i've been thinking a lot about friendship over the past few weeks, with the Bold Boundaries conference just around the corner. i'm really looking forward to spending a weekend hearing the thoughts and stories of several people who have been thinking thru and praying thru the dynamics of cross-gender friendships. much of what i've been reading over the past few months (on the blogs of some of the main speakers for the conference) has encouraged, inspired, and challenged me.
i've also just finished re-reading Two-Part Invention by Madeleine L'Engle - a re-read that has turned out to be timely in so many ways. it is the (much-abridged, i'm sure) story of her marriage to Hugh Franklin, much of which was written as he was dying. the stories of community within its pages are truly moving, and beautiful.
which may be why this L'Engle quote, shared by Sheila Brennan in a guest post on her husband's blog this week, leapt out at me the way it did: "Could I keep on believing in a loving God if I had no friends? I am not sure. My friends are God-bearers to me."
God-bearers.
yes.
when i am lonely or confused, a long conversation with a good friend is often the vehicle by which God answers my longing for companionship or wisdom.
when i am sad, or hurting deeply over something, a good cry on the shoulder of someone i completely trust can help the sorrow abate, at least a bit. their presence serves as a solid reminder that i am not alone in my grief. their friendship is an icon, reminding me that God is God-with-us.
when i am deeply happy about something, being able to share that joy with someone magnifies and makes the gladness even more glorious - a gloriousness that reflects, however dimly, the glory of the One who created things that make us deeply happy.
so when i need counsel, or just want companionship - when i have prayed and prayed and have no clue what His answer might be - when i am, indeed, lonely, hurting or sad - and when my joy is too great to contain on its own - i seek out my friends. and i want them to feel that they can do the same.
so i call them to say hello. i ask them for time. i send a text message to say i am thinking of them or an email to mention that i'm praying. i try to be intentional about letting the people i care most about know that they are in my thoughts. that they matter. that they're important. that i want to spend time with them. we do not tell each other often enough that we are here. and in truth, we are not actually here, not all the time - we can't be. only God can be.
but i suspect this is why He gives us more than one friend.
it was suggested to me this week that having asked a friend for five minutes of time, a hug, and a reminder that everything would be okay was a possible indication that my walk with God has been suffering.
no. it hasn't.
when God first created the world, he made Adam and decided that it wasn't good for him to be alone. so He made Eve. and told them to make more people. community was His idea.
Scripture is chock-full of stories about friendship: David and Jonathan. Ruth and Naomi. Elijah and the widow of Zarephath. Jesus and Mary (Martha's sister). Jesus and John. Jesus and Peter. Paul and Priscilla (and her husband Aquila). to name just a few; there are so many others. friendship was designed by God.
the very night that Jesus was betrayed by Judas, he was in a garden with His friends, and He asked them to keep watch with Him. He did not want to go thru what He knew He was about to go thru on His own, even while He knew He would have to. When His friends fell asleep, He expressed His disappointment. He loved them, in spite of their failure and betrayal. And when He rose from the dead, He went back and spent time with them. He made them breakfast. And made sure they knew that any brokenness in their relationship with Him had been healed.
i cannot believe, if the God of the Universe (who is in Himself enough to meet any need) wanted His friends during one of His toughest hours, that it could possibly be wrong for me to express the same wish in one of my (significantly less significant) moments of need.
to be open and honest in our friendships about the ways in which we bear God to each other - to be grateful for it, to express that gratitude to God and to each other - to ask our friends to be God-bearers to us when we know we need them to be (because they are not mind-readers and will forget or just not think of it, in the same way that we will forget or just not think to bear God to our friends) - is not wrong. it is not idolatry.
if we were to expect one person - a spouse, another family member, a pastor, a best friend - to be the sole bearer of God's truth or presence to us, then yes, that would be idolatrous. but idolatry and iconography are two very different things. i do not worship my friendships. but i trust most of them to point me in the direction of the One i do worship. i don't expect them to do it flawlessly. i've experienced failure in many of my most-valued friendships, as did Jesus. but a friendship built on mutual love, respect, and trust will weather those failures and come out stronger, and less likely to fail (or at least maybe not quite as abysmally) the next time it is tested.
and i dream of a day when we are all free to simply be ourselves, to be able to state simply and honestly - to both our male and female friends - how much we value them and how grateful we are for the ways in which they have imaged God to us, without fear of misunderstanding, accusation, or judgment of our motives. it may not truly happen in this lifetime - we are each of us flawed representations of His glory, even on our best days - but it is a dream worth working towards, even when it's difficult.
As Dan Brennan says, "Intentional friendships are hard work and messy. But they are worth the risk... May we all seek grace and forgiveness in our friendships. ...we're all going to fail one another... But the beauty of grace and forgiveness is that they are wildly generous and free..."
and a future marked by that kind of beauty is definitely worth the work.
7 Quick Takes Friday (vol. 6)
"You know, at any other point in the week, I would consider that a strange question. But it's Sunday morning. So it's really not."
And that conversation (which did, yes, actually happen) is one of the many reasons why I love my church.
After a great deal of internet research, mostly by iPhone, we concluded that the main difference between a fur and a pelt is how much actual fur is involved. I think. (I'm actually still not sure.) But along the way we discovered that furring and pelting are both verbs. (Furring, incidentally, is also a noun.) One of the potential meanings of the word "furring" involves clogging something with a fur-like substance (if not actual fur).
And so I ask you: what on earth would you clog with fur, and why?
These are the sorts of questions that plague me for days. As evidenced by the fact that it has been 5 days, and I am still thinking about this...
So it's still Lent. The fasting thing isn't going quite as fiercely as I'd anticipated (which is probably best for everyone around me, being as how fasting (still) makes me grumpy). But I am most definitely running into my sin around pretty much every corner. This week's highlight: covetousness. I saw this slideshow of an amazing Lego Hogwarts set, and experienced serious envy. I know I should repent... But I really want one.
I've spent a ridiculous amount of time on Pinterest this week. I will say, tho, that my favorite find of the week was a post on behappy.me. I am truly blessed beyond measure to have a friend who instantly came to mind when I stumbled across that quote.
Speaking of friendship... Have I mentioned recently that I am really excited about the upcoming Bold Boundaries conference? I saw a post today on Dan Brennan's blog from a guy named Doug who's going to the conference, and I think it's spot on. He heard someone ask, "Why do we need a conference on friendship?" And his response was essentially: "Because we could all be so much better at it." Amen. I have been personally challenged to rethink the way I think about cross-gender friendship over the past year, and I am really looking forward to a conference that may be ground-breaking in terms of the freedom it could bring to so many.
At the risk of being labeled a "cat lady" like the single, cat-loving person I am (in spite of the fact that I do not currently own a cat): Apple Chauncery may be my favorite cat... er, font... of all time.
And because no 7 Quick Takes post would be truly complete without at least one YouTube video, this one makes me wish my daydream of being discovered as a quintessential background vocalist would actually come true (because there's not much that makes me happier than creating awesome harmonies, and the harmonies in this song are pretty incredible):
For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!
7 Quick Takes Friday (vol. 5)
"Crazy hard and super cool."
That about sums it up.
I blogged a bit earlier this week about the "crazy hard" piece of it.
Summation: I came face to face with the reality that all too often I put my trust in money - instead of in God. Tuesday's events and my reactions to them revealed that all too clearly, and I ended up eating some serious humble repentance pie. Plus a couple of Cadbury eggs.
I spent the next two days in mental and emotional recovery. And in further consumption of the Best. Easter. Candy. Ever.
This is what you would have found:
(Logic - for the win. (HT: xkcd))
So the "super cool" piece of this week? (you know, beyond the fact that the God of the Universe knows the ever-so-insignificant-detail of my affection for Cadbury eggs...)
Today, a very dear friend handed me $200 and told me, "This is a gift from your heavenly Father, who loves you." Later, she texted me to say, "You'll have to get used to receiving extravagant gifts. I think Papa has many more in store for you."
That $200 was exactly what I needed to cover all the expenses associated with an unexpected opportunity that will equip me to be better at my job. As of Tuesday, I thought I was going to have to turn it down, and it was heart-breaking. And now? I can go. God is sooooo good.
Today, a very dear friend handed me $200 and told me, "This is a gift from your heavenly Father, who loves you." Later, she texted me to say, "You'll have to get used to receiving extravagant gifts. I think Papa has many more in store for you."
That $200 was exactly what I needed to cover all the expenses associated with an unexpected opportunity that will equip me to be better at my job. As of Tuesday, I thought I was going to have to turn it down, and it was heart-breaking. And now? I can go. God is sooooo good.
