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Posts Tagged ‘ministry’

Picking Myself Up by the Bootstraps

Posted in Daily Life, My Writing Journey, The Christian Life, Work life, tagged , , , , , , , , on December 1, 2012| 5 Comments »

MB900423031[1]Here’s what I discovered in the month of November. There are limits to what I can accomplish. I am a chronic over-committer, over-achiever, over-estimator and over-just about everything else.

This past month it came to a head. Here’s what I had on my plate:

  • Full time plus job (and it’s open enrollment which means a steady parade of employees in my HR office, a plethora of paperwork, and a million questions to answer)
  • My commitment to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days.
  • Thanksgiving with all the pie baking, etc.
  • My birthday with lunches and meeting friends over coffee and family stuff.
  • Weekly practices with the Christmas choir.
  • Writing of the Christmas pageant.
  • Early Christmas shopping (I did black Friday!!!)
  • All my regular scheduled meetings, bible studies and worship activities.
  • Friends in crisis.
  • And – well – the rest I can’t remember because I am too tired

I think I’m getting old. My body doesn’t hold up as well as it used to and I hate to admit this but I get tired sometimes. There is nothing that gets my dander up more than sitting down in my chair by the fire and falling asleep immediately. I need some kind of device that sends an electric shock through my body the second my head nods.

Everything on my list is something I want to do, enjoy and never want to give up. Not only that, but there are even more things that I’d like to get involved in but to do them I’d have to give up sleeping all together.  It seems the days get shorter and what used to be plenty of time seems to have become never enough time.

Looking back my great regret is that I did not finish the novel.  I did get ten chapters and 20,000 words written.  I wrote from 4:00 a.m. until 5:00 a.m. almost every morning. I squeezed a few more minutes in here and there. I jotted handwritten notes in grocery lines and on my lunch breaks to transcribe later. But I just couldn’t get there. I feel bad about it because I seldom let myself fail to do what I’ve set my mind on.

So I’m using this blog to give myself a pep talk.

  • I didn’t finish but at least I started and it’s a really good start.
  • My novel is shaping up to be a good one.
  • I discovered that I can shake the cobwebs from my brain even earlier than usual (I usually don’t get up until 4:30 a.m. and then I spend fifteen or twenty minutes sipping coffee and letting my brain coast.)
  • The world does not end when you admit that you failed.
  • Life is too short to beat yourself up.
  • When I look at my list, the novel is the only thing I did not accomplish so that in itself is a pat on the back, right?

Writing is hard work. Work is hard work. Having fun is hard work. Ministry is hard work. Anything that you are committed to doing well is hard work.

There, I feel better.

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.1 Cor 10:31

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Diagnosis – Enlarged Heart

Posted in Daily Life, Friendship, The Christian Life, Work life, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 17, 2012| 3 Comments »

I didn’t sleep well last night. Instead I tossed and turned and fretted over my employees. I am an HR Director and we are offering a great new benefit with a deadline for signing up. For the employees who missed the informational meeting, they don’t know that. So I worried about them. I came to work at 6:00 a.m. to make sure I met with all of my night shift staff.  I’ve been calling and tracking people down all day. I’m so afraid someone who really needs this benefit will miss out.

I also tossed and turned all night because of a little girl in our youth program at work with a very tragic story that was just revealed to us. I want to grab her and take her home and protect her for the rest of her life.

I will not sleep well tonight because I spent my lunch break listening to a precious friend who is in a really bad situation and needs out. However, her options are limited by her ability to financially do what she needs to do. She feels alone. She feels trapped. She feels discouraged and defeated. I want to load up her things and bring her home. I want to give her money. I want to take away all the pain.

I have a friend who is in pain all the time and I want to fix that. I have a friend who has a difficult situation at home along with health problems and I’d love to make that better. The list goes on and on.

