Since it's Saturday, maybe you have an extra five minutes to inventory the neighborhood that is in your house.
Do you have uninvited neighbors living there?
I'm thinking of two in particular: Unforgiveness and Anxiety.
Unforgiveness takes up residence when we hold onto the wrong done to us. Yes, we've been wronged. And yes, we have have the right to be angry. So we sit in the cesspool of our anger and get...hardened and even more angry.
Anxiety--well, anxiety just has a heyday with us. Every future thought, every unbalanced budget, every love of our life that is threatened somehow presents us with opportunity to let Anxiety in. We entertain Anxiety to the point of maiming our very bodily health.
Both of these neighbors are unproductive and steal joy. Joy is at the door but we don't let her in because we are too busy entertaining Unforgiveness and Anxiety. They are such a part of the landscape that we forget they are separate from us.
Try this: whichever is your nuisance Neighbor, look in the mirror and introduce yourself to yourself minus the Neighbor. Yes, it sounds crazy but it might go something like this...Sam, meet Sam without Unforgiveness. This Sam no longer needs unforgiveness and is going to let Joy in the door so Forgiveness takes us residence.
Or: Jill, meet Jill without Anxiety. This Jill no longer needs Anxiety because she can give God the worry and let Joy in the door. Anxiety must leave every time God gets invited into the house.
Don't expect these neighbors to rush right out the door. It takes a lot of work everyday to sweep our house clean and invite in Joy and Forgiveness, and to let God know that He is welcome here.
Could be the best five minutes of your day.
14 April 2012
13 April 2012
Needless Wares
We are surrounded by peddlers of needless wares.
That seems why everyday is laced with tension and frustration and exceeding resistance.
We are wired to listen to God's voice, but it is oh so hard to detect in a world so dulled and transfixed on its own merit.
The music of the mystery that is God is our heart's desire and--when we hear it--it is like breakthrough of the sun amid the storm clouds. The rainbow appears.
What if this life is really an exercise in strengthening for the journey of eternity? Now that's a thought for a Friday the 13th.
Every moment we spend pondering the music of the mystery of God is a moment of strengthening for whatever is ahead, this life or the next.
So the peddlers of needless wares are a distraction, a tune that interferes with the powerful music. Can you pick out the peddlers of distraction in your day? Can you grant them less attention today?
The beauty of the music that is your strengthening is playing even now.
That seems why everyday is laced with tension and frustration and exceeding resistance.
We are wired to listen to God's voice, but it is oh so hard to detect in a world so dulled and transfixed on its own merit.
The music of the mystery that is God is our heart's desire and--when we hear it--it is like breakthrough of the sun amid the storm clouds. The rainbow appears.
What if this life is really an exercise in strengthening for the journey of eternity? Now that's a thought for a Friday the 13th.
Every moment we spend pondering the music of the mystery of God is a moment of strengthening for whatever is ahead, this life or the next.
So the peddlers of needless wares are a distraction, a tune that interferes with the powerful music. Can you pick out the peddlers of distraction in your day? Can you grant them less attention today?
The beauty of the music that is your strengthening is playing even now.
12 April 2012
Carefully Spent
One of the annoying things about life is there is never enough of three entities: free calories, free money and free energy.
Even more annoying is the need to budget all three.
Free calories: room in your calorie budget to eat without gaining weight. If you exercise more, you have free calories. If you choose your foods carefully, you have free calories. You get the idea.
Free money: money left over at the end of the month. If you budget carefully and strategically train for and place yourself in the viable work, then you have extra money to help others.
Free energy: energy not consumed in petty grievances, replay of the past, or envy of others. Even if you guard carefully your health to give your body, heart and mind its best energy, it can drain as fast as your cellphone battery on needless chatter, emotion and lack of godly direction.
No one can tackle all three of these at the same time, but chances are, one of these is a bit of a trap in your everyday life.
Annoying? Yes.
Attainable? Yes, yes.
Be intentional. Decide where your strength needs to be fed the most.
Feeding your strength happens with intention, planning, God's direction and perseverance.
Even more annoying is the need to budget all three.
