Yesterday I had a wonderful opportunity to walk the zoo during a thunderstorm. When the initial clouds rolled in and the thunderclap began, most people headed home. Storms scare us. They can drench us. Damage can come from them. But I couldn't pass up the chance to see how animals reacted to them, so off I went to see how God's creatures endured storms.
It had been hovering close to one-hundred degrees for the day until the rain came. Many animals had taken shelter in what shade they could find due to the sweltering sun. But when the storm came...life and activity arose. The grizzly bear walked joyfully. The ape came out and began to forage the grass. The giraffe looked up as if to say, "thank you." The animals were more active than I had seen in a long time. They all had open doors to encourage them to leave the storm, but they chose to step into it and feel its blessing. A certain song about storms was popular shortly after Bill died. It took me years to wrap my head around its words. What if your blessings come through raindrops What if your healing comes through tears What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near? What if the trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise? What if my greatest disappointments or the aching of this life Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy And what if trials of this life, the rain, the storms, the hardest nights Are your mercies in disguise? A thousand sleepless nights. Every parent can relate to that one. Tears? I never knew a body could produce so many. Year after year. Storms? Mine overlapped for most of my life. In retrospect, the blessings and miracles I've witnessed as a result of them, words cannot describe. Yesterday, I witnessed God's mercy literally rain down on the earth. Life not only bloomed but withstood. Storms reveal things that usually are hidden in us. Things we never knew about ourselves come to the forefront. Fear, doubt, anger. But often they also reveal strength, wisdom, courage, and mercy. We are here to grow. Without the rain of storms, we never would see that growth. The fact is, you are reading this because what was meant to kill you...didn't. Mercy. Growth. Revealing who we really are. Storms force us to seek God or run from Him. I've done both, and He's OK with that (forever the prodigal, I am.) Therein lies the blessing of storms. They force us to encounter God, even if we don't believe in him. I've known many an atheist who prayed over their sick child's bed. God doesn't necessarily care about the process as much as He cares about the result, and that result is to see His child return home. He knew my process was going to rip me to shreds for the rest of my earthly days, but He also knew it would bring me closer to Him and that would help me lead other to Him. The domino effect of storms. There's always an aftermath. As the saying goes, you're currently in a storm, you've just come out of a storm, or you're about to enter a storm. Storms are a part of life. No one leaves here without scars (just ask Jesus.) If you're currently in a storm, know there is ALWAYS purpose in pain. Look for the purpose. If you've just come out of a storm, give thanks for His mercy and kindness and the revealing of a new you. If you're about to enter a storm which you don't even see coming yet, find solace in the fact that God will cover you with the relief of wisdom, growth and mercy as the rain falls. We need to keep our umbrellas and galoshes handy at all times because the clouds can change at any given moment.
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"Today you shall not find it in the field. Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day is the Sabbath to the LORD. In it there shall be none. On the seventh day, some of the people went out to gather, and they found none. The LORD said to Moses, "How long do you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? Behold, because the LORD has given you the Sabbath, therefore he gives you on the sixth day the bread of two days." Exodus 16:25-29
Sabbath is a command, not a suggestion, yet it seems we have no qualms about breaking it weekly. Here, you have God telling the people on day six to harvest enough for day seven because there won't be anything to get, yet some people go out anyway on day seven to see what they can find! Ummmmm, what part didn't you understand? So much to take away from such a short paragraph, but today I'd like to focus on those who went out to the fields anyway. They had already harvested enough on day six to fill their bellies on day seven, yet they wanted more. 1) They did not believe the words God spoke regarding nothing will be provided. 2) Were they gluttonous and just wanted more? 3) Did they get fear filled when nothing was there to harvest, or did they finally believe God will provide in His timing. They chose to break a command and God watched them do it. He watches us do it also. So why don't most practice Sabbath? Too busy? Too stressed? The demands of family? The desire for more shoes? The list of excuses is truly endless. Trust me, I know them all. I've said them all. Notice the final line of today's scripture. "Because the LORD has given you the Sabbath..." Sabbath is a gift. Sabbath is a choice. God proved then that He provides all needs to sustain His children and trust is what's required on our part. For some odd reason, we believe that the world will stop revolving if we stop "gathering" for one day. This is the opposite of who we were created to be. God stopped. Some Jews stopped. We refuse to stop. In this hectic, crazy, confusing, often dark world, we've been given the gift of peace and rest and renewal fifty-two times a year. A time to reflect trust and give thanks to the one who provides. You do realize the money for the shopping or extra-curricular activities or cabin or boat or home is provided by God, don't you? Taking a day to show thanks would be nice. Should you ever want to experience holy while on this earth, implement Sabbath. Imagine searching high a low and finding the perfect gift for someone you love. A gift that will make their life better, healthier, happier. You're so excited to give it. You wrap it, put a note on it, excitedly hand it to them, and they set it aside because they have to be somewhere and say will open it later. This is the scenario with Sabbath. It's a gift most refuse to open, but it's a gift that will change your life for the better. I feel it's also a challenge from God. "Test me, let me prove I will provide. Realize I have greater things for you than what you're experiencing, but you need to stop in order to live it." Stopping in order to live. Now there's a healthy concept. Traction: the action of drawing or pulling something over a surface; the support or interest that is needed for something to make progress or succeed.
