Tag: god

Dress rehearsal…

My poor husband… every year, at the beginning of the New Year, I subject him to a year-end evaluation. We ask ourselves a series of questions that we reflect on individually and then discuss together:

  • In general, how would you rate this past year on a scale from 1-10?
  • What are some things we did well as a couple that we want to continue? What are some things we can improve on?
  • What were some of the most important lessons you learned this past year? How might you incorporate what you learned this next year?
  • Looking back over the past year, how would you say we did using our time, talents, and resources? Is there anything we can do in this new year to improve?
  • How are you different this year from the previous year?
  • Who and/or what are you especially grateful for in 2024?
  • How can I best support you to help you achieve your personal goals in the New Year?

I say “my poor husband” because this exercise has not always been met with enthusiastic support! And we haven’t done it every year. Nevertheless, it has proved to be something that helps both of us be more in sync with one another. Something that helps us to continue learning about one another. Something that helps us set priorities for how we use our time, talents, and resources.

Rehearsing the past year helps us be more focused and productive in the new year.

The great thing about rehearsals
is that they show you where your weaknesses are,
where your preparation was faulty;
and they leave you time to
change before the real play
in front of a real audience.

John Piper in “Solid Joys” December 31, 2024

Ten days before Christmas my father-in-law passed away. Yeah, the timing wasn’t the greatest. Death is one of those things we all know we’ll face someday, but it still comes as a shock. A gut-wrenching reality. Interestingly enough, however, the writer of one of the Wisdom Books in the Old Testament of the Bible says

It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this [death] is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart [solemnly ponder its meaning]. Ecclesiastes 7:2

So… what’s all this have to do with rehearsing the past year???

John Piper, in the above quote, went on to say that “There are few things more revolutionizing for my life than a periodic pondering of my own death.”

Sounds kind of morbid, right?! But another Wisdom Book encourages us…

… teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom [live wisely and well]. Psalm 90:12

Numbering our days. Intentionally rehearsing the past so as to be more on target in the future. Making any necessary changes before the “real play in front of a real audience.”

Someday, EACH of us will stand before a holy God and give an account for our life. He’s the “real audience.” He’s a loving Father who wants to have a relationship with us, a relationship that hinges on our acceptance or rejection of His Son, Jesus Christ.

As we embark on this New Year, may I encourage you to rehearse this past year, evaluating where there were weaknesses, where your preparation may have been faulty, what changes need to be made. And as we do this, may we together have joy in the journey of this thing called “Life!”

Bogged down in details… Me?!?

photo credit: https:// thesaurus.plus

Aargh. Stuck again. Caught in the quandary of too many things to do, not sure where to start/how to prioritize, needing to make order out of the chaos of my untamed inbox and other projects around the house that have too long been neglected.

Part of my downfall is being a detail person. I think in bullet points, after all! I’m married to a wonderful guy who is detail-oriented as well, but in different ways. For example, our first — and last! — attempt at wallpapering revealed an attention-to-detail side of him that had previously been hidden. I was… well, let’s say, a bit less perfectionistic! For the good of our marriage, we (he!) quickly decided that this task needed to be a one-MAN job. Thankfully, I bowed out… and he painstakingly used a plumb line and level to make sure the job was done well. The end result was superb!

Being a detail-oriented person also means that order, efficiency, and punctuality are high values for me. This is one reason I believe God has a sense of humor: He sent us to two different countries in two totally different parts of the world, countries with completely different languages and cultures, to live the majority of our adult lives where these values are NOT all that important. Seems He has a few lessons for me to learn in this area!

Hmm… Not getting bogged down in the details of life. Not being stuck, unable to move forward. Not feeling overwhelmed. Making order out of chaos.

Earlier this summer I started a daily read-through-the-Bible plan. There are a LOT of details in those early books! And for a person who wants to have everything neat and tidy in one’s mind, it’s sometimes been challenging to keep motivated in my reading. But certain themes keep surfacing. In particular, making order out of chaos.

