Wednesday in His Word | Transform

Welcome, Wednesday.  The midpoint of this week.  Upon its arrival, may we see progress towards our goals as well as the promise of rest from our labors.

But Wednesday is also the farthest point of time from our sacred Sunday stillness. Does the sermon still ring in our ears?  Or has the message been lost, drowned out by secular sidetracks?

I don't know about you, but by Wednesday I need a faith-filled refresher.  I need a deep dose of God's word.

And so, a new weekly installment in this part of Bloggyland appears.  Wednesday in His Word.  Stop by each week to digest Scripture slowly, savoring a passage and its portent for our daily lives.  I'll share a gem from my recent Bible reading.  Or I'll explore a verse of your choosing (just note it in the comments section on any given Wednesday).  Together we will unwrap God's message and unwind in his grace.

So if you have a week that wants to beat your down, or you want to lift up on wings like eagles, stay here a minute.  Let's read, reflect, and pray together.  Let's rest together in God's word.  Let's simply be, together, tended by our Lord.

Time to Transform

free printable from framedinfaith.blogspot.com

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy,

Paul encourages each and every one of us to take a good, long look at God's mercy. By his love and grace, we are accepted, loved, and forgiven.  Just as we are.  Not because of who we are.  But because of whose we are.  God's children.  His kiddos. Adopted little ragamuffins, and he loves the fuzz off of us.  Like the story of the boy and his Velveteen Rabbit, God's love makes us real.  God's love makes eternity real for us.

to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God —

So, we are loved — deep and true and lasting — by our Heavenly Father.  What next? When we are loved, we can't help but reflect that love back.  And the best way to respond to God's love is to dedicate our lives on this earth to pleasing him.

This is where my mind starts to wander and worry.  Does that mean God can put me anywhere he wants?  A rural town?  An Asian village?  Antarctica?  Does that mean I'll have to give up my loved ones?  My comforts?  My life that I've carefully established?  Will I have to drop my figurative fishing nets and follow Jesus, leaving everything behind?

The more I learn about God, the less I believe those worries to hold any worth.  Let's go back to step one.  God loves us. God wants the very best for us.  He's not going to ask us to ditch our life-giving relationships, our meaningful work, or true joys and abiding passions.  He's going to use those things that are nearest and dearest to our hearts as a way for us to minister to others.

this is your true and proper worship.

Worship is more than a Sunday activity.  Yes, this communal, physical, and spiritual gathering with our brothers and sisters in Christ is key.  But it is just the beginning. True worship is filling our souls up in the sanctuary, then carrying that holiness in our bodies and out into the world.  Proper worship is finding ways — quiet and small or big and bold — to glorify God by the way we live.  It is where we use our passions and pursuits to point to our living Lord.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world,

When I think about living out my faith in ways that point others to God, I feel a bit bashful.  It feels right and comfortable in the church.  But talking to my neighbors? Shopping at the grocery store?  Collaborating at a committee meeting?  That's when the patterns of this world push me to put my faith back in the Sunday box, to keep quiet about Christ.

But if we are true to our faith, we can puncture the cultural patterns — like rushing or  shushing dissenting voices, like complaining or keeping up with the Joneses — by consistently exhibiting love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control  (Galatians 5:22-23).  Oh, yeah, that sounds easy.  NOT!  Oops.  There goes that conforming voice of this world.  Hey, Conformity, we've got news for you.  We don't have to conjure up these qualities on our own.  When we worship God, we receive the fruit of the Spirit.  When we walk alongside God, he fills us up and raises us up to more heavenly patterns.

but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

This is where my hope grows huge.  Walking alongside God, getting filled up with the Spirit, setting my mind on those heavenly habits — these are not things I have to accomplish on my own.  God will plant new and better thoughts in my mind.  God will change my heart.  God will transform my ways.  And all for the better.  All I need to do is surrender.  Surrender my need to blend in so I can shine forth. Surrender my need to conform so I can proclaim God's grace.  Surrender my doubts and old habits so I can live, freely and truly, by Christ's example.  It's a daily practice, and one I won't perfect, but I can lean into God and trust in the process.

Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is, his good, pleasing and perfect will.

By committing to this practice of opening our minds, hearts, and lives for God's transformation, we learn what God wants for us.  We see his plan for how we can be his presence in the world.  We understand how we can please him by loving and serving others.  Our will aligns with God's will.  Our paths merge into God's higher road, and we walk alongside our Lord, experiencing the fullness of Christ.