Speaking of which: I had an unexpected opportunity last night to hang out with three of the coolest kids on the planet. This may have included watching the middle 1/3 of the original Karate Kid movie. (I have still not seen the new one, on principle. And am choosing not to look too closely at why said principle did not stop me from watching the newer versions of Cheaper By The Dozen and Freaky Friday.)
I've finished the "Web Fundamentals" track at Codecademy, and moved on to the next one, and all I have to say at this point is that jQuery... is confusing. And possibly lethal.... (in the event that your brain implodes while attempting to comprehend it).
Which is why I find it slightly surprising that spontaneous combustion doesn't play a wider role in this video:
Lenten Lessons: fasting, integrity, and really dumb ideas
It has always seemed incredibly ironic to me that while fasting, of all the spiritual disciplines, drop-kicks me into dependence on God faster than anything else, it does, at the same time, bring out the absolute worst in me.
I suppose it's fitting - fasting being a physically cleansing activity - that it seems to do the same thing spiritually, but good golly gosh - it's neither pleasant nor pretty.
Two unexpected things (both related to finances) have happened in the past twenty-four hours that have shaken my trust - and showed some serious flaws in its foundation. It seems I've been building my trust on the wrong things again, instead of on the solid rock of God's Word and character. To say that God is faithful and in the next breath freak out about something that may or may not happen is to build on sand. To choose the easy way (depending on credit) at the cost of integrity (even if no one would ever know) is again to build on sand. And houses built on sand can't stand.
Today had some really tough moments. Moments when the fruits of the Spirit were scarcely visible and the muck of my sin, pride, and extreme lack of faith dominated the scene. It was horrible. I cried - a lot. I cried because I felt abandoned and unheard, because I could not see how God would come through. I cried because the consequences of past sin (in regard to how I've handled/viewed my finances) justly affect my present reality even though those wrong choices are covered by grace, and it feels unfair, although it isn't. And I cried because I know that God is faithful and true to His word and His promises, because I know that trying harder isn't what earns grace - that you can't earn it; it's a gift, and you have to receive it, and that sometimes life is just life and you can't control it and it is - somehow - all going to be okay, and that accusing God of not caring enough about you to give you what you want is one of the dumbest ideas ever.
And God, in His goodness and His grace, waited until I was done with my fit, and then spoke quietly: "Go buy yourself some Cadbury eggs."
Permission to splurge. To do something kind for myself.
To stop dwelling in the negative, and to choose hope.
So I bought the eggs.
They are sitting here on my table - Easter eggs: a symbol of life - and better still, chocolate, which inevitably makes me happy. They remind me that the God of the Universe, who knows the deepest cries of people who live in far worse circumstances than I do, heard my cry and answered in a way that He knew I'd understand. He knows me. He sees. He hears. He cares.
And He waited until the muck of my sin was out in the open and then patiently began cleaning it up. "You can't control everything. But there are things that you can." So I folded my laundry and did the dishes. Sorted thru the junk mail and recycled a ton of clutter. And caught up on a few of Andy Stanley's leadership podcasts - including one on Integrity (from July 2012).
A woman of integrity doesn't take the easy way out. She does what is right, and God blesses it. By the end of the podcast, I had chosen not to take the easy way. And within minutes, a solution to one of the problems presented itself. Whoa. The other one (if it even exists) is more complicated. It'll take time. But it is not impossible - not for God.
And I don't have to see how He will be faithful to know that He will be.
Ironic, that I could forget that, while practicing a spiritual discipline that is meant to bring me closer to Him. And yet - in the end, I guess it did. And I shed some things along the way that will leave my spirit lighter, provided I don't try to pick them up again.
Andy Stanley tells of a prayer he's prayed daily for years, and I think it's one worth adding to my personal liturgy: "Lord, give me the wisdom to know what it right, and the courage to do what is right, even when it's hard."
It just goes so much better that way.
And this Cadbury egg I'm having for dessert? It's seriously sweet.
Related posts:
Fasting Makes Me Grumpy - February 2008
Fasting, Repentance, and Freedom - February 2008
Lenten Journeys: Learning to Breathe - February 2010
I suppose it's fitting - fasting being a physically cleansing activity - that it seems to do the same thing spiritually, but good golly gosh - it's neither pleasant nor pretty.
Two unexpected things (both related to finances) have happened in the past twenty-four hours that have shaken my trust - and showed some serious flaws in its foundation. It seems I've been building my trust on the wrong things again, instead of on the solid rock of God's Word and character. To say that God is faithful and in the next breath freak out about something that may or may not happen is to build on sand. To choose the easy way (depending on credit) at the cost of integrity (even if no one would ever know) is again to build on sand. And houses built on sand can't stand.
Today had some really tough moments. Moments when the fruits of the Spirit were scarcely visible and the muck of my sin, pride, and extreme lack of faith dominated the scene. It was horrible. I cried - a lot. I cried because I felt abandoned and unheard, because I could not see how God would come through. I cried because the consequences of past sin (in regard to how I've handled/viewed my finances) justly affect my present reality even though those wrong choices are covered by grace, and it feels unfair, although it isn't. And I cried because I know that God is faithful and true to His word and His promises, because I know that trying harder isn't what earns grace - that you can't earn it; it's a gift, and you have to receive it, and that sometimes life is just life and you can't control it and it is - somehow - all going to be okay, and that accusing God of not caring enough about you to give you what you want is one of the dumbest ideas ever.
And God, in His goodness and His grace, waited until I was done with my fit, and then spoke quietly: "Go buy yourself some Cadbury eggs."
Permission to splurge. To do something kind for myself.
To stop dwelling in the negative, and to choose hope.
So I bought the eggs.
They are sitting here on my table - Easter eggs: a symbol of life - and better still, chocolate, which inevitably makes me happy. They remind me that the God of the Universe, who knows the deepest cries of people who live in far worse circumstances than I do, heard my cry and answered in a way that He knew I'd understand. He knows me. He sees. He hears. He cares.
And He waited until the muck of my sin was out in the open and then patiently began cleaning it up. "You can't control everything. But there are things that you can." So I folded my laundry and did the dishes. Sorted thru the junk mail and recycled a ton of clutter. And caught up on a few of Andy Stanley's leadership podcasts - including one on Integrity (from July 2012).
A woman of integrity doesn't take the easy way out. She does what is right, and God blesses it. By the end of the podcast, I had chosen not to take the easy way. And within minutes, a solution to one of the problems presented itself. Whoa. The other one (if it even exists) is more complicated. It'll take time. But it is not impossible - not for God.
And I don't have to see how He will be faithful to know that He will be.
Ironic, that I could forget that, while practicing a spiritual discipline that is meant to bring me closer to Him. And yet - in the end, I guess it did. And I shed some things along the way that will leave my spirit lighter, provided I don't try to pick them up again.
Andy Stanley tells of a prayer he's prayed daily for years, and I think it's one worth adding to my personal liturgy: "Lord, give me the wisdom to know what it right, and the courage to do what is right, even when it's hard."
It just goes so much better that way.
And this Cadbury egg I'm having for dessert? It's seriously sweet.
Related posts:
Fasting Makes Me Grumpy - February 2008
Fasting, Repentance, and Freedom - February 2008
Lenten Journeys: Learning to Breathe - February 2010
7 Quick Takes Friday (vol. 4)
This year's Lenten journey, for me, is likely going to involve a good deal of fasting - not just from one thing, but from entire meals. Not because I like it, not because it's fun, not because it's super-holy - but because I don't know of a single other spiritual discipline that drives me to God as quickly. Fasting puts me in touch with how want-driven I can be. It also gives me a colossal headache, which in turn gives me the opportunity to practice displaying things like patience and joy - against all odds. It reminds me that how I feel in any given moment is not necessarily indicative of reality. And it puts me in touch with how very much I need God's presence and intervention on a daily basis. (This is no less true when I'm not hungry, but I sure do remember it a lot more often when I am!)
Speaking of creativity, one pastor built a drop box - for babies. He's making a difference one life at a time, and his story is absolutely inspiring:
I am so looking forward to seeing this documentary this summer! Visit The Drop Box website for more information on how you can help build a new orphanage for these little ones.
This week has held a lot of ups and downs; one of the ups was a spontaneous coffee chat with a dear friend who showed up while I was working on Valentine's Day to buy me a cup of coffee and chat. He brought me an entire bag of Reeses' Peanut Butter Cups. Happy day!
One of the downs? My work week felt something a little (er... a lot) like this:
For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!
7 Quick Takes Friday (vol. 3)
It's been a very diverse week here in Happyland. I took an inordinate amount of time off this week, mostly by accident. Ish. I mean, I meant to take time off. Just maybe not quite so much of it...