The very first sentences of the Bible describe how “earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness.” (Genesis 1:2, the Message) Other translations refer to earth as being “formless and empty,” meaning without order. Chaotic chaos, so to speak. And yet God enters the scene and over the next six days brings order to this chaos.

Another incident that grabbed my attention was when Moses, the man who led the nation of Israel out of their slavery in Egypt, was in the desert with this huge group of people (over 600,000 men — so even more when you count the women and children). One of his tasks was to act as judge when they had disputes. With that many people, you can be sure there were a LOT of disputes! His father-in-law Jethro observed,

What you are doing [Moses] is not good.
You and the people with you
will certainly wear yourselves out,
for the thing is too heavy for you.
You are not able to do it alone.

Exodus 18:17-18

Jethro then advised Moses to find others to help him. The criteria was that they be wise and experienced, trustworthy men who feared God and hated bribes. He then “made them heads over the people, chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens… Any hard case they brought to Moses, but any small matter they decided themselves.” (Exodus 18:25-26)

Order out of chaos. A brilliant plan to organize things so that one person (Moses) had some much-needed respite from leading so many people. A plan in which the character of those helping was crucial to implementing what was necessary.

There are even more examples that keep popping up — and I’m only in the fourth book of the Old Testament (Numbers)! The attention to detail — everything from how to build and outfit a movable Tent of Meeting (think portable church) to who is responsible for its transport to how this horde of people were to pick their campsites to who went first, second, third, etc. when they set off towards the Promised Land — is astounding.

So… what might God be wanting to show me through all this?

  • He is a God of order! His spoken word caused the formless void to become the heavens and the earth. “God is not a God of confusion and disorder but of peace and order.” (I Corinthians 14:33, Amplified Bible)
  • Sometimes, to have order in our lives, we need to recognize our own limitations and weaknesses and enlist the help of others.
  • If God is so specific in how to build something and how to transport it, then how much more is He committed to what may seem like meaningless details in my life!

Yep. I still have the tendency to get bogged down in details, but I’m encouraged by seeing that details CAN be something positive. They can be reminders that I have a Father who can make order out of the chaos of my life. Sometimes it will mean asking for help, admitting I can’t go it alone. Sometimes it will mean being intentional in doing what I can to tame my unruly inbox, for example. Like hitting the “unsubscribe” button and answering emails in a more timely manner. Sometimes — often! — it will mean laying aside my bent towards punctuality and enjoying the go-with-the-flow culture in which we live. And not getting bent out of shape when something/someone isn’t very efficient. As I do these things, I’m pretty sure it will enhance my ability to have joy in the journey of this thing called “Life.” I hope you’ll join me!

Where do I start?!?

Have you ever had so many choices that you didn’t know WHICH option to choose? Or have you ever been so overwhelmed by an overflowing inbox that it’s hard to know where to start in answering the backlog of emails? Or has the pile of unfinished laundry or DIY projects or (fill in the blank) rendered you paralyzed so that nothing gets done?

I can answer a resounding YES!!! to all of the above!

Sometimes — MOST of the time! — the hardest thing about tackling a task, beginning a new exercise or diet regime, initiating a relationship, developing a new habit, doing something out of your comfort zone, etc. is to take the first step. To DO something. To overcome that initial inertia.

This is true in every sphere of life — including our spiritual lives.

If you’ve been reading my blogs for a while you’ve probably noticed that I keep coming back to an important theme: regularly reading God’s Word, the Bible. And yet it may be that you’re unsure of where to begin. How to go about tackling this book. It can be a bit overwhelming, I must admit! Where does one start?

When I first began my spiritual journey as a university student, a friend suggested that I read several Psalms and one Proverb each day. There are 150 Psalms, some short, some quite long. And so I aimed for five per day so that I could read the whole book once each month. Proverbs has 31 chapters, which made it easy to remember which one to read: one per day.

