Two Natures Within...

I have to admit, there was a show on Netflix last year that I really enjoyed...  Now this feels like a confession, because there was nothing, I mean NOTHING, redeeming about this show.  But it had some of my favorite actors and the story lines each week were fascinating...  I didn't realize this last season, but as I look back, it seemed to explore the depths of the darkness of the human heart, left to its own devices and schemes.  I was watching for when the second season would begin, which was last week...

Monday morning came, the kids were back in school and I was working on a jewelry project that made it possible  to watch and work at the same time...  But God has a wonderful sense of timing!

Earlier on Monday morning, I read Acts 3.  In Acts 3, Peter and John heal a lame man and the people are astounded, so Peter addresses the people and gives a powerful presentation of the gospel.  But it was verse 26 that grabbed my heart and mind, "God, having raised up His servant, sent Him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness."

God sent Jesus to bless us by turning us from our wickedness...  Jesus said that He came that we might have life and have it to the full...  Therefore, turning from our wickedness is necessary to live the abundant life!  Seems like a 'duh' moment when you spell it out like that...  but too often we live like we believe that pleasure, fun, satisfaction, the abundant life are found in the things of this world...  not the things, or the ways, of God!

So back to Monday morning...  I turned on the new episode and I started to watch.  I don't think it was any darker than last season, but something was different.  As I watched the episode unfold, a sense of uneasiness settled over me.  As the episode ended, I just sat...  The darkness of the story in that episode was oppressive...  People doing anything necessary to get what they want, including murder.  And as I sat God's word came back to mind...  Jesus came to BLESS us by turning us from our wickedness.  It is a BLESSING to turn away from wickedness, to reject it...  Then why on earth would I immerse myself in wickedness for the momentary pleasure of a tv show? 

Let's just say, that show is OFF my watch list, and in the future, I'm going to be more careful about what I add to my watch list...  Here's why... 

I was relating this incident to a very wise friend of mine and she started to recite a quote she remembered,

"Two natures beat within my breast,

The one is foul, the one is blessed

The one I love, the one I hate

The one I feed will dominate."  (Author anonymous)

I long to live the abundant life, not just experience it occasionally.  But if that's going to be true, I have got to stop feeding the old nature within...  I can't immerse myself in wickedness and be transformed (Romans 12:2, Be transformed by the renewing of the mind.)

The nature I feed is truly the nature that will dominate...  What I read, watch, talk about, think about, listen to, it ALL matters!  It's not about following a set of rules...  it's not about legalism...  it's ALL about the practices that will help me live the way I long to...  the way Jesus paid such a high price for me to be able to.

As I finish this blog, I'm resolving to get an index card to put a question on my bathroom mirror...  Each morning, I want to be reminded to think about, "Which nature will you feed today?"

Have a great week!

Sharla

Logos & Labels -- Or Not

Several months ago, the hottest mobile device game was an App called Logo Quiz.  The point of the game was to identify logos by their color and shape without any identifying words.  My children were very 'culturally savvy,' progressing very quickly through the logos.  After some thought, I found it somewhat disturbing how good my children were at this game.  First and foremost because their 'expertise' was rather condemning of my parenting skills and the amount of media they were consuming.  However, the more troubling aspect was that they could easily identify an entire company and/or product by virtue of its label.

In our culture, marketing has done a great job in communicating very succinctly the images, emotions and ideas tied to a particular logo or label.  That is fine for a shoe or drink but when we try to reduce a multi-national company or a complex organization down to a label we dismiss a lot of information.

The same is true of people.  All too often, we try to reduce people to a label - a single aspect of their entire personality by which we define them.  And yet, the reality is that people are the Imago Dei - which is the image of God.  God is so complex and multifaceted that He has many names to describe His character, countless attributes which demonstrate His nature and all of history to reveal His work in the world.  Likewise, when God creates each person, he gives them a multitude of qualities, character traits and talents.

