10-20


~

Racing Speed

Have you ever been driving down the highway lost in thought? So lost in thought that if asked you could not report what road side attraction you just passed or even what mile marker you were approaching. You were comfortable just cruising on autopilot.

Then out of nowhere, a car whizzes past you and startles you from your little world. Shaken, you decide in an instant to dare the driver to a duel. You flip off the cruise control and put your foot to the floor catching up to your new buddy. You tail him for a few miles then when you spy your chance you quickly maneuver into the next lane and pull ahead.

You don’t look to the side as you pass but you know your challenge has been accepted. You can feel the car next to you speed up and suddenly the race is on. Wheel to wheel, bumper to bumper you go.

Your eyes become stealthily focused on the road ahead. You and the car have become one. Your grip on the wheel gets tighter. You turn up the radio because the perfect road song has begun playing. That sneaky little grin you get when your heart races and your hair is on fire appears across your face.

The road rises and falls as you go. If there is a cop on the other side of that overpass, so be it. You’ll deal with those consequences later. The two of you are flying now. It’s been a back and forth race for miles. You have no idea how fast you are going and you don’t care to know. The only thing that is important is which one will hit the “finish line” first; that exit sign way off in the distance looks like a good one.

The exit sign screams by in a blur. Who won?! Who knows; it doesn't even matter. You laugh out loud at yourself and for the first time look over at your very worthy opponent. He is laughing too. You both wave as you slow down to something close to resembling the speed limit. That grin glued to your face as you rejoin the regular flow of traffic.

You don’t know how far or how fast you’ve travelled. But you do realize that you have not felt this alive in a long time. This awake. All of your senses are engaged right now. You could even report on each roadside attraction you passed – and who passed it first. Your adrenaline is crashing through your veins and you don’t remember the last time you had such pure fun. "Why can’t life always be lived going mach 2 with my hair on fire?" - you think to yourself. Traffic may return to normal, but nothing else for you on this day will be.

So, has that ever happened? I bet it has. And if it didn’t happen while behind the wheel of a car then I bet it happened while you were doing something else. But I would bet my bottom dollar that at some point – or at several points – in life you have lived going mach 2 with your hair on fire.

You have lived while feeling fully alive.

And that is exactly how we are supposed to live – all the time. Not just for brief glimpses here and there. Not just on weekends and vacations. Not just on holidays and birthdays. Not just during stolen moments or sudden out-of-nowhere moments that startle us awake from our cruise control.

Jesus came so that we may “have life and have it to the full.” (John 10:10). And He means for us to have that life now, while we are here, not sometime later. That full life is not waiting for us “in eternity”, somewhere in the clouds. That life is here on earth.

A full life is one that is lived while being fully awake, heart racing, senses engaged. It is a life that does not utilize cruise control. It is a life that takes risks and will deal with the fall-out from getting a ticket from the cops on the other side of the overpass later.

When we live our lives trusting our hearts to God, we begin to experience a more full life. A life we can feel in our bones we were born to live. God’s love and strength takes us places we cannot fathom and it takes work on our part to lean on and trust in Him. But when we partner with and trust God and turn off our cruise control our lives become so much more vibrant and well lived. We become fully awake.

Think I’m wrong? Who do you think was your partner and Co-pilot during that race, protecting you from a crash and the cops? God wanted you to get a taste of the life He offers in the hope you’ll come back for more.

He just hopes next time the two of you can do it while obeying the posted speed limit.
~

Super Duper Rubber Ball

Did you ever have one of those little rubber balls as a kid? The indestructible kind that came in a bright swirl of color? It was hard and compact and it could bounce for days. And boy, could those little balls bounce.

I had them. All kids did. I usually lost mine pretty quickly. It would start bouncing and then just bounce and roll out of sight – generally under the refrigerator into no-man’s-land – lost forever. I also lost several on our roof. I recall a time trying to see if I could get mine to bounce higher than our two-story house.

I threw the ball hard against the driveway in an effort to make it bounce skyward. I recall my first several efforts were not successful in getting past the second story window. Then with all the strength my young little arms could muster I crashed that ball into the ground and in turn it was lofted skyward higher than ever.

That little ball flew past the second story, past the gutter and as near as I could tell from my earthly perch it soared above the entire roof line. Unfortunately, I didn’t throw it directly down so the ball didn’t return to me, it kept on soaring. When it came down somewhere on the other side of the house it joined the Frisbee and other paraphernalia stuck on the roof. Didn’t matter though, mission accomplished.

When I think about it now I find it interesting. To get that little rubber ball to accomplish the task I had set out for it, to get it to soar and fly as far I as I could make it, first I had throw it down against the ground as hard as I could. When I didn’t throw the ball down very hard, its bounce back up was not very great. But the harder the fall the greater the ball’s rise.

If it works this way with rubber balls, I wonder what else it works with? Jesus was a kid once, you think He and His Father know about these little balls?
~

Sparklers

When I look at the state of the world it can make me a little depressed, to be honest. We are in the midst of a deep global recession. There is hunger, disease and devastation at almost every turn. It is almost enough to make me throw up my hands and proclaim all is lost, that it’s hopeless. Because after all, what can I do? I’m just one person and one person can’t do much of anything.

Tell that to the governing body of the PGA, Professional Golf Association. They will tell you one person is all it takes. They will tell you that one person can lift up and change an entire industry. Transformation can happen with the spark from just one individual.

Golf can pretty much be divided up into two eras – Pre-Tiger and Post-Tiger. His influence on golf and the world (advertising world anyway) has been so great that he is one of the few people that no longer need to use their last name to be recognized.

I used to play gold growing up. It was back then literally an old man’s game. My grandfather taught me how to play the game. I would play with him and my best friend and her grandfather. I enjoyed it because of the company but really thought the game itself was a snooze-fest.

Tiger came on to the golf scene with hurricane force winds. His father taught him the game when he was just a child. He learned the game quickly and easily. He stormed out of college where he had been winning collegiate and amateur tournaments. Once he turned pro he pretty much won at will for years. He has had some recent trouble and there are those who think he won’t make much difference anymore. (History tells us they are going to eat those words.)

But with his arrival came energy and excitement. Golf was transformed from a slow, plodding gentleman’s game into one of power and finesse. Golf became cool, hip and sexy. And young. I don’t know that golf was on the verge of becoming irrelevant to the next generation but Tiger single-handedly took the game and made it one of the most relevant and happening events going. Golf is now a multi-billion dollar a year industry.

I don’t know what Tiger’s intentions were when he chose to take up the sport. He probably wanted to be the best he could be at it, win and make a living playing golf. I don’t know if he set out to transform an entire industry. But he did. All by hitting a little white ball into a cup. That is some spark.

I can’t hit a golf ball very far. I don’t think my talents will transform much of anything. But I don’t have to try to change the whole world.  Tiger didn’t set out to do that, that was just a consequence of him following his heart and lighting sparks along the way. Those sparks ignited other sparks until a transforming fire began to burn and spread.

I can’t solve the problems of the poor in India, for example, all by myself. But I can send my spark of a few dollars to a charity that works over there. I can help those in my city by giving of my time to an organization that helps those who are less fortunate. I can send a spark of encouragement to a friend who is down. By following what is in my heart I can make a difference. And so can you. It only takes a spark.

There are some who thought One man wouldn’t make a difference. They were wrong. He went about doing His Father’s business and changed the world. He lit many sparks along the way. Those sparks turned into mighty flames and are still burning today. His life is still transforming lives. He also is known by only one name.  Jesus.  His birthday is coming up.

A perfect time for lighting sparklers, don’t you think?
~

Triple Crown Winner

Horse racing is an interesting sport. The central athlete in the competition is a huge thoroughbred. Like it or not this animal generally comes with plans of his own. There is the jockey of course. He is perched precariously atop his mount, urging him on. But really it’s the horse that does all the work and grabs all the glory.

Horses have been raced in organized races for over a hundred years in this country. Each Spring the country sets its collective breath as talk begins anew of the “triple crown” and whether this year will a horse emerge that can actually win it. The Triple Crown is won by winning the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes in the same year.

Winning the Triple Crown is not an easy feat. It’s not supposed to be. It’s not supposed to be won every year. The last time it was won was in 1978 by Affirmed. But perhaps the most memorable winner in recent times was in 1973 by an unknown, unproven horse named Red.

Red was a big, strong horse with what his owner thought was potential. But before his owner could ever race him, she had to prepare him for the race first. The potential she saw running in her meadows back at the farm was thrilling but all that power and fury and might had to be harnessed, trained and taught. Red had to be broken and taught how to run before he could be allowed to run.

Breaking a horse, especially a strong, fast thoroughbred race horse is no easy task. You don’t just throw a saddle on the horse, jump on and hold on until the horse tires and you win. The horse must be approached with caution. It must be handled with care. The bridle must be introduced. Then the pad, next the saddle and long after those are accepted regularly then a rider is introduced. And even then a rider may find he is an unwanted intruder and summarily dismounted.