Living in a state that gets snow, I know how important traction is when driving or even walking. Physical harm can come if traction is limited or non-existent. I used to have to drive around with four-hundred pounds of cat litter in my car trunk just to stay safely on the road. But many time, even that didn't keep me from going sideways. I needed more traction, or maybe a different type of traction to stay on the road. I needed support to make progress. I still do, but in a different arena. My mind. Many books have been written about the mind being a battlefield, because it's true. Our thoughts can push us off the road before we even know it. The world, especially social media, can veer us so much that we wind up in a ditch. Which is why we need to read, understand and implement God's words. They give us traction to move forward in a slippery world. They are solid and never changing. They provide insight and direction. They comfort us, encourage us, awaken us and bring peace. "I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go. I will counsel you with my eye on you." Psalm 32:8 How's your mental driving? Could you use some traction? Is the world getting to you? There may be days when it seems as if evil is winning, but remember, in Psalm 2 God tells us He scoffs at evil. He looks at those who do evil with mockery because He knows the winner of our souls has already been determined. Perhaps we need to remember that also. In the end, we win. You're in control of your mental driving. Buckle up, hit the gas, and make sure you have the right traction. Many are familiar with Psalm 23. One of my favorite books breaks it down piece by piece. It's a wonderful reminder of how we should live and how God wants us to live.
"The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul." Restoring my soul. Man, that sounds amazing. Notice the word "He". We are not capable. This world (more this country than others) has programmed us to look at stopping for more than an hour as a bad thing, when in reality Sabbath was a command. God stopped but we think we can't or shouldn't. That is the way of the enemy. There's a common phrase that I believe is really just an excuse, "living their best life." We've equated soccer games, household fixes, box checking accomplishments in the busy category, even sitting down in the evening drinking wine with "living." Busy has been turned into a badge of honor and importance and our coping mechanisms are askew because of it. We are raising the next generation in a level of over commitment to "do" and under commitment to "be." Be still and know, as God would say. Yes, there are things to get done, fun to be had, child enrichment to achieve, but it only works in the context of balance. There are studies done that prove children today get anxiety when/if they have silence for just a few moments! Stress rises under peace! Not only is that messed up, but that one is on us. Children learn more from how we live than what we say. When raising my daughter, the first week of every month was "no TV week." When we'd enter week two of the month, she'd usually ask for it to continue! Family time without electronics. Now there's a revolutionary thought! Illness, stress, even family problems may cease if we just stopped and found peace for twenty-four hours a week. One day out of seven. Think of it as tithing time, but for your benefit. This electronic age keeps us wired, yet He's built into our being the need for rest. Being wired keeps us stressed. Genius battle strategy really. Years ago, we'd have to go out of our way to connect electronically, then the enemy created devices that rest in our pocket 24/7. There is no shut off. Studies have been done recently on a scientific process that is opening our eyes and it is called "grounding." It involves therapeutic techniques that involve doing activities that "ground" or electronically reconnect you to the earth. The science revolves around the physics of electrical charges from the earth to our bodies and the positive effects they have. It's an under-researched area but the most recent data shows it can reduce inflammation, heart disease, muscle damage, chronic pain and alter our mood. The electrical conductivity functions as an immune system defense, similar to antioxidants. Grounding can be done by walking barefoot outside, lying on the ground, or even submersing in water. Hmmmmm, maybe that's why so many of us like the beach or forest? I find grounding science fascinating because we came from dirt. The soil and water of this planet formed humankind, and stopping to ground ourselves is a definitive, scientific way to reconnect to who and how God made us. Will we ever get that stopping to be a part of this earth, to enjoy the gifts that surround us, is what fills our souls and calms our breaths? I have to admit, at times I've prayed for more hours in the day. This prayer was to accomplish more of what I deemed necessary. Thank you, God, for limiting the length of a day! Stop for a moment and think about staying in peace for a day. Sit in this thought. Stopping the hurry and tossing the "to-do" list. What feeling does that bring up? Anxiety? Or did you just smile? Maybe a deep sigh? Here's the thing. Sabbath means you're living in trust. You trust what needs done will get done, maybe not in your timing but in God's. What needs provided will be provided, whether food or money. Either we trust God with all we have, especially our greatest asset, time, or we don't. We were not created to live like we do. It's obvious. Read any headlines, look at the health statistics, the brokenness, the anger. It's time for a reboot. Read those first sentences of Psalm 23 again. Let Him lead you. Stop. Just stop. Literally, stop. It's a command and it's a gift. But most importantly, it's for our physical and mental well-being. Teach your children how to live healthy, beyond food choices. Teach yourself that you are more important than a list of things to do and places to go. It's time to implement Sabbath. And if your kids ask why you're lying on a blanket in the middle of the yard? Ask them to join you and find funny shapes in the clouds. God’s word declares in Isaiah, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Yet I expect them to be.
