2016 Word of the Year: Be on the Alert!

Resolutions have always appealed to me, because I am a planner and like goal setting.  While I rarely achieve perfection with resolutions, I have found the quote, "shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you land among the stars," to be true.  If I commit to reading a book a month or something, I may not do it every month, but I'll likely read more books that year than I did the previous.  You get the idea.

Last year, however, I felt the draw away from specifics to the more general idea or theme for 2015.  You may recall that I invited you to join me in choosing a theme word for the year.  Did any of you do that?  If so, I'd love to hear how God used that word to guide and transform you!  The word the Lord had impressed upon my heart was OPEN.  The concept, or practice, of being OPEN to the Lord kept coming up so much, I could not ignore it.  To hold myself accountable, I wrote regularly (at least till September) about how I saw God nudging me to be open.

With only a cursory review of the year, I can see how that one word, hanging above the garbage can in my kitchen, was used by the Lord to grow and stretch me in ways I never expected.  He provided opportunities for me to be OPEN, with my life, our home, my time, and my stuff, over and over again.  I'm sure those chances would have come with our without  a 2015 theme word, but it is fun to look back and testify to God's work from providing the word, OPEN, to providing opportunities to grow in Him by being OPEN.

This year was far from perfect.  Many were the times I was not generously open to God or with those around me!  But I would not count having a theme word as a waste, because I saw God work in and around me.  Without opening the year with that theme word, I would not have the same testimony to God's goodness, patience, mercy, and love.  This year He showed me there was space for playgroup, leading a Mom Heart group, and gave me two speaking engagements (which came right on top of each other and really stretched my trust in His provision, and wisdom)!  He filled me with joy as I saw dreams I had for our home coming true: space being used for both gathering people together and making and deepening relationships.  I guess God has primarily used being OPEN in 2015 to solidify the ministry calling He has on my life right now.  I am humbled, because my failures and shortcomings could not hold Him back.

And, can I tell you a secret?  Lean in.  Though sometimes it has been hard, mostly it has been a lot of fun!

That brings to mind these verses from Psalm 37:3-5,

Trust in the Lord, and do good;

dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.

Delight yourself in the Lord,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord;

trust in him, and he will act.

Trust in HIM, and HE will act.  He knows the desires of your heart better than you do.  He is also utterly trustworthy, (Christmas and Easter testify to that).  So again for 2016, I invite you to seek the Lord, keeping your eyes peeled and your ears open, for whether he has a theme word or verse for your walk with Him.  I've had the word surrender coming up a lot lately.  That one scares me.  A lot!  I hold on so tightly to so many things that are not Christ, but more about that later....

I wish you a very Merry Christmas, one that is full of gifts from above as you worship the King of kings and Lord of lords!  And keep your heart open for a word from the Lord.  I am confident that He who began a good work in you will carry it to completion!  Let Him amaze you.

How to Use Your Place to Make Space for Relationships!

A couple of the ladies in our book discussion group have commented recently on how simply and graciously I make it look to have them in our home week after week.  Reflection on those comments reminded me that hosting is something I have learned over the years.  Today I'd like to share some tips with you about how you, too, can simply and graciously open up your space so relationships can be made and can grow.

The root of my desire to have people filling our home comes from the way I was raised - thanks, mom!  Mom loved to throw parties, feed people, and, primarily, make sure people felt loved and cared for: from neighbors to my dad's graduate students, from her friends to ours.  Consequently, people loved to be in our house and knew they would be welcomed there.  In my adult life, I have been driven by a desire to help people feel comfortable, especially those who are in a new place.  In graduate school we lived with many international student families.  God gave me opportunities to host play groups, holiday meals, and be a welcoming face and friend on the playground.  I felt a sense of mission not only as an American, but as an ambassador for Christ.

More recently, I have been influenced by Sally Clarkson and her tireless encouragement to make happen what you yourself want.  You feel the need for a playgroup?  Start one!  Can't find a women's Bible study?  Lead one!  You just need a friend?  Be one!  I have been blessed 1,000-fold by taking Sally's advice.  I cannot over emphasize how wise such advice is!

Make no mistake, I also highly value hospitality.  I believe God has given me the gift of hospitality, which comes with a compulsion to welcome others and make sure they feel loved and cared for, especially when they are in "my" space.  But whether or not you have this particular gift, you can learn to be hospitable and use your space and place to make room for relationships to flourish!  

Thus, without further ado, I present to you:

Heather's Simple Gathering-Hosting Tips!

Identify a Target Group - Do you want to get to know some specific folks in your neighborhood or church or work?  You may be thinking of two friends or all of the women in your congregation.  Either way, think about who you want to have or who really needs to have a space to find relationships.  When we first moved to our current town, I had no idea how I was going to get to know ladies at church.  So a few months into our time there, (and since I was not new to hosting and we had plenty of space), I put an announcement in the bulletin and invited all the women in the church to tea, because I needed some friends.

Forty or fifty women came!