As I read, I asked myself some questions:

  • What does this tell me about God? Who He is? His character?
  • What does it tell me about Jesus? [interesting tidbit: even in the Old Testament, which was written before Christ was born, there are things that refer to Him!]
  • What does it tell me about humanity/about me?
  • What does it teach me about relationships and life?
  • Is there anything I need to do?
  • Is there anything I need to stop doing?

And as I mulled over these questions, I began writing down what was going on in my mind and in my heart. I had never realized that the “is there anything I need to do or stop doing?” part was just as important as the reading part. Gulp.

Don’t just listen to God’s Word.
You must do what it says.
Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

from the New Testament book of James, chapter 1 verse 22

I also started getting together with other Christ-followers to talk about what we were reading and learning. Reading the Bible and meeting with others are two disciplines that continue to be an integral part of my life… a LONG time after those early university days! Being able to wrestle with questions, share life’s ups and downs, help one another not get lazy in reading and applying the truths of God’s Word (in other words, being accountable) has helped me get through a lot of challenges.

Where do I start??!? Take the first step. You can start small, but start! Find someone else who can join you as you begin this journey. And as you learn more about God — how much He loves you, how much He wants to have a relationship with you — and more about yourself, may it help you to have joy in the journey of this thing called “Life!”

Early mornings…

photo credit: the1thing.com

Our daughter was only three or four months old. We had taken her on a short road trip to meet some of the relatives for the first time. When we put her down for her nap, we unpacked and rested a bit ourselves.

Hmm… seems she is sleeping longer than normal. This is strange. Is this ok?!? Normal?!?

As first-time parents, we went into hovering/panic mode. We didn’t want to wake her, and so we kept checking on her. Kept making sure our precious little girl was still breathing. We were anxious, to put it mildly.

And then… she woke up! Whew! What a relief! We later realized it was just her body’s reaction to a lot of new stimuli, being in new surroundings, traveling on a hot summer day.

A song I’ve been listening to recently in my Quiet Time — that time first thing in the morning when I spend with God, listening to Him, reading His Word, soaking in His presence — has intrigued me. It talks about how eagerly God looks forward to when I wake up each morning. Just as my husband and I did with our daughter.

Early in the morning
You wait for me to rise
Counting down the seconds
Until I open up my eyes
I hear Your invitation
You have been so patient
Lord, this is my reply…

I wanna walk with You
and talk with You
Hear You speaking
Feel You breathing…
Walk with You

“Walk with You” by Michael Bethany

I don’t know about you, but I usually don’t think of God EAGERLY looking forward to spending time with me. And yet as a Father who fiercely loves me, He does! He enjoys me! He delights in me!

For the Lord your God…
will take delight in you with gladness.
With His love, He will calm all your fears.
He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.

Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT)

Having that mindset — that God delights in me, that with His love He will calm all my fears, that He will rejoice over me with joyful songs — is a game changer! Instead of starting the day feeling overwhelmed, defeated, unsure, I can embrace the unknowns in my life and be confident that I’m not alone. That God not only is with me, but also is wanting to lead, guide, and protect me. Just like we, as earthly parents, wanted to do for our baby girl.

The challenge to thinking this way comes with keeping my mind and thoughts focused on my heavenly Father. Throughout the day, a gazillion things vie for my attention, trying to get my focus off of God and onto me, myself, and I. Sometimes I fail miserably. But I continue to keep learning the importance of quickly doing a mental reset to get my thoughts back on track.

Early mornings. Those precious moments when God eagerly looks forward to being with us. May we encourage one another to listen to His voice, to spend time in His Word, and to be transformed by living life knowing how much our Perfect Parent delights in us. And together, we can have joy in the journey of this thing called “Life!”

Confessions of a gardener wannabe…

photo credit: author

My grandmother had it. So did my dad. And my sister. But me… well, it seems the “green thumb” gene skipped me.

A “green thumb” means you have an ability to make plants grow. A talent for gardening. It’s not that I haven’t tried over the years. Even as a university student, my interior design project included a room filled with hanging plants and lush, flowering plants. My soul is nurtured by the beauty of growing things: plants, flowers, basically anything green. And yet, as the above picture from our balcony attests, my good intentions have been rather futile. I often joke that anything that manages to grow/survive does so in spite of me… not because of me!