Lord,

You are the epitome of love and mercy.  Thank you for naming and claiming me as your child, understood, accepted, and forgiven.  Help me to live my life in true worship to you, following in Christ's example of loving and serving others, of glorifying you.  And when this world pressures me to conform, help me to remember your better way.  Fill me with the fruit of the Holy Spirit.  Transform my habits and my attitude.  Show me, clearly and undeniably, your good and pleasing and perfect path.  Then give me the faith and the courage to follow it.

Amen

21 | Be Creative

Do you remember back on Day 1 when I confessed I have a hard time being still and doing nothing? Three weeks into this challenging of being still, I must admit there are times when it isn't any easier.  If you are with me in the twitchy fingers, wandering mind department, have I got a sweet treat for you.

Today we get to be creative.  Crafty.  Coloring outside the lines and in our Bibles. Crazy in our inspired devotion to God.

I invite you to find your Bible, a piece of paper, and at least one nice pen that is a delight to use.

We're going to doodle.  Draw.  Decorate.  Find a verse that you like and fire away. Stumped for a verse?  I collect my favorites on my "well VERSEd" Pinterest board.

Once I've got a verse in my sights, I like to look it up in context and read the broader passage.

• I start by praying for God to open my mind to what he wants me to hear in his word today.  
• As I read, I reflect on where I see God at work in the passage.  
• I observe where God's message intersects with this current chapter of my life.
• Then I meditate on what God is asking me to do as I live out my faith in his word.

While I soak up these layers of meaning, I make notes.  I scribble.  I doodle.  And as settle into being engaged with God's word, God's meaning sinks deeper and sings in my heart as I invite him into my creative being.

stonesoupforfive.blogspot.com

Sometimes I doodle in my quiet time journal.  Sometimes I dress up a bookmark or a cardstock scrap to tuck in my purse.  But after curating a collection of ideas from across the web, I'm ready to bust my creativity wide open.  I might doodle up a verse on a coffee mug, or on linen fabric for a pillow cover, or on my minivan.  Nope. Can't doodle on the minivan.  Mr. would have a heart attack.

Here are a few ideas if you need a little inspiration to jump start your creativity.

Start simple.  A verse or a quote adorned with lines, dots, swirls.  As your pen works, pray for God to work his message into your heart and into your day.

elleizahbeth via Etsy.com

I like little signs and reminders to keep me near God and on track.  This simple gem does the trick.

homegrownhospitality.typepad.com

Now look what the same dynamic doodler does in her Bible.  Stephanie Ackerman has an inspiring tutorial on adding pages to her Bible over on her Homegrown Hospitality blog.  Washi tape and Moleskin journal, here I come!

more goodness from homegrownhospitality.typepad.com

Are you reluctant to write and draw and decorate in your Bible?  Toss those preconceived notions aside and see what Veronica Milan does in hers.  I am love, love, LOVING this. You can read more about her Bible journaling process and her paper pleasures through this blog post.

shannanoel.blogspot.com

Overwhelmed with the possibilities?  Not sure where or how to start?  You can always play with coloring inside (or outside) the lines by printing out a Bible doodle page like this.  Yes, it's another Stephanie Ackerman creation.  I think I should be president of her fan club.  Or her personal minion.

internetcafedevotions.com

However you nurture your relationship with God while feeding your creative side (and EVERYONE has a creative side), remember this:

Myquillyn Smith @ thenester.com
Love this mantra?  Check out her amazing book on beautifying your home.

This isn't about creating art.  It's about building faith.  It's about dwelling in the word and dwelling in God.  Doodling can be a great device for mentally, spiritually dwelling.  Doodling can extend and enrich our ability to be still.  Play around with it, and observe how God plays out in your heart.

P.S.  I'm so inspired today I can't stop.  Here's one more crafty way to play with God's word.

If you've got a pocket full of rocks and God's word on your mind, you can paint and doodle away with messages that inspire you to be still and soak up some more God in your day.  Create a collection of Scripture stones as little centerpiece for your coffee table or slip one into your pocket for a tactile reminder.  Oh the places you can go when you give yourself permission to be still and be creative.

the-white-bench.blogspot.com

P.P.S.  What are you inspired to do or doodle?  Share a photo via Pinterest or Instagram with #becreativeforChrist.  I can't wait to see what you come up with!

3 | Know. In your heart. By heart.

Devotional Overload!

Sometimes in my quest for quiet time with God, I create a whole new "To Do" list for myself.  It starts innocently, looking for new tools to reinvigorate my faith.  Before I know it I've got a pile of devotional books and a folder of faith based apps on my phone.  And my quiet time becomes fraught with foraging through the resources, instead of discovering the serenity of God, the true source of my peace and strength.  