Don't do all the work - When I hosted that gathering of ladies, I followed a pattern I had used when hosting informal women's gatherings when we lived in Pittsburgh: provide the drinks and ask people to bring food, if they are able.  No one is put off by that!  In fact, people love a chance to prepare and share their favorite appetizer or dessert with others.  So, when I have a larger gathering, I make it pot luck.  My primary focus is making space for relationships to blossom and flourish, not to be praised for all the work I did or to win a culinary award.  Believe me, when you have women, beverages, and food, relationships are a natural byproduct!

One more note, you can invite your family to help you get things ready, too.  I'm fairly certain that my ten year old could host a tea for me if I were indisposed.  I think that's pretty cool.  And my husband helps to get the kids into picking up the place before our Sunday night book club, which brings us to our next topic.

Put housekeeping in its proper place - Earlier in my hosting days, I would get really nuts and be inhospitable to my family while getting ready to extend hospitality to others.  I have learned a couple of things to keep my priorities straight. First, Martha Stewart's not coming to the gathering, so chill out.  In fact, even those who are are excited about your invitation so they can get in your space to critique you.  They're coming to be with you!  Secondly, a little mess or disorder sets most people at ease.  It is a blessing to others to know that their gracious hostess also a place for everything and everything is not in it's place, just like at their house.  I do try to make sure no one will trip over anything when they are here and I do like to vacuum.  But often parts of the kitchen counters look like what they looked like on Sunday night when my ladies came over.  I used the dining table above for our drinks.

Choose a signature style - I have a pattern, so every time I have a gathering I set things up in a similar way.  Out come the china tea cups and the boxes of tea.  A pitcher needs to be filled with water while the kettle boils.  Milk into the pitcher and fill the sugar bowl.  Brew a pot of coffee, and so on.  Having done such events with small and large groups numerous times makes the process quite simple now.  But early on I wrote out a list each time so I would not forget anything, scatter-brained but detail-oriented person that I am.  Tea parties might not be your thing.  You might be more of a pop, chips, and video games or a movie kind of host.  Or maybe your style tends more toward meeting up at a coffee shop.  Remember, the goal is making space for relationships.  Do that in the way that you feel most comfortable and your guests will feel at ease as well!

Friends, I hope this is enough to get you thinking about how you might use your place, no matter the size, to create space for people to get to know one another and for relationships to be fostered.  The Lord has given each of us a specific space and specific contacts at this moment in our lives, right now.  Let me encourage you to take advantage of whatever He has provided and use it to bring light into dark places!

Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.  Romans 12:13

Tradition Tuesdays: Cookies!

I like cookies.  I enjoy making cookies,  I love eating cookies.  I delight in sharing cookies, as long as it's not the last one, of course.  So over the years we have developed a couple of cookie traditions: delivering cookies to neighbors and hosting a small sugar cookie decorating party.

Delivering Cookies

As you can see from the photo, we have an arsenal of cookies that we like to make this time of year.  Naturally, part of the motivation is my desire to eat them!  But the other is to love our neighbors with some baked treats.  For the last several years the kids and I have assembled little bags, boxes, or plates of cookies and gone door to door delivering them.  We have lived a couple of different places and I have found this to be a great way meet neighbors.  Wouldn't you know, other people like cookies just like I do!

Yesterday we dropped off a plate to a neighbor up our hill who we don't often see because she's had a difficult year with her health.  As we were leaving she said, 

Nothing says lovin' like something from the oven!

I thought that quote was so sweet, and I was touched to know that she got the spirit behind us sharing a plate of cookies.

Cookie Decorating Party

The other tradition we've had going for many years is inviting friends to decorate sugar cookies with us. Cookie decorating time was always an event at our house when I was young and I still love it.  It is even more fun with friends!  We bake up some cookies, whip up some frosting, set out the sprinkles and the kids take care of the rest.  What a sticky, sprinkley, happy time it is!  Afterward, everyone has a plate of cookies to take home and share with their families.

Have you been enjoying traditions with your family this year?  Do any involve inviting and gathering or meeting and greeting to strengthen or initiate relationships?  I think the reason these cookie traditions are some of my favorites is because they involve people beyond our immediate family.  (And, yes, also because I love cookies!)  Baking might not be your thing, but maybe you have a gift with crafting or music that you could share, or some other ability or resources you can use to start a new loving-others tradition this year.  After all, Christmas is all about God inviting us into relationship with Him through His Son, loving us beyond measure!  With minimal effort, using gifts He gave us, we can share that love with others.

Interacting with Christmas: Repentance

Good Thursday to you!  Isn't it remarkable how quickly the weeks go by, especially in the last month of the year?  Today has sneaked up on me, despite having a topic in mind for today's post since Saturday.

How are you doing?  Are you embracing the holy joy of the Christmas season, worshiping the Lord with gladness for His gift to you in Christ?