I could go to a doctor about my inability to sleep, be diagnosed and put on medication. But that would cost me time and money. It seems a waste when I believe I know exactly what my condition is. I have an chronically enlarged heart.

I also know the carrier of this disease, the One who gave it to me. His name is Jesus and as I get to know Him better, my condition worsens.

I’m finding soft spots where I used to be hard and sensitive spots where I used to be tough. I can no longer shield myself from the germs of love and caring that make me so susceptible.  I find I’m compromised – unable to fend off an attack of overwhelming compassion.

When your heart is enlarged because of a physical condition, it’s not a good thing – it’s life threatening.  But when your heart is enlarged because of a spiritual condition – it’s life affirming.

How will you know if you have this condition?  Here are some symptoms:

  • Arms that ache to reach and comfort someone who’s hurting
  • Sudden bouts of crying out to God on behalf of another
  • Watery eyes, sympathy pains, and blistered knees from long periods of intercessory prayer
  • Love that leaks from every pore in your body
  • Empathy that makes your heart rate increase
  • Limited movement – you are unable to walk away

 

As bad as it sounds, it is a condition everyone should long for. There are so many benefits that come with Christianity and one of the greatest is being able to love with the heart of Jesus. It will hurt and it will cause you to lose a lot of sleep. But it will make you kinder, gentler, and believe it or not – it will lead to excellent spiritual health.

But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fasting; And my prayer kept returning to my bosom. I went about as though it were my friend or brother; I bowed down mourning, as one who sorrows for a mother. Psalm 35:13-14

 

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It’s Okay to Be a “Thing”

Posted in Daily Life, The Christian Life, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 29, 2012| 2 Comments »

Often when we quote Romans 8:28 (And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.) we sit back waiting for God to miraculously change our circumstance or at least show us the purpose of our current crisis.

This week I got a lesson in how we might end up being one of the ‘things’ that work for  good and not the direct recipient of the result. (You mean it’s not all about me?)

Thursday a friend came to share with me how bad stuff has just been piling up on her lately.  She happens to be someone who has just recommitted her life to Christ and is on fire and enthusiastic, wanting to learn more, do more, and feel more in her Christian walk.  I talked to her about being “under attack” and about how satan is not happy with her new direction. She left firm in her resolve to press on.

Friday I met with my worship team to go over the music for Sunday and explained to them that I was not feeling at peace with my choices and I didn’t know why.  So we practiced, worked out all the kinks and left feeling prepared for the service.

Sunday morning during my quiet time God spoke to me about changing the worship set.  That’s a risky thing to do at the last minute when the team has already practiced.  But I felt the strong urging that someone needed encouragement in the area of forgiveness and the vastness of God’s love.  So I made the change, apologizing to my team who I am happy to say is very flexible.

The Pastor’s message Sunday was inspiring and encouraging. It focused on Peter, who after a failed night of fishing, was told by Jesus to go fish again. He was discouraged, exhausted and, as a seasoned fisherman, sure that lowering the net again was futile. He said something like “Been there, done that, Jesus.” (My very loose translation.)  But, at Christ’s urging, he did it and the result of his obedience was amazing. A great lesson in persevering even when things seem hopeless.

Following the service three things happened and I realized what a privilege it is to be a “thing” in the hands of God.

1)     The friend who was under attack came to share with me a brand new crisis, heavier than all the rest.  Of course, the crisis wasn’t a good thing, but her reaction to it was. She had been so touched by the entire service and was encouraged to press on and to keep her heart clear of bitterness and anger. If you knew her situation you would realize how that kind of attitude in the midst of this particular crisis is a miracle.

2)    A second member of the congregation came to me after the service to share how the music choices that morning were right on and how her son leaned over to her and admitted the message in the music was for him and the sermon that followed was just what he needed to move forward.

3)    At a church board meeting Sunday evening I received two amazingly uplifting offerings of encouragement, letting me know that my ministry was very much appreciated and recognized. To really understand the impact you would have to know that I have recently emerged from a season of great oppression when it came to my ministry, one in which I was stifled and at times even criticized for the same things I received encouragement for at that meeting. And the example used in the encouraging comments was the service earlier that day.