Does this ever happen to you?

Today, let's unearth the simplest way to be still with our Lord — reading God's word.

Here, in the pages of the Bible, God has breathed the greatest love letter that ever existed.  Here are God's promises and preachings, guidance and grace.  Let us look to his work and write it on our hearts.

"Laying a life up against the chest of His Word, and hearing the steady beat of His heart, is the only soundtrack that strengthens the human heart."   Ann Voskamp

Some of us might be inspired to memorize a verse, others may prefer to slowly savor Scripture — as long as we are reading the Bible with heart and soul, and not just mind, we are creating a stillness for God to fill with his Spirit.  We are creating room for a conversation that allows God space for his grace.

Join me today in reading, praying, reflecting on, and loving this golden nugget of a verse.

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.  Psalm 119:11 

I have hidden your word

Lord, help me to absorb your word so it intertwines with the fabric of my being.  Help me to not only hear it and see it, but to embrace it and consider how it directs my daily path.  May my trust in your word be so deeply embedded in my soul that it cannot stay hidden, but shines in my love for the world.

in my heart

Lord, I recognize and learn your word with my mind.  Help me to not stop there.  Guide me to love your word with all my heart, so that I truly carry it in my heart.  On those days when my heart wants to break or skip a beat or overflow, I pray your word carries me, sustains me, and celebrates with me.

that I might not sin

Lord, one of the precious gifts of your word is your wise counsel for how I might live more fully in your peace, love, and joy.  When I am tempted to turn away from you, tug me back to your better way with your word.  

against you

Because when I neglect your word and ignore your will, Lord, I go against you.  I go against the relationship you desire to have with me.  I go into that place of busyness and distraction, of stress and dissatisfaction.  But in my heart, I crave your stillness.  Please bind my wandering heart to you, oh Lord.  Amen.

Bible photo credits: faithbecomeslove.tumblr.com, justinlowery.wordpress.com

Inspired to dig deeper into God's word?  Check out these blog posts.

Interior Fun

Why Memorize Scripture? from Ann Voskamp

Yelena Bosovik

Reading into a Right Relationship

I bit off a big mouthful when I said I was going to finish reading the Bible this year (see my highly official and hugely anal 2013 Bible Reading Plan).  Lately I've been questioning whether I'm really up to the task.  Spring and summer saw me wandering away from the Bible, into personal reading and travel and (tsk tsk) iPhone addiction. I've been better the past couple weeks.  Not great, just not completely negligent.  

So I was stunned when I updated my 2013 Bible Reading Plan Progress spreadsheet and saw this number on the completion chart.

And just as I was starting to feel jazzed about being more than halfway to my goal...

...the bigger question wormed into my conscience.  Is this about what little old me can accomplish when I set my mind to it?  Or is it about what God can do through me when I open the door and invite him in?

While I ponder that, let me entertain you with a Bible book report.

I've been reading Kings 1 & 2 and Chronicles 1 & 2 and Lamentations enough to know that ignoring my relationship with God will lead to destruction and exile and gnashing of teeth and regret and long-term residence in big-time Bummerville.  

Look at what happened to the Jews.  Not content with a heavenly King, they begged for earthly rulers.  David and Solomon did right by their God and their people (mostly).  But lots of other kings were epic failures.  God stayed loyal to his promises, but the Jews started flirting with other gods and neighboring religions.  Until they flirted their way into Babylonian exile.  

Seventy tough and trying years away from home can be a bit of a rude wake-up call.  

Bring-a-ling-a-ling.  Bring-a-ling-a-ling.

"Hello, Isrealites-who-are-no-longer-in-Israel.  This is God talking.  Are you ready to listen?  To really hear?"  

The Jews did listen and learn.  When they got back to Jerusalem they fixed up the busted temple walls and fixed up their lax worship habits.  They cleaned up the temple and cleaned up their act, acting out a faith in a God who is faithful.

I haven't read all the rest of the O.T., but we all know how the story ends.  

God forgives.  God fulfills his promise of an eternal king in the line of David. And in doing so he surpasses all human understanding, giving and giving up his only Son for our sin.  All because he wants to be in deep and loving relationship with us.