Jesus should be our example in this.  He never reduced anyone to one aspect of their entire being (a label).  Rather, Jesus always saw the person for the unique individual they were created to be.  It is difficult to be like Jesus -- after all, he was perfect -- but He has called us to follow in His steps.  To love as He loved is to see the complete person and the entire individual, not just the most prominent or easy to identify trait.

Blessings - Cynthia


    

rest

as a culture we kind of pride ourselves on being busy. we expect everyone to have a lot going on in their lives [maybe even too much]. and we're pushed toward that. if we have any free time, we must not be doing enough. i mean, how dare we take time to rest?

and if you ask me, all of this is compounded by that fact that we women have a whole other host of expectations placed upon us. [i'm not arguing that our male counterparts don't, but the expectations look different from one side to the other.] we are not only supposed to be "successful" with a spotless house, well-groomed and stylish children, either a great job or happily stay at home with the kids - depending on which side of the coin you live on - and a stylish wardrobe, perfect hair, zero wrinkles or any other indication that we may be getting older, flawless skin, the perfect body, and anything else you'd like to add to the list of unattainable, but actually expected expectations.

so let's get real for a minute. really real.
our culture is full of crap. and no matter how hard we try to attain the unattainable list listed above it's not going to happen. and frankly, if you somehow do make it happen, you'll kill yourself getting there, and you're still not going to be happy.

so what does all this mean? it means we can all breathe a sigh of relief and be really honest with each other.

we all need grace, and God is gracious enough to give us his grace. when he looks at us he sees that our price has been paid. we have been bought with the blood of Christ, and he sees us as perfect standing before him.

that means we can rest. we don't have to try to impress God. and we couldn't if we tried. but we don't even have to try. we can simply rest in him.

and we can be honest with each other about our struggles. big or small. we can honestly say that the expectations of our culture are ridiculous and unattainable and push back against them by letting our lives be defined by God and the fact that we are his children, rather than by the size of our houses, the niceness of our cars, and how well we measure up to the standards set by everyone else.

we can be honest with each other when everything is not great and wonderful and rest in the prayers of the saints lifting us up.

we can rest in the arms of our heavenly father knowing that we are perfectly accepted and perfectly loved regardless of our circumstances. regardless of what life is handing us. regardless.

xo,

katie

The Dance

The last time I wrote, I shared what's been on my heart about it being a year when I really learn to do life my Father's way, instead of my way.  A week or so after I wrote that, I was having coffee with a friend and we got into a conversation about what it means to abide in Jesus...  to live life His way... to do nothing apart from Him.

We had a great conversation, but I continued to think it about long after we parted.  This week I want to share with you what has been on my heart regarding abiding in Christ.  This is the imagery that was so vivid to me...

I love to dance with Scott (my husband) more than anything!  I get so excited when we have a wedding, or some event, when I know there will be an open dance floor.  I don’t like the usual "young people (or "young at heart") dancing, but I love it when he takes me in his arms and leads me around the dance floor.  

In the moments, when I can forget myself and any self-conscience thought about others watching, I totally relax and the dance is effortless.  I feel so graceful (even though I’m not) and it’s so easy…  I’m completing trusting him and letting him guide me.  And it doesn’t take much to guide me, a slight shift in the direction of his shoulders, the change of the pressure of his hand on my back, the nudges are so subtle, no one else can see them, but it is so easy to follow him.  I don’t worry that we’ll run into anyone, no matter how crowded the dance floor is, because I trust him to guide me.  I go where he goes, my steps perfectly mirror his.  And the really cool thing is, I’ve been married to him so long, I’ve danced with him so many times, it just gets easier and easier because I know him so well and I care less and less what other people think! 

But over the years, there have been many times when I’ve remembered where we are and what we’re doing and I tense up and start worrying about getting it right.  It’s then that I trip over his feet, lose my step or cause us to run into someone.  In other words, I try to take over the leading and it becomes somewhat of a tug-a-war!  It’s awkward, uncomfortable and not so much fun anymore.