Why? Because I want what I want. It’s convenient. It’s comfortable. It’s safe. It’s easy. But what I’ve come to realize is that when my life is any of those four listed, I’m not living in God’s will for my days. He is pretty much the opposite. I once had someone ask me how I know when God is speaking to me or answering prayer and I told them “because it’s pretty much the opposite of what I was expecting or it’s an answer that wasn’t even in the realm of my thought process.” True story. So here’s the thing, it’s a choice. We can choose to live in safety and continue praying for security, or we can live the life designed for us, the supernatural life. On any day I hate my life and love my life, but on the days I submit to His will for my breaths, those are the transformative days. The days that matter. The days that change the world. The days that make me weep more than I should, and the days that give me a glimpse into Heaven. Quit being disappointed in God, for His ways will never be your ways, but they will be the right ways. Fall into the story He’s written for you. You will definitely be surprised ,Twice in my life I've been able to visit countries where English was not the first language. In most of the visited cities, it wasn't even the second. I'm not sure if you've had such an opportunity, but it's exciting and scary at the same time. Will I get lost? Will I wind up in a not so friendly location? Will I be able to read signs, order from a menu, find a public restroom? Unsettling, at least for me. Before going on these trips I tried to learn some basic speech phrases, all for naught. Apparently neither French or Spanish are my second language, as I thought I ordered spaghetti and got brains. Yuck.
This week has been a weird one. It started with a full moon, and every night I dreamt about a person or pet who has died. One, just one, every single night. The headlines in the news and the comments on social media have put everyone's emotions high and opinions bold, including mine. This morning I woke in my warm house, used my bathroom, made my way to let the dog out, gave the pets their breakfast, poured my coffee and added my cream, all in a completely silent house. Settled back on my bed and got my reading materials together, covered with my comforter, and was ready for my morning God time. Can you picture it? The ability and means to start my day, pretty much every day, this way? But today, instead of starting with my online Bible study, I went to Facebook, only to see a friend’s post and a photo detailing her night. She lives on the Mexico/US border and she was on a plane as part of her job. A plane full of refugees from around the globe. She expressed how there was confusion as many didn't even know where to sit, but eventually a couple and their baby sat next to her. They asked her if she knew Spanish, as they were from Chile, and God in his infinite wisdom, made sure they sat next to someone who did. Questions were answered about connecting flights, and my friend was able to find out that the only possession they had was the food in a bag they were given. Let's stop here for a moment. Walk in their shoes. Use your imagination and see. You're a parent with a baby in a foreign land, not knowing the language, or even if where you are going is safe. But, you're willing to go there because you heard it's safer than from where you came. It's a gamble. A giant crap shoot. You traveled thousands of miles, probably many of those on foot, into the complete unknown. All because of this thing called hope. Now granted, evil exists and will use every opportunity to invade our minds, our hearts, and even our country. That's just the reality of living in a sin-filled world. But what we need to do is dig past what the world is screaming, which is mainly fear and anger, and see humanity. You know, the beings who were created in the image of God. Growing up I had a violent, fear-filled childhood. I didn't choose that. I'd never choose that, even for my enemy. Pretty much every day I lived in fear. I was envious of friends who had a peaceful and "normal" home. I'd spend as much time as I could with them, just for moments of laughter and rest. I guess in a way you could say I was a refugee. Leaving a place I was plopped down into, a place of instability and loose footing at best, seeking a place to just live a bit better. And as a parent, isn't that all we want for our children? A bit better? I've got to be honest, my friend expressed that her emotions were all over the place with this encounter, and regarding this crisis, mine are too. But probably unlike her, mine tend to go from "please come live with me" to "there is a right way and a wrong way and the wrong way, the illegal way, tells me something about your character and I don't like you." There. I said it. My dark side creeps in and rather than consult God on how I should respond, my flesh jumps on the mob mentality bandwagon. But the good news for me is, I at least recognize my dark side. I will be processing my friend's story for a while. Especially when the news conference says "all the Haitians have been sent away and there are no more refugees under the bridge. 