Let me tell you something, last week I was not.  I was a bear, a big, growling, grumpy grizzly of a bear.  I mentioned last week that I was feeling defeated by my sin and that was stealing my joy.  But to be honest, I wasn't just feeling defeated by my sin, I was wading around in it and refusing to get out of its septic waters.  Consequently, I was unpleasant to be around because all I could do was complain and command.  I was 100% focused on my discontent and lack of control over every. little. detail.

For example, I had had cleaning up this room on my to do list for weeks.  But I never seemed to be able to get to it and I really didn't want to have to deal with it.  This room became a metaphor for my week:

There is much talk nowadays of being thankful and using gratitude to transform your attitude.  I agree with much of these encouragements and know the transformation such a practice can bring.  But I also think expressing thanks can be too temporary a solution.  Last week I needed to do more than look around and say to myself, Look at all you have to be thankful for, Heather.  I was walking in the foolishness of unrepentance.  I needed to confess my sins and be forgiven.  I needed to repent and believe the good news of the Gospel!

Like that room, I was a mess.

The mess needed to be addressed!

Saturday morning I sat down for my quiet time feeling as heavy laden as each of the previous days of the week, but this time I felt the Spirit say to my heart, Heather, just say you're sorry.  Confess your sin and be free.

Wowzers, what a difference that made!  Of course God knew all along that I was wading around in foolishness when I could have been running around in freedom.  In those moments I finally saw that I had been acting toward God all week the way that my two-year-old acts at her worst: demanding, whiny, and  ungrateful.  To say it in the word that I recorded in my journal: bratty.

After a few paragraphs of confession, my burden was lifted.  I was able to pray sincerely for others, what with my eyes pulled away from my own navel and all!  And I asked the Lord for a verse to take with me into the day.  Here it is, image taken from here:

The word that caught my eye?  LET!  LET the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.

I had been doing no such thing.  I had been letting - allowing, permitting - all things contrary to the Gospel rule in my heart, when the PEACE OF CHRIST had a rightful place there.  I needed to LET GO of those things, be forgiven, and then LET THE PEACE OF CHRIST RULE IN MY HEART.

Allowing anything else to rule in my heart is a disaster.  Allowing anything else to rule in your heart is a disaster, too.  Child of God, let the peace of Christ rule in your heart today.  God deals with the mess of the other stuff we let rule there by the blood of that very Christ.

O Come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!

You know what else happened on Saturday?

With a heart set free, my hands were set free!  Hearts that are set free are those that know forgiveness.  The Lord makes the way to forgiveness.  The chasm between us was was too wide to be bridged by good deeds or pedigree, but not too wide for the arms of Love with hands pierced for our transgressions.  Those arms entered the world on the first Christmas as angels announced the news to shepherds and a star caught the eye of learned men.


Do you know Him?
John the Baptist said of him, Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.

Have you turned to Him in repentance and received eternal life?
For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.

Will you let His peace rule in your heart this Christmas? 
Repent and believe the Good News!

Merry Christmas, friends!

Running to the Refuge {Day 21}: Refuge in the Mundane

You're on day 21 of a month-long series.  Catch up on previous posts here.

Today's topic is near and dear to me, because I live most of my life in the mundane.  Laundry, dishes, baths, shopping, educating, reading, playing, picking up, and answering most questions with, I don't know, we'll have to look it up or ask Dad, pretty much sum up my life.  What I do on a day to day basis is of no grand importance to peoples or nations, but make a profound difference in the lives of the humans who live with me under this roof.  Nevertheless, the mundane can get me down.

Does the routine hum-drum of life ever leave you looking for a refuge?

If you've caught on to the idea of this series, then you know the next thing I'm going to say is that God is our refuge in the mundane routines of life that could suck the life out of us if not for His grace and mercy.  There is hope in our Refuge, even in the mundane.  That is good news, because I know for many of us most of life is lived there.

What makes us want a refuge from the mundane?  Hm.  Good question.  I'm going to try to answer it right now off the top of my head!  One thing I alluded to above is that the mundane does not appear to "make a difference in the world."  And all through high school and college we're fed the lie that our lives only matter if we go out and change the world.

News flash: The only One who can change the world did, by sending His Son to save His people from their sins.  And that world-changer is our refuge when we start to wonder if what we're doing is of any significance.  So, run to the refuge!  Belonging to the Lord is what gives us significance.  Living for Him is what gives your life meaning.  If you are loving Him and loving your neighbor, you are right in the center of His will.  He will guide you in the details and is molding you in the mundane!

Another thing about the mundane is its relentlessness.  It never ends!  The weeks cycle by with work, activities, and conversations, people, places, and things.  We are fed the lie that we deserve a break as commercials for cruises flit across our TV screens and AAA mailings arrive in our mailboxes.  We quickly settle into discontent.

News flash: Vacations are amazing, but the mundane always eagerly awaits us when we get home.*   The only One who can give us true rest is the Lord, our refuge.  We need rest not necessarily a vacation, and the Lord provides a refuge of rest.  So, run to the refuge!  Turning to God when our hearts get unsettled and bitter about our mundane circumstances changes our perspective.  We can ask the Lord to give us new eyes to see how and where we can love Him and others more right in our mundane little lives!

