Jacket-less

Yesterday was a first for 2013. Yesterday, when I exited my house, I left my jacket behind.

Yep. Jacket-less. Finally! What a feeling! Freedom. Released from the burden of bulk. Light. Airy. Carefree! A simple change in temperature brought about this amazing change in my attire.

Sometimes I have a temperature problem in my life too. I get myself into hot water. Now don't be thinking that I get into trouble frequently; that's not the case (although I did get my dorm's "Biggest Prankster" award my freshman year of college!). No, for me, I tend to be a worry wart. Ask my kids. Ask my husband. I worry about silly nonsense. I burden myself with the trivial details of life. I soak myself in the hot water of worry.

Just as a change in temperature helped me discard my jacket, a change in my attitude and focus can help me throw out my pool of hot water. In the words of I Peter 5:7, I need only to "Turn all your worries over to him. He cares about you."

Simple, but often not easy for me. Turn my worries over to him. In another translation the verse reads, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."  Turn. Cast. If I simply ask him to remove my worry, I can change my attire. I can leave my worries behind. Wow. Finally! What a feeling! Freedom. Released from the burden of bulk.

Within or Without?

I've often wondered what it would be like to have Jesus as a friend in the flesh. I mean here. Beside me. Talking with me day by day. Sitting next to me on my drive into work. Eating breakfast with me in my kitchen.

I wonder what it would be like to listen to him tell a parable. To have him explain life's lessons to me in a way I can relate. Sometimes I think I'd like to trade places with one of his disciples so that I could see Jesus face to face.

We're in the midst of a sermon series at our church. It is a sermon series about the Holy Spirit. After listening to a couple sermons on the Holy Spirit, I asked myself the following question: "If I had to choose, would I rather have Jesus beside me or the Holy Spirit within me?"

Hmmm. That's a tough question. After weighing the options, I decided I would choose the Holy Spirit within me. Here's why:

I liken the Holy Spirit within me to being pregnant. For some of you, I know you can't relate, nor will you ever, but let me try to explain. I loved being pregnant. Other than the fact that I was big as a moose and literally had to steer my belly to maneuver through doorways and such, there is nothing that compares to being pregnant. During pregnancy, there is the knowledge that life is inside you. Growing. Life that goes with you wherever you go. Life that you can feel. Life that is intimate.  

As weird as this sounds, a part of me felt lonely after my children were born. Sure, I could hold them, cradle them, smell them, touch them and talk to them. But here's the thing. They were no longer with me every minute of every day. I could be separated from them. I didn't feel their every movement. I couldn't sense their hiccups in the middle of the night. Eventually, kids grow up, and then we're apart for days and weeks on end.

So if I had to choose between Jesus in the flesh or the Holy Spirit within me, I would choose the Holy Spirit. Life in me. Always. Everywhere.

While it's a good question to ponder, here's the best part.

The wonderful part is this: when you accept Jesus in your life, you get a three-for-one package. You get God, the Father, the Almighty Creator of the universe. You take home Jesus, your Savior and mine. And then, if that doesn't already blow your mind away, the Holy Spirit takes up residence inside of you. He's the intimate, emotional, heartfelt driver of your life. Who wouldn't take the three for one package?

Read the following passage slowly. It is powerful, full of promise:

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Romans 15:13

Who wouldn't want to be pregnant for life!

Recycle

Monday, April 22 is Earth Day. It's a day focused on caring for the earth and our responsibility to tend to the environment. The day sheds light on conservation and the need to create more "green" initiatives.

When our son, Barry, was five or six years old, he celebrated Earth Day in big ways. Each spring, he would pull his little red wagon down the driveway and walk up and down the road picking up trash. He was determined to do his part to keep our planet clean.

In recent years there has been a renewed effort toward going green. We conserve energy. We cut down on our waste. We enact "Adopt a Highway" initiatives. We recycle. All these things contribute to keeping the earth healthy.

The EPA describes recycling as, "the process of collecting and processing materials that would otherwise be thrown away as trash and turning them into new products." Hmm. Sounds familiar. Sounds like something I read about in the Bible. Sounds like something I know from personal experience.

I'm in constant need of recycling. Yep. Me. On my own, I'm nothing more than a piece of trash. Used. Spent. Worthless. When I recognize my need for change, something amazing happens. When I throw myself in the recycling box and call my Recycler for pickup, he takes me, processes me and makes me new. He takes the old and transforms it into a new product.

Fit for service. Made new.

Titus 3: 3-7 tells us about being transformed from trash to treasure. Recycled by the hand of the Master Garbage Collector:

"At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kind of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life."

