Holding Fast

Yesterday, at church, we talked about our current status, within our lives, as worshippers.  Spanning the spectrum of valleys to mountain tops, everyone seemed to be at a different point, along the current leg of their life's journey.

My husband and I are once again back in the valley, ourselves, experiencing challenges that do not feel pleasant, encountering situations that do not have obvious answers.  However, we have been on the mountaintop, before, so we know that its peaks lie ahead. 

Life is a series of hills, that gradually seem to become less intimidating the longer we walk with our Heavenly Father.  And yet, each circumstance is different, requiring a new measure of faith and trust, on our part.

As I pondered my worship, yesterday, in light of my current realities, I got a picture of a mountain climber, in my head.  I was reminded that though the mountain may appear large and looming, the mountain climber takes one stretch of footing at a time, always aiming for the goal, but never losing sight of the current choice, that leads to the top.  Every step is important, each response necessary, if the challenge shall succeed.  And, at every juncture, regardless of height, the climber has the security of one thing: his rope.  This rope is the anchor, the connection to the peak, the reminder that an end IS in sight.  This rope is our faith.  When we choose to reach out, for the Hand of our Father, and trust Him for each leg of our journey, we are connected to His anchor, His rope that leads us up and out of our crisis. 

So, reach up, today, dear climber and hold fast.  Remember that your Father knows you and trusts you with your current mountain.  Yes, He has the power to move it, but knows best and understands that you need the exercise of climbing OVER it to continue your journey.  Reach out for His Rope, for the Faith and Trust needed.  Climb and succeed.

Worship Me, for only this great gift can set you free from the killing love of self

and prick your fear with valiant courage: to fly in hope through moments of despair.

Worship will remind you that no man knows completeness in himself.

Worship will teach you to speak your name, when you've forgotten who you are.

Worship is duty and privilege, debt and grand inheritance at once.

Worship, therefore, at those midnights when the stars hide.

Worship in the storms till love makes thunder whimper and grow quiet, and listen to your whimpered hymns.

Worship and be free...

- Calvin Miller (excerpt from Requiem for Love)

Through His Lens...

"God is not concerned about our plans; He doesn’t ask, “Do you want to go through this loss of a loved one, this difficulty, or this defeat?” No, He allows these things for His own purpose. The things we are going through are either making us sweeter, better, and nobler men and women, or they are making us more critical and fault-finding, and more insistent on our own way. The things that happen either make us evil, or they make us more saintly, depending entirely on our relationship with God and its level of intimacy."
- Oswald Chambers

I have been thinking, quite a bit, in recent weeks, about the eternal value of all things. It appears a lofty concept, but it is simpler than it seems. My aim has been to shift my perspective, of life and circumstance, to that of Heaven and Eternity.  It is a moment to moment, day by day adventure.

Hebrews 12:2 speaks of "...Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross..." From our reading and research of historic forms of Roman torture, we know that the cross was anything but a source of joy, for its victim. However, this scripture alludes to a contrasting opinion, on the part of our Savior.

What is it that allowed Jesus the luxury of joy, in the midst of pain? Was it insanity or misunderstanding? No! It was perspective.  When Jesus looked on the cross, He did not see it merely "before Him", as the author of Hebrews mentions.  Rather, He pulled back and viewed in on the time-line of redemption.  By placing uninhibited trust, in His Father, He was able to grasp that His moment of sorrow and suffering WOULD BE but a moment, in Eternity.  And it would be worth the sacrifice, for it would allow the salvation of the world.  Gaining this understanding, Jesus was able to endure the cross, with joy, because He saw its purpose: it held value in Eternity...

While I do not condone the opinion that EVERY CHALLENGE in our lives is ESTABLISHED by God - as was our Lord's death, on the cross - I DO believe that our Sovereign Father ALLOWS challenges to help shape us.  Able to see beyond the challenge, to the character it builds, our Heavenly Father is more than happy to allow discomfort that will give us strength for the journey, and opportunity to share His view of the world.  Our REAL challenge is what we do in the midst of our crisis.  Great or small, are we more focused in using our energy to complain and stumble through our circumstance, OR are we open to getting a perspective shift?  If we are willing, God will help us pull back, as Jesus did, and see the bigger picture.  In light of Eternity and the greatness of redemption, all other suffering falls short.

For those that are currently experiencing life's greatest sorrows, this sounds insensitive and blunt.  It sounds like a Sunday-school answer: the right one, but easier said than done.  And, on many levels, that is true.  But, I have felt the pain of loss, I have lived countless moments of regret, I have experience lack of control, and I have known hopelessness.  And IN ALL THINGS, my God HAS been faithful.  IN ALL THINGS, my God HAS seen me through.  IN ALL THINGS, my God HAS strengthened my mind, equipped my hands, and motivated my heart.  IN ALL THINGS, my God, Who lives inside Eternal Perspective HAS been with me, knowing the entire time, what benefit the challenges would bring.