Back to the question.  Maybe my Bible reading plan is a bit about me and my pride.  That's part of what drives me through the dryer books of the Bible.  But I think God works through my flawed motivations to move me closer to him.  The more I read God's word, the more I understand how very much I need God's word.  I understand how God will always provide his guidance and grace, even when I have lapsed for a long time.  Just as he did with the Israelites, he will call me back out of my self-created exile, back to his will and his way.

from Mindy Strauss Photography

It doesn't happen by just running eyeballs over pages and comprehending chapter after chapter.  If I just check off book after book, it's an empty exercise. But if I pause and ponder and pray — if I listen to The Lord with my heart and my head — it brings me into a right relationship with my God. 

Sometimes I have to write a book report to figure that out. 

What do you have to do to stick with the word and listen to our lord?

7 Ways to Breathe New Life into Family Bible Reading

It's Lent.  We're supposed to be reading the Bible to our kids, with our kids, around our kids, like, all the time.  Right?
 
I'm kidding.

But it is a good time to dust off the Bible and encourage the little ones to examine God's word.  Without subjecting ourselves to the young 'uns groans or glazed-over, vacant stares.  Or our self-imposed guilt-ridden torture.

Here are a handful of outside-the-box ideas for infusing our families with a little more Bible time.

1. Make a Bible Date 

Aaaaaaawww.  Cheesy, but cute!

Snuggle on the couch with blankies and popcorn.  Take turns reading verses.  Or, if you are a family with multiple Bibles, compare a Bible reading across different translations.  (Even if you don't have multiple Bibles, you can do this by searching multiple translations on a Bible search engine, like BibleGateway.com, and printing them out.)

2. Bible Bomb your Family 

Yarn bombing by Suzanne Tidwell in Seattle

Have you heard of or seen yarn bombing?  Knit or crocheted works pop up in the most unexpected places.  It's part public art, part yarn vandalism.  So, how do you Bible Bomb?  Please don't chuck the good book at unsuspecting people.  Just print out some cute little verse cards and sneak them into surprising places.  Hubby's briefcase.  Daughter's jewelry drawer.  Son's Lego display.  In a cereal box.  (Speaking of which, whatever happened to toys in cereal boxes?)  Taped to the dental floss.  (A good way to see  who's flossing and who's not.)  Tucked behind the sun visor in the car.  You get the idea.  It's like being a scripture-card-carrying Verse Ninja.

3. Rock Out
Pull up a Seeds Family Worship video on You Tube and crank the volume.  These clever videos put Bible verses to song in a catchy-but-not-sugar-coated way.  They are great for encouraging memorization of Bible verses.  Maybe you'll be hooked and then you can your own favorite verses to music and make your own famous YouTube video...!

  
4. Set a Verse to Song
Start with a familiar tune like "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" or "Jingle Bells" or "Three Blind Mice" or the latest Justin Beiber hit, then change the lyrics to the words of a favorite Bible verse.  Sing it at bedtime, in the car, while washing hands for 120 seconds or brushing teeth for another 120 seconds... you get the idea.  Make up dance moves to go with your catchy scripture song.  Get out the video camera.  Post said video to YouTube and become an overnight sensation.  Wheeeee!    

5. Get Techy  
My daughter came up with this idea.  There I was, inspired by the kinetic typography of the aforementioned Seeds video, trying to do something simpler with iMovie.  "Mom," darling daughter said, like she couldn't believe I was still in the dark ages blogging on the cave wall with a piece of charred wood, "you should use Animoto."    

Oh.  Yeah.  Animoto.  Duh.

Animoto, for neophytes like me, is a website that allows you to create free short videos from pics, vids, text, whatever.  Easy peasy.  Even a cave-mom can do it. So half an hour later we created this...   You, too, can make your own slide show at Animoto.  
A 38-second video featuring one sweet and uplifting Bible verse.  I bet we could do the next one in under 20 minutes.  And the one after in 10.  How fast can your family make a verse video?     Undoubtedly there are hundreds of other cool apps that our kids know all about which would lend themselves to engaging creatively with Bible verses.  Let me know what the next generation surprises you with!   

6. Have a Bible Story Art Show    
Using a favorite Bible story, give everyone thirty minutes to create a work of art inspired by the scripture passage.  Get out the Play-Doh, crayons, markers, paints, pipe cleaners, old newspapers... whatever gets your creative juices flowing.  Display the artwork in your living room, serve sparkling cider (unless your kids are old enough to drink champagne) and fancy hors doeuvres with frilly toothpicks.  Play jazz softly in the background.  Ooh and aah over the creative genius in your very own blood lines. 

7. Turn it into a Game 
Play "Who Can Find This Bible Story the Fastest?"  The winner gets to read the story and pick then next one.  Looking for a list of stories?  Click here. 