I got to be a “thing” working together with a sensitive, sincere, gifted Pastor, a scattering of hurting people, and a beautiful lesson about the bits and pieces of what we say and do under Christ’s direction.

What a privilege to think that God uses scraps of humanity like me to touch the lives of scraps of humanity like you who will in turn touch the lives of scraps of humanity in places we don’t even know, forming the gorgeous quilt of God’s people.

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. Luke 5:10-11

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Capable of Killing

Posted in Daily Life, Motorcycling, The Christian Life, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 22, 2012| 2 Comments »

My heart broke this morning when I heard a report on the local news of a fatality accident that took the lives of a mother and her 14 year old daughter. They were hit head-on when another vehicle crossed the center line.  The cause of the accident was reported as inattention.

I wonder how someone left behind after such a tragedy comes to grips with that conclusion? How do you process through such a deep loss when you know it was completely avoidable?  How would you, as the driver of the other vehicle, live with the fact that your split second distraction took two innocent lives?

All morning I’ve been thinking of the phrase “but for the grace of God, there go I.”  I confess, I have picked up my cell phone to check a message I heard come in while I was driving – a split second of inattention. I have opened a piece of mail while sailing down the freeway – a split second of inattention. I have reached around to hand something off to a grandchild in the back without pulling over – a split second of inattention.

It’s interesting that shortly after the news report this morning our local station had a technical glitch causing the sound to fade out for almost a full minute.  Just as it came back on the voice of one of the favorite morning show hosts was heard blasting out the expletive “sh_t”. He apologized profusely once he realized his message had been broadcast to his listening audience – a split second of inattention.

Those two incidents have had me pondering all day the many ways our distractions can result in serious outcomes.  They may not be as tragic as causing a death and maybe not as wide reaching as to get the attention of an entire listening audience, but certainly they can be every bit as sobering.

As bikers, traveling hundreds and hundreds of miles on our Harley, we are fully aware of what a split second of inattention can do. We hear about the accidents all the time. We’ve been lucky, pretty much due to the fact that my husband is ever vigilant and aware, never taking his mind off his job as the driver.

As parents of small children we learn early that once they begin to roll over constant care must be taken to assure their safety. We also learn quickly how children learn what they see and hear.  A split second of inattention in our language and invariably we hear our profanity repeated from the innocent mouth of our toddler.

Living a Christian life requires constant attention also.  If we don’t walk the talk, the damage is extensive. A bit of inattention in the way we handle a store clerk, a family member, even another vehicle on the road is a lesson in hypocrisy, the kind that has for centuries given the church a bad name. We speak kindness but model impatience when the clerk won’t let us return the item without a receipt. We preach compassion but treat a family member with disdain. We claim tolerance but lay on the horn when the guy in front of us is too slow or doesn’t signal for a turn.

A split second of inattention can make us the person who crossed the center line and killed a gentle spirit or a childlike faith. Distraction is a favorite tool in satan’s hand. It happens when we haven’t taken the time to school ourselves for vigilance and practice minute by minute the Christlike qualities we strive to emulate.

In memory of a mother and daughter I didn’t even know, I’m putting my purse with my cell phone in the back seat of my car from now on so I won’t be tempted.

In memory of a Christ who died for me, I’m putting my Bible on the front seat of my life so I will be watchful at all times.

What will you do to protect yourself and others from your split second of inattention?

“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning,” Luke 12:35

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How Dead Are You?

Posted in Daily Life, Homelessness, The Christian Life, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 19, 2012| 2 Comments »

Today our local paper ran an article about the opening of homeless shelters now that temperatures are dropping close to the freezing mark in the evenings.  One man interviewed stated he was thankful for the shelter where he could come in out of the cold and find something to eat. Homelessness is something I know exists but have never experienced, by the grace of God.