These words and concepts are true because they HAVE been tested and tried.  Read your Word and recount all of those who endured hardships, exponentially greater than most of our own.  They too came out on the other side and are Eternal Pillars of Righteousness, a "cloud of witnesses" (Hebrews 12:1) for us.  So, we are not alone.  We have the whispers of the saints sharing their testimony with us.  Hear their cries:

It's worth it...

It's worth the moment of suffering for an eternity of joy...

It's worth the pain, the struggle, the confusion, the frustration...

It's worth becoming closer to Him, so that on "the other side" we might be more like Him...

It's worth it, now that we are In Eternity...

Are you willing to let go and pull back?  I know I want to...

Father, load me in your great slingshot and let me borrow your glasses...

The GREAT LIGHT that dispels darkness...

In Psalm 27, David begins with a statement of testimony: a declaration of WHO he KNOWS GOD TO BE and WHO GOD HAS FAITHFULLY BEEN.

ADONAI is my light and salvation; whom do I need to fear;
ADONAI is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

A closer examination of the Hebrew words, in this passage, give an understanding of something far great than we are able to obtain, in English. Loosely re-translated, it may read something like this:

The Most Holy God becomes light, for me: opening space to bring deliverance and liberty from the tight, restricting things in my life. Therefore, I have no reason to be of afraid of anything! He will illuminate and open every dark place, for me. God Almighty is my safe refuge of defense, so why should I tremble before anyone but Him?!

What an incredible statement of faith! What an incredible knowledge of God!

If David wrote no more than this opening verse, it would be a fabulous foundation, to challenge our faith and walk, with God. To have already answered the questions that these statements hush is to understand (with all one's being!) a core attribute of God. If we could but grasp the simply stated truths of these words, we may avoid time wasted on worry, doubt, fear, and the bad choices that come from such broken patterns of thinking. We may have opportunity to live lives of victory, freedom, joy, and abundance, because we know that God is truly in control.

Teach us, Lord!

Speak...Your servants are listening...

To Be or Not to be...

AVAILABLE: able to be used or obtained; at someone's disposal; free to do something

Does this define my life before The One To Whom I Cling?

We live in a world that is time-bound. And greater injustice is added to this reality, for those of us that live in the fast-paced, money-driven, Western world. We are constantly aware of our time (or lack thereof) and finding new ways to maximize the small amount of time we never seem to have. We strategize our meetings, inviting multiple departments to the same table that we may increase productivity over a shorter span of time. We purchase and invest energy in technology, designed to keep EVERYTHING in one place, in order that we can "do away" with the need for multiple digital outlets. We write texts, instead of emails and choose abbreviations, within those texts, instead of full sentences, so that we can communicate as succinctly as possible. We purchase pre-packed meals so that all items are combined on one plate, with limited preparation...and the list goes on. But the irony remains: we never seem to find enough time.

I have to ask myself the question: if I never seem to find enough time, what am I wasting time doing that prevents me from investing in those things I truly need?

My answer? Not making myself accessible to God. That is the key issue that will unlock having enough time to do other things. I am more aware than ever that my number one problem has been NOT making ENOUGH time for God.

God: our Father, our Friend, and King of the Universe. He is not bound by time, nor does He feel limited by it. Time is something He invented, so it is not a threat to Him. But it does pose a threat to my relationship, with Him, when I try to make Him fit within my time-bound thinking (and my "all-important" schedule). If I truly desire to be known by Him, and to be used by Him, I cannot decide when and how that will happen. (It is enough that He WANTS to use me!) If God chooses to invest Himself IN and THROUGH me, I must begin to live a life, marked by AVAILABILITY. I must stop saying that He can have "x" amount of minutes, in my day, or that He may take liberty to show His power at "such and such" a time, in my life or my church service. Rather, I must treat Him with at least the same respect I treat those with whom I have earthly relationship.

To claim desire for intimacy and companionship with my spouse or family and then avoid their presence or interrupt their conversation - every time they begin sharing their heart with me - would be rude and ridiculous. After a while, they would stop believing my intention to know them. My actions would speak louder than my words.

So, how is it any different, in my relationship with TOTWIC? If I say I want to KNOW HIM, I must stop and listen to Him, as He shares WHO HE IS. If I say I want TO BE USED by Him, I must stop my own agenda and focus on His. If I profess interest in being AVAILABLE, I have to actually BE AVAILABLE. And, since I serve a God NOT BOUND by the time which limits me, I have to learn that I WILL BE INTERRUPTED. I will feel as though my schedule was put "on hold", in order to accomplish His purposes. But, until I am willing to let go of that which is fleeting, I will never fully be able to be used. I am only one of many. There are others that can accomplish His Kingdom Work. But, I don't want to miss it. I don't want to miss an opportunity to be in service for the King of Kings.

