Some Thoughts About Bananas

This past month has been busy, so I've left this writing space to lie dormant.  I have been learning a lot in my new internship, and in life in general.  There have been a lot of changes - watching my brother go off to college, opening the chapter of graduate school...

A huge blessing that God brought me this summer was the opportunity to work at Sendik's.  It is a great hands-on job where I can be surrounded by great co-workers, interesting customers (who make for some interesting stories)...and fresh produce!  Love the produce!  I have been able to continue working the job so far during the school year.  It is a little extra to help set me up for the autonomy and the responsibilities that are inevitable.  God is good.  I don't say that lightly.

So let's talk about bananas!  Great source of potassium.  Your cells need that for good water balance.  I'm sure you don't want to hear too much about that...

In college my roommate always brought up a story about a high school classmate that she had who made a speech in front of the whole school.  (This was a tradition for everyone at the school they went to.)  The girl started out her speech by informing everyone that humans share 50% of their DNA with bananas...that means that there are probably people in this world that you have less in common with than you do with a banana.

At Sendik's we have a kiosk at the end of the tomatoes and melons, which displays our bananas.  Lately, they've been coming in toxic, neon green.  Yum!  So here's how stocking bananas goes: when the bananas get low, you move all of the ones that are currently on the kiosk to one side.  You pile some on top of each other.  Then you put out the new bananas in the remaining space.  As I go, I pull off any bananas that have brown spots.  We set those aside to go to Feeding America.

Here's the thing about bananas.  We do have a lot in common.  From the beginning of a bananas life, it has a purpose.

When it is on the tree, the banana is growing, developing.  It is preparing for the day it will be picked, and sent to a market or a grocery store.  When bananas are super green, they're not extremely appetizing, but I know there are still some people who will eat them.  Green bananas have to be patient.  Their color will soften out to a sweet yellow.  Then, when they're yellow and plucked from the banana kiosk they go great over cereal or with peanut butter.

Then they get some brown spots on their peel.  But look inside - the banana is still great!  Still completely edible!  And you know what it's perfect for?  BANANA BREAD!  And banana bread is so sweet.

So what I've been learning throughout this past year is that changes can happen any time in life.  They will happen any time in life.  We are not created for worldly comfort.  The only real comfort is that which Jesus provides.  We have to trust Him with that.  While we are here on earth, we will constantly be called out of that comfort to a new thing.  A scary thing.  An unsure thing.

But here's the thing.  We always have a purpose.  No matter if we are young and fresh off the tree or old and ready to be made into banana bread.  Remember, banana bread is sweet.  God always has a purpose for us.  God always has a plan for us.

What do you think?  Maybe now you're just hungry for banana bread.  Or look at it this way - a simple fruit, a plain banana, has a great destiny.  Banana bread.  Even when we think we are coasting or unworthy of God's plan and purpose for us, we have to remember that God has a sweet plan in mind for us.

~SP  

Call Waiting: Callings on Our Lives and Jesus' Anointing

Three months beyond college graduation, and I am still excited that God has called me back to Milwaukee.  I am also still excited that He has placed this calling on my life to serve Him as a dietitian.  Last school year brought up a lot of doubt and uncertainty with where I would be headed in terms of a career.  It was a year of walking with God, and learning what it means to trust Him whole-heartedly, and what it means to surrender control of my life to Him.



My pastor used this phrase a lot in his sermons when I was growing up: discern your calling.  I could count on hearing it every few Sundays.  It was a good phrase - and I will honestly admit that as a teenager, I really didn't know what it meant.  So instead of sitting in the pew, and trying to discern my calling, I usually just thought about what I was going to have for lunch.

But, now that I am 22 years old, I've had a little experience with discerning my calling.  Sure, in middle school and high school, the administration sets up those "career days" for students.  They ask you what do you want to be or who do you want to be?  I got sent to the funeral home director info session, and let me tell you, I was far less than excited about that!

As we grow older, and as we grow in our faith, the real question we have to ask ourselves is who is God calling me to be?  We have to discern the calling that God has placed on our lives.  That takes a lot of prayer, a lot of patience, and a willingness to walk by faith.