Last night my bible study ladies discussed a lesson on being thankful.  Without exception each lady stated they were thankful for a home that was warm and dry. To my knowledge not one of us has ever had to shelter under a piece of cardboard or shiver through the night on a frost covered park bench.

Two years ago a co-worker got involved in the homeless shelter her church opened and she told me a story I will never forget. She was helping deliver food to a community that had formed along the river in our area and was shocked to find a young couple and their two small children living there.  Their story was heartbreaking.  Both parents had lost their jobs and consequently their home. They were fairly new to the area, had no family or other resources to help them out and ended up where they never dreamed they would ever be – sleeping along a river bank with two little boys.

How many of you picture dirty, scraggly haired men when you think of homelessness? I do.  At least I did before that incident. God brought the message of judgment and compassion home to me in a big way that day. Homelessness is seldom a choice. It is the result of tragic circumstances.  Admittedly sometimes those tragic circumstances are brought about by bad choices people make. But not always!

My heart broke the day I heard the story of this little family. I was privileged to be a very small part of rescuing them from their situation. I don’t know where they are now but I’ve never lost my compassion for homelessness or my sincere gratefulness for a roof over my head, a warm place to come home to at the end of the day, and a soft bed to lie in at night.

Homelessness is like so many other issues we bump up against as we travel through our day.  Poverty, crime, abuse, pain and suffering are out there. We hear a story and for a moment our hearts are moved.  The problem is we tend toward apathy because we aren’t directly affected.  And I’m afraid that’s what Revelation refers to when it speaks of the church of Sardis.  Sometimes called the “dead church” they seemed to have little passion for the needs outside their doors.

I’m not trying to make anyone feel guilty and I’m not trying to push anyone into jumping in and offering up your basement.  But I do want us to keep homelessness on our hearts and in our prayers every day, especially as the temperatures drop and the snow begins to fall.  Here are some ways I think will help us do that.

  • Wake up praising God for a good night’s sleep in a warm bed. Don’t take it for granted.
  • When you see someone on a street corner, push that first thought out of your head and respond with an immediate prayer for people in need. Ask God to help you be descerning in your decision to give or not.
  • Get involved in some way with your local shelters – give food, clothing, blankets or time.
  • Carry items in your car that you could offer to a person in need like gloves, hats, scarves.
  • If you can possibly do it, call your local shelter and volunteer to spend a night serving a meal and making those that come in comfortable.
  • Always, always share the love of Jesus with the lost and lonely.
  • And when you walk into your house at the end of the day, before you yell at the kids for the mess or complain about another meal to prepare or lament over the power bill, thank God for all of it.

Finally, if you have trouble finding a heart for the homeless, remember that spiritually you were one of them once. But it was taken care of by the Christ who cannot look upon a child in distress and keep from weeping. Let’s be more Christlike.

“He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases.” Matthew 8:17

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Are Pedicures Biblical?

Posted in The Christian Life, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 24, 2012| Leave a Comment »

I’m just finishing up a three day conference that my facility puts on every year.  I am the conference coordinator and that means months of planning, organizing, making speaker contacts and travel arrangements, preparing written materials, organizing presentations, processing registrations and all of the other busy work that goes into this type of event.  The three days of the conference are intense and I’m busy from 6:30 a.m. to 10: p.m.

I’m just a couple of hours away from being able to pack up and move out.  I have been looking forward to treating myself to a pedicure this afternoon.  I can’t stop thinking about how good that is going to feel after being on my feet for hours on end, in cute shoes of course.  I didn’t say comfortable, I said cute.

There’s nothing like sitting back and relaxing while your feet soak in that delicious warm, swirling water followed by the foot massage and ending with toes that sparkle and shine.  I don’t do it often but when I do I feel pampered and refreshed.