Monday was the 2nd session of a 3-session virtual conference for pastor's wives and women in ministry. It's called JustONE, put on by Leading and Loving It, and I have to say, I'm really glad I signed up for this. It's just an hour and a half each week, and there are eight different showings of each session, so it's easy to find one that works with your day. I've learned so much from the speakers so far. Like with any good conference, there's a little bit for everyone, so not all the sessions have resonated in the same ways - but I've had the chance to hear from some very strong female voices that I'd previously never even heard of. The conference is free, so I'd highly recommend popping on over to their website and registering for Week 3, which begins on Monday morning.
My favorite speaker by far this week was Michelle Meeks. Michelle spoke on finding freedom within busyness - something I'm still trying to figure out on a day-to-day basis - but her talk challenged me to look at how easily I forget, in the midst of the chaos that is my life, that He is with me; that I am not alone. (And then I promptly forgot, again, as soon as the chaos resumed. But writing about it has reminded me, so maybe there's hope?)
Lent is quickly approaching. I had a really humorous conversation about this with someone last weekend. She was planning to give her heart to God for Lent. "Never mind about the rest of the year," I said without thinking. (Filter, Happy, FILTER!!!!) Fortunately she found it funny - and is now considering a different approach. ;)
Many thanks to the Unvirtuous Abbey (whom I discovered this week via a friend who shared a FB post of this retweet) for retweeting a relatively funny, if slightly sarcastic prayer, on behalf of those who will be giving up chocolate for Lent this year - considering it starts the day before Valentine's Day. Hahaha. Whoops.
I registered this week for a conference called Bold Boundaries, which is coming to Chicago in April. I've been reading the blogs of some of the speakers for this conference for awhile now, and am looking forward to hearing them in person! Gender roles within the church have experienced a great deal of confusion over the past few decades, and I think that many of the voices at this conference are speaking into that creatively and wisely. This post from Kathy Escobar really got me thinking this week.
We got 8 inches of snow yesterday. It was the first real snowfall of the season, and the world is beautifully white. I love snow. It's so pretty. :)
As the first one home, I took the first shift for shoveling - about 4 inches altogether at that point, plus the three foot pile at the end of drive from the plows. It was great exercise. I'll confess tho - I think there were only about 6 square feet of snow left to shovel off the driveway when I finally registered that the shovel I was using had, yes, been laying on top of a snowblower in the garage...
Music is such an interesting thing. I'm always fascinated when I hear a new (or new-to-me) cover of a song, especially when it's a song I really liked.
This, however, was not a song I liked. At all.
I almost didn't listen to the cover because of the original. Now? I might actually like this song.
It was worth it, tho!
-1-
Monday was the 2nd session of a 3-session virtual conference for pastor's wives and women in ministry. It's called JustONE, put on by Leading and Loving It, and I have to say, I'm really glad I signed up for this. It's just an hour and a half each week, and there are eight different showings of each session, so it's easy to find one that works with your day. I've learned so much from the speakers so far. Like with any good conference, there's a little bit for everyone, so not all the sessions have resonated in the same ways - but I've had the chance to hear from some very strong female voices that I'd previously never even heard of. The conference is free, so I'd highly recommend popping on over to their website and registering for Week 3, which begins on Monday morning.
-2-
My favorite speaker by far this week was Michelle Meeks. Michelle spoke on finding freedom within busyness - something I'm still trying to figure out on a day-to-day basis - but her talk challenged me to look at how easily I forget, in the midst of the chaos that is my life, that He is with me; that I am not alone. (And then I promptly forgot, again, as soon as the chaos resumed. But writing about it has reminded me, so maybe there's hope?)
-3-
Lent is quickly approaching. I had a really humorous conversation about this with someone last weekend. She was planning to give her heart to God for Lent. "Never mind about the rest of the year," I said without thinking. (Filter, Happy, FILTER!!!!) Fortunately she found it funny - and is now considering a different approach. ;)
-4-
Many thanks to the Unvirtuous Abbey (whom I discovered this week via a friend who shared a FB post of this retweet) for retweeting a relatively funny, if slightly sarcastic prayer, on behalf of those who will be giving up chocolate for Lent this year - considering it starts the day before Valentine's Day. Hahaha. Whoops.
-5-
I registered this week for a conference called Bold Boundaries, which is coming to Chicago in April. I've been reading the blogs of some of the speakers for this conference for awhile now, and am looking forward to hearing them in person! Gender roles within the church have experienced a great deal of confusion over the past few decades, and I think that many of the voices at this conference are speaking into that creatively and wisely. This post from Kathy Escobar really got me thinking this week.
- 6 -
We got 8 inches of snow yesterday. It was the first real snowfall of the season, and the world is beautifully white. I love snow. It's so pretty. :)
As the first one home, I took the first shift for shoveling - about 4 inches altogether at that point, plus the three foot pile at the end of drive from the plows. It was great exercise. I'll confess tho - I think there were only about 6 square feet of snow left to shovel off the driveway when I finally registered that the shovel I was using had, yes, been laying on top of a snowblower in the garage...
- 7 -
Music is such an interesting thing. I'm always fascinated when I hear a new (or new-to-me) cover of a song, especially when it's a song I really liked.
This, however, was not a song I liked. At all.
I almost didn't listen to the cover because of the original. Now? I might actually like this song.
Compassion - Checkpoint #1
At the beginning of January, I joined the OneWord365 Community and chose "compassion" as my one word for the year.
I knew it was going to cost me something.
What I didn't really register is that one of the things it will cost is my pride.
The first thing I've learned about compassion is how little of it I seem to have for myself. I can have a tough day, or screw something up, or say the wrong thing, and my instant response is to berate myself for it (sometimes for days) - whereas a friend can tell me with tears in her eyes about how tough her day was, or how she made a poor decision, or said the wrong things, and my instant response will be one of grace and compassion, calling out what's true about her as a person over and against the facts of her day or a situation, and reminding her who and Whose she is.
I can read verses like Psalm 103:8, which says: "The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love" - and know that a Christ-like attitude imitates this - but to have this perspective towards myself is challenging. To be compassionate and gracious towards myself, to not be mad at myself when I "get it wrong" (especially if I knew better!) - wow. Not my first response.
Admitting it out loud means acknowledging that this needs to change. It means that on a tough day, when I'm not succeeding in holding it all together or "getting it right," I need to be able to walk in grace without arguing with it. I know that His grace covers all my sins and shortcomings, and that I am a work-in-progress - but all too often I expect justice when what's mine is gracious compassion.
One of the things the Lord has been whispering so often to my heart this past month is that He understands me far better than I understand myself. He knows every thought, every motivation - and He knows where they came from. He is in the business of taking the broken and making it whole - and He is doing that with me. And He sees past the flaws to the beauty He's bringing out of me.
So a little over a month in, I can already say that "compassion" was a good word for the year. I don't think I realized how much I really need it - especially from myself.
I knew it was going to cost me something.
What I didn't really register is that one of the things it will cost is my pride.
The first thing I've learned about compassion is how little of it I seem to have for myself. I can have a tough day, or screw something up, or say the wrong thing, and my instant response is to berate myself for it (sometimes for days) - whereas a friend can tell me with tears in her eyes about how tough her day was, or how she made a poor decision, or said the wrong things, and my instant response will be one of grace and compassion, calling out what's true about her as a person over and against the facts of her day or a situation, and reminding her who and Whose she is.
I can read verses like Psalm 103:8, which says: "The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love" - and know that a Christ-like attitude imitates this - but to have this perspective towards myself is challenging. To be compassionate and gracious towards myself, to not be mad at myself when I "get it wrong" (especially if I knew better!) - wow. Not my first response.
Admitting it out loud means acknowledging that this needs to change. It means that on a tough day, when I'm not succeeding in holding it all together or "getting it right," I need to be able to walk in grace without arguing with it. I know that His grace covers all my sins and shortcomings, and that I am a work-in-progress - but all too often I expect justice when what's mine is gracious compassion.
One of the things the Lord has been whispering so often to my heart this past month is that He understands me far better than I understand myself. He knows every thought, every motivation - and He knows where they came from. He is in the business of taking the broken and making it whole - and He is doing that with me. And He sees past the flaws to the beauty He's bringing out of me.
So a little over a month in, I can already say that "compassion" was a good word for the year. I don't think I realized how much I really need it - especially from myself.
7 Quick Takes Friday (vol.2): The Fighting Buffalo Edition
Well, I'd meant to blog this week, I really did - but hey, 7 Quick Takes it is. (Thanks again for hosting, Jen!)