Caution is used when breaking a thoroughbred because you don’t want to break his winning spirit when breaking his wild nature. Care is used to leave part of the wild streak in tact. It is that wild heart that makes him so valuable and fast and fuels his competitive nature. It is what makes him who he is and what makes him so valuable as a race horse so care is made to break only as much of him as necessary. The trainer needs his horse to submit to the commands of the rider but still have the wild heart he was born with.

When in the hands of the proper trainer a wild and raw thoroughbred can be turned into a Triple Crown winner. Red was. No one thought that horse had the right stuff to be a winner much less win it all. No one except his owner, trainer and jockey. They saw in him his true potential and worked to break him and train him just the right way to set his wild heart free. And boy, when they set him free – did he ever run.

That’s what our Owner, Trainer and Jockey do with us. We’re already Triple Crown Winners. But we must be taught how to run. They break us and train us all in an effort to set our wild heart free. Of, course we don’t see it that way. We see all that – the being told no, the things that don’t go our way, the endless waiting, the shaping of our character, the letting go of things and people we love, the lack of control, the missed joy, etc. – as pointless. But its not.

We have a heart but like the thoroughbred’s it’s a wild heart and we need to be taught how to reign it in and control its power and potential. We have plans and goals. We want to run straight for that finish line. But our wild heart must have some control or our running will be chaotic and pointless.

If Red was allowed to race just as he was straight from the meadow he would have never have won even one race. He had to be taught how to run and how to win. When his trainer and jockey taught him how he could truly harness and tap into his potential then Red could run as far and as fast as he’d ever dreamed of.

When Red was ready to race his name was changed. Secretariat could run like the wind. And when he did – he out ran them all. And when he won the third and final race, the Belmont, and thus the Triple Crown, he won by a margin that no horse has ever come close matching. It was like he had wings. When he was finally allowed to run he was allowed to run as far and as fast as he’d ever wanted to go. He just had to be taught the right way first.

When we are ready we are made new in Christ. We look the same on the outside but God sees we are new on the inside. And he sets us free to run. And He wants us to run as far and as fast as we desire. God gives us wings – wings like eagles. But He doesn’t give us those wings without teaching us how to use them first.

No one said getting broken in is easy, but just watch a race horse run and tell me it’s not having the time of its life.
~

Spirit of Adventure

Today is my Mother’s birthday. We have planned a fun dinner in her honor. One that incorporates who she is and the traditions she has given our family. It should be a hilarious night if nothing else.

My Mom is a lady in every sense of the word. She is beautiful and graceful, she is loving, kind and generous. She is gentle and down to earth. Although not noticeable at first glance my mother is also quite adventurous. She has this little spirit of adventure in her that likes to peek out every once in a while. And we never know where it will lead when it does.

It’s this little hidden trait which makes her so fun. And causes the family to do a collective shake of the head from time to time. Take for example the summer she decided to spend several months in Colorado without my father. My parents love Colorado and they spend most of the summer there – together.

One summer my Dad had work matters at home and he could not get away for the whole summer. Mom is typically not comfortable travelling alone without Dad or friends but she decided that this particular year she would venture out and go ahead to Colorado and Dad could join her later.

While there Mom decided to make use of her time, branch out and meet new friends. One of the things she did was to take a wildflower cooking class. It seems the point of the class was to take nature hikes, learn about the growing wildflowers, and my stars does Colorado have some stunning flowers in the summer, then pick the edible ones and cook with them.

I have to pause here and alert you that as darling as my Mom is, she is no Betty Crocker in the kitchen, Lord love her. So we were all very encouraged by this class.

Mother loved the class. She learned so much about the wildflowers and cooking while hiking and taking in some magnificent scenery. This would have been wonderful if it hadn’t ended up with Mom getting food poisoning. Twice. It seems that some of the edible wildflowers were not edible after all. (Either that or Mom’s cooking skills really are a danger. As Mom’s cooking has never given the family food poisoning I’m going to place blame squarely with the flowers.)

Who knew something as beautiful and fragile as a butter cup or dandelion could reek such havoc? Chipmunks, marmots and squirrels eat them all the time. But wildflowers for human consumption, while not all dangerous, should be approached with caution. As tempting as it is to use nature’s beauty for other things sometimes it is best to just admire it from afar.

Temptation is like that. We see something we think will be fun or will take care of our desires and we go for it. It appears to meet whatever need we are having at that time and the danger is hidden from view. Just because something is beautiful or helpful does not mean it will be good for us. Just because something works for others does not mean it will work for us. Not every one in the cooking class got sick from the flowers.

We must be mindful of the temptations that are laid before us and first try to uncover the cloaked threat before proceeding. After Jesus was in the desert for 40 days he became very weak and hungry and really wanted the whole experience to be over. Satan tried to tempt Him using Jesus’ weakness against Him. Satan reminded Jesus who He was and that He didn’t have to remain hungry, He could turn the stones to bread. (Matt. 4:2-4). But Jesus knew better.

Was Jesus hungry? Absolutely. Was He tempted to turn those stones into bread? Scripture tells us He was. But Jesus also knew that while God had helped Moses get water from a stone to help the Israelites, in this instance getting bread from a stone would not help Him. He knew that just because something worked and was God’s will for someone else, it was not God’s will for Him. So Jesus told His enemy to take a hike.

Adventure is good for us. God loves it when we branch out and explore His world. He wants us to try new things; He just wants us to be safe and mindful when we do. To be sure that what we are doing is the right thing for us, not for someone else.

Mom never has mentioned how the food tasted with those wildflowers but she never has taken another cooking class or nature course for that matter. However, she still takes plenty of hikes through the wildflowers. In fact, she has since hiked through wildflower meadows all over the world.

She’s just mindful to enjoy the beauty from afar and let someone else do the cooking.
~

Rite of Passage

There are certain milestones in a girl’s life that mark her progression and journey into adulthood. There are milestones for boys too. These milestones are important because as they are met they signify our step up to a higher level of maturity. And the shedding of another layer of infancy.

These milestone’s start small – walking, and grow larger – starting your own family. But in between there are a thousand other little steps. For most shaving for the first time ranks up there on the “I’m a grown-up now” list.

I remember being a little girl and watching my mother shave her legs. Sitting on the edge of the tub, hand full of shaving cream that she would smooth over her leg then she would expertly glide that razor through the shaving cream creating a clean, smooth path in it. Her legs were always so soft and pretty when she was finished. I couldn’t wait to be just like her and do that too.

I remember watching my brother watch my dad at the sink as he would shave. My brother would smear shaving cream on his face and take a razor-less razor and shave with my dad. Two shirtless guys shaving their beards getting ready for the day. My brother wanted to be a man like my dad.

For both my brother and me shaving was a sign of maturity. It was something grown-ups did. We both wanted to do it so badly but we were told “not yet.” “Not yet” are two of cruelest words a child feels like he or she ever hears. We know we are ready for whatever it is we want but our parent thinks we are not. So we get the “not yet” line.

The thing about milestones and taking that step to the next level is that with that next level comes added responsibility. Promotion never comes without added responsibility. We are not always ready for it like we think we are. Our parents could not allow us to start shaving until they knew we were ready for the responsibility.

I wasn’t yet ready at seven or eight to shave my legs. I wasn’t yet ready to handle a sharp razor in soapy water while teetering on the edge of the bath tub. Further, once a girl starts shaving she has to do it about every other day. That’s a lot for a little girl to handle. Not to mention I had no need to shave my legs at that age. Nor did my brother have a need to be shaving his face at 10 years old – thank heavens.

Despite my protestations, my mother repeatedly told me “not yet” when I asked if I could shave. And in the end I’m glad. Some aspects of adulthood are better left to the adults. But I still have not gotten better about being told “not yet.”

My Heavenly Father does the same thing. God has plans for me. God has plans for you. But that unfortunately does not mean we will be fulfilling those plans right away. God loves to say “not yet.” He doesn’t tell us that to be cruel, we only think He does.

Our Heavenly Father, like our parents, is teaching us the responsibility we will need to be able to handle our new level. He is guiding us through difficult times so when it is time for promotion things that would have been difficult will be much easier. God is educating us and equipping us now with wisdom that we will draw upon later.

God knew Moses would one day lead the Israelites out of their bondage in Egypt. God could have given Moses the power to do it right away, when Pharaoh first banished Moses into exile. But first God had to educate and equip Moses for the task that He was asking him to do. Moses wanted to lead them to freedom but he was not yet ready for the responsibility of it. So Moses spent time in the wilderness being prepared.

I imagine there were many days, weeks, years that Moses thought God had forgotten about him and the Israelites. But God never forgets. The whole time God was getting Moses ready for a mighty step up to another level. But Moses and the Israelites had to hear “not yet” a few thousand times first.

We may think we are ready now for the dreams, goals and desires that God has placed within us but we don’t know the added responsibility that will come with fulfilling those dreams, goals and desires. God does. So we must be patient. We must trust. And we must try not to whine when He says “not yet.” “Not yet” does not mean “never.”