That poor plant. It once was thriving, covered with green leaves. Then the leaves started falling off until the plant was mere sticks — like a Charlie Brown Christmas tree! Undeterred, I kept watering it. Hoping against hope that someday growth would occur.

And it did! Slowly — ever so slowly — leaves started reappearing. But alas, we went out of town for several days and the hot summer sun claimed another victim. Without regular watering, there wasn’t the nourishment the plant needed to survive.

My plant died from neglect: no water, too much sunshine. A lack of being cared for. Looked after. Ugh.

Hmm… makes me think of some parallels to my spiritual life.

The Bible uses the imagery of God being a gardener in a vineyard (the vinedresser) and Jesus the vine. Sometimes the gardener needs to prune some branches to enable the vine to be healthy and to thrive. In fact, if you’ve ever seen a vineyard after it has been pruned, you’d think the vines, with their butchered branches, would never produce fruit again! And yet slowly, in due season, new growth appears. Healthy growth. Abundant growth.

We are the branches. We’re what gets whacked off, so to speak. And believe me, sometimes the process is painful! There are attitudes and habit patterns that need to be dealt with. And other “stuff” that hinders our ability to rightly reflect God to the world in which we live. “Stuff” that simply needs to go!

In addition, in order to continue growing healthily we “branches” need to be nourished. To be fed. To be watered. To get an adequate amount of sunshine. That’s why it’s important to be intentional in reading and studying God’s Word. That’s our food. Our nourishment. It’s how we continue to recognize when we need an attitude adjustment or need to deal with a relationship issue. It’s how we see life from God’s perspective instead of ours. It’s what shows us wrong thinking… and how to replace it with truth.

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers.
But they delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night.
They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.

from the Book of Psalms in the Old Testament, chapter 1

If I want to bear fruit, never wither, prosper in all I do then I need to do some serious gardening in my own life. I may not have a “green thumb,” but I can take advantage of the resources available to me to have a healthy garden. How about joining me? And together, we can have joy in the journey of this thing called “Life!”

You can read about God the gardener, Jesus the vine, and we the branches in the New Testament book of John, chapter 15.

Do you need an Aaron or Hur today???

photo credit: wayneforte.com

There’s an interesting battle scene in the Bible. To give some background…

An old man — the one credited with leading the nation of Israel out of their slavery in Egypt — has faced numerous challenges with those in his charge. There are quite a few of them — 600,000 men and an additional who-knows-exactly-how-many women and children! They had already seen some incredible things happen, like when God literally parted the Red Sea so that they could walk through on the dry riverbed — and then as those same waters flowed back, obliterating their pursuers.

This huge entourage then started walking through rough, desert terrain. For three days they couldn’t find any water, which is a HUGE problem in a desert, especially with so many people! Finally, they found some water — but it was bitter and so unable to be drunk. The people grumbled. In all honesty, I think I would have, too! Their leader cried out to God — and then another unlikely, incredible thing happened: he took a piece of wood, threw it into the water, and the water became sweet and able to be drunk!

Less than two weeks later they had another grumbling session, this time about the food (or lack thereof). They reminisced that life had been better before. “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt!” they complained. “There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you [addressing their leader Moses and his sidekick Aaron] have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”

Once again, God provided for their needs in a most unusual, unique way: every day, for the next forty years, they would have sufficient nourishment. But only enough for one day at a time. If they tried to hoard their allotment it would be full of maggots and stink the following day. Yuck.

After this, they had yet another setback: no water… again! They grumbled, quarreled with their leaders, and asked, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?” This time, their leader Moses took the very same staff that he had used previously when parting the waters of the Red Sea and hit a rock, which then gushed forth water.