1.) I've learned a lot this week about conflict resolution:
a) I am still really bad at it. but...
b) I'm better than I used to be!
So on the upside - I actually chose to confront someone when I was angry this week.
On the downside - I did it really badly.
So please allow me to present you with a few Happy Guidelines To Better Fights:
2.) Never fight over email. Your tone-of-voice in an argument matters - and no matter how clear and logical you think you're being, the truth is that if you are in any way, shape, or form irritated, it will come off that way. In person, no matter how difficult, will always be better. Your facial expressions, classic tells, and your heart will come thru sooooooo much better in person.
3.) Don't assume your perspective is accurate. You're mad. So of course you're right. (and, um, no.... you're not. Your perspective is only half of "what just happened there"...
4.) Ask questions. Seek to understand. So something someone said torqued you off... Why? And why did they say it? Did they mean what you think they meant? Or are you having a bad day? (All of a sudden. Which can happen. Usually because there's something going on under the surface of which you weren't aware.)
5.) Assume good intent. If the person you're fighting with is a good friend, it's likely there's been some kind of miscommunication at the heart of whatever the "real" issue appears to be. Again - ask questions. Have the guts to say to his/her face: "This is what I heard you say, and this is how I feel about it." But be prepared to hear that you heard wrong in the first place.
6.) At the end of the day, what matters is unity. Not being right. Not being wrong. Just... getting it right. Back to good. Back to the way it's supposed to be.
and 7.) Never underestimate the power of a good, well-timed, and heart-felt laugh. It can make or break your day, no matter what's happened in it.
So, say... for an extremely random example... you were once chased by a bison. But you later found out that other people have tamed them, and had adventures while riding them that inspired songs. Which may or may not be available for purchase on iTunes.
You could find yourself spending more time that it's worth watching videos like this one, and laughing hysterically (which is always good for you):
1.) I've learned a lot this week about conflict resolution:
a) I am still really bad at it. but...
b) I'm better than I used to be!
So on the upside - I actually chose to confront someone when I was angry this week.
On the downside - I did it really badly.
So please allow me to present you with a few Happy Guidelines To Better Fights:
2.) Never fight over email. Your tone-of-voice in an argument matters - and no matter how clear and logical you think you're being, the truth is that if you are in any way, shape, or form irritated, it will come off that way. In person, no matter how difficult, will always be better. Your facial expressions, classic tells, and your heart will come thru sooooooo much better in person.
3.) Don't assume your perspective is accurate. You're mad. So of course you're right. (and, um, no.... you're not. Your perspective is only half of "what just happened there"...
4.) Ask questions. Seek to understand. So something someone said torqued you off... Why? And why did they say it? Did they mean what you think they meant? Or are you having a bad day? (All of a sudden. Which can happen. Usually because there's something going on under the surface of which you weren't aware.)
5.) Assume good intent. If the person you're fighting with is a good friend, it's likely there's been some kind of miscommunication at the heart of whatever the "real" issue appears to be. Again - ask questions. Have the guts to say to his/her face: "This is what I heard you say, and this is how I feel about it." But be prepared to hear that you heard wrong in the first place.
6.) At the end of the day, what matters is unity. Not being right. Not being wrong. Just... getting it right. Back to good. Back to the way it's supposed to be.
and 7.) Never underestimate the power of a good, well-timed, and heart-felt laugh. It can make or break your day, no matter what's happened in it.
So, say... for an extremely random example... you were once chased by a bison. But you later found out that other people have tamed them, and had adventures while riding them that inspired songs. Which may or may not be available for purchase on iTunes.
You could find yourself spending more time that it's worth watching videos like this one, and laughing hysterically (which is always good for you):
Who knew buffalo were so handy against (were)wolves?
7 Quick Takes Friday (vol. 1)
One of my favorite bloggers hosts a bit of weekly fun called 7 Quick Takes Friday - which can, as far as I can tell, be summed up as "Quick everybody - 7 things. Go!" It's actually what inspired my random ramblings series a few years ago - I wasn't sure I could commit to a weekly post, or that I'd have seven whole things to say - but I'm finding that the first excuse is something I just need to call an excuse and ditch altogether, and the second is actually untrue (how do I pick only 7 things?!).
So belatedly, I am joining the bandwagon. And looking forward to meeting some new friends along the way. :)
So without further ado:
7 Quick Takes Friday (vol. 1)
1.) I am that geek.
If you had told me five years ago that I would be learning about BSP trees and reading books on web/graphic design for fun, I would have looked at you blankly and wondered if you'd hit your head. Recently, I've been doing both, and actually asking friends for book recommendations. I'm also ridiculously excited about helping the Professor (who is probably going to regret saying I could help) design a website for the serving ministry of our church. I am learning a ton - and looking forward to the day when I understand why all of these t-shirts are funny...
2.) It's gonna be worth it.
There have been some tough moments (mostly as a result of that bicycle accident) over the past few months. Tonight, I was reminded as a dear friend led us into worship, that it really will all be worth it someday. Thanks, Steve. And thanks, Rita Springer, for writing this song.
So belatedly, I am joining the bandwagon. And looking forward to meeting some new friends along the way. :)
So without further ado:
7 Quick Takes Friday (vol. 1)
1.) I am that geek.
If you had told me five years ago that I would be learning about BSP trees and reading books on web/graphic design for fun, I would have looked at you blankly and wondered if you'd hit your head. Recently, I've been doing both, and actually asking friends for book recommendations. I'm also ridiculously excited about helping the Professor (who is probably going to regret saying I could help) design a website for the serving ministry of our church. I am learning a ton - and looking forward to the day when I understand why all of these t-shirts are funny...
2.) It's gonna be worth it.
There have been some tough moments (mostly as a result of that bicycle accident) over the past few months. Tonight, I was reminded as a dear friend led us into worship, that it really will all be worth it someday. Thanks, Steve. And thanks, Rita Springer, for writing this song.
3.) Of course, the minute I started to search YouTube for that song, I thought instantly of Debbie, the Internet Dater, who may actually someday inspire me to download Songify...
(It may be possible that I am personally responsible for somewhere between 50-75 of those millions of views... and that I may or may not have downloaded this song from iTunes...)
4) And as long as we're still on YouTube, you might as well know that if you're going to write a song about something, it might as well be about this:
5) Nothing is ever wasted.
Which is why I don't really mind about the bison. Who may or may not have a twitter feed.
6) Speaking of Twitter... a friend recently inadvertently posted a series of links via her twitter feed, which inadvertently led me to start reading Seth Godin's blog. This interview he did with Krista Tippett is worth your time.
7) So about that One Word Resolution...
Who knew I was going to spend most of January learning to be compassionate towards myself? More on that soon.
Because it's 11:55pm. Which means it's almost no longer Friday, so I need to wrap it up. ;)
My One Word Resolution
For the past several years, I've taken New Year's Day as a sort of retreat day, a day to be quiet and listen, to reflect on the past year and look towards the new year and all of its possibilities. I don't really make resolutions - but I usually spend some time thinking about the victories and shifts I'd like to see the next year hold. Looking back at my New Year's post from last year, I am pleasantly surprised to tell you that all the things I wrote about wanting to see happen last year did. So that's pretty fantastic.
I have all sorts of hopes and dreams for the coming year, too, but this year I want to try something a little different. A few weeks ago I came across a website called OneWord365. The basic idea is to pick a word - one word - that will shape your year, and then write about it throughout the year.
There are so many amazing words to choose from, but when I started praying about it a few days ago, one word came to mind almost immediately and wouldn't go away.
On the surface it seems like a really nice word - but I'll confess, I have a sneaking suspicion that this word is going to cost me something. But it's the word I feel like He's speaking over this year, so it's the word I'm going to focus on. I will let compassion shape me and change me and make me more like Jesus - and probably end up with some really good (if possibly heart-breaking) stories along the way.
So here's to a year full of compassion - and to learning all this word will teach me.
I have all sorts of hopes and dreams for the coming year, too, but this year I want to try something a little different. A few weeks ago I came across a website called OneWord365. The basic idea is to pick a word - one word - that will shape your year, and then write about it throughout the year.
There are so many amazing words to choose from, but when I started praying about it a few days ago, one word came to mind almost immediately and wouldn't go away.
 |
| My OneWord365 for 2013 |
On the surface it seems like a really nice word - but I'll confess, I have a sneaking suspicion that this word is going to cost me something. But it's the word I feel like He's speaking over this year, so it's the word I'm going to focus on. I will let compassion shape me and change me and make me more like Jesus - and probably end up with some really good (if possibly heart-breaking) stories along the way.
So here's to a year full of compassion - and to learning all this word will teach me.
What's your one word for 2013? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below!