After all, you did finally get to start shaving didn’t you?
~

Opposites Attract

“Opposites attract,” it’s a phrase we’ve heard all our lives. It’s said as a compliment, particularly when said of two completely wrong for each other people who have found themselves in a relationship and it somehow works. To the uninformed sometimes it doesn’t make sense. The republican and the democrat, the nerd and the beautiful actress, the millionairess and the pool boy (no wait, that one I understand).

But you get the idea. Negative and positives are attracted to each other. Generally this is not something to be alarmed about unless you are a millionairess. But there is an opposites-relationship we must look out for and that we all must deal with though we are not millionaires and even if we are.

Everyday we are faced with opposite but not necessarily equal forces. Both are competing for our lives. One is stronger than the other. One, when given the proper chance, will always beat the other. But it must be given the chance or it stands no chance and in turn neither do we.

We are given the choice almost daily in myriad different ways to choose between trusting or fearing. If we are given the chance to stretch ourselves and do something new, if we are given the opportunity to lean on God, if we are reaching beyond ourselves and striving for more, if we are trying to succeed then we are being asked to trust God.

And if we are being asked to trust God – fear is knocking on our door. Fear is telling us we’re crazy to trust. Fear is telling us we will fail. Fear is telling us it will never work out. Fear is telling us we don’t measure up, that we are not good enough, that God will not come through for us. Fear is telling us not to trust.

Here is the little lie fear does not want us to know – trust always beats fear. Trust is a fear killer.

Don’t believe me, ask Peter. Jesus asked him to get out of the boat in the middle of a raging storm and walk on the water to him. Peter didn’t think much of the idea. He paused to double check. Fear was holding him in place. He said to Jesus “if it is you” command me to come to you. Fear told him, he was seeing things, that the Man he’d seen perform miracles couldn’t walk on water, so he waited. When Jesus responded for Peter to “come”, Peter did. Peter trusted Jesus and in the middle of a huge storm climbed out of a boat and tried to do the impossible because he trusted Jesus. And Peter walked on the water. (Matt. 14:25-29).

Well, he did until he lost his trust and fear took hold again. Peter “saw” the wind. He took his eyes and focus off Jesus and his trust was replaced by his circumstances. He replaced his trust with fear and doubt. His thoughts turned most likely to things like – “What am I doing? I am a man, I can’t walk on water. I’m going to drown out here.” And indeed he began to sink. Until he began to trust again. (Matt. 14:30-31).

Fear stands no chance against trust. Trust wins each and every time. But fear is a joy killer. Worry and anxiety crushes our joy faster than the speed of light. If we are experiencing anxiety we are not trusting. We cannot trust and worry at the same time.

We have to pick one.

Fear is the easier choice. For some reason we think worry is the natural way to go. We like to think forward and project the future and usually that future turns out well for others but not for us. Other people are talented enough to do things but not us. Other people succeed but not us. Fear, worry and anxiety will always fight for our attention in an attempt to suck the joy and happiness out of our lives.

But if we choose to trust we will have our joy to the fullest.

If we choose to get out of the boat and keep our focus on God and our thoughts on the fact that He put the talents in us, if we choose to keep in mind that we are all created with the same love from God and He is the strength by which we get things done, if we do not lose sight of the fact that God does what we cannot do, and that a job done to the best of our abilities but that still might fall short is still a success then we will never lose our joy and fear has no power in our lives.

Trust and fear are not compatible. We must keep our eyes off the wind and on God.

Opposites may attract, but like the millionairess and the pool boy, some relationships are doomed from the start.
~

Zig-Zag

How do they get to where they are going? Do they even know where they are going? Perhaps they just go in the general direction of their destination and hope for the best. They certainly never travel in a straight line, not even for a few feet.

You’ve seen them; they look like drunken sailors as they fly from flower to flower. Seemingly no rhyme or reason for the way they fly. But somehow, someway they get to where they want to go. Don’t let all that zig-zagging fool you. These creatures know exactly where they are going and how to get there. The butterfly looks like a crazy creature but these little guys have a plan and a purpose.

Take its annual migration for instance. The North American Monarch migrates every year from deep southern Mexico to Canada and back. Let that sink in a moment. That tiny little thing that looks like it can barely make it to the next flower in your garden is actually on an extraordinary journey when you see it. Pretty clever for a bug that lives only a few months.

The whole migration is a wondrous event. It takes four generations of Monarchs to make it to Canada. The first generation begins in the winter and flies about 500 miles north where they will lay their eggs on milkweed plants. In a few days the eggs hatch into caterpillars. The caterpillars eat the milkweed, grow up in a couple of weeks then find a cozy spot to wrap themselves up into a chrysalis. During this 10 day period, when from the outside it seems as if nothing is happening, the caterpillar is going through its incredible metamorphosis becoming a delicate and beautiful butterfly.

This second generation Monarch then flies northward another 500 or so miles and the does the same thing laying eggs, creating the third generation. And the third does the same to create the fourth generation which is the generation which will fly into Canada. But this fourth generation is special. They are the real workhorses of the species. They don’t create a fifth generation. They will create next year’s first – back in Mexico.

The fourth generation of the migrating Monarch will live longer than his brethren. While his brothers and sisters live only 2 to 3 months, this last generation of the year will live 7 or 8. It will make the trip all the way from Canada back to Mexico after stopping to winter in warmer climates along its way home. Then in February and March it will lay the eggs for the first generation of next year’s migration.

How does it do what it does? How does the fourth generation know to fly home to Mexico? How does the first generation know to start flying north to Canada? Even if it knows where to go, how does it get there? It never flies in a straight line. It looks like its flying whichever way the wind blows.

But it’s not.

The Monarch has a plan and a purpose. That plan and purpose is built into it. They use their antennae and inner compass to help them. The Monarch has a goal in mind from the moment it hatches from its egg as a caterpillar. It will go through many life stages and travel many places along the way. It will zig and it will zag but it is always headed in the right direction. We see the Monarch in our gardens and think it cannot possibly get to where it is trying to go but don’t be fooled – it can get there from here.

And so can we.

Like the Monarch we have a built-in plan and a purpose. We have dreams and goals. And we have many life stages too. But our trouble is we let our life stages interrupt our plan and purpose. We don’t act like the Monarch and allow our stages and our own metamorphosis help us. We have a tendency to let them hang us up. And keep us in our first or second generation when we are miles from our destination.

But as the Monarch relies on their antennae and internal compass to help them find their way we must rely on our Inner Guide and Compass to lead us through and show us the way. The Monarch does not travel alone and neither do we. When Jesus left he told us He was leaving behind a Helper to teach us, guide us and get us to where we needed to go. (John 15:26). We need only rely on and trust our Helper to guide us to our destination. Our Compass will always point us in the right direction.

We fly crazy zig-zag patterns all day long and it looks like there is just no way to get there from here. But there is. We just have to act like a butterfly.
~

Rockfest Day 31 - Solid as a Rock

Gibraltar. It is known the world over. Gibraltar has been important to world history for centuries. Gibraltar occupies a strategic piece of land at the Southwest tip of Spain just across the rightfully named Strait of Gibraltar from Africa. Oddly, it is not under Spanish rule. They lost in it 1713 to the British. The Spanish are still pretty hot over it and as recently as 2006 they were still trying to find ways to exert some control over it.

But have you ever looked at it on a map? It is a tiny little place. Looks like you could flick Gibraltar away with your little finger. The whole land area is just 2.6 square miles. It seems more like an afterthought than an important piece of real estate.

What is it about this tiny spit of land that has had the world’s attention since it was first settled in 711 AD? It is geographically located in prime shipping routes. It is strategically located for travel to the Southern continent. But there is more to Gibraltar than being geographically blessed.

It’s that rock. If Gibraltar is known for anything it is known for its rock. You may know nothing about Gibraltar itself but surely you have seen that rock; rising majestically and massively above the sea.

The Rock of Gibraltar is intimidating. It has been the site of many battles through the ages. The rock itself has been the targeted prize at times and at other times it has been the strategic outpost helping the win the battle. The composition of the rock itself makes it a fitting adversary in any competition.

It rises over 1,300 feet above the sea on its western side giving forces a great vantage point from which to see the enemy approach. It is partly made of limestone which allows for tunnels to be easily carved for attack routes and cunning, quick movements of forces. The rock has over 100 naturally occurring caves, in which to hide and protect an army.

When an army took up positions on the rock, they were protected. The rock acted as a natural fortress. The natural stone was impossible to defeat. Because of its impenetrability The Rock of Gibraltar inspired a motto by the British Royal forces stationed there – Nulli Expugnabilis Hosti – No Enemy Shall Expel Us.

Companies have co-opted that rock for advertising campaigns. People have used it for wrestling monikers. People reference that rock when talking about perseverance and trying to inspire victory. It just might be the most famous rock in history.

Or not.

I wrote at the outset of this month long Rockfest, during the Month of Rocktober, that God is my RockStar and that I was doing this as a way to spend time rocking with Him. I realize all those “rock” references are a bit silly, but if truth be known, I did not come up with the nickname of the Rock for God – He did.