My dear little boy needs my attention now; I have been putting him off to get this done before diving into today's mundane. <wink>  So it is time to summarize.  These are the verses that come to mind as I think about these things, Philippians 4:12-13:

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

The secret to contentment in the mundane?  Running to the refuge!  The Psalmist speak over and over about the strength of the Refuge.  The Good Lord places us where we are in life and calls us to love and live for Him right there.  When our hearts get restless, we need to run to our Rest, our Refuge.  He strengthens us, fills us with hope, and changes our perspective so we can keep on keeping on, with joy!

God bless you in your mundane today.

*I am not anti-vacation or suggesting you should never take a physical break!  I have dreams of seeing amazing places with our family that I one day want to realize.  I also love a good getaway and take time each day to "just sit."  I want to point out that those things alone cannot provide the deep feeling of refuge and rest our hearts really need and were created for.

Interrupted by Grace {Day 16}: Irritability

Man, yesterday morning I was feeling the rub of all things that needed to be accomplished before the sun set.  When this happens I get really antsy and impatient, mostly with the kids.  My irritability in such situations makes it difficult for me to speak kindly to them, every word comes out with a sharp edge and every sentence ends with a sigh.

The reality, there was nothing wrong.  The worst that could have happened - and did - was that Elizabeth had to complete her work during her rest time and I would have to stay up a little later than I wanted.  Horrific, right?

Once school work was done and the kids watched their usual post-rest time cartoon, Katherine was awake and we headed to the grocery store.  The to-do list was slowly diminishing; I had been able to blog alongside Elizabeth while she worked and write a grocery list while they kids watched tv.  No disasters had occurred!  Remarkable, considering how my morning attitude indicated that the world was going to end or something!

In the middle of all my heart "hecticness", I sensed the Spirit several times telling me to chill out, take a deep breath, and speak kindly.  I was interrupted by grace that God was reminding me of His presence and His desire to mold me, even in the midst of my sin.

What a gracious God that while we were still sinners He died for us.  What a compassionate God that He doesn't spit spiteful speech out at us like daggers (like some mothers I know!), but gently nudges us in our hearts by His Spirit.

I'm floored by His mercy and loving-kindness.

I want to look more like Him.

It is a great week to meditate on such things!

Interrupted by Grace {Day 4}: Work

Yesterday was a day at home taking it easy for the sick two, who were improved, but not yet 100%.  I don't know why it is, but I almost enjoy life more when it gives me permission to just "be" at home.  We could not make plans with friends and we couldn't go out to so anything, yet it was a lovely day.  The oddest reality of all was that I had a burst of desire to work hard and reap the benefits.  When the kids rested in the afternoon, I kept setting the timer for 10 minute intervals (Pomodoro style) to see how much I could accomplish.  Before I knew it, an hour was gone and the house had benefited.  When the older two came down from their rest for their usual post-rest date with Netflix, I was even able to write yesterday's post, on my clean, uncluttered kitchen table!

Since I let you in on the truth about my complaining spirit yesterday, today I'll let you in on another of my secrets.  Every single day I have to fight my laziness.  Man, I do not want to work!  Ever.  Then this week, coming off of our fun day at the zoo and into illness, well, I wanted to put on sweat pants for the next week and lounge about reading, checking Facebook, and watching tv.

I chose jeans, instead.

Often in my morning quiet times I confess my sloth to the Lord and get filled up with hope for the day ahead - all those future hours that could be used so well!  Then, after everyone's awake and I'm actually face-to-face with my responsibilities, I fall into my ingrained habits of ignoring or avoiding them.  Thus, yesterday I was interrupted by grace in God giving me the drive to tend to my work with joy and perseverance.

And whatever you do, whether in word or in deed,do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.  ~Colossians 3:17

Speaking of, here's something I'll be needing to do while giving thanks this weekend!

At some point you have to stop just moving the stacks around, right?  :)

Praying that you've experienced God interrupting you by grace this week, dear reader, and that it is strengthening your faith.

See you tomorrow!

Heather

Heart Hospitality

Sorry for skipping posting this past Wednesday.  My husband's semester officially ended that day - grades all turned in - so the week has been one of catching up as a family, getting a tree, wrapping up school for the year, and all that good stuff.  I also had a terribly stiff neck most of the week that wore me out, driving me to bed earlier at night and keeping me there later in the mornings.  Thankfully, I think that's almost gone.  (Full disclosure: not only did it make me tired, it also made me kind of a bear to be around.  This week had some fantastically grumpy moments hours as well!)

So here we are, the last Sunday in Advent 2013.  Christmas sneaked up real quick-like this year, didn't it?  Wow!  This morning I woke up and the phrase "Heart Hospitality" popped into my mind, when I was considering blogging today.  I have written about hospitality before.  Today the topic is on my mind, because yesterday we had an open house here for women from our new church.  For me, it was a matter of wanting relationship and being obedient to God's prompting to open our door and create a space for women to be together.  Our gathering was planned very last minute, but women came!  Read the link above and consider practicing hospitality where you are in this coming new year.  The Lord does amazing things when we open our homes (no matter the size or shape) to others (no matter how many)!