It brings to mind the feet of Jesus and His followers.  Long walks, dusty paths, rocky terrain, and hot sweaty weather would have made them very aware of their feet.  I can’t imagine their thin, worn sandals would have provided much comfort.  When they did sit it wasn’t usually in a cushioned recliner.  Most likely it was on a rock or the hard ground.

Is it no wonder that Jesus praised the pedicure given by a sinful woman with oil and tears?  Think of it.  Jesus, whose feet were tired and swollen, dusty and sore, enters the home of a wealthy Pharisee.  His host was well versed in law and protocol.  His whole existence was focused around making a good impression, proving himself better than others.  No doubt his invitation to host Jesus was a bit risky.  He may have had an ulterior motive, wanting to show his superior knowledge or hoping to catch Jesus in a theological mistake.  He would have instructed his servants to go all out because, after all, it was all about status and stature – the great Pharisee extending a kindness to the lowly prophet.

But, in all of his preparations, he failed to offer the simple kindness of a bowl of water and a towel to ease the discomfort of his traveler’s feet.  He was so caught up in the sensationalism he overlooked the simple.

No wonder the entrance of the unsavory character with the valuable perfume raised Simon the Pharisee’s eyebrows.  Who did she think she was and where did she get that jar of expensive oil?  Steal it?  Sell herself for it?  Here at least was something the Pharisee and Jesus would have in common – disdain for the despicable.

As usual Jesus took a different path.  In her despair this woman provided what the Pharisee, with all of his possessions, did not.  She brought tearful honesty, soothing repentance, raw adoration.  Everything the Master cherishes.

If we could just remember the lesson of reaching out found in this beautiful story.  It’s never effective when motives overtake mission.  It loses its flavor when impressing takes the place of impacting.  But when we become the servant, when we let our hair down, when we look for the place that needs a healing touch, our efforts are like expensive perfume poured on sweaty feet.  It’s the pedicure that ministers to the entire body.  Not only that but the fragrance fills the room and sweetens the heart of everyone around.

And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Luke 7:50

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20/20 Blindness

Posted in The Christian Life, tagged , , , , , , , , , on August 14, 2012| 3 Comments »

It’s so easy sometimes to get caught up in negativity when it comes to dealing with people.  As a Human Resource Director I come up against a plethora of situations that want to rob me of my faith in the human race.

Just today I was sitting at Starbucks with a friend and I heard myself say, “I’m so tired of everyone wanting something for nothing.”  On my way back to work I heard Casting Crowns’ latest song, Jesus Friend of Sinners.  I was hit so hard with the words I almost had to pull to the side of the road.

I am so thankful Jesus never says “I’m so tired of everyone.”  How many times have I disappointed Him in such a way that could have justified His brushing His hands of me and my constant failures?  Who am I to judge the human race by the few things I experience in my own little corner?

Jesus met men and women who failed miserably in their journey through life.  His reaction?  He always saw potential.

He called a dishonest tax collector out of a tree because He saw him as someone who could provide a good meal and some stimulating conversation as well as a small man who would set a giant example of restoration.

He spoke with a fallen woman at the well because He saw her potential as a prolific preacher of the good news.

He restored the dignity of a prostitute because He saw a woman who, once she raised her eyes from looking down, would never lose her focus in looking up.

I love that Jesus saw potential in me and chose to save me, to give me a ministry, to give me Christian friends who keep me grounded, to give me a thirst for His word and a hunger for His teaching. 

May each of us, in our gratefulness, stop looking at the bad news and remember that the good news seldom gets reported.  For every terrible crime there are a million honest people.  For every person who cheats there are a million who stick to the rules.  For every employee who takes advantage there are a million who believe in hard work.  Our job is to see potential and then follow Jesus’ example and find ways to bring that potential to the surface.

Every hard little apple seed could become an apple tree.  The potential is there.  Someone just needs to see it and believe in it.