Play Bible story hangman.  Have Bibles out for handy reference (because you can only use "Jesus" and "David" and "Golgatha" so many times.  Or play Bible Pictionary.   Hmmm.  I'm running out of steam.  These ideas seem a little tame after the thrilling possibilities of Setting a Verse to Song or Bible Bombing.  What are YOUR favorite ways to inspire more Bible reading in your family?

 P.S.  You can also checkout this pastor's ideas on Making scripture fun for kids. 

Busting out of a Prayer Rut

Does your family ever get stuck in a prayer rut?

Ours sounds like this...

"Dear God, thanks for legos..." "...and cookies..." "...and our dog..." "...and my best friend..." "...and cookies..." 
"Hey!  I already said that!"
"Well I can say it too!"
"Can not!!"
"Alrighty then, there goes family prayer time.  Off to bed you little cretins, before I really give you something to pray about!"

Not exactly what God was hoping to hear.

Sometimes our family prayer rut gets so deep and disappointing that we take a break from it for awhile.  Then, weeks later, I think to ask, "Hey, kiddos, you're praying to God on your own, right?"

Silence.  

Whoops.

That's not what God was hoping to hear, either.

So... how do we get out of the prayer vacuum or prayer rut this Lenten season?

Here are a few ideas for you and your family.

Lenten Prayer Chain

from Mustard Seeds — a great blog about building kids' faith

You've probably done a few count-down paper chains in your lifetime.  This is more of a count-up chain.

Each day during Lent take a minute as a family to individually write a prayer on a strip of colorful construction paper (8.5" x 1.5" is a nice size for jotting down a quick note to God).  Staple the first strip in a circle.  Subsequent strips slide through the previous circle, then formed into a circle and stapled.  (You probably didn't need that much direction, but there it is.  Just in case.)

Throughout the 40 days of Lent, watch your prayers grow.  Estimate how many prayers it would take for the chain to reach heaven.  (This is a trick question.  Do you know the answer?)

There is no rule that you can only write one prayer a day.  Except for maybe you have to cut your own extra strips.

You might have a few prayer prompts on hand to encourage your kids to think of different kinds of prayers.  

Dear God, 

• thanks for...
• I need help with...
• I am so glad that...
• I wonder about...
• I'm scared of...
• please take care of...

print me!

Hey, maybe I should just whip up a quick printable of those prayer prompts.  Here you go!!

On Easter you might disassemble the chain and review the prayers.  Which ones has God already answered or started to work on?  Give him big thanks!!

Alternatives to a prayer chain include writing prayers on slips of paper and hanging them

Modern Parents, Messy Kids

from a tree, mantle, or chandelier.  Egg-shaped or cross-shaped slips of paper would be cute, if you can stand cutting them all out, or if you can get your hands on a nifty large paper punch, or if you have some Martha Stewart- esque minions on hand!

Lenten Journal

from Stone Soup for Five — brilliant Bible journaling ideas!

After dinner each night, or as part of the bedtime routine, or once a week on Sundays after church (or, really, any convenient time of day for your brood), take 10-15 minutes for a Bible reading & response routine.  If you like, capitalize it to sound really important.  Like this: Bible Reading & Response Routine.  Or turn it into an acronym: BRRR.  Hey kids, it's time to BRRR!

Back to business.  

To create a reverent mood, play soothing music in the background or light a candle.  Provide each family member with a small journal or notebook.  As a family read a Bible verse aloud.  Then quietly write (or illustrate) a response to God.  What did you hear God saying to you in the verse?  What words or phrases seem most important in your own life?  Can you use those words from the Bible in your own prayer?  

You might use these questions as journal prompts:

"I hear you, God, saying..."
"Hear me saying, God..."

Kids will probably need to see some examples of turning scripture into prayer.  Here's a model you can share.  Your own examples will be powerful as well.

Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me."   Matthew 16:24

The words that stick out for me are highlighted here:

Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me."

You can see how those words become a part of my written prayer below:

Jesus, I do want to follow you.  My heart and soul want to, but my actions don't always match those of one of your followers.  It is so hard to deny myself.  Will you please help me to look beyond my own interests and needs, and look up to you instead?  I'm not sure exactly what my cross is.  I guess it is my burden, the things that wear me out and drag me down.  It could be the things that get in the way of my relationship with you.  Please help me to figure out what my cross is, to take it up and carry it so I can do a better job of following your example of how to live a life of loving others.