Today's post, however, is not about opening your home to others.  It is about something much greater.  In fact, what I will share with you is of utmost importance as a first step in the process of becoming a more loving, kind, patient, self-controlled, and hospitable person:

opening up the door of your heart and making room for Jesus.

I have read a couple of things and heard a couple of songs this season that focused on the idea of opening up one's heart to Jesus.  For example, verse three of O Little Town of Bethlehem.

How silently, how silently, the wondrous Gift is giv’n;
So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His Heav’n.
No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in.

There was also an anthem sung at the early service last week at church with the same theme.  The sermon, by Charles Spurgeon, that I read talked about how there was no room for the Savior to be born in the inn and how still today there is no room for Jesus in so many places - physical and ideological - in the world.  But then he went on to remind his listeners that

when room is made for Jesus, He comes in!

Do not say, I pray you, "I hope I shall have room for him"; the time is come that he shall be born; Mary cannot wait months and years.  Oh! sinner, if thou has room for him let him be born in thy soul today.  "Today if ye hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation ...: (Heb 3:7-8).  "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2).  Room for Jesus!  Room for Jesus now! 

"Oh!" saith one, "I have room for him, but will he come?"  Will he come indeed!  Do you but set the door of your heart open, do but say, "Jesus, Master, all unworthy and unclean I look to thee; come, lodge within my heart," and he will come to thee, and he will cleanse the manger of thy heart, nay, will transform it into a golden throne, and there he will sit and reign for ever and for ever.  ~Charles Spurgeon

You might be preparing beds and meals this week for guests.  Have you made room, not only in your home, but also in your heart, for the Guest who is the very Gift of Christmas?  Make room for Him and He will come in and make His home in your heart!  Where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in.

Make room!  MAKE ROOM!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

*Charles Spurgeon, Have You Any Room? from Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus, ed. Nancy Guthrie (p. 64)

Christmas Traditions, Let's Share!

I imagine that in your house, especially if you have a little person or two (or more!), you have a few traditions around this time of the year: special outings, events, recipes, etc.  None of ours our original; they're either borrowed from our own childhoods or stolen from others and tweaked to make them our own.  Here are some things that happen around here:

The day of the first snow, we make time to cut paper snowflakes and drink hot chocolate.

Then we hang the flakes for winter decorations.

At some point, we head downtown to enjoy the festive decorations and lights.

Pittsburgh has a beautiful botanical garden called Phipps Conservatory.

We  make a visit every year (at least once!) for their winter flower show.

This is a 100% stolen idea:

having a basket of winter/Christmas books that is stored with the Christmas decorations

and only comes out when the decorations do!

And I've taken to buying the kids each a new book in December;

when they leave our home, they can take theirs with them.

(Here's a great list from my friend, Kristen, from whom I may have stolen this idea.  A-hem.)

Baking too many kinds of cookies, of course!

We decorate sugar cookies with friends and take small plates to neighbors.

I'd love to hear what some of your traditions are.  Every family has fun traditions that create a special culture in that home for that family; one family's traditions are not better than another's!  But they are valuable, giving our kids a sense of identity and belonging, not to mention fun!  What are some of your special things during this time of the year?  Please share some of your favorites in the comments!

It's Gotta Get Worse to Get Better? Well, Kinda. (part 2)

Yesterday I was telling you about a much-delayed home organization project that I was working on this weekend, organizing the books on our bookshelves.  In the middle of the project it hit me that while the room was messier and it sure felt like there was zero progress being made, I was actually closer to the final organizational goal than when I began.  That caused me to question the validity of the phase, It's gotta get worse, to get better.  You better believe there's a Spiritual application for this!  That is what I'd like to share with you today.

Not much different from being in the throws of a home renovation, we can find ourselves in the midst of a heart renovation with the Lord.  He begins showing you things about yourself that He wants to change, and it's painful - painful to face and painful to walk through the transformation.  You might begin to wonder if you really are a Christian, with all that nastiness being revealed.  Or worse, have you ever been a Christian if that is still part of who you are?!

As I worked on those bookshelves, all I could see were the books in disarray on the floor, not the handful of shelves that were already beautifully arranged.

As God works in our hearts, we sometimes see more ugly than beauty.

Like the bookshelves, you were probably okay as you were, but the Lord has something even greater in mind.  You're rolling along just-fine-thank-you-very-much, until there's a twinge in your conscience, followed by a desire to do and be better, chased by a sense that there might not be any hope for someone as awful as you. You and your sin, in a stare-down.  Who will look away first?

The fact of the matter is that, no matter how much you've matured or how long you've been walking with the Lord, you have not attained His level of holiness.  There's always going to be another level to which He wants to draw you.  A related fact of the matter?  You're far worse and more desperate than you think you are, but His grace is always enough to bridge that gap.  And that grace becomes increasingly more amazing as we move along and He draws us into sharing more in His holiness.  (Yes, check that link, the Bible says that God wants us to share in His holiness!  Can you believe it?!  It leaves me speechless when I think about it.)