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; The God of my strength, in Him I will trust, My shield and the horn of my salvation, My stronghold and my refuge; My Savior, You save me from violence. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.” (2 Sam. 22:2-4).

“He is the rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are just.” (Duet. 32:4).

“There is no rock like our God.” (1 Sam. 2:2).

“For who is God, except the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?” (Ps. 18:31).

“He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps.” (Ps.41:2).

“and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.” (Matt. 7:25).

“and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ.” (1 Cor. 10:4).

It really isn’t any wonder why the Rock of Gibraltar inspires us so much and is so famous. That rock is more than a land mass. It is a fortress. It is a tower. It is a stronghold and a refuge. That rock sends a message just by its presence. That rock is a visible and tangible reminder of the Rock who protects us all.

The Rock of Gibraltar inspires us because it reminds us of the One True Rock who protects us, shelters us, offers us refuge in difficult times.  Reminds us of the Original Rock who gives us our solid foundation upon which to build our lives.  Our Rock is the force that stregthens us in times of trouble and defeats our enemies.  Our Rock will not erode away.  Our Rock is forever and ever. 

Gibraltar would just be another strip of coastline without it's rock.  Vulnerable and weak.  We too would be nothing special without our Rock. Vulnerable and weak.  But as long as we are standing on our Solid Foundation, nulli expugnabilis hosti – no enemy shall expel us.  That's a motto I'd bet my life on. 
~

Rockfest Day 30 - Lord of The Jungle

Tarzan is an amazing man.  Raised in Africa by apes after his parents were killed when he was a baby, Tarzan learned the ways of the jungle early.  He can communicate with the animals.  He is strong and tall. He can hunt with skill. And survive in conditions most men would find extreme.  Tarzan is at home in the jungle. Tarzan’s days are wild and free.

Tarzan has captivated our minds and imaginations for almost a century.  He is the perfect hero. In the books, television shows and movies about Tarzan we find a man who is full of integrity, always rushing to help the weak, is strong and trustworthy.

Tarzan, though raised by animals, quickly learns languages.  He can communicate with man or beast. Moves easily within society once he returns to it but is more comfortable in the jungle.  He is a skilled runner and swimmer.  He has great hearing and tracking abilities.  He wrestles animals and men. He is skilled with a knife.  And skilled with a vine.

His use of the vine comes in almost as handy as his knife most days.  He has learned from his ape family to adeptly travel quickly around the jungle. Tree vines are a useful tool for that endeavor.  Tarzan climbs high into the trees, grabs hold of a vine and swings it exactly to the spot where he wants to go.  Without the vine Tarzan would have found himself in many a tight spot.  We can hardly think of Tarzan and not think of the vines.

It is easy to see why Tarzan has become such a hero and captured our hearts and imaginations since his creation by his author.  There is nothing he seemingly cannot do.  Wouldn’t it be great if we had a real hero who could do what Tarzan does?  Wouldn’t it be great if we had a real hero who could win all our battles like Tarzan does?  Wouldn’t it be great if we had a real hero from whose vine we could swing?

You won’t be surprised to learn that I think we already do.

We have a Hero that can communicate with us in any language – spoken or unspoken.  We have a Hero that is at home in any kind of society – rich or poor, urban or rural, literate or illiterate.  We have a Hero that is a skilled athlete that can keep up with us no matter where we go or what we try to put Him through.

Our Hero wrestles and defeats each and every adversary we face. Our Hero hears us no matter how faint our whisper or how muddled our cry.   Our Hero is the vine from which we swing.

We are told our Hero – the Original Hero, is “the true vine.”  We are told that as long as remain attached to (abide in) our vine we will bear fruit, but without our vine we can do nothing. (John 15:5).  Like Tarzan, without our Vine we are in trouble.   We can't freely live and grow.  Without our Vine our lives would be a great struggle. 

We don't have to live a life of struggle.  We don’t have to dream of a life of freedom. That life is already ours. We can spend our lives bearing fruit and swinging freely.  All we have to do is grab hold of our Vine and hang on for the ride that lasts a lifetime.  Its a jungle out there so hold on tight. 

Feel free to give a little Tarzan yell while you’re at it.
~

Rockfest Day 29 - Whistle Stop

People don’t take long trips by train much anymore.  In parts of the country many people commute by train every day to and from work.  But here in the United States if we are interested in long distance travel we typically do it by air or auto.

Back at the turn of the last century train travel was still the way to get around.  Travel by train looks to be so much more civilized and genteel than the way we herd ourselves into airplanes today.  Trains had sleeper cars, dining cars, bar cars, Pullman cars and the ever popular caboose.  Journeying in a train was a great way to relax and see the country at the same time.

The stations built to accommodate the trains have histories unto themselves.  Take Grand Central Station in New York City.  It is beautiful.  It has been designated a historic landmark.  Tourists take guided tours of the place.  The station has a life and personality all its own.  Even if the trains were to stop coming into Grand Central, the station would still be a draw.

But some stops along the way are smaller and not so grand.  They are little whistle stops where the train only stops if someone needs to get on or off.  These little depots along the sides of the tracks barely get noticed.  The trains not needing to stop just flash right by on the way to its final, bigger, grander destination.  If the trains were to stop coming by, the depot and perhaps the town itself would just fade away.

Whistle stops are important.  They are important to the communities they serve and they are important to the passengers on the train.  Whistle stops allow a traveling passenger to stretch his legs and catch his breath for a brief second before moving on down the line.  While important, a whistle stop is rarely a final destination.

We might not be travelling by train but we are all at a whistle stop.  No one is yet at their final destination.  I don’t care if you are just starting out or the CEO of a large corporation you are not yet at your Grand Central.  Our journey is long and it is good to stretch our legs and catch our breath along the way, but we must not take our eyes off the tracks that lie before us; off the journey that is to come.  We must remember to get back on the Train.

We are called to press on for that which Jesus has already laid a hold of us; we are called to forget those things that lie behind and reach for those things that lie ahead; and called to press toward the goal for the prize of the call of God. (Phil. 2:12-14). We are called to enjoy the journey but to get ready for more.

Look around, this station is really just a little whistle stop.  When the Train rolls by don’t forget to flag it down, hop on and take the ride of your life.  Next stop – the Original Grand Central Station.  I hear its Heavenly. 
~

Rockfest Day 28 - Think Pink

Pink Cadillacs. If you lived in Texas for any length of time in the 1970s and 1980s you saw these obsequious Cadillacs everywhere. And you see them today in all 50 states, these pale pink trophies announcing that the driver is held in high regard by her company and peers.

Mary Kay Ash was known as one of the greatest woman entrepreneurs in American history. The company she founded, almost by accident after getting passed over for a promotion for someone she trained, is today a global organization. Mary Kay products sell by the billions in revenue by independent beauty consultants. But what really sells more than the beauty creams and the bronzers is the Mary Kay philosophy.

In her three books, one used by Harvard Business School, Ms. Ash maintained that the way to be successful in business was not through competition but through the Golden Rule – Do unto others as you would have them do unto to you. That is a radical departure for a business model. But it blew the doors off her competitors and her company has been growing since the day she founded it in 1963 with $5,000 seed money.

Ms. Ash's legacy and her philosophies infuse the company. She is beloved and respected by her beauty consultants. They hold her and the company she built in very high regard. They take its messages to heart and try to spread her priorities of God first, family second, career third in all they do. I attended a consultants’ meeting once years ago. They were some of the nicest, most cheerful, smart and genuine people I’ve ever run across. And they love their Cadillacs.

The pink Cadillacs are awarded as a beauty consultant earns profits and hits her goals. Today the company awards more than just Cadillacs and the consultant can pick her prize from jewelry to exotic trips, but the Cadillacs are legendary. And the most visible.

Whenever you see one on the road you know instantaneously who the driver works for. You know without a thought what the driver’s priorities are and what her philosophy is. Chances are good that you won’t see that pink Cadillac used as a get-away car or involved in a high speed chase on the six o’clock news. The woman driving that car stops traffic but for all the right reasons.

But what if you did? What if you did see one run a red light or driving 60 in a 35? Your first thought would be to say mean things under your breath about the driver. But your second thought might be to say something about the company the driver represented. Something about how she was not living up to its philosophies. You might go so far as to think that perhaps the company’s philosophies were somehow flawed because of what this one representative did.

That is not likely to happen to someone who has worked so hard and achieved a beloved pink icon of the American roadway. She will treat the car with dignity and respect. Knowing that wherever the car goes, her company and its founder go with her. But it is likely to happen to you and me.

We are representatives of the One whose philosophies and teachings we follow. Wherever we go, we are visible expressions of the One we work for. What we say about Who we believe in, must match our actions about What we believe in.

As a follower of Jesus, I am not called to merely believe in Him. I am not called to merely have faith in Him. I am called to be a living, breathing outward expression of Him.  If my words say I am but my actions don’t bear that out, that is not only a poor reflection on me – it’s a poor reflection on Jesus.