Free calories: room in your calorie budget to eat without gaining weight. If you exercise more, you have free calories. If you choose your foods carefully, you have free calories. You get the idea.
Free money: money left over at the end of the month. If you budget carefully and strategically train for and place yourself in the viable work, then you have extra money to help others.
Free energy: energy not consumed in petty grievances, replay of the past, or envy of others. Even if you guard carefully your health to give your body, heart and mind its best energy, it can drain as fast as your cellphone battery on needless chatter, emotion and lack of godly direction.
No one can tackle all three of these at the same time, but chances are, one of these is a bit of a trap in your everyday life.
Annoying? Yes.
Attainable? Yes, yes.
Be intentional. Decide where your strength needs to be fed the most.
Feeding your strength happens with intention, planning, God's direction and perseverance.
11 April 2012
An Enduring Secret
Life comes fast and hard, decisions to make feel overwhelming at times and peace is often elusive, virtually impossible to find.
So we look around for heroes, models, anyone whose life might offer a way of hope and practical steps to follow.
Enter David, King David of Israel, who chased God with all of his heart. He dodged hatred, fought those who fought God's people, loved deeply, fell hard to sin--his life as leader is a case study in many things done well and a few done exceedingly badly. In short, we can identify with so much of his life, even if we just lead ourselves.
But do we follow his bottom line, expressed in Psalm 18? Herein lies the bedrock of his success:
God made my life complete when I placed all the pieces before him. When I got my act together, he gave me a fresh start. Now I'm alert to God's ways; I don't take God for granted. Every day I review the way he works; I try not to miss a trick. I feel put back together, and I'm watching my step. God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes.
All the pieces...every day...when I opened the book of my heart.
Heroes have secrets to their success. It is a gift of feeding our strength if we follow their lead.
So we look around for heroes, models, anyone whose life might offer a way of hope and practical steps to follow.
Enter David, King David of Israel, who chased God with all of his heart. He dodged hatred, fought those who fought God's people, loved deeply, fell hard to sin--his life as leader is a case study in many things done well and a few done exceedingly badly. In short, we can identify with so much of his life, even if we just lead ourselves.
But do we follow his bottom line, expressed in Psalm 18? Herein lies the bedrock of his success:
God made my life complete when I placed all the pieces before him. When I got my act together, he gave me a fresh start. Now I'm alert to God's ways; I don't take God for granted. Every day I review the way he works; I try not to miss a trick. I feel put back together, and I'm watching my step. God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes.
All the pieces...every day...when I opened the book of my heart.
Heroes have secrets to their success. It is a gift of feeding our strength if we follow their lead.
10 April 2012
Grace-Grafitti
I never tire of reading the Bible through the eyes of Eugene Peterson in his Message translation.
Psalm 17 (in part), where David is crying out to God:
I'm not trying to get my way in the world's way. I'm trying to get your way, your Word's way. I'm staying on your trail; I'm putting one foot in front of the other. I'm not giving up.
I call to you, God, because I'm sure of an answer. So--answer! bend your ear! listen sharp! Paint grace-graffiti on the fences; take in your frightened children who are running from the neighborhood bullies straight to you.
We have pictures in our mind of graffiti-laden neighborhoods with defeated folks standing around, wondering how life passed them by. It is a fearful place, where gangs could erupt at any time, imposing random violence, and it is a land of never enough.
Our hard days are like that. We feel defeat, another wave of bad news, the pain of not enough, all laced with anxiety and fear. We are the frightened children running from the neighborhood bullies of our circumstances.
David's secret? The decision: I'm not giving up. The prayer: I want your way, God. The expectation: I'm sure of an answer.
Most importantly, David knows God can take over the neighborhood--our circumstances--by painting it with His grace.
Imagine the graffiti picture of your mind repainted with grace, with victorious folks moving purposefully through it. It is a joyful place, where love could erupt at any time, imposing random acts of kindness, and it is a land of plenty.
Grace-graffiti: Come Lord, paint our fences.
Psalm 17 (in part), where David is crying out to God:
I'm not trying to get my way in the world's way. I'm trying to get your way, your Word's way. I'm staying on your trail; I'm putting one foot in front of the other. I'm not giving up.