Here are several Easter verses for your BRRR sessions, in no particular order:

John 19:1-3 • John 19:28-30 • John 10:10-11 • Luke 23:27 • Psalms 34:8 • John 3:16 • Isaiah 1:18 • John 3:1-3 • Matthew 27:57-60 • Matthew 27:65-66 • John 16:20, 22 • Matthew 28:1-9

What I love about both of these activities is they force us to slow down our prayers, to capture them on paper.  As a result, we become more reverent and thoughtful in our conversations with God.  And with a paper trail, we can also look back and see how God works on our prayers, even when we weren't paying attention.  

Lord,

You are so very good to us.  Thank you for patiently listening to every prayer.  Thank you for patiently waiting during our prayer droughts and prayer ruts.  And thank you for continually filling us with your Holy Spirit and your Living Word to bring our prayers to a place of deeper conversation with you.  Help us to model a faithful and dedicated prayer habit for our children during this Lenten season and well beyond. 

Amen

Jelly Beans & Jesus

This is the first in a series of ideas for Lenten devotionals and activities.  Whatever you do (or don't do) during Lent, I pray your journey to the Jesus' sacrifice on the cross is filled with the love, peace, and amazing grace of God.

I firmly believe that if jelly beans were around in Jesus' time, he would have adored them.

"Let all the children come to me.  I've got jelly beans and love and hope!"

He would for sure have had a jelly bean parable or two.  "The kingdom of God is like a jelly bean, smaller than any other delectable treat, but full of juicy, colorful goodness that you can't even imagine until you bite into it..."

In the absence of any official words from Jesus about jelly beans, I'm filling in the blanks with inspiration from various sources around the Internet, all starting from the original Jelly Bean Prayer by Shirley Kozak.

So, without further ado, here's a post about putting some theology into the kiddos' Easter treats with just a few easy steps.  Print something here, grab some beans at the store, find some jars in the cupboard, and you are ready to roll.

Now, I'm all for a prayer and a fistful of jelly beans.  But I like to add an extra, devotional angle to this.  Here's how the jelly bean prayer works at our house.  (If you want to join in the fun, you can click on the card images to download and print them, assuming the technology works...)

We have a big ol' jar of beans decorated with the Jelly Bean Prayer.  On the back of the prayer card is a list of Jelly Bean Activities.

Each morning the kiddos read the prayer card aloud.  Then they each pick out a jelly bean from the jar and place it in their individual jars.  The color they picked determines the Lenten activity for the day.  (They work really hard to keep a balance of colors going.  It's one area of their lives where they practice fairness with admirable consistency!)

Then they look for opportunities to do their Lenten "assignment" during the day.  We usually report back during dinner or before bedtime prayers.  It makes for a great platform for discussion where we saw God in our day.  It's like a Lenten "show & tell."





And because I rarely do anything the same way twice, this year I'm adding a Bible verse component.  We read a verse that relates to the line of the prayer and/or the activity.  Nothing like filling them up with some verses to go with those candy beans.




Wait.

This IS all about candy, right? 

When do they eat the jelly beans?

I'm so glad you asked.  Because this is one of my favorite parts of this activity.

They don't eat the candy until... wait for it...

Easter morning.  It's a delicious practice in delayed gratification.  In seeing how their faith-filled actions pile up.  In witnessing how God fills them with love and grace. They are the empty jars.  And when they tune into God, he fills them with bright and juicy goodness.

Now, I sense you are shaking your head in disbelief.  "My kids will never, ever, not in a million years WAIT to eat those beans."  Did I read your mind?  No, I don't have ESP.  (I wish!!)  But I did think that very same thing when we started this at our house.  But those darling kiddos, they surprised me.  Even my sweet-stashing daughter didn't snatch an early jelly bean.  Not one.  She even counted them all at the end to make sure she didn't miss any days.

I chalk it up as one of God's modern day miracles.  That's the way God works in us and on us.  In our weakness his power is made perfect.  In our jelly beans he shows us his love.

Adapted from an earlier post: February 29, 2012

When Focus Fades

Did you notice my obsessed ambitious 2013 Bible Reading Plan?

You'd think someone who would go so far as to post her Bible reading plan and a geeky bar chart documenting her progress would be committed to the goal.  Unflagging in her enthusiasm.  Persistent in her follow through.  You'd think she'd probably make it at least six months before any temptations of deep-sixing said goal crossed her mind.

You'd think wrong.

Week three of daily Bible reading and exploring the lesser-read Old Testament texts, and I am flailing.  My focus on being present with God, in his word... it's become rather blurry.