Jesus doesn’t tell the lie, but He will take a hit for it.  Jesus doesn’t run the red light, but He will pay a price for it.  Jesus doesn’t gossip about others, but He will be cut down by it.  If I take shortcuts to get through life, I am not diminished, Jesus is.  We can hurt the One we love by what we do, or we can put love into action and build God up in the world.

It is true that our actions speak louder than our words. I don’t drive a Mary Kay Cadillac but I can still think pink.
~

Rockfest Day 27 - The Old "It's a Squirrel Fake-Out"

One of the things that I look forward to at the end of a long day is to sit and relax on my front deck and watch the evening roll over my neighborhood. I enjoy greeting my neighbors as they pass by. My dog Gracie loves to sit and do this with me. She enjoys greeting the neighborhood dogs and cats as they pass by.

Unfortunately Gracie does not always come out with me when I first go to the deck. She sits inside and watches me. She wants to come out but fear stops her. I have a bird, Captain Morgan, a small little Sun Conure whose cage is right next to the door. And he guards that door like he was a hawk.

When Captain’s cage door is open, Gracie is afraid to pass in front of the cage for fear that she will get dive bombed. Nothing happens to her, she’s much bigger, but she doesn’t realize that. It’s the thought of the possible attack that keeps her at bay. So, I have to help Gracie get to where she wants to go – namely past the Captain and out on to the patio.

Gracie loves squirrels – or rather loves to bark at squirrels. She’d have no idea what to think or do if she ever actually caught one. So to coax her outside I whisper in a loud and excited voice, “Gracie! It’s a squirrel!” She comes running and growling out the door and onto the deck every time. She is so happy and excited and looking for the squirrel she forgot all about Captain Morgan. By the time she realizes where she is, the thing she was most afraid of is in her rear view.

It's a geat trick for helping Gracie past her fear.  I wonder if God has ever pulled the old It’s-a-squirrel fake-out on me? And as I reflect back I think yes, indeed He has. I can see times in my life when fear or worry or in ability was stopping me from reaching a goal. So to get me to the place that God wanted me to be and a place that I wanted to be he had to use a little head fake on me to get me past my fear.

For example, I really have a hard time talking to strangers. I love talking to people and learning about them but I just have never felt comfortable doing that with people I don’t know. I will talk you up a blue streak if I know you but in a group of new people I’ll just sit there quietly next to the queso dip, thank you very much.

Funny then I would find myself in the retail job of shoe sales at one of the premier department stores known for its shoe department. In that job if I don’t strike up conversations with strangers all day every day I don’t sell shoes and I go hungry. After more than a year of that I can make conversation with anybody.

Before I know what has been happening my fear of talking to people that I don’t know is in my rear view.  Before I realize the bait - great job, good money - for what it is (bait); the switch - getting over my fear of strangers - has already taken place.  Now, it’s still not something I love to do but I don’t hate it or fear it. Without just telling me to get over it, God gave me a little misdirection and lead me straight past it until I was comfortable with it.

Like Gracie getting past Captain, my fear was never something that was going to hurt me and certainly I was much bigger than it but I just needed a little coaxing to get me to where I wanted to go. And speaking of Gracie, wouldn’t you know it, by the time she reached the patio there was no bait and switch, there really was a squirrel down below.

Not sure who got more faked out on that one, Gracie or me.
~

Rockfest Day 26 - So, I was Thinking

I like to think. I think a lot.

I mull. I dwell. I contemplate.
I worry. I fret. I vex.
I analyze. I strategize. I plan.

I like to think. I think a lot.

I consider. I postulate. I project.
I imagine. I question. I presume.
I deliberate. I speculate. I ruminate.

I like to think. I think a lot.

I wrestle. I debate. I cogitate.
I reason. I obsess. I fixate.
I review. I explore. I brood.

I like to think. I think a lot.

Then I had a thought,
I am never going to out-think,
The One who invented thinking.
~



"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him." (Isaiah 64:4)
~

Rockfest Day 25 - Choices

The world waited and watched. With great anticipation people the world over sat riveted by TV screens and live steaming computers watching as the impossible became reality. 33 men pulled up one by one from deep within the earth in a capsule – Phoenix 2 – built in a Chilean Navy workshop just for this rescue. But while the men reached the surface beginning on October 12, 2010, their rescue began more than 69 days earlier, on the day of the mine collapse August 5.

The San Jose copper mine near Copiapo, Chile trapped 33 of its miners inside when a huge wall of rock collapsed sealing off the only exit. For 17 days no one in the world knew if the miners were dead or alive. Know one except the “Los 33.”

When the rocks came crashing down and cut the men off from the rest of the world there would be no quick fix, no easy way out. The men had some choices to make and they didn’t have long to make them. We know they had some equipment still at there disposal, some rudimentary medical supplies and a few meager food stuffs. To survive 69 days more than 2,300 feet below ground first the 33 had to survive long enough to be found alive.

As I watched that tiny capsule pull these men from what easily could have be their grave it was remarkable what was already known about them. Because the men had been found on August 22 and several shafts drilled to send in food, water, fiber optic camera cables, etc we had been able to see the men and what their existence looked like. It was easy to forget that for 17 days – 2 and a half weeks – the men lived completely cutoff from the world. Not knowing if people were ever going to find them or even be able to reach them in time.

Was it really true they resorted to drinking water from the trucks’ radiators? How did 33 fully grown miners survive on a teaspoon of tuna every other day? How did they handle the constant 90 degree heat and humidity? How did they handle the thought of never seeing family and loved ones again? How did they maintain hope? Did they ever give up? How did they keep going in the face of such impossibility?

Very little is known at this point about what those men endured during their days trapped underground. The men have entered into a pact not to speak about their ordeal until the time is right and then do so as a group. They want their story told the right way. But we do know one thing – their choices kept the men alive.

The 33 men faced choices, daily choices and their decisions made the difference in life or death. The decision to ration food, the decision to gather up the equipment and supplies at the beginning to see what was usable and how much battery power and light they had, the decision to allow one of the men to be their leader and follow his instructions, and a thousand other big and small decisions they made individually and as a group kept them all alive.

The 33 all made it out alive because they made the decision to stick together. No doubt there were times when some gave up hope but that is when others would encourage them, play jokes on them, console them or just sit with them and pass the hope along. The choice that lay before them – to live or die – was never really a choice at all. It was a challenge that these men would fight tooth and nail to make sure ended in life.

It is a choice we are all given. Everyday choices are laid before us – to choose between helping others or being selfish, to take action or to be lazy, to gossip or to speak kindly of others, to worry or to trust, love or hate, between indifference and compassion, and the list goes on and on. We are given the choice a thousand times a day between life and death and God calls us to “choose life.” (Deut. 30:19).

I am convinced the reason Los 33 survived 69 days is because of the choices they made those first 17 days. 17 days in which no one in the world could see them, hear them, help them or even knew if they were alive or dead. But their Father knew and He saw the choices they were making. When we make the right choices in secret our Father rewards us in the open. (Matt. 6:4)

Have you ever seen anything greater than what the whole world witnessed in the Chilean desert earlier this month? One by one the 33 were brought free from their entrapment, out into the open and back to their life. Can there be a greater reward?
~

Rockfest Day 24 - Sunday Contemplation

This is the day which the Lord has made,
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
(Psalm 118:24)

Today is not a mistake. Today is not an accident or a coincidence. You are alive today on purpose. Rejoice in that!
~

Rockfest Day 23 - Second Chances

This is not the post I planned to write today. But the events of yesterday intervened and really I had no choice. Last night’s Playoff baseball game between the Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees mandates today’s writing. After yesterdays’ post you’re probably rolling your eyes thinking I’m becoming a sport’s writer but I’m not that lucky and this post is not about sports, it’s about second chances. About resurrecting what was thought to be lost and forever gone. It’s about a pitcher named Colby Lewis.

Between 2002 and 2007 Colby Lewis had a total of 12 victories. And last night he was about to start the most important game in Texas Rangers history, to date – the game that could send them to the World Series.

I had never heard of Colby Lewis before yesterday. Now, I will never forget him. He was first drafted by the Rangers in 1999. He made his big league debut in 2002. Subsequently, he was traded to the Detroit Tigers, signed as a free agent with the Washington Nationals, released and signed by the Oakland Athletics, waived and signed by the Kansas City Royals and finally released from the big leagues for good that same year, 2007. He also underwent rotator cuff surgery. He became what people in the game call a journeyman.

After all the bouncing around and surgery Colby thought his career in the major leagues was over. But at 28 he still had the desire to pitch. He was given the opportunity to pitch for the Hiroshima Carp in Japan. It was a huge risk. Taking his family to a foreign country where they didn’t know anyone or speak the language. But he wanted to pitch and he thought he’d finish his career out in Japan.

Things didn’t work out quite that way. A major league baseball scout took notice of Colby over there. Noticed that Colby had changed his pitching style. He was more effective, had more control, had matured. Three years after he thought his career in the majors was over, Colby was offered the chance of a lifetime – a second chance to pitch for the Texas Rangers.