I call to you, God, because I'm sure of an answer. So--answer! bend your ear! listen sharp! Paint grace-graffiti on the fences; take in your frightened children who are running from the neighborhood bullies straight to you.
We have pictures in our mind of graffiti-laden neighborhoods with defeated folks standing around, wondering how life passed them by. It is a fearful place, where gangs could erupt at any time, imposing random violence, and it is a land of never enough.
Our hard days are like that. We feel defeat, another wave of bad news, the pain of not enough, all laced with anxiety and fear. We are the frightened children running from the neighborhood bullies of our circumstances.
David's secret? The decision: I'm not giving up. The prayer: I want your way, God. The expectation: I'm sure of an answer.
Most importantly, David knows God can take over the neighborhood--our circumstances--by painting it with His grace.
Imagine the graffiti picture of your mind repainted with grace, with victorious folks moving purposefully through it. It is a joyful place, where love could erupt at any time, imposing random acts of kindness, and it is a land of plenty.
Grace-graffiti: Come Lord, paint our fences.
09 April 2012
Wear a Sweet Memory
I'm not sure what this Monday looks like for you--ho-hum, dreaded, exciting--but I wonder if we can add a little something to it.
You know how harsh memories often linger in our minds and we replay the pain or criticism or guilt. These memories swirl around our day like a scent that opposes our peace and the day becomes ruined by that flavor alone.
What if we intentionally feed the strength of our memory department today by recalling a sweet memory--one that, when replayed, brings us affirmation and joy--and let it become the sweet scent of this Monday?
Pick a joyful memory--an amazing letter from a child, a parent's tender hug, a spouse's admiration expressed in surprising words--and spray it on before your day gets too far along. Replay it as often as you want, letting it compliment your heart.
We can call today Happy Scent Monday.
Feeding our strength with favorite memories...have a beautifully scented day.
You know how harsh memories often linger in our minds and we replay the pain or criticism or guilt. These memories swirl around our day like a scent that opposes our peace and the day becomes ruined by that flavor alone.
What if we intentionally feed the strength of our memory department today by recalling a sweet memory--one that, when replayed, brings us affirmation and joy--and let it become the sweet scent of this Monday?
Pick a joyful memory--an amazing letter from a child, a parent's tender hug, a spouse's admiration expressed in surprising words--and spray it on before your day gets too far along. Replay it as often as you want, letting it compliment your heart.
We can call today Happy Scent Monday.
Feeding our strength with favorite memories...have a beautifully scented day.
08 April 2012
Our Beliefs Don't
Our beliefs don't entitle us to look down on others.
Our beliefs don't change who God is...or is not.
Our beliefs don't alter truth in any way.
Our beliefs, only if carefully constructed with a prayerful desire to find Truth, are moving us in a right direction. But the ship of belief must be navigated constantly in waters that are deceptive and cunning. The sea of deceit would love to lead us astray, away from Truth.
I believe Truth rose this morning from an excruciating crucifixion and death.
You have belief. What is it telling you this morning? Are you navigating the open seas of deceit with a prayerful desire to know Truth? If your ship is off course, do you want to know?
I want to know. I want to know every inch of wrong belief that is moving me in a dangerous and unproductive direction.
If Truth rose this morning, He can right my ship.
That is my prayer, for you and for me.
Happy Easter.
Our beliefs don't change who God is...or is not.
Our beliefs don't alter truth in any way.
Our beliefs, only if carefully constructed with a prayerful desire to find Truth, are moving us in a right direction. But the ship of belief must be navigated constantly in waters that are deceptive and cunning. The sea of deceit would love to lead us astray, away from Truth.
I believe Truth rose this morning from an excruciating crucifixion and death.
You have belief. What is it telling you this morning? Are you navigating the open seas of deceit with a prayerful desire to know Truth? If your ship is off course, do you want to know?
I want to know. I want to know every inch of wrong belief that is moving me in a dangerous and unproductive direction.
If Truth rose this morning, He can right my ship.
That is my prayer, for you and for me.
Happy Easter.
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