So, here I am, Lord. I am ready. Interrupt my life...

The Pathway to Uncovering...

I'm on a great adventure.

Well, I have been for sometime, but I got a bit sidetracked and forgot that I'd been commissioned for such a great work.

I work for the One To Whom I Cling, uncovering things.

Certainly, nothing is hidden from Him. Why would He require things to be uncovered? Because it's not for Him. It's for me. He knows and sees all, but sometimes, from my human perspective, those things aren't so obvious. So, He's invited me to use His tools (shovel, bucket, brushes) and do a bit of excavation. I guess I have been hired as a sort of spiritual archeologist. And, it is so interesting! There are multiple discoveries EVERYDAY! It is the best gig I've ever had. It's productive, it's inspirational, it's rewarding. I can't imagine why I had forgotten the work...I wasted time. But, the great part about this role is that OTWIC doesn't allow ANYTHING to be wasted. He redeems time and energy, so now that I'm back on the job, I'm getting enough done to make up for past absence.

Each day, I dig, I brush away, and I chronicle what I've found. But the amazing difference between my work and an actual archeologist is that my discoveries allude to further hidden mysteries. I can actually infer what I might find next, from something I've already found. Moreover, I KNOW that I'll find the rest of the missing pieces. They haven't been eaten by the earth, like some fossils. Every single part is available, if I just keep digging. And, as I go, my discoveries bring me closer to OTWIC, because they are all linked to WHO HE IS! Isn't that incredible?! So, I not only get to find out mind-blowing new things, about life, history, and the future, but I am simultaneously growing in my relationship with my boss. He spends every moment with me, while I uncover and helps me understand what I've found.

I think there may be more available positions. I'll check with Him and let you know.

Honestly, you don't want to miss this opportunity. Oh, and don't worry about your skill set. No prior experience is needed. You learn, on the job...

יהוה שמרך יהוה
צלך על־יד ימינך׃
יומם השמש לא־יככה
וירח בלילה׃

Yahweh is your keeper. Yahweh is your shade on your right hand.

The sun will not harm you by day, Nor the moon by night.


Psalm 121: 5,6

What an awesome God we serve?! He is so intimately acquainted with ALL of our ways. He is Ever-Present and Ever-Strong, ready to take on our foes, and avenge our challenges, with a moment's notice. This Great God of ours is the God who fashioned the earth: who separated night from day and caused the waters of the seas to part. And yet, daily, He reveals Himself as our "shamar", our keeper, the One who guards and protects us like a watchman or shepherd. He knows our number and our value, within His flock. And this same God, not only watches but actively protects, our "Tzal," the Shadow that covers and envelopes us in safety and defense. He is not overcome by His Creation, but He cares for and preserves it. Therefore, I WILL NOT be AFRAID of the sun or moon, of my friends or enemies. For My Lord, ADONAI, Maker of Heaven and Earth, is not to be trampled upon by what He has made. No! He calls all things into His care and under His Authority. Hallelujah!

Na-nu Na-nu

the strangest ideas pop into my head, just after waking each morning. usually, i just let them wash over my brain until i have fully surfaced into conscious reality, but this morning, i began allowing each random thought to protrude from my mouth, attempting to let my husband in on all my "secrets." right or wrong, i think that i discovered one truth that has been hidden from all of us, until my discovery, today. (you may want to fasten your mental seat belts for this one)

we all know that sleep helps our bodies recover and rebuild. we know that we need rest and that we function better when our nights are complete. yet, even with all that is known about R&R, there are still many questions left unanswered, including: What ACTUALLY happens to our bodies while we are asleep? and, as of this morning, my answer is:

We are temporarily transformed into aliens.

yes, i DID just state that as though it were truth.

i mean, who can know for sure if i am wrong? is anyone truly prepared to argue that we do NOT become aliens?

my reasons for this seemingly absurd comment are as follows:

1) when we sleep, our bodies are relatively "useless" to the human world, as we just lie around until we are awakened. however, as many aliens utilize the power of the mind to accomplish tasks, our value in that realm is absolutely intensified by our full submission to the world of the subconscious.

2) dreams are similar to reality, but just different enough to appear as an alternate state of life as we commonly know it. i believe this is the wrestle between our human and alien forms. the human part of us reveals things as they are (circumstances, people, places, memories), but the alien part changes them (your friend suddenly has a different face, you find yourself with HERO powers/abilities, etc.)