Life Lessons from Zumba - #4: Never Underestimate The Power Of Sheer Determination
I'm telling you, sometimes determination is all it takes.
There's this one routine we've been doing in Zumba this semester that I have absolutely detested from the first time we did it. It has jumping jacks in it. Not just ordinary run of the mill jumping jacks, either. These are jumping jacks that require you to cross your feet, and there are 4 or 5 of them in very quick succession, in between these hoppy little knee lifts, and if you miss one, it's hard to catch up.
Can I just tell you that at 37, jumping jacks - especially tricky little fast ones - are a lot harder than they were when I was 7?
(Ok, you can stop laughing now.)
I'm not kidding, I have not once made it all the way through this routine all semester and actually accomplished all the jumping jacks. And it's been soooo frustrating. I can be a bit of an overachiever (the first step is admitting the problem, right?) - and it can drive me a little nuts when I run into something that I can't do (but think I should be able to do). And this routine is so demanding that by the end of it I am usually dripping with sweat and feeling like the most uncoordinated person on the planet.
Until today. I made my usual protest at the beginning of the song. Was outvoted by a roomful of women who can actually do jumping jacks without feeling like they're going to fall over. And decided that today was the day.
I missed a couple other things in the routine here and there, but I nailed every single jack today. And it felt amazing.
Never underestimate the power of sheer determination.
Now granted, there are going to be days when it isn't enough. Days when you can will yourself to accomplish something all you want, and yet fail utterly. I lucked out. Today wasn't that day. But there have been other days when I've thrown myself at a problem or a task, determined to conquer it - and fallen very, very short.
But here's the thing. It's better than not trying.
Because at least if you tried - you did something. You didn't just sit by passively and let life happen to you. You went out and did something. And maybe even learned something along the way from your mistakes and failures.
Determination was the key to getting thru that routine today - but eight weeks of showing up to class and trying (even on the weeks when it didn't go well) was the discipline that made me strong enough for determination to finally win out.
Where do you need to "show up" and put in a little more discipline to build the strength you need for your life? (And how rewarding will it be the next time you throw a little sheer determination at something you want to but aren't sure you can do - and succeed?)
"You've all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You're after one that's gold eternally.
I don't know about you, but I'm running hard for the finish line. I'm giving it everything I've got."
- 1 Corinthians 9:24-26 (The Message)
Other "Life Lessons from Zumba" Posts:
# 3 - It Doesn't Always Go Well
# 2 - Don't Think About The Six-Step
# 1 - The Five Minute Rule of Survival
There's this one routine we've been doing in Zumba this semester that I have absolutely detested from the first time we did it. It has jumping jacks in it. Not just ordinary run of the mill jumping jacks, either. These are jumping jacks that require you to cross your feet, and there are 4 or 5 of them in very quick succession, in between these hoppy little knee lifts, and if you miss one, it's hard to catch up.
Can I just tell you that at 37, jumping jacks - especially tricky little fast ones - are a lot harder than they were when I was 7?
(Ok, you can stop laughing now.)
I'm not kidding, I have not once made it all the way through this routine all semester and actually accomplished all the jumping jacks. And it's been soooo frustrating. I can be a bit of an overachiever (the first step is admitting the problem, right?) - and it can drive me a little nuts when I run into something that I can't do (but think I should be able to do). And this routine is so demanding that by the end of it I am usually dripping with sweat and feeling like the most uncoordinated person on the planet.
Until today. I made my usual protest at the beginning of the song. Was outvoted by a roomful of women who can actually do jumping jacks without feeling like they're going to fall over. And decided that today was the day.
I missed a couple other things in the routine here and there, but I nailed every single jack today. And it felt amazing.
Never underestimate the power of sheer determination.
Now granted, there are going to be days when it isn't enough. Days when you can will yourself to accomplish something all you want, and yet fail utterly. I lucked out. Today wasn't that day. But there have been other days when I've thrown myself at a problem or a task, determined to conquer it - and fallen very, very short.
But here's the thing. It's better than not trying.
Because at least if you tried - you did something. You didn't just sit by passively and let life happen to you. You went out and did something. And maybe even learned something along the way from your mistakes and failures.
Determination was the key to getting thru that routine today - but eight weeks of showing up to class and trying (even on the weeks when it didn't go well) was the discipline that made me strong enough for determination to finally win out.
Where do you need to "show up" and put in a little more discipline to build the strength you need for your life? (And how rewarding will it be the next time you throw a little sheer determination at something you want to but aren't sure you can do - and succeed?)
"You've all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You're after one that's gold eternally.
I don't know about you, but I'm running hard for the finish line. I'm giving it everything I've got."
- 1 Corinthians 9:24-26 (The Message)
Other "Life Lessons from Zumba" Posts:
# 3 - It Doesn't Always Go Well
# 2 - Don't Think About The Six-Step
# 1 - The Five Minute Rule of Survival
Rest With Us
"So it was, whenever the ark set out, that Moses said:
"Rise up, O Lord! Let Your enemies be scattered,
And let those who hate You flee before You."
And when it rested, he said:
"Return, O Lord,
To the many thousands of Israel."
- Numbers 10: 35-36 (NKJV)
God had rescued the people of Israel from Egypt. They were on their way to the promised land. - and they had the most interesting way of getting directions.
The presence of God was dwelling with them in a tent called the Tabernacle - by day it looked like a cloud; by night it looked like fire. When the cloud lifted, and began to move - they followed it. When it stopped, they stopped. The Bible tells us that "whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud remained above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would remain encamped and not journey; but when it was taken up, they would journey." (Numbers 9:22 NKJV)
It struck me this morning what a very simple way to follow God this is - and how much more complicated we make it some days.
The children of Israel knew generally where they were going. But they didn't spend 40 years wandering aimlessly in the desert to get there. There was purpose and intentionality to their movements - but it wasn't purpose and intentionality they brought to the plan - it was God's directions they followed. Sometimes they journeyed and sometimes they camped - and sometimes it was two days and sometimes it was a year. God alone knows why His directions were what they were - but He had his reasons, and Israel's job was to journey and camp as they were directed. So they followed the Presence - and in the end, came to the place they were meant to be.
How often do I try to depend on my own strengths, my own gifts, and my own ability to figure things out in an attempt to get where I think I'm going? When really, those strengths, gifts and abilities aren't truly mine to begin with, but a gift in the first place? And when really, what's needed isn't a plan, but the willingness to follow where He's leading (or not leading) that day - regardless of whether or not I know the reasons for what we're doing in that day? I spend so much time trying to sort it all out, making it far more complicated than it needs to be, when what I really need to do is to "cease striving and know that [He] is God." (Psalm 46:10a NASB).
I love how Eugene Peterson re-worded what Moses said in Numbers 10:36 of the Message Paraphrase:
"And when the Chest was set down, he would say:
"Rest with us, God.
Stay with the many,
Many thousands of Israel."
Rest with us, God.
Oh, would You come and do that today? Would you come and rest with us, and teach us to rest in You?
Life Lessons From Zumba: #3 - It Doesn't Always Go Well
One of the things Zumba class requires is a great deal of energy. (In case you're not familiar with Zumba, it's mostly Latin dance steps mixed in with a good blend of aerobics, kickboxing and hip hop.) It's super-fun - unless you walk into class utterly exhausted. If you walk in tired - well, be prepared. Zumba will kick your ... um. Well, let's just say it won't likely go all that well.
Today was one of those days when Zumba just didn't go well. I walked in already tired. I thought several times about just cutting out early - and honestly, today, I didn't stay because of what people would think if I left. I think I stayed mostly to see if I could. And I did actually make it all the way through the class.
But let me tell you: there were some less than stellar moments. I tripped more than once. There were dances and steps I just couldn't seem to master today - even though none of them were new. I made so many mistakes, and found myself relying more heavily than usual on the instructor's encouragement and smiles. (She's really awesome that way.) I had to remind myself to smile. It wasn't fun, most of the time today. It was work, and it was exhausting, and it was very hard to remember that the point is to have fun and keep moving as I watched myself make error after error. For some reason, most of my injuries from my bike accident chose today to be achy, which affected my concentration and added to the discouragement I felt. There were a few moments here and there when I found something positive to focus on - things like "my Zumba shoes are really cute" or "I didn't trip that time" or enjoying the camaraderie that exists between those of us who have been taking this class together for awhile. But mostly it was just a long haul for an hour, and I was glad when it was over and I could retreat to the introvert heaven that the rest of this day has been.