God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness.

Last week, our books were on our bookshelves.  Practically speaking, they did not have to be rearranged.  But for months it's been bugging me because, while functional, it wasn't what it could be!  I knew those books could be sorted out by topic to make items easier to find.  I knew we didn't need all of them on those selves, so we could have space for other items.  I knew it did not look nice but could, if the books were arranged by height.

I imagine the Lord looks at me in love and thinks, Alright, the time has come.  It's gonna be a little painful for her, she's gonna have to take a look at things in her heart that displease me and are keeping her from growing.  But it. is. time.  Spirit, start nudging, because we can't let her alone any longer.  We've got something much better for her.

So as I lamented the mess I'd made on the floor of our school room that we needed to use in 36 hours, I was comforted by the fact that it was not worse than before.  Yes, the floor was messier, but a couple of shelves already looked like this:

Oh the joy!  All stories and novels lined up by size.  Be still my heart!

If that's how I feel about two shelves put right,

imagine how the Father rejoices to take us through a little bit of mess,

to set something right in our hearts!

I have not come up with a catchy alternative to it's gotta get worse to get better.  But I do pray that somehow, from this jumble of text, you're taking away some hope.  When we walk with the Lord, He's going to take us through some "reorganization" at times, involving repentance, self-examination, and discomfort.  But oh, the cross of Jesus, and how it sees us through so we don't despair, but can trust that the mess we're in is not things getting worse.  Oh no!  Because you're not going backward.  You are NOT going backward.  The mess is part of the movement forward to "the better", which for the Christian is sharing another little bit in God's holiness.

Wow.

Oh praise you, Father, for taking us through messy places so we can move into better places!  Help us, Holy Spirit, to be strong and courageous; remind us of Jesus and the cross, and bring us faithfully through.  Amen.

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For the curious, the project is not done (books need to be donated, Colin has to decide about some of his things, and I need to consider how to best use the freed-up shelves.)  But here's where we are; I do so wish I'd taken a 'before' picture!

I don't know that I'll be able to look at these shelves from now on, without thinking of the verses I linked to above, Hebrews 12:10-11.

Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

It's Gotta Get Worse to Get Better? Well, Kinda. (part 1)

Are you familiar with the phrase, it's gotta get worse to get better?  I was thinking about it a lot this weekend while tackling the bookshelf organization project that has been on my mental to-do list since before Katherine was born.  I believe the phrase came to mind about the time that the floor in front of the shelves was looking like this:

Organizing bookshelves was not looking even remotely organized!  With each shelf I rearranged, not only did I make more of a mess on the floor, haphazardly tossing books in to general category stacks, but I was faced with decisions about whether the book in my hand at the moment was worth keeping and how I'd organize the shelves once I had duds weeded out and firm categories established.

At one point I had to stop to get Katherine from her crib; returning to the project later was so disheartening.  Ugh!  Surely this task would never be complete.  I wanted to close the door to the room and walk away.  Forever.

That wasn't really an option, though, because we kinda need that room!  I had to persevere.  Despite the fact that it sure seemed worse (when I started there were far fewer books on the floor!) some progress had been made, and if I kept going, more progress was coming.  About that time, the truth hit me that although the room was messier, on the whole things were moving forward: logical categories were emerging, there was a growing stack of books to give away, a few shelves even had some books on them ordered neatly by height.  Getting better did not really involve getting worse, getting better involved getting to work.  Maybe the phrase should be it's gotta get uncomfortable to get better, which is similar to the phrase, no pain, no gain, which Colin reminded me of this evening.  So true.

Before I began the book reorganization on Friday, the shelves were OK.  They could have been left alone.  Yet while they were not too terribly arranged, there was such potential with all of those bookshelves, to have it look polished, make books easier to find, and to create extra space for some of our school things, by eliminating books we no longer want or need.

The shelves were OK, but there was such potential!

Where am I going with this anecdote about my glamorous life and supremely fascinating weekend task, you ask?  Well,  you'll have to check back tomorrow to find out!

A Life-Giving Summer: Part I

Wow!  Sorry to have disappeared for a week.  We've had a lovely first week of summer vacation.  How about you?

I've been thinking in the last couple of weeks about how to make the summer special and fun for the kids, different from the norm.  But at the same time, I don't want my kids to get out of good disciplines that are easier to maintain during the school year.  I guess I don't believe the summer for kids - though it does include some out of the ordinary trips and activities - should only be about fun, as if somehow we're completely off the hook for any work over the summer. (Oh, I'm such a killjoy!)  As I pondered, then, what our summer should look like, the phrase LIFE-GIVING came to mind.

Yes, I want this to be a LIFE-GIVING SUMMER.

What does that mean?  Well, I've been asking myself the same question!

I've been thinking things like, What will fill us up this summer, mind/body/soul?  How should I organize our days so that what I want to be priorities actually are prioritized?