There is an interesting question though…  While Jesus is the one with the responsibility to lead, I am not without responsibility.  How do I live the life He’s called me to, without taking the lead?  When am I following His leading and when am I taking matters into my own hands?  I think the word that sums it up might be intent.  When I dance with Scott, I have to be intentional about letting him lead, I have to choose and then willingly submit to him.  I have to resist the urge to control our direction, or worry about the obstacles around us.    I have to pay attention and realize when I’ve taken over the dance and choose to follow again.  And if we dance often, his guidance becomes more and more natural and easy to follow.

And it's the same with abiding in Jesus...  the longer we dance with Him (abide) the easier it becomes to sense His guiding, His subtle nudges, His gentle shift in direction...  We can trust Him to lead us through life's obstacles and when we stumble, or try to take over, we don't have to leave the dance floor, we just have to relax back into His Spirit and let Him have the lead again...  every moment holds a choice, will I abide with my Savior?  Or will I take control and do it my way?

May this be a year we all learn to dance!

Blessings,

Sharla

Winter Storm Warning!!!

 

So, today we wake up to a warning for a 'major winter storm.'  If your children are anything like mine, there was much rejoicing.  When they were younger, they would use methods to ensure the coming of snow: putting spoons under their pillows, wearing their pjs inside out, flushing ice cubes down the toilet and repeating a snow chant -- yes, this is the cumulative wisdom garnered from the 8 year old sages at school.  On the other hand, parents are pulling out shovels, finding the 'big coats' and making sure there is enough food to last a day or two.

Yet, don't we do the same things in life.  We anticipate storms in our life and either look for the good or prepare for the worst.  For 'life storms' I would offer different advise: prepare for the storm and find the good.  Not to minimize the impact of storms (whether they be financial, relational, physical, et cetera) because I know that life storms can be some of the most brutal.  All I'm saying is whatever advanced preparation you can do (although occasionally time is part of the storm) may be helpful. 

Before my mother passed away from cancer, she had several bouts with that disease.  One thing I remember is 'wig day.'  When the day came that Mom needed to get a wig, my mother and her best friend had 'wig day.'  In the morning, they scouted out wig shops and shopped until they found the right one.  Then they went out and 'tested' it at lunch.  Don't get me wrong, there were still tears and it was not a 'happy go lucky' day but it was a way of making a very awful part of the storm bearable.  

Years later, I spoke with Mom's best friend and she told me that it was one of her hardest yet most embraced memories.  The other thing she told me is that from the time she left her house to pick up Mom and throughout they day, she prayed.  She didn't simply try to cover up the bad with a diversion, but put it into the hand of our loving God and knew He would walk beside them.

I don't know if you are facing a storm, in the middle of a storm or enjoying a time of peaceful breezes but from my experience with 'storms' I have learned a couple of things.  You can't avoid storms - you don't control life.   You can't pretend that a storm is not raging around you - you must walk into it with strength knowing God will guide your steps.  You can't obsess about the likelihood of a huge 'storm' coming - you can't predict what may or may not happen.  The biggest lesson of all: talk it over with God.  And I don't mean offer up lofty prayers with stilted holy language.  I mean pour yourself a cup of your favorite beverage (tea, coffee, juice, bubble water....), find a comfortable place (preferable private....audible conversation with God can be disconcerting to others) and have a conversation with God (actually speak to Him because he is in the room).  

May you find our God faithful in all your storms -- Cynthia

the potter & the clay

{via ceramicartsdaily.org}

part of isaiah 45:9 says "does the clay say to the potter 'what are you making?'" i love this verse. for better or worse i have always been the type of person who likes to see people get put in their place. more so when it is not me, and i think someone needs to be brought down a peg or two, but anyway, i think this verse [and many others] do just that. they put us in our place.

it's kind of like that snide little all-too-true remark that hits at just the right spot. "um, excuse me, does the clay talk? no? i didn't think so. and you're not the potter are you? huh, funny how that works…" okay, maybe i'm the only one who hears it that way, but most of the time it's because i need to hear it that way.

how many of us don't struggle with pride? with wanting to be in control? i struggle daily with these things. day in and day out i have to remind myself that life does not revolve around me. i am not the hero of the story. that part has already been cast, and it has already been played. and played infinitely better than the mess i would have made of it. 

sometimes i catch myself getting lost in the individualistic american dream. and i keep trying to find a way to reconcile it to what God wants for me. but if i'm being honest that can't really happen. the american dream puts all the marbles on being happy. by and large we think that being rich and having the best cars, and the best house, and being in love all the time will make us happy, but that is simply the clay telling the potter how it'll work best.