And life's like that. There are days when you get up and everything just seems to go wrong. You wake up tired, you push too hard, you overcommit, and your responsibility streak won't let you drop things you promised you'd do because people are counting on you, even tho dropping them would be the best possible thing for you. You forget things - important things - and it affects other people negatively. (Which makes you feel worse.) You make mistakes, and you say the wrong things and you send text messages you shouldn't send. Your emotions get out of control and you spew negativity. People don't respond the way you wish they would and old wounds surface and try to declare themselves unable to heal, ever. Life seems suddenly overwhelming and obstacles insurmountable.
But the truth is: it isn't and they're not. You can do this. You just need to give yourself a little grace. Be okay with not being perfect. Be okay with not getting it right all the time. Trust in His grace. And trust your friends to love you enough to be gracious to you even when you're having a rotten day and not being the best version of yourself.
And call it when you need to. Check out. Take a nap. Read a book (for fun). Watch a movie. Take another nap. Be an introvert. Ask God to speak. Listen for His voice.
And know that while it doesn't always go well (welcome to life on a fallen planet) - there will be other days and other dances, and life isn't going to permanently kick your anything. You'll get back out there, and it will be fun again.
Today was one of those days when Zumba just didn't go well. I walked in already tired. I thought several times about just cutting out early - and honestly, today, I didn't stay because of what people would think if I left. I think I stayed mostly to see if I could. And I did actually make it all the way through the class.
But let me tell you: there were some less than stellar moments. I tripped more than once. There were dances and steps I just couldn't seem to master today - even though none of them were new. I made so many mistakes, and found myself relying more heavily than usual on the instructor's encouragement and smiles. (She's really awesome that way.) I had to remind myself to smile. It wasn't fun, most of the time today. It was work, and it was exhausting, and it was very hard to remember that the point is to have fun and keep moving as I watched myself make error after error. For some reason, most of my injuries from my bike accident chose today to be achy, which affected my concentration and added to the discouragement I felt. There were a few moments here and there when I found something positive to focus on - things like "my Zumba shoes are really cute" or "I didn't trip that time" or enjoying the camaraderie that exists between those of us who have been taking this class together for awhile. But mostly it was just a long haul for an hour, and I was glad when it was over and I could retreat to the introvert heaven that the rest of this day has been.
And life's like that. There are days when you get up and everything just seems to go wrong. You wake up tired, you push too hard, you overcommit, and your responsibility streak won't let you drop things you promised you'd do because people are counting on you, even tho dropping them would be the best possible thing for you. You forget things - important things - and it affects other people negatively. (Which makes you feel worse.) You make mistakes, and you say the wrong things and you send text messages you shouldn't send. Your emotions get out of control and you spew negativity. People don't respond the way you wish they would and old wounds surface and try to declare themselves unable to heal, ever. Life seems suddenly overwhelming and obstacles insurmountable.
But the truth is: it isn't and they're not. You can do this. You just need to give yourself a little grace. Be okay with not being perfect. Be okay with not getting it right all the time. Trust in His grace. And trust your friends to love you enough to be gracious to you even when you're having a rotten day and not being the best version of yourself.
And call it when you need to. Check out. Take a nap. Read a book (for fun). Watch a movie. Take another nap. Be an introvert. Ask God to speak. Listen for His voice.
And know that while it doesn't always go well (welcome to life on a fallen planet) - there will be other days and other dances, and life isn't going to permanently kick your anything. You'll get back out there, and it will be fun again.
vamos a cantar
Come, let us sing...
Rehearsal this week was amazing, and I am so looking forward to worship tomorrow! I've been leading worship for a long time, but tomorrow is a day that holds a bit of new territory: we're doing an entire song in Spanish.
It was a challenge, learning a song in a language I don't speak - but it was a ton of fun (and Pedro says I did okay - yay!). It will be a challenge, trying to sum up in the 30 seconds or less I usually take for a song intro, why we're doing it, and coaching our people into the moment. It's new territory for our entire congregation - but it's territory worth entering, and here's why:
1) Singing a song in another language broadens our horizons. It reminds us that the kingdom of God is so much bigger than just our church - His bride is multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, and wonderfully diverse. His word says that every tribe and every tongue will one day bow before Him - and singing in another language orients us towards the beauty of that truth.
2) We have families in our congregation whose native language isn't English. They come every week and sing in English, and they do it cheerfully and with abandon - but it's just love towards our brothers and sisters to sing in their languages, too.
3) One of the things Torch wants to be is "simply different" - we refuse to be a holy huddle. We are a church that reaches out, and stays focused on reaching the lost. We're planted in the middle of an area that demographically includes Hispanic families. If we want to be a neighborhood church - the kind of place where people in our neighborhood feel comfortable just walking in, then there need to be elements of how we do things that make it feel like home to our neighbors. Singing some of our songs in Spanish sometimes is a way to do that for some of our neighbors.
Sure, there will be people in our congregation who will find it hard to connect during that particular song. We're going to try to help by singing a song that's familiar and putting the English words on screen along with the Spanish words. But the truth is, there are always going to be songs that we do/don't connect with, and a lot of the time that's dependent on the season we're in or personal taste/preference in music, etc. - and at the end of the day, worship is about the glory of God, not our subjective whims. If we truly desire to worship the Lord, and worship is happening around us in another language - we can connect. We might not understand the words, but we will sense the heart of worship in them - and we can enter into that with our own words or even in joyful, surrendered silence. And there will be other songs that say everything we wanted to say in better words than we could have ever expressed it, and we'll connect then.
So I'm excited. Tomorrow is going to be a breakthrough day for a lot of us, for a lot of reasons - and one of those reasons is that our perspective is going to shift a little. It's going to be amazing. Hope to see you there!
Rehearsal this week was amazing, and I am so looking forward to worship tomorrow! I've been leading worship for a long time, but tomorrow is a day that holds a bit of new territory: we're doing an entire song in Spanish.
It was a challenge, learning a song in a language I don't speak - but it was a ton of fun (and Pedro says I did okay - yay!). It will be a challenge, trying to sum up in the 30 seconds or less I usually take for a song intro, why we're doing it, and coaching our people into the moment. It's new territory for our entire congregation - but it's territory worth entering, and here's why:
1) Singing a song in another language broadens our horizons. It reminds us that the kingdom of God is so much bigger than just our church - His bride is multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, and wonderfully diverse. His word says that every tribe and every tongue will one day bow before Him - and singing in another language orients us towards the beauty of that truth.
2) We have families in our congregation whose native language isn't English. They come every week and sing in English, and they do it cheerfully and with abandon - but it's just love towards our brothers and sisters to sing in their languages, too.
3) One of the things Torch wants to be is "simply different" - we refuse to be a holy huddle. We are a church that reaches out, and stays focused on reaching the lost. We're planted in the middle of an area that demographically includes Hispanic families. If we want to be a neighborhood church - the kind of place where people in our neighborhood feel comfortable just walking in, then there need to be elements of how we do things that make it feel like home to our neighbors. Singing some of our songs in Spanish sometimes is a way to do that for some of our neighbors.
Sure, there will be people in our congregation who will find it hard to connect during that particular song. We're going to try to help by singing a song that's familiar and putting the English words on screen along with the Spanish words. But the truth is, there are always going to be songs that we do/don't connect with, and a lot of the time that's dependent on the season we're in or personal taste/preference in music, etc. - and at the end of the day, worship is about the glory of God, not our subjective whims. If we truly desire to worship the Lord, and worship is happening around us in another language - we can connect. We might not understand the words, but we will sense the heart of worship in them - and we can enter into that with our own words or even in joyful, surrendered silence. And there will be other songs that say everything we wanted to say in better words than we could have ever expressed it, and we'll connect then.
So I'm excited. Tomorrow is going to be a breakthrough day for a lot of us, for a lot of reasons - and one of those reasons is that our perspective is going to shift a little. It's going to be amazing. Hope to see you there!
Life lessons from Zumba: #2 - Don't Think About The Six-Step
One of the steps I've had to learn for a number of routines in Zumba is called the "six-step." It's literally six steps. How hard is it to take six steps?
Well - when you're supposed to be twisting from your waist (tighten up those abs!) and moving your arms a certain way, and two of those steps involve crossing your feet, and you're doing it all really fast to music that's in 6/8 time when you've been listening to music in 4/4 all day, and you're thinking really hard about where your feet are supposed to go and trying to watch your instructor and not crash into the person next to you who is also falling over their feet... you might be surprised how challenging those six steps can be. And you generally end up needing to do 4-8 sets of steps, really, and then transition right into another kind of step, and then transition back into it - and it can all be very confusing.
But here's the key, believe it or not: once you quit thinking about it, it gets a whole lot easier.