The next challenge they faced was being attacked by a hostile nation. Oh, brother. As if their journey to what was called “the Promised Land” hadn’t already been difficult! This brings us to the interesting battle scene mentioned at the beginning… the leader (Moses) went to the top of a hill with his brother Aaron and Hur (someone we don’t know a whole lot about). Moses held the staff (yep, same one) in his hands, and as long as his hands were UP, the Israelites were winning. But whenever he LOWERED his hands, the enemy was winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him so that he could sit down. Then, Aaron and Hur — one on one side of Moses and the other on the other — held his hands up. The result was that his hands remained steady until sunset. And the Israelites won the battle.

Hmm… I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been in that kind of battle. However, there have been times when the challenges and pressures of life have been intense. Overwhelming. Times of feeling unsure of what to do next, how to respond to a problem, how to deal with a comment or criticism, how to not give up when everything looks hopeless.

It’s at times like this that I — we! — need an Aaron or Hur. Someone to be there with us in whatever we’re facing. Someone who may not even say anything, but just by their presence communicates a steadiness, strength that we desperately need. Someone who lifts us up so that we don’t grow weary or give up.

In addition, those in the thick of the battle are unable to see the big picture. They don’t have the vantage point of being up on the hill, so to speak (like Moses, Aaron, and Hur). God wisely instructed Moses to write on a scroll what had happened — ESPECIALLY for Joshua, who was the one on the ground waging the battle. He wanted to make sure Joshua knew and remembered what had happened that day.

That’s another reason we need one another… to remember the victories, the lessons learned, and yes, even the challenges themselves. The good, the bad, and the ugly are the very things God uses — IS USING — in our lives to make us the people we are today and will be tomorrow.

Do you need an Aaron or Hur today? Or could you be that for someone else? As we become more attentive to others in our spheres of influence, more attentive to what is happening in and around us, may that be the catalyst that enables us to have joy in the journey of this things called “Life!”

* You can read more about this story in the Old Testament of the Bible, the book of Exodus, chapters 13-17.

Last words… lasting words

photo credit: https://velocitychurch.life

I’m not sure what prompted the reminiscing… but earlier this week I started thinking about words or phrases I associate with certain people:

  • Things just keep perking along! (my mom — whenever we would call to check in on her)
  • I can put you in the canoe and give you oars… but you have to do the paddling. (my dad — as I left home after graduating from university for a job on the other side of America)
  • Blameless??? What does “blameless” look like??? (Nicole K. — during a Bible study years ago)
  • You can’t be your husband’s Holy Spirit! (Linda D. — in a study on marriage when I was a relatively young bride)
  • “Praise the Lord!” is a command… so tell God what you’re praising Him for! (Myrna A. — at a conference for college students at my first job)
  • We can’t live in a “what if” world. (my husband — shortly after we got married)
  • Only two things last forever: God’s Word and man’s soul. We want to invest our lives in those things. (my husband again — when we were newlyweds)
  • Sometimes you just need a good cry. (my sister — when we were teenagers)

Thinking of those words and phrases brought to mind some important things that Jesus said…

We’re entering into what is often referred to as Holy Week: the period of time encompassing when Jesus triumphantly entered into Jerusalem riding a donkey (Palm Sunday), the Last Supper (when He celebrated the Passover meal with His disciples and then was betrayed by one of them), the Crucifixion (what is referred to as Good Friday), and then Easter (the day He was resurrected from the dead). Significant events. And so what He had to say during that period — His last words — is vitally important for those of us who are Christ followers.

Last words… lasting words.

Imagine what it would be like for YOU if you knew you only had a limited amount of time — just a few days — with those with whom you’re closest. How would knowing that impact what you would say? do?

Jesus gathered those He was closest to — His twelve disciples — for a meal. That’s not so unusual. But what He did during the meal was VERY unusual. Shocking even. He assumed the role of a servant and began to wash the feet of His followers. In that day and that culture, when walking was the main mode of transportation and wearing sandals the preferred footwear, a person’s feet would get dusty and sweaty when walking from Point A to Point B. The lowliest of jobs was that of the servant who would be tasked with washing the feet of those entering one’s home.