Colby won as many games in 2010 (12) as he had won in all of his previous six years in the big leagues combined. And last night he pitched the game of his life. I won’t go into the details of the game because the baseball details are not what are important here. What is important is that a man who was by all accounts mediocre at the beginning of his career and experienced a dream ending flame out, never gave up. He kept the door open.

By going to Japan and working on his game he kept the door open. By keeping the door open, by taking some action, any action, towards his goal of pitching, he was giving God room to work. He may have thought it impossible to get back to the big leagues from Japan but God didn’t. He may have thought no one will ever notice him in a foreign land but God sees us wherever we are.

Scripture is replete with Colby Lewis stories.  Take the Israelites after Moses has died.  They reach the Jordan river and have no way to cross.  They think its all over for them.  The last time they faced a river with no way to cross their leader Moses raised his staff and parted the sea for them.  Without Moses this time they think they cannot cross.  But God says He will help them.  To be strong and of good courage. (Joshua 1:9).  He will make a way for them, but first they must take a first step. 

God tells the Israelites that when the soles of the feet of the priests carrying the Ark of the Lord touch the waters of the river, the river will stop flowing.  This takes faith and action.  If the priests had believed but stayed on the banks the river would never have dried up.  But they trusted and took a small step of action and walked into the water and crossed on dry ground.  (Joshua).  The Israelites gave God room to work. 

If Colby had given up, if he had stayed at home in the US and laid on his couch and waited for the phone to ring, chances are great that he would still be waiting. But he gave God room to work and he was rewarded last night by being handed the ball as starting pitcher and the chance to pitch his team to their first World Series.

It is a second chance Colby did not squander. He pitched 8 amazing innings. I bet the people in Japan could hear his shouts of joy after the final out, Rangers 6 – Yankees 1.

~

Rockfest Day 22 - Mr. October

The Boys of October – that’s what they are called. The baseball players who are still playing baseball because their teams are in the Playoffs. I love baseball and I love October so this time of year I am pretty much in hog heaven.

I think my love of Playoff baseball started around the time I was in the 7th grade. The Dodgers were playing the Yankees in the World Series. My Grandmother was a huge baseball fan. She had gotten me hooked on following the game that summer. She was a betting woman – friendly bets nothing serious – and her “money” was on the Yankees and Reggie Jackson, Mr. October.

Likewise, I made a friendly bet with my boyfriend on the Series. I am named after my Grandmother so naturally I too picked the Yanks and Reggie. It was a tremendous series. If you follow baseball at all there were stars on both teams – The Dodgers, managed by the brilliant Tommy Lasorda, had Don Sutton, Burt Hooton, and Tommy John (for whom a pitcher’s reconstructive elbow surgery is named), Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Ron Cey and Dusty Baker just to name a few. The Yankees, managed by the colorful Billy Martin, had Catfish Hunter, Sparky Lyle, Ron Guidry, Thurman Munson, Lou Piniella, Bucky Dent and Mr. October.

1977 was Reggie’s first season with the Yankees and it is true that that season did not go all that smoothly. In the clubhouse personalities and egos clashed. That is likely to happen when so many talented people are put together. Everyone wants to be the leader. But out on the field was a different story. This team was special. The Series was special.

The whole Series was a fist fight. There were pitchers duels with games ending 4-3. There were games when batters took charge and the score getting blown out 6-1. The first game, at Yankee Stadium, went 12 innings. It seemed like for both teams there was always a different player each night stepping up and meeting the challenge for their team. Game 1 – Yankees, Game 2 – Dodgers, Games 3 & 4 - Yankees, Game 5 – Dodgers. Then came Game 6.

October 18, 1977 belonged to Mr. October. The Dodgers never really even stood a chance, although they gave it their all. Reggie Jackson was sent to the plate 4 times. The first time he was walked on 4 straight pitches. His next 3 at bats – he hit a homerun on the first pitch he saw. 3 at bats; 3 homeruns. He was responsible for 5 of the Yankees 8 runs that night. Howard Cosell could hardly contain his glee when calling the game and the third of Jackson’s home runs. Game 6 and the Series – Yankees. Win of friendly bet vs. boyfriend – me.

Reggie Jackson was given the nickname Mr. October when a reporter was talking to a teammate who gruffly told the reporter to go talk to “Mr. October.” But the name stuck and became synonymous with clutch performance. Reggie hit homeruns in games 4 and 5 for a total of 5 homeruns in the Series and was responsible for 8 total runs during the Series with the Dodgers. That is clutch performance. When hitting 3 out of 10 times is considered a good average, Reggie was hitting 4.5 times out of 10. That is clutch. Three consecutive first-pitch homeruns in one game. That is clutch.

Clutch performance is what we all need from our teammates. We need a teammate that is our go to guy. That will hit the ball 10 out of 10 times. That will dig our team out of a hole, be there for us when we falter, get behind or are facing a more powerful opponent.  That we know will hit a home run for us each and every time we send him up to bat.

Luckily, we have our own Mr. October on our team. He is right here with us, all day, all game, every game, just waiting for us to ask Him to step up for us. But like Billy Martin had to put Reggie Jackson into the official line up every night to make him eligible to play, our Mr. October cannot step up to the plate for us if we don’t ask Him to join our line up and hand Him the bat. He is waiting to step up and meet our challenges for us.

Let’s not leave our Teammate on the bench. Invite Him into the game. It’s going to be a beautiful night for a homerun.
~

Rockfest Day 21 - Some Assembly Required

“Some assembly required” are three of the most terrifying words. Every parent has at one time or another been confronted with these words, usually on Christmas eve. Left over parts, lost instructions, part A definitely does not fit into part B and so on goes the many disasters awaiting ahead.

I had the pleasure of doing a bit of assembly myself recently most unexpectedly. All I wanted was a new outdoor loveseat for my patio. Loveseats and most furniture do not require assembly. I thought the task of going to the discount retailer to buy it where they were on sale would be a snap errand. Not so snap.

I invited a friend to join me, a friend with an SUV, so I could transport my loveseat home. The loveseats and other furniture looked great on display and my friend agreed with my decorating choices. When I remarked that I thought I’d have to get a sales person to get one from the back room my friend remarked that it appeared all the loveseats were out on the floor. To my horror she was simultaneously pointing at a very large box with the loveseat pictured on it.

The box was much smaller than the loveseat itself. There was no way the box contained a fully formed and finished piece of furniture. I stood in awe and wonder – I wondered how the heck did they get that in there? Disassembly, of course. Which meant its first cousin self-assembly and her sisters fear and frustration awaited before me.

The box was surprisingly light and we were able to get it into the cart, into the SUV and ultimately into my living room. Where as they say, hilarity ensued. My friend who thought she was just driving me on a quick errand found her day enveloped by a loveseat. I don’t know how many grown adults it was supposed to take to put that thing together, but two was not enough, we could have used more, many more.

With instructions in hand we set about our task. We were so proud when we got those first two pieces A and B together. We quickly learned while trying to attach piece C that we had assembled either A or B or both upside down and backwards. Round two didn’t go much better. The pieces had pre-drilled holes for quick and easy assembly. And it would have been quick and easy had the holes lined up properly.

We wrestled with that thing for what seemed like hours. We took turns – sort of tag teaming the thing – screwing in the bolts only to find out we’d left out the washer. We tried to manipulate and conjole that thing together. Crawled on the floor under it, raised it on end for more leverage. Anything we could think of to get those four – only four! – pieces together.

I am happy to report that we were successful. Man did conquer machine, as it were. The loveseat looks great. And so far it is still holding together – a minor miracle if I do say so. And the process was actually bearable with much laughter along the way.

The finished product turned out to be just what I had in mind for my patio. However, the process getting there was way more grueling than I had planned. I thought it’d be easy, just go to the store and get what I wanted fully formed and ready to go. But that was not to be. But just because the loveseat was more difficult to bring into my life than first thought did not mean the loveseat was not attainable. It just took some effort to assemble.

Life doesn’t give us a fully formed version of ourselves. We too require assembly. We have dreams, goals and desires and we hope that we will achieve them with ease and little effort. That is not in God’s plan. We, like the loveseat, come with all the parts we will ever need to realize our goals and dreams. We do, however, require assembly to make our parts – our talents, skills, gifts, desires – fully formed.

Every one has a purpose. There is a plan and a blueprint for all of us. There are no spare parts or left over people. What we have to do is look within ourselves and see what parts God put in our box. I do not have the same parts as you. You have different skills, gifts and talents than the next person.

Discovering our parts and allowing God to develop and assemble them is His plan. It’s how He shares us with the world and how He draws us closer to Himself.  We can be assured we discovered one of our parts when pursuing it or doing it brings us joy.  Our parts ignite passion within us and spur us on to do more.  Our skills and gifts may draw us to difficult circumstances and challenges but they don't bring us discontentment.  If we find ourselves dreading what we do then we know that we are trying to use a talent or skill that did not come in our box.  Realizing what is not in our box is just as important as discovering what is.

The process won’t be pretty. Our assembly will entail some degree fear and frustration. But there is no doubt it will also entail lots of hilarity and laughter.