Learning the six step is actually as easy as counting to six while not looking at your feet. I know that sounds crazy. But it's true. If I try to think, "right, left, cross, left, right, cross" while watching my feet, I will screw it up. But if I count to six and keep my eyes on the instructor - it's not that hard.
Life comes with a whole lot of six-step moments. Moments that arrive and leave you wondering what in the world you're supposed to do next, which direction you're even supposed to be going. Moments that leave you feeling like you're getting everything wrong, moments where you stumble, moments you wish you'd transitioned into with a little more grace and decorum, and moments you really wish you could transition out of because you just can't figure out what to do right now. Moments you have over-analyzed your next steps (literally and figuratively) to the point where all you can do is just stop because you have no idea where you are anymore.
In moments like that, there's only one thing to do: Don't Think About The Six-Step.
Quit thinking about it. Quit overanalyzing it. Stop. Look at your Teacher. Watch the Teacher's feet. Follow where the Teacher leads. And if you're still not sure how to get back into the dance - look for the Cross; begin there. And then just move. Don't think about it. Just look at the Teacher and dance. Do what you see the Teacher doing - all the while keeping your eyes fixed on the Teacher, and not on yourself. And all of a sudden, you'll find you've mastered the steps. (The metaphors seem obvious here...)
Now all you have to do is figure out that tricky double-tap-cross salsa step...
"A man's steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way?" - Proverbs 20:24
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." - Hebrews 12:1-3
Well - when you're supposed to be twisting from your waist (tighten up those abs!) and moving your arms a certain way, and two of those steps involve crossing your feet, and you're doing it all really fast to music that's in 6/8 time when you've been listening to music in 4/4 all day, and you're thinking really hard about where your feet are supposed to go and trying to watch your instructor and not crash into the person next to you who is also falling over their feet... you might be surprised how challenging those six steps can be. And you generally end up needing to do 4-8 sets of steps, really, and then transition right into another kind of step, and then transition back into it - and it can all be very confusing.
But here's the key, believe it or not: once you quit thinking about it, it gets a whole lot easier.
Learning the six step is actually as easy as counting to six while not looking at your feet. I know that sounds crazy. But it's true. If I try to think, "right, left, cross, left, right, cross" while watching my feet, I will screw it up. But if I count to six and keep my eyes on the instructor - it's not that hard.
Life comes with a whole lot of six-step moments. Moments that arrive and leave you wondering what in the world you're supposed to do next, which direction you're even supposed to be going. Moments that leave you feeling like you're getting everything wrong, moments where you stumble, moments you wish you'd transitioned into with a little more grace and decorum, and moments you really wish you could transition out of because you just can't figure out what to do right now. Moments you have over-analyzed your next steps (literally and figuratively) to the point where all you can do is just stop because you have no idea where you are anymore.
In moments like that, there's only one thing to do: Don't Think About The Six-Step.
Quit thinking about it. Quit overanalyzing it. Stop. Look at your Teacher. Watch the Teacher's feet. Follow where the Teacher leads. And if you're still not sure how to get back into the dance - look for the Cross; begin there. And then just move. Don't think about it. Just look at the Teacher and dance. Do what you see the Teacher doing - all the while keeping your eyes fixed on the Teacher, and not on yourself. And all of a sudden, you'll find you've mastered the steps. (The metaphors seem obvious here...)
Now all you have to do is figure out that tricky double-tap-cross salsa step...
"A man's steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way?" - Proverbs 20:24
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." - Hebrews 12:1-3
Life lessons from Zumba: #1 - The Five Minute Rule of Survival
There have been moments in just about every Zumba class I've taken so far in which I've pretty much just wanted to die. I mean, seriously. What sane woman gets in her car and drives 20 minutes for the privilege of dripping with sweat and looking ridiculous for an hour? (This is the sort of question I am usually asking myself about 10 minutes in...)
Zumba is hard. It's fast-paced. It's intense. It requires you to be confident. (More on that in another post.) It takes a great deal of energy and concentration, and a certain degree of coordination. And there are moments when the sole thing that prevents me from just quitting in the middle of some of those complicated routines is my concern about what a roomful of women I don't really know would think if I did. (I realize this is illogical. And unhealthy. But hey, it works...)
But here's the thing: no matter how hard a dance is - no matter how tricky the footwork, how complicated the combination, how much my muscles scream in protest, how tired I am, how uncoordinated I am, or how embarrassed I feel - the truth is, it's going to be over in five minutes. The song will end, we'll take a breather and get a drink of water and we'll move on to something else. And it might be an easier dance, or it might be one that's even more difficult - but either way, that'll only be five minutes, too. You can do anything for five minutes. String twelve sets of five minutes together, and congratulations, you just survived a Zumba class. Again. (Insert sense of accomplishment here.)
There are moments in life that are a little like that moment of "Wow, I must be insane" in Zumba class. There are things that happen that we wish hadn't. Conversations that don't go well. Emotions that overwhelm us. Patterns we can't seem to break. Trials that feel like they will never end.
But news flash: they will. They're not here to stay. This is only a season. It's a metaphorical five minutes. You will get through this.
So whatever it is for you - whatever the current trial(s) is(are) - look at those things and remember the Five Minute Rule of Survival:
You can do anything for five minutes.
And when it's over? You'll have persevered - and won. It's worth pushing through to get there.
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." - 2 Corinthians 7:14
Zumba is hard. It's fast-paced. It's intense. It requires you to be confident. (More on that in another post.) It takes a great deal of energy and concentration, and a certain degree of coordination. And there are moments when the sole thing that prevents me from just quitting in the middle of some of those complicated routines is my concern about what a roomful of women I don't really know would think if I did. (I realize this is illogical. And unhealthy. But hey, it works...)
But here's the thing: no matter how hard a dance is - no matter how tricky the footwork, how complicated the combination, how much my muscles scream in protest, how tired I am, how uncoordinated I am, or how embarrassed I feel - the truth is, it's going to be over in five minutes. The song will end, we'll take a breather and get a drink of water and we'll move on to something else. And it might be an easier dance, or it might be one that's even more difficult - but either way, that'll only be five minutes, too. You can do anything for five minutes. String twelve sets of five minutes together, and congratulations, you just survived a Zumba class. Again. (Insert sense of accomplishment here.)
There are moments in life that are a little like that moment of "Wow, I must be insane" in Zumba class. There are things that happen that we wish hadn't. Conversations that don't go well. Emotions that overwhelm us. Patterns we can't seem to break. Trials that feel like they will never end.
But news flash: they will. They're not here to stay. This is only a season. It's a metaphorical five minutes. You will get through this.
So whatever it is for you - whatever the current trial(s) is(are) - look at those things and remember the Five Minute Rule of Survival:
You can do anything for five minutes.
And when it's over? You'll have persevered - and won. It's worth pushing through to get there.
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." - 2 Corinthians 7:14
creative encouragement
Came across this today via a guest post from Lucille Zimmerman on Michael Hyatt's blog. It's brilliant, creative, and incredibly encouraging. Thanks, Copyblogger.
Like this infographic? Get more content marketing tips from Copyblogger.
reflections on creativity
Our church started a two-year year-thru-the-Bible plan today. (If you're interested in joining us, you can learn more here.)
Today's passages were the first version of the creation story and Psalm 1. Two of my favorites. I've been fascinated with the creation story since the first time I read it in one of those illustrated picture books, probably when I was 4 or 5. It came into even clearer focus during one of the best preaching classes I've ever had the privilege to attend.
Our professor came to class a little late one day (intentionally), poked his head into the classroom, grinned, and said, "Come and follow me." And left. We all looked at each other, and then packed up our stuff and followed him. He took us to the Chapel. Sat on the top step. We all sat down around him - at his feet. And he began to teach. He told us the creation story - from memory. And then he told us John 1 - also from memory. And all of a sudden, there were pieces of the story, patterns, rhythms, parallels that I'd never seen before. It was incredible. Beautiful. Creative. Inspiring.
I love that God's Word is that creative. (He's the God who creates by speaking - it makes sense that His Book would be creative, too.)
And His Word says that we're created in His image - something about us reflects, mirrors, images Him. A piece of that is that we are all creative - we love to make things, think things up, do things - we have to. It's who we are. Painters, dancers, construction workers, software engineers, architects, inventors, scientists, musicians, writers - we all wake up every day with the ability and desire to create.... something.
It is one of the reasons why, when we are not creating, when we are just going thru the motions, just doing our jobs, focused on task lists and getting thru the day, that we become restless, unhappy, and less ourselves.
I have not been very creative these past few months. There are reasons for that. Some of them valid. Most of them lame. Last night I sat down intentionally and spent an hour working on a song. There's only a verse and a chorus and two lines of another verse to show for it (and of course they're lines for the middle of the verse, so the challenge now is how to get to them logically and creatively) - but they're lines worth keeping. And I felt more like myself than I have in a really long time.