Life

The events of today in Boston remind us of the brevity of life. Not one of us is guaranteed to see tomorrow. Life is fleeting. Life is short.

Is your eternal future secured?

"This is what my Father wants: that anyone who sees the Son and trusts who he is and what he does and then aligns with him will enter real life, eternal life."

John 6:39 The Message

Disconnect

Wednesday I was half way to work when I realized I'd left my cell phone at home. Most days, this wouldn't be a big deal. On any given work day, my cell phone sits idly on my desk. Most days my cell phone is lonely. Only occasionally does my cell phone vibrate happiness with a text from my son or daughter.

Wednesdays however, are not normal, boring days for my cell phone. On Wednesdays I have two standing coffee dates. On Wednesdays, my cell phone is the only means of communication I have for contacting the two amazing college students I meet for coffee. In fact, we text every Wednesday. We confirm our weekly meeting time. We text last minute schedule changes. We text cancellations. We text late arrival notices.

With these thoughts racing through my mind, I decided I would call my husband as soon as I arrived at work. Surely he would make a special delivery drop off on his way to work. After all, crucial communication was at risk! And so, as I unlocked my office door, my only concern was the phone call to my husband. Arriving at my desk, I picked up my desk phone to make the call. Silence. No dial tone. Nothing. I unplugged and replugged the wall connection. Nothing. I unplugged the phone jack. Still...nothing.

This probably sounds silly, but the lack of a communication source made me feel weird. I felt disconnected. Alone. At a loss.

I have the same problem when I disconnect from God. Sometimes, it takes a period of time before I notice the change, but it always comes. The feeling of separation. When I unplug my prayer life, I feel weird. Alone. At a loss.

The thing is, the break in the line is my doing. I'm the one who has hung up, unplugged or disconnected. I love talking with God. I love sharing my joys and concerns with him. So why do I disconnect? The best answer I can think of is this:  communicating with God makes me vulnerable. It makes me realize I cannot do this thing called life on my own. I need God in every moment of every day.

Prayer taps into the greatest power source in the world. Communicating with God is the ultimate life line.

God is on the line, waiting for me to pick up my end.

Grab your phone and see if you can find the message in the number 463-547-8367. Please, don't dial (I don't need an owner of the number angry at me)...just look for the message. Let me know if you find it.

Philippians 4:6-7
"Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life."

Minty freshness

I was at the dollar store this week. Love that place! On any given day, I usually score a random assortment of stuff. This week's stash included stones, masking tape, tissue paper, a wire cutter and a toothbrush. Most of my purchases were for wedding decorations, but the toothbrush was a last minute grab. I don't normally buy a toothbrush since my routine dental checkups usually include a "soft" toothbrush. Not so this last visit. I ended up with a "hard" bristle toothbrush. That puppy nearly ripped my gums apart.

Anyway, back to the dollar store and the toothbrush purchase. I'm a bit leery of buying an off brand of anything, so I checked out the pegs with the Colgate and Aim brushes. I must admit, for this purchase, I wasn't too choosy; my only criteria was a "soft" bristle style in a color I liked. I grabbed an Aim Revolution brush in a cool Caribbean green color and was off to the checkout.

Once home, I ripped the brush out of the package, stowed it in my bathroom cupboard and decided to demote my old brush to laundry scrubbing detail. Out of respect for my old brush, I let it say goodbye to my teeth with one last bedtime brush.

The next day started out like most other days. My morning routine is pretty mundane. The first order of business is to pop in my contacts since my vision tests out somewhere around the 20/800 range. Next I brush my teeth. On this morning, I didn't think too much about my new toothbrush, since, let's face it, there not much excitement in foaming up your mouth with minty freshness.

Hokey smokers! Was I ever walloped out of my morning fog when I started brushing. This toothbrush was the Cadillac of brushes. This brush had tiny bumps on the backside that massaged my cheeks. This brush had soft, pliable plastic arms on the outside that tickled my gums. This brush made my mouth happy! My brain jumped into alert mode at this new morning delight!

I have to say, seriously, this toothbrush is what its name states, a "Revolution!"

Joy sprang from the ordinary. Plain. Simple. Wonderful.

God is like my new Aim Revolution toothbrush. God likes to turn the mundane moments of life into spectacular bliss! He loves to add excitement to life in the chance encounter with a friend. He finds pleasure in bringing happiness to life through the giggle of a toddler. God sprinkles joy on tender hearts with a Scripture passage. He dazzles eyes with a glorious sunrise.

Be on the lookout...God is waiting to surprise you. Today the ordinary becomes extraordinary. Just wait and see.

Romans 15:5-6 says,

"May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Aim for Revolution!