3) waking up takes time. it is a process to fully change back from alien to human form, and thus the process of waking up can often be frustrating and slow. the snooze button is actual an ingenious invention of those who recognize the tug between realms.

4) "morning breath" is actually a remnant of having been altered. while aliens may be able to access more of their brain power than humans, they do belong to other worlds and their concept of hygiene is vastly different than ours, similar to that of amphibians and reptiles. when we awake, we are not dirty, as we may think. we have simply arrived back in human form with "alien" left on our tongues.

after perusing my thoughts, i realize that i sound like a crazy person and NO, i don't actually believe that we experience nightly body snatching. but, it is fun to think about these types of things and the child in me will always be willing to explore my thoughts and visions, no matter how bizarre they may appear to those around me.

and to all of my readers from the planets beyond...LIVE LONG AND PROSPER!

:)

Tokens and Time-Warp

This evening, I entered the world of Disney Quest. For those that are unfamiliar with this Disney-owned venue - located in Downtown Disney - it is a 5-story building, home to dozens of arcade and virtual reality games.

It was a very rewarding experience, hanging out and D.D.R.-ing with my husband and bro-in-law. Still, I could not get over the reality that would have been, had we not had the gift of this free venture. My precious mother-in-law is a Disney Cast Member (The Dis' way of saying "staff") and therefore has regular (and greatly appreciated!) perks like park entrances and discounts. One of the many seasonal blessings is a set of tickets to DQ (don't get confused now...I know you're all suddenly dreaming of Oreo Blizzards!). And, don't get me wrong, it's a great place. A clever twist on normal Disney attractions, it is a brilliant way to rein in those, not typically wowed by giant, cartoon-like, costumed characters. Still...at the end of the day, it doesn't seem that original. Loaded with classic video games (free with ticket for endless place) and outdated VR experiences, it is not really more than a glorified Chuck E. Cheese's (hoorah for Suh-wheet 80's birthday parties...you know you had one). I for one would not be willing to dish out the $40 per person, due this establishment, on a "normal" visit. Had we catered our own day out, we'd have reached a grand total of $120, plus tax, for our little trio. And while I reveled in being able to relive childhood favorites like Ski-Ball and Pac-Man (though I missed the ever-popular "Wack-A-Mole"), I'm not sure I could have justified the investment beyond typical arcade admission.

So, thank you Betsy: it was a blast to be treated. Thank you Danny for being a fun big brother and being will to DDR with me. Thank you, Beloved, for being such a wonderful husband and preferring me today.

But Disney...please help the middle class and consider lowering your prices, at least in this locality.

(And for those reading...know that this comes with all the love in my heart..I am a Disney Fanatic, after all!)

Shout Outs to Heaven

Last night, I had the great privilege of reconnecting, with my little sister, after a nearly two-week lull in correspondence.  Between babies, sickness, bad phone connections, and altered work schedules, we've simply not be able to find common time and space.  But, being that we're as close as twins are usually thought to be, the silence between us felt painfully longer than it really was.

Needless to say, we made the most of the gifted hour and exchanged words regarding the faithfulness of G-d in our lives over the past couple of weeks.

And, I realized something...

TESTIMONY IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF WORSHIP!

Why?

Because it is ALWAYS rooted in G-d and always provokes the sharer(s) and receiver(s) to fix their gaze on universe's Great King.  

The path of testimony, therefore, begins and ends with He who IS the beginning and the end.  Thus, it is the highest form of worship, because no other being has option to take credit; no person or situation can receive glory for whatever breakthrough has occurred.  

In so many expressions of worship, we find room for err, either due to distraction (time, focus, energy, etc.) or displaced recognition (taking credit for something NOT our own).  Yet, the very nature of testimony defies these weaknesses by its initiation in the SPECIFIC DESIRE to give account of what G-d has done.  And, because of His great love for us, it edifies us in the process.  We become encouraged and strengthened as we are reminded that G-d is Good!  And, it causes us to keep trusting, to abide in Him, no matter our present set of circumstances.  Essentially, testimony is a Heavenly Pep Rally, where believers find themselves pumping adrenaline and cheer leading for the LORD.  

Testimony starts with G-d moving, causes us to recognize we can do nothing apart from Him (thereby initiating perseverance in our faith), and leads us to further testimony.  It is a successful cycle that has proved itself for generations, beginning with those who penned our very scriptures...which is why reading the WORD is so refreshing, so challenging to our daily walk.  It stirs our spirit and reminds us that G-d truly is the same "yesterday, today, and forever."

So, the next time your needing a little "tune-up," give it up for G-d: walk to the closest relational "open-mic," and shout out.  I guarantee you'll be refreshed for the next step.