Don’t let the parts remain disassembled, why not open your box and discover what God put inside? You might find some delightful surprises.  The finished product promises to be amazing.
~

Rockfest Day 20 - Ring Around the Collar

I have a little black and tan dog named Gracie. I adopted her from the city pound a few years ago when she was a puppy. I don’t know what breed she is specifically but she has lots of Border Collie in her genes. She’s great at herding me down stairs and staring at me for hours. The staring part can get a little disconcerting after a while. It’s like living with a stalker.

Gracie loves toys. She loves to play tug of war with them, pull out the squeaker and pull out all the stuffing (she calls it “brains”). She is very happy when my freshly cleaned living room is full of brains and toy debris. But what she loves more than her toys is her collar. She is crazy for her collar.

Every once in a while I will take off her collar to give her a chance to be free. To give her neck a chance to rest from the constant rubbing and her ears a rest from the constant clink-clink of the tags. She has great, crazy hair and I love to run my fingers through her scruffy coat when she is collar-free. She looks like a small wolf and I want her to have the chance to roam around looking like one for a little bit.

She hates it. She hates to have her collar taken off. She will mope around, hide under the bed and generally act as if she has done something wrong. I don’t really understand this reaction. I would think Gracie would love her freedom, but she hates it.

She gets so excited when she sees the collar in my hand. She will sit very still and stare at me with those wonderful light brown eyes and give her tail just a tiny wag imploring me to put her necklace back on. And she is so joyous after I do. She struts and prances around, runs crazy all over the house as though I have showered her with love and put a diamond necklace around her neck. And perhaps I have.

Without the collar Gracie cannot tell the world who she is. She cannot tell the world that she belongs to someone and someone loves her. Her collar gives her an identity. When people see her with her collar they can call her by name. Her collar says to the world that she is mine and I am hers.

What Gracie does not know is that she does not need the collar to do those things. Her collar does not make me love her more. Her collar is not what makes her mine. She has belonged to me and me to her since the day I adopted her. Nothing will ever change that. She is free to roam wildly about collar and tag free and she would still be mine. I don’t need the collar to know who she is and what her name is. I have known her from the beginning.

We don’t need collars or name tags ourselves for that same reason. Our Heavenly Father loves us and adopted us from the beginning. We belong to Him and He belongs to us, and nothing will ever change that. We can destroy all our toys and throw all the brains and debris around the room and our Father will still love us.

When we roam about in the world we don’t need a collar or necklace to identify who we belong to, our actions will tell the world who we love and in whose house we live. We will be “known by our fruits.” (Luke 6:44). We don’t need fancy jewelry to indentify who we are; our Father knows each of us “by name.” (Ex. 33:17).

I understand Gracie’s hesitancy to be without her collar. It’s a scary world out there and I am not always within barking distance to hear her when she’s lost. If she gets separated from me the collar is reassurance to her that she will get home. When we find ourselves lost and separated from our Heavenly Father we must remember that He is always within barking distance of our voice. In fact, we are never truly lost, it just feels that way; He is right beside us wherever we go, always was and always will be. (Gen. 28:15, Matt. 28:20).  We are free to roam this world and be who we were created to be and our Father will always be there for us. 

With his love and the freedom that brings, our Heavenly Father has given us something much more valuable than any diamond necklace. Gracie’s right, that does make me feel like strutting and prancing.

~

Rockfest Day 19 - No Truer Words

I don’t know if Rod and Van set out to create a beautiful psalm/hymn, but the words speak for themselves.

Have I told you lately that I love you,
Have I told you there's no one else above you,
You fill my heart with gladness,
Take away all my sadness,
Ease my troubles, that's what you do.

For the morning sun in all it's glory,
Greets the day with hope and comfort too,
You fill my heart with laughter,
Take away and make it better,
Ease my troubles, that's what you do.

There's a love that's divine,
And it's yours and it's mine,
Like the sun,
And at the end of the day,
We should give thanks and pray,
To the one, to the one.

Have I told you lately that I love you,
Have I told you there's no one else above you,
You fill my heart with gladness,
Take away all my sadness,
Ease my troubles, that's what you do.

There's a love that's divine,
And it's yours and it's mine,
Like the sun,
And at the end of the day,
We should give thanks and pray,
To the one, to the one.

Have I told you lately that I love you,
Have I told you there's no one else above you,
You fill my heart with gladness,
Take away all my sadness,
Ease my troubles, that's what you do.

Fill my heart with gladness,
Take away all my sadness,
Ease my troubles, that's what you do.

"Have I Told You Lately", as sung by Rod Stewart, lyrics by Van Morrison.

So, have you?
~

Rockfest Day 18 - Masterpiece

Michelangelo Buonarroti is considered by many to be the greatest artist that ever lived. His works encompass all art forms including frescos, paintings, and sculptures. One of his most famous of course is the fresco he created on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican in Rome.

The work is a masterpiece. It took Michelangelo more than 4 years to complete the Sistine Chapel ceiling. During that time he was very jealous of its privacy – only allowing Pope Julius II to climb the scaffold to see it. The work includes images from the Book of Genesis – from the creation of light, the creation of Adam and Eve, their fall from grace, and the flood, David and Goliath, Christ’s ancestors and so much more. The world knows of Michelangelo from his Chapel ceiling but it is not what brought him his early fame.

It is two of his earlier works for which the art world of his day really began to sit up and take notice. From 1498-1500, before he was even 25, Michelangelo created what some still consider one of his greatest works. And it still sits in the same spot today in Saint Peter’s Basilica as it did 500 years ago following its completion. The Pieta`.

The sculpture is of Mary holding a dead Christ across her lap. It is a stunning masterpiece. From the folds in the clothes Mary is wearing to the muscles and flesh in the nude body of the Christ it is almost impossible to imagine the work is made from marble. It is the only work Michelangelo ever signed.

Georgio Vestri, an Italian artist and biographer of Michelangelo’s day, wrote at the time “It is certainly a miracle that a formless block of stone could ever have been reduced to a perfection that nature is scarcely able to create in the flesh.” Following the Pieta`, Michelangelo was commissioned to create perfection once again; this time with the statue of David.

Michelangelo was given a massive block of stone – 19 feet high – from which he was to bring David to life. And that is precisely what he did. Michelangelo did not so much carve David out of the giant stone block as set him free him. It took 3 years for David to be fully realized.

David was and still is one of the most important works he ever created. No one would think it anything other than a true masterpiece. It stood in a Florence square for ages, until it was brought indoors to protect it, as a symbol of strength, duty and faith – and human form. David’s only indentifying features are the sling over his shoulder and the small stone in his right hand.

Michelangelo had an interesting approach to sculpting. He once wrote in a letter that sculpting was “taking away” from that which was already there. It might take him years to choose just the right piece of marble for a particular sculpture. Where some saw only a giant chunk of white rock, Michelangelo saw a shepherd boy facing down a giant. Where others saw only cold, hard marble Michelangelo saw a mother grieving over her son’s broken body. Great artists have great vision.

The Artist that created you and me, and Michelangelo, has that vision. When I look in the mirror I see nothing but a giant hunk of marble, hard, full of flaws and not what I want it to be. But when my Artist looks at me He sees something completely different.  He sees perfection.  He sees the heart, the love and the beauty that He created in me and that only He can release. He sees a masterpiece.

Just as the patrons viewing Michelangelo’s masterpieces do not dwell on his many stops, starts and re-dos during a project. Just as they do not see the rubble that he had to chisel away to release his figures from their stone prisons, God does not see our flaws and faults. “As far as the East is from the West” God casts our transgressions from us. (Ps. 103:12).

Where we see only a blank slate God sees all our potential and what we can become. He is waiting to create His work in us and all we have to do is ask. He is the original Artist and we are His masterpiece. There is nothing more stunning than that.
~

Rockfest Day 17 - Sunday Contemplation

“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”
(Mark 11:25-26)

Never underestimate the power of the words “I’m sorry, please forgive me.”

~

Rockfest Day 16 - A Little Texas Howdy

It is said that life is a journey. Well, if that’s true then it is one big car trip because there is just no way to fly to our destination. If we want to get where we are going we are going to have to drive. The road is long and the miles add up. There are certainly lots of days when the drive is hard and lonely. It sure would be nice to get a little Howdy from time to time to encourage us along the way.

Texas knows something about long journeys. We are a big state and have lots of long runs of road where you are likely to pass nothing more than a tumble weed for hours. As you travel the Texas highways one thing will come into sharp focus as you drive along. The cars and trucks that you pass engage in a little ritual, a little greeting. Drivers in Texas greet the people they meet along the way. Its a little ritual called the Texas two-finger wave. It’s a little Texas Howdy. Two fingers raised above the steering wheel just as you pass each other.

I love this ritual. I feel a kinship with my fellow road warriors. We may never meet but for a brief second we have made a connection, we are not alone. The two-finger wave says a lot for a little gesture. It says “Hi, nice to see you. Glad you’re here.” One little Howdy from a passerby and I don’t feel so on my own out there. I don’t know who started it or how it began, but Texans have been welcoming each other this way for as long as I’ve been alive.