I love the poetic beauty of the lines in Psalm 1. God's children are like trees, planted by water, that bring forth fruit in their season. In season. Mmm. Sometimes I forget in those dry, unhappy seasons that they are only that - seasons. My roots, tho, go deep, and the river of life from which I draw my life is a flawless source - He never fails.
And on that note:
Have a wonderful, creative, and spring-like day!
Today's passages were the first version of the creation story and Psalm 1. Two of my favorites. I've been fascinated with the creation story since the first time I read it in one of those illustrated picture books, probably when I was 4 or 5. It came into even clearer focus during one of the best preaching classes I've ever had the privilege to attend.
Our professor came to class a little late one day (intentionally), poked his head into the classroom, grinned, and said, "Come and follow me." And left. We all looked at each other, and then packed up our stuff and followed him. He took us to the Chapel. Sat on the top step. We all sat down around him - at his feet. And he began to teach. He told us the creation story - from memory. And then he told us John 1 - also from memory. And all of a sudden, there were pieces of the story, patterns, rhythms, parallels that I'd never seen before. It was incredible. Beautiful. Creative. Inspiring.
I love that God's Word is that creative. (He's the God who creates by speaking - it makes sense that His Book would be creative, too.)
And His Word says that we're created in His image - something about us reflects, mirrors, images Him. A piece of that is that we are all creative - we love to make things, think things up, do things - we have to. It's who we are. Painters, dancers, construction workers, software engineers, architects, inventors, scientists, musicians, writers - we all wake up every day with the ability and desire to create.... something.
It is one of the reasons why, when we are not creating, when we are just going thru the motions, just doing our jobs, focused on task lists and getting thru the day, that we become restless, unhappy, and less ourselves.
I have not been very creative these past few months. There are reasons for that. Some of them valid. Most of them lame. Last night I sat down intentionally and spent an hour working on a song. There's only a verse and a chorus and two lines of another verse to show for it (and of course they're lines for the middle of the verse, so the challenge now is how to get to them logically and creatively) - but they're lines worth keeping. And I felt more like myself than I have in a really long time.
I love the poetic beauty of the lines in Psalm 1. God's children are like trees, planted by water, that bring forth fruit in their season. In season. Mmm. Sometimes I forget in those dry, unhappy seasons that they are only that - seasons. My roots, tho, go deep, and the river of life from which I draw my life is a flawless source - He never fails.
And on that note:
adventuring
i went adventuring today.
it was... fun. wet, mind you. but fun.
a few weeks ago, a good friend and i went on what we called a "pseudo-epic Sabbath adventure." it was amazing. literally one of the best days of my life. (i hope to (finally) be able to write about it soon.)
and one of the places we went that day was a neighborhood in Chi-town called "Wicker Park." it's super-trendy; known for music, fashion and art - totally my kind of place. honestly - i'm a country girl at heart, but if i were ever to live in a city, this is one of the places in which i'd be at home.
so i went back today. i had three possible destinations in mind. one of them was The Boring Store. it was one of the places my friend and i had meant to go, but they were closed by the time we got there. i thought about stopping in - i mean, it's amazing, and i really want to go - but it just didn't feel right, going without him. so i skipped it, and headed directly to one of the other places on my list: Myopic Books. so glad i did. i was literally less than a block from the store when one of the biggest storms i've seen for awhile swept through town. granted, we haven't seen a lot of storms this summer, but it was big enough that i got completely covered in dirt from the wind that whipped thru before the rain started, and i was extremely grateful to be indoors during the worst of the downpour.
and it was a lovely place to be stranded.
80,000+ titles to choose from. super-cool building - it used to be a jewelry shop, and the iron bars that used to section off part of the store are still there, and the mystery section is in the vault downstairs (sadly, it was closed today, so i didn't get to see it, but how cool is that?!). jazz music. reading nooks. did i mention 80,000+ titles to choose from? just imagine how many shelves that takes, and how lost you can get in them...
i came home with 2 "new" used treasures: A Live Coal in the Sea - a Madeleine L'Engle book I haven't read yet!! and Gluten-Free Girl - which I am totally looking forward to reading. a healthier lifestyle is on the horizon, and I think this book (and her blog) may be key to it.
the other place i meant to go (and didn't) was a coffee house called "SIP" - but as it was raining, and part of the charm is their garden, i decided to skip it. we'll save that for a day when i have a sunny afternoon to spend blogging outdoors. so i ended up at Starbucks, as usual, because i had a gift card and the chai was therefore "free" (yay!) - and because it was less than 20 yards from the parking spot i'd snagged (after much driving about).
it probably wasn't the holiest Sabbath ever. but being out of the house - out of town, even - was a very good thing after this long, long week. i needed a change of scene, and He knew it. and i'm betting the books i found will be worth the long drive. even the drive itself was worth it...
i've missed taking road trips with Jesus. so many of them lately have been so short. i am long overdue for a week-long one. maybe in September. maybe. spiritually - it's a really great idea. financially - maybe not so much.... :/
so that's one for the prayer hopper....
anyway. not much of an update, i know. but that was my day. and somehow... somehow today mattered. and i wanted to write about it. so there you are.
maybe it's just that i'm learning again to have fun by myself. so much of the past 7 months have been about learning to connect, building meaningful relationships, having (local, and deep) community again for the first time in a really long time. today i ditched that and went back to a little bit of what my old life (a more introverted, more artsy, more solitary life) was like. and it was good. not great - and not without its lonelier moments - but good. and i'm glad.
it was... fun. wet, mind you. but fun.
a few weeks ago, a good friend and i went on what we called a "pseudo-epic Sabbath adventure." it was amazing. literally one of the best days of my life. (i hope to (finally) be able to write about it soon.)
and one of the places we went that day was a neighborhood in Chi-town called "Wicker Park." it's super-trendy; known for music, fashion and art - totally my kind of place. honestly - i'm a country girl at heart, but if i were ever to live in a city, this is one of the places in which i'd be at home.
so i went back today. i had three possible destinations in mind. one of them was The Boring Store. it was one of the places my friend and i had meant to go, but they were closed by the time we got there. i thought about stopping in - i mean, it's amazing, and i really want to go - but it just didn't feel right, going without him. so i skipped it, and headed directly to one of the other places on my list: Myopic Books. so glad i did. i was literally less than a block from the store when one of the biggest storms i've seen for awhile swept through town. granted, we haven't seen a lot of storms this summer, but it was big enough that i got completely covered in dirt from the wind that whipped thru before the rain started, and i was extremely grateful to be indoors during the worst of the downpour.
and it was a lovely place to be stranded.
80,000+ titles to choose from. super-cool building - it used to be a jewelry shop, and the iron bars that used to section off part of the store are still there, and the mystery section is in the vault downstairs (sadly, it was closed today, so i didn't get to see it, but how cool is that?!). jazz music. reading nooks. did i mention 80,000+ titles to choose from? just imagine how many shelves that takes, and how lost you can get in them...
i came home with 2 "new" used treasures: A Live Coal in the Sea - a Madeleine L'Engle book I haven't read yet!! and Gluten-Free Girl - which I am totally looking forward to reading. a healthier lifestyle is on the horizon, and I think this book (and her blog) may be key to it.
the other place i meant to go (and didn't) was a coffee house called "SIP" - but as it was raining, and part of the charm is their garden, i decided to skip it. we'll save that for a day when i have a sunny afternoon to spend blogging outdoors. so i ended up at Starbucks, as usual, because i had a gift card and the chai was therefore "free" (yay!) - and because it was less than 20 yards from the parking spot i'd snagged (after much driving about).
it probably wasn't the holiest Sabbath ever. but being out of the house - out of town, even - was a very good thing after this long, long week. i needed a change of scene, and He knew it. and i'm betting the books i found will be worth the long drive. even the drive itself was worth it...
i've missed taking road trips with Jesus. so many of them lately have been so short. i am long overdue for a week-long one. maybe in September. maybe. spiritually - it's a really great idea. financially - maybe not so much.... :/
so that's one for the prayer hopper....
anyway. not much of an update, i know. but that was my day. and somehow... somehow today mattered. and i wanted to write about it. so there you are.
maybe it's just that i'm learning again to have fun by myself. so much of the past 7 months have been about learning to connect, building meaningful relationships, having (local, and deep) community again for the first time in a really long time. today i ditched that and went back to a little bit of what my old life (a more introverted, more artsy, more solitary life) was like. and it was good. not great - and not without its lonelier moments - but good. and i'm glad.
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