And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.  Mathew 16:18

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Of Dusky Evenings and Horse Sweat

Posted in Children, Motorcycling, The Christian Life, tagged , , , , , , , , , on August 6, 2012| 6 Comments »

Last weekend Gordie and I took a two day trip on the motorcycle to visit our daughter and family, see the new home they purchased, visit friends in Idaho and just generally enjoy some time together.  Our travels took us through miles and miles of wheat ranches which are currently in full harvest.  Beautiful – the golden fields stretching out on both sides of the road.  The heads of wheat were heavy with grain and swaying gently in a soft breeze.  Combines were making their slow way around and around the fields, cutting wide swaths to glean the crop the ranchers had been cultivating for many months.

I have many memories of my grandfather’s wheat ranch in the Horse Heaven Hills where I would spend part of my summer helping grandma with the meals for hired hands and when the work was done for the day, walking hand and hand with grandpa out to the corrals to take care of the livestock.

Grandpa always had a herd of Herford cattle and four or five good saddle horses.  I learned to ride on summer evenings when grandpa would take time from his chores to saddle up old Eagle, a red roan, and let me ride around the corral while he fed and watered and did whatever else needed doing, dragging it out until dusk to allow me the maximum amount of time.

The best harvest always takes place after an attentive planting and nurturing season.  The wheat ranchers don’t rush the process.  They know the routine and follow it faithfully to assure a ripe and ready field before the combines are called in.

Nurturing a child (and any other size human for that matter) takes time.  You can’t rush it.  You have to follow the process to assure a well rounded adult ready to face the challenges of life. 

The hours my grandpa spent taught me so much more than being able to straddle a gentle horse and ride inside a corralled area.  I learned patience, confidence, bonding, love, and a great appreciation for a dusky evening filled with the scents of hay and horse sweat.  My grandpa and I had so many conversations about life in general as I grew older because I had learned to trust him as a child.  We had such a special bond of love because of time spent out by the corral.

Today I apply those lessons in my Christian witness.  When I meet someone who needs spiritual nurturing and guidance, I start by walking hand in hand with them to a quiet place where we can communicate.  I don’t just hand them the Bible, I open it and share from my own experience – much like grandpa did with the horses.  When I walk away to do my other chores, I keep a watchful eye and I’m close enough to step in if they need it.  I don’t try to rush things because I want them to have plenty of time to gain confidence.  As we spend time together my heart falls in love with each and every soul God calls me to minister to. 

I think of the rich harvest my grandpa provided for me and I thank God for the lesson in his summer evening ritual that took me into the barnyard and opened up a wonderland for a young girl with blonde braids, a heart for horses and a love for that wonderful man.

Grandpa passed away several years ago but his lessons live in me.  May others say the same about me when I am gone.

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.  Co 4:2-6

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The People I’d Love to Hate

Posted in The Christian Life, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 20, 2012| 3 Comments »

I’ve had to reprocess my thoughts on compassion lately due to some driven-home messages God has subtly planted in my brain as well as my heart.  My top definition for compassion has always been feeling sorry for someone.  Over the years I’ve learned that means putting yourself in their shoes, feeling their pain, and reaching out in love to offer comfort.  I believe those points are accurate.

What was brought home to me recently is the lesson on extending compassion when I don’t feel compassionate.  Kind of like loving your enemy when you don’t.  It’s easy to be compassionate toward a hungry child, a weeping mother, a struggling father.  It’s simple to offer a cup of cold water or a warm hug.

What isn’t so easy is putting an arm around the one who keeps striking out at you and has actually done some pretty serious damage.  I’ve experienced a situation recently in which people who once loved us and would do anything to build us up turned and began to try to destroy us.  Christian people using very unchristian methods and saying very unchristian things. 

I worked through the anger.  I came to the acceptance of letting it go and moving on.  I vowed not to talk about it or allow myself to get dragged into it in any way shape or form.  I moved on.  I began to embrace the beautiful things God was doing in spite of them.  I even thanked God for the time of testing and strengthening. 