The Texas two-finger wave doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t matter what you drive, what state your license plate announces you hail from or which direction you are headed. If you are on Texas highways and byways you will be welcomed with a little Texas Howdy.

The Texas two-finger wave is a strong comfort as we travel on our journey. “Hi, nice to see you, I’m glad you’re here.” – its unspoken greeting looks simple and unassuming but it packs a mighty big message.

On second thought, I think I do know Who started it.

~

Rockfest Day 15 - Unfinished Business

A coach once said “winners never quit and quitters never win.” That is as wise a statement as you’re likely to find. I am here to report I have been a non-winner many times in my life.

I have quit on things more than I like to admit. I’ve gotten so well practiced and good at quitting that sometimes I quit before I ever start. I always have good reasons though - I don’t have enough time, it’s taking too long, I don’t want to, I don’t know how, I’ll do it when ... [fill in the blank with a million excuses] - which is really a way of quitting without admitting it. And my favorite: I’m too tired.

Do you see a recurring theme in my very real but very weak reasons for quitting? Its there, right behind the tiredness – fear. Fear is the reason I most often quit. I can wrap it up in any number of ways I want to but when I rinse all the posturing away, fear is what is propping me up. And stopping me from finishing what I started.

You can call it a fear of success, I’ve heard that term used, although I don’t actually know what it means. I’ve heard it called a fear of failure. That term I understand; who wants to fail? Nobody looks or feels good when they fail.

There are days when the pull to quit are so strong it has thrown me into a panic. I have had physical reactions due to my desire to quit something. Now there are times when quitting is a must and that anxiety I feel is a signal to get out while I can. But most often it’s just me not wanting to live up to my commitments.

Right now I want to quit on something so badly I can feel it. I strongly dislike what I do for a living. I am good and effective at what I do. The people I work with are great. I love having a job and a paycheck. I have done what I do for a long time and I used to love it – now I don't find it fulfilling. So why don’t I quit? Good question.

Jesus wanted to quit – big time. When I think of Jesus I don’t think of a quitter, and he wasn’t, but He sure gave it some strong consideration. And being in His shoes who wouldn’t?

Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane the night the soldiers came to arrest Him. He went there because he was “deeply troubled and distressed” and wanted to pray. Jesus knew His fate and the cross that was in His future. We are told that three times He asked God to “take this cup away from me.” (Matt. 26:36-44, Mark 14:32-39). His desire to quit was so strong He sweated “great drops of blood.” (Luke 22:44). I don’t know if fear is what Jesus was feeling but whatever He was going through He really really wanted to quit at that moment.

Jesus wasn’t a quitter. Jesus was a finisher. In the same breath that Jesus asked His Father to stop what was about to happen, He also said “nevertheless, let Your will be done.” (Matt. 26:39, Mark 14:36). We know the rest of the story, Jesus did see His task to its completion and He said those glorious words – It is finished. (John 19:30).

I want to finish my business. I want to see this task to its completion. I won’t be at this job forever; I know it’s just a stop along the way. I will move on when the time is right and I want to hold on until then. And when the time is right I can say those glorious words, It is finished.

Whatever it is I am facing, it will never be as bad or as scary as what Jesus faced - and finished.  If I give into the fear that stands in my path I will never finish anything. Whatever label I put on my fear - weariness, I don’t want to, lack of know-how, lack of time - it’s still the same old quit at the end. I want to turn my quitting into non-quitting and my non-winning into winning.

I think that might make that old coach proud.

~

Rockfest Day 14 - The 11th Commandment

Ever have one of those days? One of those days when everything and everyone around you is going haywire? When everyone has lost their mind and they are making you lose yours? Days when, quite frankly, everyone you encounter is playing the part of the fool?

It begins by retrieving your newspaper out from under the bushes because the paperboy missed the driveway, again. Then the guy at the coffee shop didn’t put the lid on the coffee tightly and it spilled on you during your drive to work. Speaking of the drive, is it you or is everyone driving like a crazy person today cutting you off and stopping suddenly?

Work offers no safe haven, your computer keeps crashing. Despite what he says are his best efforts the IT guy can’t figure out the problem. Your lunch order is completely wrong and now you’re late for your meeting. Given the morning you’ve had, you have no optimism for this meeting going well, and it doesn’t. No one is prepared and no one agrees on anything; a second meeting will be now required.

You leave work early to meet the A/C repairman, who promises to be there between 2 and 5. At 7 you’ve given up all hope. The day has just about worn you completely down and all you want is a little peace when your teenage neighbor suddenly fires up his garage band for a little practice. As you sink lower into your couch turning up the TV volume with the remote control, one recurring thought keeps running through your mind – Where did all these fools come from and why am I a magnet for them??

Its days like this when you look Heavenward for a little guidance. So you do a mental check of God's handy dandy List of helpful tips to live by and realize you’re not even safe there. #3 was violated early on in the process (thou shalt not take the Lord’s name in vain), while you didn’t technically break #6, you really really wanted to several times (thou shalt not commit murder) and #10 is in serious trouble (thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house) because while you don’t covet at this moment you do want to take control of it and shut off the racket emitting from its garage, which also may lead to breaking #6.

The 10 commandments really are of no use to you here. There is not a one of them that you could have said to one of the people during your day to help them, and you, out. What you need is an 11th commandment. Something easy to understand. Something that can be easily taught to others when they need a quick education. Something short, simple and to the point. One you could use all day long to espouse wisdom and at the same time vent your frustration. Sort of a dual purpose commandment.

Scripture tells you that God uses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and He uses things that are weak to confound the mighty. (1 Cor. 1:27) This is good news – you’re completely confounded so you must be wise and mighty. You’re getting close to #11 but it still does not stop the fools from fouling up your day. Then you realize that perhaps #11 already exists.

The Ephesians were having trouble with fools themselves. They didn’t know what to do. Paul wrote to them and told them not to take up with them, don’t get sucked with the fools. He told them to make sure they “walk carefully in all situations not as fools but as wise.” (Eph. 5:15).

So there it is in black and white - #11 – Thou shalt not be a fool.

You feel so much better. This is going to come in very handy. You’re thinking about printing it on easy to hand out business cards and bumper stickers. You get up to go to bed, so pleased with your new found weapon against the fools of the world, and you put your foot into your half-eaten bowl of ice cream you placed on the floor next to the couch.  You can only smile and shake your head.  Yes, #11 is going to come in very handy indeed.

Let the confounding begin.

~

Rockfest Day 13 - The Shape of Things

Life is full of extraordinary circumstances. As we move through it we encounter chance happenings and unexpected moments that forever change our lives. We try to control the outrageous unknowns we experience by choosing the people in our lives. Its one of the few things we truly have control over.

But the people we choose can be a grab-bag of sorts. Some will fit and some will not. Some will become influential and some will have no effect whatsoever, passing through our lives like mist in the wind. It is probably the people we cannot choose that matter most. It is the people that were chosen for us that have the biggest effect.  It is the people chosen for us, the ones who start early in our lives who shape us most. It is these people we call family.

There are days when family is great and there are days when family is the worst thing that has ever happened. But there is something about this hand-picked group of people that draws us in and motivates us to keep us going.

Even when they’re dysfunctional they are the best thing going. My family can be infuriating. My family can be generous. My family can be unapproving. My family can be forgiving. My family can be indifferent. My family can be deeply loving. My family has made me laugh, made me cry, made me storm out in anger, made me jump for joy.  I am who I am because of my family. I am a part of my family and they are a part of me.

I had no choice about the matter. God put me into the family He did for the reasons He did - and one day He will explain those reasons to me. And I will thank Him profoundly.

I am a firm believer that there are no coincidences in this world. God has a plan. And part of His plan for me was to put me into a family full of wonderful women. Wonderfully diverse women. I have put a picture of some of these women below (there are wonderful men in the family too – they were just too busy watching football). It is a picture taken some time ago. I know it was taken ages ago because I’m still a small girl being held in her mother’s arms.

This is some of the family who shapes my life. Four of the women are no longer here. One of them, my aunt in the white dress, died prematurely just yesterday. She was a vibrant and gregarious woman. She had a wonderful laugh. She was my mother’s older sister; they were close and got into lots of trouble together. She will be deeply missed. But she will remain on in those she touched and who love her. And that’s a wonderful thing about family – once you are part of it, you never really leave it.

I am not discounting the fact that there are people we choose who become our family too. God had a hand in selecting those people for us also. They are a vitally and richly important part of our lives.  But it is those in whose histories we share for generations that help steer the course and color the world in which we grow up and live.

One thing about family is we completely take it for granted most of the time. But when “the chips are down” its family who sustains us. Its family who shapes us with its collective wisdom. Its family who protects us with its strength in numbers. Its family who loves us with its heart so big God could not fit it into just one person.

The women in this picture are my part of my foundation and my future. They are my family and the well from which I draw strength. I don’t know why God chose me for their tribe, I’m just thankful He did.

Family. God’s extraordinary way of showing he loves you.

~