Just a few days before, Jesus had been hailed as a king. Now… He was washing feet. By doing this, He was communicating a powerful message to the twelve and subsequently to us: we who have placed our faith, our trust in Jesus have been totally washed/made clean. But periodically, we need to have our feet washed… to be cleansed of the sins that creep into our lives.

His actions also spoke loudly of what it means to be a leader… by being a servant. Being willing to stoop down, be inconvenienced. Being willing to be misunderstood.

Another thing Jesus did during His last days was pray for His followers — both those who were physically present with Him and those of us who now are embracing Him as our Saviour. His final plea was that we would be unified and reflect His love to the world in which we live.

I do not ask for these only [the twelve who were present], but also for those who will believe in Me through their word [us], that they may all be one, just as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that You have sent Me.

Jesus in John 17: 20-22

There were other last words… lasting words that Jesus shared those final days (you can read them in the New Testament: John chapters 13-17). But for now, I’m focusing on and mulling over these two examples and how they impact my life: being a servant and living in harmony with others/reflecting God’s love to those in my sphere of influence.

Take time this next week to reflect on who Jesus is and what difference He makes in your life. And may we encourage one another to heed those last words… lasting words. By doing so, may we have joy in the journey of this thing called “Life!”

Worship??? IN the waiting???

photo credit: krazyinlove.com

There’s nothing like putting something in black and white for all the world to see — at least those who read this blog — that makes one… well, I guess the best word is accountable. Accountable to put into practice the lessons I talked about last time, lessons based on learning to wait… and wait well.

All week I’ve been mulling over something I shared at the very end of the post, the words from a song…

… I will worship in the waiting
when I cannot see the end…

“Waiting” by Healing Place Worship

Worship in the waiting.

Worship??? IN the waiting??? How in the world is that possible??? If I’m not mistaken, this hints at a major change in attitude as much as anything. Yikes.

Earlier this week I was reading in the Psalms — and wouldn’t you know, waiting was mentioned yet again!

I waited patiently for the Lord;
He turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire;
He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the Lord.

Psalm 40: 1-3

Waiting patiently was not done in vain, but rather resulted in action. God heard! He responded! The outcome was being lifted out of the difficult circumstances the writer was in. AND having a new song, a hymn of praise, put in his heart.

I’d call that a major shift in attitude! Instead of bemoaning whatever was causing him to wait, instead of being critical or questioning or discontent, the writer patiently waited for God… and it paid off! That shift also encouraged others: those who saw what had happened in the writer’s experience also put their trust in God.

I had a text exchange earlier this morning with a dear friend who is thousands of miles away. She had had a heart attack a week ago and was back in the hospital. I asked how her anxiety level was… and she responded with brutal honesty how hard this has been. How confusing. How unfair (since she’s always been fit, eaten sensibly, etc.). How she felt her body had betrayed her.

What struck me with her honesty and vulnerability was how that stripped away any pretense, any trying-to-be-spiritual-when-your-heart-is-breaking-and-your-mind-is-reeling attitude. Like the psalmist, her crying out to God, waiting for Him in the midst of uncertainty and very real fears opened the door for God to use her in what I’m sure was an unexpected way — helping me to see some things more clearly:

  • The importance of living each day to the fullest. Jesus put it this way: “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough troubles of its own.” (Matthew 6: 34)
  • The importance of verbalizing appreciation NOW… when the opportunity presents itself. “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it is in your power to act.” (Proverbs 3: 27)
  • The importance of recognizing that our days ARE numbered… and that they are in God’s loving hands. “The length of our days is seventy years — or eighty, if we have the strength… Teach us to number our days aright…” (Psalm 90: 10, 12)

My friend shared that her new life verse is

My flesh and my heart may fail,
but GOD is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.

Psalm 73: 26

That, my friends, is how we worship in the waiting… by having our focus on Someone who is greater than whatever we’re going through, Someone who loves us and is eagerly waiting for us to call out to Him.

So… yet another tutorial on waiting. Another reminder that we need each other and that together we can have joy in the journey of this thing we call “Life!”