Every day I am tempted by The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest and The Cursing Mommy's Book of Days to push aside my Bible and indulge in more frivolous reading. 

What's a person to do when focus fades?

Pray.
This is where I take a page from Paul's epistle and another from Anne Lammott's book.  "Oh, Lord.  I do those things I don't want to do.  And I don't do the things I aim to do.  Help me, help me, help me get my God-loving focus back."  It's the prayer of admitting I can't do it alone, that I need God's help.
 
Persist.
As it is written in James 1:2-3, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance."  If we don't give up but give God the chance to refine our efforts and habits, then our faith can grow.  So I add another prayer: "God, help me to persevere, to push through the hard parts, and to find the joy in the challenge and the promise of a stronger faith beyond it."

Go Public.
God surrounds us with a cloud of witnesses, not to document our shortcomings and botched attempts, but to carry us through life's hard parts and celebrate life's victories with us.  The Big Guy in the Sky reminds me, when I'm tempted to stray away from his word, that there are 15 people who occasionally tune in to my bloggy blathering.  Fifteen people who might actually ask, "Hey, how's that Bible reading going?"  Fifteen people with whom to share glimmers of his goodness whether I succeed or stumble on this journey through Scripture.  A cloud of witnesses to carry me through.

(Perhaps your cloud isn't in the electronic cloud.  They can be family.  Friends.  Neighbors.  Your personal Board of Directors.  The point is invite them along on your journey and allow God to work his wonders through them.)

So with prayers, persistence, and a smidgen of the public invisibly watching over my shoulder, I settled in to read Joshua this morning.  That's when this little nugget grabbed me. 

"Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy."  And Joshua did so.
Joshua 5:15

That's how God made his presence known, when he made sure persistence paid off.

"The place where you stand, dear Liz, is holy."

Huh?  I've been procrastinating and unfocused and flailing.  How is that holy ground?

I swear I heard God clear his throat.  "Ahem."  Soft and patient, yet pointed.  Okay, so possibly that was my dog trying to cough up a fur ball.  But let's not rule out the mysterious ways in which God works.

"Ahem."

As in, "Dear Liz, it is not your work or your effort that makes the ground holy."

In fact, it's not until I strip away my stuff — my sandals, my socks, my insecurities and frustrations about my mistakes — that I can see God's holiness in my midst.

When I'm all caught up in reading the Bible to satisfy my goal, of course I'm going to lose focus.  First off, I'm forgetting that it's the Spirit who led me down this reading path.  Second, I'm stuck in a "to do" mentality before I even open the Bible.  How can God get through when I'm focused on getting done?  

So here's the lesson I've learned:  When focus fades, let go and let God take over.  Shed the earthly shoes that drag me down crooked paths, and let God make my path straight.  Because when I let him, he always leads me to his holy ground.


I pray that you find some time to focus on God today.  May he fill you with prayer, persistence, and a cloud of witnesses to get you where you need to be spiritually.  May he help you shed your earthly distractions so you can see him more clearly, love him more dearly, and follow him more nearly.

Wandering and Whining in the Wilderness

Reading the introduction to Numbers in my Lutheran Study Bible, this phrase smacked me right-dab-in-the-middle of my forehead...  "wandering and whining in the wilderness."  The author is referring to the Israelites waaaaay back in the day.  But it might as well be describing me for the past few months.

Where, oh where, has my dedication and devotion gone?  I could muse about this for days.  Thankfully, I hear God calling me to him instead.  "Forget then.  Let's focus on now.  Gather your scattered focus and sit awhile at my feet.  Hear my words.  Feel my love.  Start new.  Now.  Today."

With a deep, restful, peace-filled sigh, I do.

And this is what I find: Right from the get go in Numbers, God creates order in the wilderness.  In calling Moses and Aaron to conduct a census of Israel, he numbers the men of each tribe and delegates their roles.  The Levite men are to serve as priests; the men of the other tribes are to defend the nation.  He counts each head and provides purpose.  He even sets forth a specific plan for a camp.  Goodbye chaos.

Here is my hope: spiritual order amidst chaos, faithful pattern rising from randomness, higher purpose in the wilderness.

Lord God, you know my personal wilderness.  My summer days are strewn with activities and adventure, pulling my family here and there and everywhere but your presence.  My wanderings wind through job opportunities and finding the proper fit, through my kids' needs and wants and ambitions, through weekends away and weekdays swaying in laundry, packing, cleaning, and carpooling.  My whining is about the kids' whining about their siblings' whining which makes me want to drown in a large, lush glass of... yes... wine.