But I did not have compassion on them.  This morning I read the 13th chapter of 2 Kings.  The chapter begins with the story of King Jehoahaz who “reigned seventeen years.  He did evil in the eyes of the Lord by following the sins of Jeroboam, son of Nebat.”  By verse 4 Jehoahaz has seen the error of his ways and sot God’s favor.  God gave it and the people escaped from the power of the King of Aram.  But the people “did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam.”  The story goes on to tell of Jehoash who became king and reigned sixteen years.  “He did evil in the eyes of the Lord.” 

Finally, in verse 23, about the time you expect God to smite the people for their years of bad behavior it says “the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”

Now that’s compassion.  Godly concern from a God who had been denied, ignored, and sinned against time and time again.  All because of His covenant with their ancestors. 

Did I not make a covenant with my Lord when I asked him to live in me?  Do I not seek Christlikeness?  There is a kind of love only Christ can put in my heart that transcends any evil done against me.  God’s heart is broken over every kind of ache or brokenness His children suffer.  He does not have levels of compassion.  It is poured out in equal doses to everyone. 

Today the people in Denver are in pain and mourning a great tragedy in a movie theater and I am moved to tears though I don’t know any of them personally.  Today also, people I do know personally are in pain and striking out in anger, hurt and bitterness.  God’s tears flow at the same rate for the broken people in both situations. 

That is a depth of compassion I am only beginning to explore.  My deep felt prayer is that God will pierce my heart today and everyday with a shard of that level of compassion for the people I would love to hate but know I am called to love.

 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Colossians 3:12

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Waiting for Roses to Bloom

Posted in Gardening, The Christian Life, tagged , , , , , , , , , on June 1, 2012| 4 Comments »

If it’s true a watched pot never boils, then it’s a miracle my roses have bloomed.  From the first tiny sign of a green leaf following my spring pruning I have checked and rechecked daily, measuring progress. I’ve watered and fertilized, weeded and sprayed.  I felt personally attacked the day I found aphids trying to take up residence and I rushed to the garden shed to grab the proper insecticide. I have been over-diligent.

When the first tightly coiled buds began to form I announced it to my friends and family like a prospective mom announces her pregnancy.  When those green buds grew to bursting and I saw the first traces of color, I danced among the bushes. The first delicate pink rose began to open, exposing sweetness and velvet layers.  I wanted to park myself right there in the garden and watch it finish unfolding into breathtaking beauty.

Now my bushes are loaded with yellow and peach and red and white tributes to the rose horticulturists who painstaking developed each strain. 

I’ve poured a lot of time and effort into my roses and they have paid me back tenfold. I will enjoy them, take pride in them, share them and glory over them until they once again withdraw into their time of dormancy and dryness only to be coaxed into full bloom again once they’ve survived another winter.

My life has been a rose garden of winter trials and summer blooms. God has been the dedicated Gardner.  He cares for me gently and with great attentiveness, pruning, coaxing, watching for attack, nurturing, and hovering over each sign of new growth. He encourages small green buds of hope and ministry, beauty and song into promises of great beauty and the scent of spiritual growth.  My heart is overwhelmed when I think of Him, the Great God of the Universe, hovering over me with expectation and pride, waiting for me to fully open to the beauty of my current season.

I recently read Wildflowers from Winter, a debut novel by Katie Ganshert (http://katieganshert.com/blog/).  She so beautifully showed her main character emerging from a season of cold and dark to the beauty of one who fully lets God hold her heart.  It is a lesson we learn over and over in the ebb and flow of life.

Dark times will come, must come.  But God promises newness and beauty will follow.  Have you allowed Him to tend the garden of your heart?  Have you seen beauty bloom when you thought nothing could ever come from your brittle branches?  I’d love your comments on how the great Gardner brought you to life again.

But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out.  “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.” Acts 5:19-20

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