God tells us to love him with all of our selves, and to love our neighbors. the american dream puts me ahead of everyone else. it says you must sacrifice everything and everyone to get ahead for yourself. God's plan flips that paradigm upside-down. he says it's not about my comfort, or my house, or my car, or anything else except what he wants for me. 

i may sit on my haunches all day declaring to the maker that i'm a coffee mug, or a flower vase, but if he made me to be a wash basin it's going to be tough for anyone to drink coffee out of me, or stick flowers in me.

part of the american dream says that we all want to be somebody. we all want to matter. and usually we don't think of living a quiet life striving hard after God as a life that "matters." but "mattering" in the world's sense is entirely different from mattering to God. he created each one of us. he knit me together in my mother's womb. he knows me better than i know myself because he created every fiber of my being.

a wash basin works best when it's used for the purpose it was created - to wash. all too often i find myself questioning God because i think he doesn't know what matters, and he doesn't know what he's doing. all too often, i am the clay asking the potter what the heck he's doing.

and then he reminds me that he is in control. he is the creator, i am the created. and i function best when i'm on his side, and doing his work.

xo,

katie

My Wish For December 31, 2014

Most years, I seem to end the year with some kind of a theme on my heart for the coming year.  And over the years I've come to recognize that as the Spirit working in my heart.  It's never about fixing anything, it's always about growth...  One year the song, "Give Me Your Eyes," by Brandon Heath, captured my heart and that became my prayer for the year...  It was that year that I went to a garbage dump in Africa to meet mothers and grandmothers who went there to feed their children.  It was that year, more than ever before, that I began to see others with His eyes...  compassion and mercy grew.  One year He gently showed me where I was not living in freedom, and while that continues to be a daily journey, my heart soars more than ever before.  Another year it was about joy, that year was a year of healing and forgiveness...  I could go on and on...

But maybe, for the first time ever, it has been a deep conviction of sin that has brought me to my theme, my prayer and pursuit for 2014.

What God has been showing me is that, sadly, far too often the song that characterizes some areas of my life is "I Did It My Way."  The section of lyrics that really hit home are these... "I planned each charted course, each careful step along the byway.  And more, much more than this, I did it my way.  Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew, when I bit off more than I could chew.  But through it all, when there was doubt, I ate it up and spit it out.  I faced it all, and I stood tall, and did it my way."

It's funny, this song doesn't characterize EVERY single area of my life, in fact, it's probably only overwhelmingly true of a few, but what God is showing me is that even if it's only true of ONE area, it impacts my relationship with Him and steals my joy and peace...  One bad apple really can spoil the bunch!

The bottom line is, God wants our best and as our Creator, He knows what is best.  Through His Word, He has given us principles and truths that reveal His way...  Through the Holy Spirit, just as Rick talked about, He will speak to our hearts and guide us in His way...  If we will surrender our lives to Him and commit to knowing and seeking Him and living His way, we will find our lives overflowing with peace, joy and all that comes from living the abundant life.

As I look forward to 2014, it is time to get some areas back on track...  I'm sure it won't be easy because there are consequences when I choose "my way"...  I'm sure I'll be tempted to give up and go back to "my way."  But I pray that on December 31, 2014, I will look back on 2014 with a smile, and with my heart full of joy and peace and deep gratitude (because it will be His grace that enables me, equips me and empowers me) and I will sing, "I Did It HIS Way."

Blessings in the New Year,
Sharla