15,000 are no longer here. Zero." Instead of feeling emboldened or positive about this, I need to question my heart. I need to walk in their shoes, the best I can. I need to ask, "what would Jesus do?" I need to lose my life to find it. I need to not listen to Satan's whispers that my hard earned money will now be supporting these "illegals" instead of my family. I need to tune out when he says I will be assaulted or even killed as many entering are evil. I need to touch my soft comforter, sip my flavorful coffee, pet my cat, fluff my pillow, feel my furnace, and wonder why I'm so blessed, when others sleep in airports with their baby and only one bag of food, not being able to communicate. Can you even imagine their level of fear and confusion? No wonder our emotions are all over the place. We are judging people we've never even met, based on half-known truths we're being fed. Perhaps it's time to change to a healthier diet. One where I decide what's healthy. One where God leads me, not man. It is overwhelming to me, I can't imagine what it's like for them. This should make me weep, not hate. I actually do both, sometimes in the same sentence. All this tells me I am both spirit and flesh, and the war for my soul is really what's on the line. The battle rages, but I get to decide who wins. The decision is mine alone. It took a friend on a plane to get me to step back and realize there's always more to a story. So as you enjoy the comforts of your day today, from toothpaste to socks, from coffee to dessert, from laundry to a house to clean, pause. Pause and be that mom holding her baby on a plane traveling into the complete unknown, and say a prayer for her. And give thanks that you aren't her. Only because of Jesus' grace and mercy on your life. In a few days Christ followers will celebrate Easter. A festival devoted to a dead man who came back to life. And while our hearts and minds are devout in this, we are in a global pandemic of fear.
Lately I've been covered under a blanket so thick I feel I can't breathe. Is there anything I'm good at? Do I have any level of worth? It's a feeling that goes deep and the thoughts that accompany it are pretty dark. Needless to say, tears flow. The ironic thing is, I have developed a women's retreat based on how we and society sees us, versus how God sees us.
The real problem, at least for me, is that my self expectations are unrealistic. My bar is so high I'm not even sure Jesus could hit it. Self-sabotage some would say. In my head, since the bar is so high, why even bother. Right? So I need to reset. Reset the bar, reset my thoughts, reset my ideals, and reset my goals. Not eliminate them. I need to find patience with myself, accept that failure is part of the process, not succeeding the first time doesn't reflect my aptitude, just my inexperience. If you have a child competing in track, as an example, and they lose their heat, do you tell them to just quit? Usually not. You encourage them to try again. And that's exactly what God tells us to do. He's rooting for us!! He already has equipped us! He KNOWS we can... we just need to decide if he's worth crossing the finish line for. Praying for all of us who feel like failures. Remember, feelings are deceptive. You've been given another day. That, in and of itself, tells us God believes in us. Ugh... resetting yet again. There is a popular song out now that actually has the words, "I'm thankful for the scars." Thankful?? Scars are an indication that something was broken, whether flesh or heart or emotions. The breaking of something always leaves behind something else. How can I be thankful for brokenness?
I guess, in retrospect, I can have empathy with those who've lived through physical and mental abuse. I can show people how to survive, and hopefully, thrive. I can hold the hurting and relate on such a deep level that those who have never experienced it cannot comprehend. There's so many contrite sayings about being broken, the story of the practice of putting together a broken vase with gold, or the story of where there are holes the light gets in. Both are legit, but my issue is God allows brokenness. Sin, the way we treat others, brings to light brokenness. I truly feel there are families in my life who have never experienced pain. I'm told that we never know what goes on behind closed doors. I'm confident that I do, in many instances. But here's the thing. I may not see their brokenness, their pain, their issues, but Christ showed me that no one... no one, leaves here without scars. He had physical scars from beatings too great to comprehend, scars from betrayal of a close friend, scars from others fleeing in denial of him, and scars of his father forsaking him. Physical, mental, emotional scars. He lived them all, only to overcome them and rise. He rose not on his own ability though. It was God who raised him. How much clearer an example can we get? If we want to rise beyond our scars, we CANNOT do it on our own. "I can do ALL THINGS through Christ who gives me strength." I can and will continue to rise above my scars, with God's help, but I am thankful for my scars for they remind me sin covers this place, and when I look back, I can see how far I've come. I learned something new yesterday. I learned that what I see through my camera lens is not the whole truth. When I was able to slow my shutter speed to 1/4 of a second, meaning the shutter stays open longer to pull in all the elements. If my shutter speed is faster, it stops the motion, so it freezes any action into a brief pause.
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