God, you are with me in my wilderness, and we laugh together about how small these worries and wanderings and whinings are in the whole scheme of things.  You promise order.  Purpose.  Counting of what counts.  Calling to a higher cause.  Help me to quiet my body and my mind to hear your higher plan.  Help me to turn my focus from the wildness of these earthly whirlpools, and focus on your wondrous will instead.

Thank you, God.  You are so very, very good.  Thank you for your patience with my wandering and my whining.  Thank you for your never-wavering love which pulls me out of the wilderness.  Thank you for counting me and claiming me and calling to me, until I pause and listen and truly hear what you have to say.

Amen.

23 | Loving and Living God's Word

The sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary.  He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.

Isaiah 50:4

Lord, 

You know I love a good letter.  Handwritten or typed.  Fancy stationery or crumpled loose leaf.  Long and newsy, short and heartfelt, meandering and conversational...  Any which way, the written word is like a prize, like capturing the sun sparkling upon the water and holding it in my hand.  

I love your letters most of all.  Your books of wisdom.  Your poems of praise.  Your gospel of love and promise.  Your guidance and goodness captured in the Bible.  Thank you for this book that I return to again and again, always finding something new, even in the most worn pages and passages.

Guide me with your word.  Nudge me to consult the Bible more often, to meditate and reflect on the wisdom and direction you provide there.  And when I falter during the day, help me to turn to you and hear the words you have written on my heart.  Give me a thirst and a mind for memorizing scripture, so that your word leaps forth when I need your encouragement and understanding.

Thank you for your word, God.  Thank you for the wisdom and insight of the Bible, and for the power and passion of your Living Word, Jesus Christ.  Help me to live your good word and share it with others.

Amen.

19 | Love is Not Pretending

Whoa. 

Sometimes a verse hits you right between the eyes.  With a big old resounding "THUNK."  Even a verse you've seen a dozen or a hundred times before.  Especially if it's in a less common translation.  That's why I love Bible verse websites with multiple translation options.

Anyhoo, this one grabbed me and won't let me go...

"Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality."

Romans 12:9-13 (NLTB)

Can we pray about it together?

Dear Lord,

I didn't think I was doing it, but then I read your Living Word and you opened my eyes.  Sometimes I pretend to love, even with those most precious to me.  Sometimes I go through the motions.  Sometimes I hold back some of myself.  Sometimes I'm just too tired to dig deeper.  And oh, today I do feel too tired.

Forgive me.  Give me your pardon.  And please, pretty please, give me more of your love: the unending, unconditional, unlimited variety.  Because I want my Mr. and my kiddos to know that they are some of the most fantabulistic (yeah, made up word, but it's true!) people ever created, and I love the fuzz off of them.  Because I want my sister and parents and steps and in-laws to know that I am grateful for how each one of them has had an important hand in shaping who I am, for how each one of them fits into the fabric of my life.  Because I want my friends to know how they lift me up and extend me and fill me with their laughter, their stories, their caring, their truth.

Lord, keep on busting my chops when I go through the motions.  When I brush a hurried kiss across my husband's cheek.  When I shoo the kids onto the bus, distracted with to-do lists.  When I listen, but do not hear.  When I think of, but do not call.  When I care, but do not serve.  I want to be stone cold busted on these behaviors because that is not what these people, my people, deserve.  

You have placed these amazing individuals in my midst so that my life may be full.  Help me to hold them tightly and return the fullness of joy that they share with me.  Make me the queen of simple, non-stressed hospitality, inviting my loved ones in to share a slice of laughter, a cup of enthusiasm, a plate full of good.  Make me the unexpected and delightful surprise caller, who reaches out just to share a good mood.  Make me the eager servant, genuinely joyful to do a kind deed for another in need.  Help me to honor the good in others, to stop and say a heartfelt thanks, to give a hearty hug, to listen deeply to the "How are you?" answer.

To do this best, I know I need to slow down, not rush.  I need to live peace, not stress.  I need to see hope, not limitations.  I need to breathe joy, not despair.  I need to embrace goodness, not temptation.  I need to practice patience, not frustration.  I need so much, but all I need is in you.

You first loved us.  And now, good and giving Lord, help me abide in your love.  Let it be in each breathe I take.  Let it exist in each exhalation I make.  In all that comes into my being and all that goes out, may your love exist and extend.

Amen.

May you feel my love for you, dear reader and friend.  Thank you for tuning in, for praying, for living your faith out loud.