People, I have great ambition for the next couple of months: house projects, personal reading lists, school subjects to plan, visions to cast.  I also have children who I want to enjoy being with this summer: going on museum trips, playing the sprinkler, spending afternoons at the pool, reading books together, hanging out on the (newly cleaned up and so relaxing!!) front porch.  But as I mentioned in the previous post, it's too much for me to think about all at once.  I imagine right away that I'm going to fail at accomplishing anything of purpose this summer and get tempted to just let the days come as they will.  But then I know for sure that my priorities won't be prioritized and, well, it's a self-fulfilling prophesy.  Ah!

If you're still reading, you're really nice, because clearly, I'm crazy!  Or do you feel this way too?  So much potential with so much possibility of blowing it?  (I may be a bit dramatically pessimistic when I'm overwhelmed, eh?)

So, here's what I've been thinking.  The basic idea I borrow from a classic children's fable, The Tortoise and the Hare: slow and steady wins the race.  This little phrase has been keeping me from worry, helping me to dream big, stay on task, and plan with joy.


I'm gonna continue with these thoughts tomorrow, so c'mon back!  In the meantime, join in the conversation by leaving a comment about how you're approaching your summer.

Day 17: Interrupted by Being Out of Control

I'm writing daily this month on being interrupted by grace.  Learn more and join in here.

Giveaway winners announced below!

This recycling bin is a metaphor for our lives right now.

It is untamed and chaotic.

My recycling bin reminds me of my inability to do it all.  I really long to have things under control: tidy home, obedient and healthy children, thriving marriage, good relationships.  No loose ends.  No unfinished projects.

Yeah.

Right.

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Then, this afternoon I was contemplating what it is that makes me hate the idea of my children enduring physical or emotional suffering.  And you know what immediately came to mind?

I CAN'T FIX IT.

I can sit with them, weep with them, love them, help them.

BUT I CANNOT MAKE IT GO AWAY.

Control freak much?

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I can't completely control what happens in my home or my kids' lives.  I long to be in charge in a way that would drive me away from my Savior.  That's His grace to me today - the reminder that if I did have all of those things I mentioned above and could heal all my kids' afflictions, not only would I be awesome (!), but I'd no longer need my Lord ... in fact, I'm pretty sure I would cease to be human.  And, despite all its trials, I do love being human.

One other thing hit me today, getting back to the recycling bin.

It is abundant and overflowing.

We can't really separate the two.  We have a new baby in our home, the joy of homeschooling, kids who like to play together which makes messes, food to prepare and eat, friends and neighbors to love and care for.  So sometimes, we don't get to the recycling bin right away.

Untamed and chaotic,

but abundant and overflowing.

THE WINNERS: Since I only had two comments for the journal, Sarah and Andrea, I'm gonna send you each one!  Seems silly not to.  Thanks for your comments and for joining in this month!  Now I know my readers are not big into journals ... noted.  :)

Day 16: Interrupted by Bad Attitudes

I'm writing daily this month on being interrupted by grace.  Learn more and join in here.

My mother-in-law gave me the day off from kids (who can talk) today.  Isn't she the best?  Seriously, if you knew how awful a daughter-in-law I have been at times, you'd think me more of a fool than you likely already do!  I could stop there, probably, because that was certainly a grace to me today.  But I won't let myself off that easily.  I will, rather, let you in on how selfish I am when I do get these me times.

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So, I had the day "off."  I must confess, as I already have to my husband, that I feared that since he knew that, he'd take my time away by making me sit to do the taxes with him.  Instead, he started them while I was dropping the kids off with his mom, finished them by lunchtime, and all I had to do was sign.

Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.

I got to do my own thing and thought not a lick about the taxes, till he asked me if I would make him a sandwich.  I said I didn't really want to, but would.  There was no reason I needed to say I didn't want to, was there?  But I did.  Making a sandwich for my husband takes maybe a minute: bread, meat, cheese, lettuce.  No condiments, no frills.  A sandwich.  And I had a rotten attitude about making it - right after he'd finished the taxes for our family - and told him so.

Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.

I had offered to get the one tax form that needed to be mailed to the post office before five, but remembered this about the time in the afternoon that I know traffic starts to get busy on the road to the post office.    I was just about to start another project on my day off, before the last hour passed and I had to feed Katherine again.  But I said I'd mail it and I needed to go - right then.  So, cheerfully and joyfully  groaning and moaning, I gathered up my things and went.  (I'm such a martyr, aren't I?  I mean, really, the ways I sacrifice!!)

Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.

And you know what?  He really did have mercy.  The traffic was light, I beat the rush of a handful of other customers, and made the whole round trip in about 15 minutes.

Wow, I didn't deserve that grace.  But I guess it's not grace if we deserve it, eh?  I was certainly interrupted; God got my attention.  I ate my nice big slice of humble pie, and gave thanks.

Did you have a wow-I'm-a-big-sinner day like me?  If you did, I pray God was and is interrupting you with His grace and you've found rest for your soul.

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Hey, don't forget!  There's a little giveaway going on that you can enter until midnight tonight.  Check it out here.

Thoughts on Hospitality

Like a parent trying to squeeze in final instructions to a child about having fun and staying safe before he/she rushes out the door, the Apostle Paul often closed his letters to the New Testament era churches with strings of commands.  Here's one instance, from Romans 12: 9-13.

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

These lists are always interesting.  For example, here the first several verses seem to be such weighty reminders: loving sincerely, hating evil, clinging to God, honoring one another, serving the Lord zealously, joyful hope, patient affliction, faithful prayer, sharing with the needy.  Then he closes the paragraph with practice hospitality.

I think it is important to note that this is not a list of spiritual gifts.  Paul instructs all the Roman Christians to practice hospitality.

Quickly one's mind can rush to the images on the cover of home magazines with beautifully laid, seasonally-themed tables: matching glasses, cloth napkins in rings, a stain-free tablecloth, a perfectly browned turkey, a mosaic of fruit on a tray.  So inviting!

But is this what Paul is talking about when he instructs us to practice hospitality?

Let me highlight that rarely are there any people in these magazine photos.  So the table is beautiful, but is the host or hostess willing to have the tablecloth stained, joyfully do all of the dishes, allow anyone who comes to sit at the table?  Will there be fellowship, joy, and laughter around that table?  Does being hospitable mean that our table has to look that amazing before we can have people over, that all of our home improvement projects need to be done, and that all of our stuff needs to be perfectly organized?  What does it mean to practice hospitality?

I learned a lot from my mom about hospitality growing up.  I have since also drawn from Sally Clarkson and Edith Schaeffer's thoughts on the subject.  Here are just a few thoughts to encourage you not to gloss over, but rather to take seriously Paul's command to practice hospitality.

Hospitality is about relationship!  Giving the people that come into your home - owned or rented, single family or apartment, dorm room or mansion - an environment where they can breathe easy, be edified, and sure, enjoy a treat and something to drink ... that is hospitality!  Create a space where people can walk in and know that you are glad they're there, making them feel loved and cared for, whether you knew they were coming over and have time to set a beautiful table and make something homemade to eat or they arrived unexpected and you make a pot of coffee and put some store-bought cookies out for consumption.

If you know guests are coming, you could prepare a welcome sign for the door.
Your kids can help!

How can you use your home, whatever kind of place it is, to practice hospitality?

Hospitality is NOT about impeccable housekeeping!  Recently I began hosting some monthly gatherings for ladies and their kids at my house, very informal and open house style, because I was craving more time with women and the Spirit spoke to my heart, You have the space, make the time and see what happens.  These have been a blessing to me, causing me to pray that ladies that enter our home will be blessed, that it would be a refuge in the middle of a busy day, that we'd all be mutually encouraged.

Last time, part of the kitchen counter looked like this:

But the other side looked like this:

Keeping the perspective that hospitality is not about a spotless house, but about the atmosphere you create in your home - the way you treat those who enter - allowed me to leave those crazy piles of lesson plans, coupons, lists, books, notebooks, etc.  There wasn't time to get to them, and that was okay.  Sure, it's polite to make sure your guests can walk across the floor without falling over toys and risking a trip to the ER!  But our standards must line up with God's, not Martha Stewart's.  Our pride (fear of judgment or rejection) can too easily keep us from opening our hearts and homes to others, can't it?

What obstacles about your home or in your heart keep you from practicing hospitality?
How can you confront those with the Lord and step out in faith?

Hospitality is about Jesus!  Whether you're in your home or in your car, at the grocery store or at the park, you're the aroma of Christ to those who you encounter.  Hospitality fits with Paul's previous instructions both to honor one another before yourselves and pray faithfully.  Because, well, sometimes people show up when you're NOT expecting it and it's not part of the day's plan, don't they?  In fact, this might be the way we practice hospitality most of the time.  Are our hearts prepared and at the ready?*

Remembering the gospel can really help here.  Think about how God welcomes people - welcomed you! - into His kingdom.  There's always room for one more, always a party (Luke 15), no one is turned away.  Having received such, shall we not ask God to work in our hearts to extend the same loving welcome to those we met?

Have you ever considered hospitality in the context of the Gospel?

How can this perspective spur you on in the area of hospitality?

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You have been uniquely placed in time and space and can, therefore, uniquely bring glory to God there.  I don't have the same family, friends, or neighbors as you; I can only strive, by God's grace, to be salt and light where I am.  You can do the same in your home, neighborhood, and relationships.  God will use you to touch the lives of those around you as you reach out in genuine, God-directed hospitality.  And He will change you more into His likeness in the process.  His blessings be upon you as you consider these things and take action to spread the aroma of Christ because of all you've received from Him!

*I've recently been convicted even of how extremely inhospitable I can be to my own family when I'm preparing the house for guests,  acting like the need to be ready and hospitable to others negates the need to be kind and honor them in the process.  I wasn't sure how to fit this into the post, but I want to keep it real folks!