Here is something I've come to understand lately: there is more than one calling that God has put on my life.  He has not done so to overwhelm me, or to give me a choice between a few different callings.  I am not just called to be a dietitian.  I have already been called to be a loving, and giving friend.  I have been called to be a big sister/older cousin/babysitter/camp counselor, who leads a life that shows God's glory.  I have been called to be an obedient and loving daughter.

I believe God is also calling me to be a leader in my church.  I think one day He is calling me to be a wife, and then a mother.  These are just a few of the possibilities!


Now let me jump to another anecdote for a moment: I got a new phone just recently.  It's probably the least smart, smart phone that you can buy in the United States - but I'm really excited about the group messaging feature!  I know, you're probably wondering what rock I've lived under for the last decade...the phone does what it needs to do.  Calls, texts, comforts me when I'm lonely...(you can laugh, that was a joke).

There is one feature that I will never be able to figure out on any phone: call waiting.  Every time that I am on a call with someone, and another one comes through, I end up hanging up on one of the people.



So back to God's callings.  Sometimes there is one calling we try to focus on in our lives - one that we place above all others.  For some of us at this point, we are going headstrong after that calling to be a husband or wife.  For others, we are charging after the dream career.  It could be anything.  There are all these calls that are coming through to us - and the one we want most has us on hold!

God has put several callings on our life - and He lead us into fulfilling those callings in his own timing.  We have to be willing to listen to God - the God who knows the desires of our hearts.  He wants to fulfill those desires in His own time.  We have got to be willing to set aside our own agenda, and listen to what God wants from us.  One day that call will come through, and the boss will offer you the job.  Or that guy will take you on that first date.


In the Bible we read about a traditional practice that is still used in some religious ceremonies today: anointing.  Anointing involves rubbing oil on a person's head to both bless them and proclaim God's calling on their lives.  In Luke chapter 7, we read the story of a woman who brings an expensive alabaster jar to Jesus, which contains even more expensive oil.  This woman has walked a rough road up to this point in her life.  She is unclean and sinful.  But she brings this oil to Jesus, to bless Him and proclaim His calling.

The Pharisees always have to get a word in there.  They make sure Jesus knows how low and unclean this woman is.  But Jesus puts a stop to their whining.  The woman's gesture is borne out of love.  It is important.  It reminds us that just as God puts callings on our lives, He is the same God that put the calling on Jesus' life to conquer sin and death.

So we have not only been called, but anointed.  We have been blessed with these callings, to allow blessings to flow out from us.

"You call me out upon the waters.  The great unknown, where feet may fail...Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders."

~Oceans

~SP

Peacekeepers vs. Peacemakers: Church Sign Wisdom in Tosa

This week, Underwood Baptist Church, which resides on the corner of 76th and Hillcrest in Wauwatosa, posted this on their church sign:

Jesus wants Peacemakers, not just Peacekeepers

It is a thought-provoking and interesting statement.  Immediately, it made me ponder what the difference is between the two.

The main difference lies in maker vs. keeper.  The term keeper suggests maintenance.  Once peace is established, keep it going.  Within the maintenance, there will also hopefully follow prevention.  Don't let the peace unravel into disharmony.

The term maker suggests that something is being created.  Out of material comes a building.  Out of chaos comes peace.  Maker suggests that someone is getting their hands dirty.  Where peace is not, peace is brought into being.  

The Peacemakers also make an appearance in the Beatitudes.  They are said to be blessed, and will be called children of God, according to Matthew 5:9.

Is one better than the other - certainly not.  But I think we are called to be both.  Peacekeeping alone merely calls us to a life of safety.  We don't want conflict.  We don't want anybody to get upset.  We don't want to allow for growing pains.

At any given time, we may not agree with the leaders of our country and how they approach or manage foreign relations.  We also may criticize foreign leaders and their policies.  However, we have to acknowledge that what they are tasked with, what they have taken on, is not easy.  These individuals aren't just attempting to repair a relationship between two people, but relationships between two or more nations.  They encounter language, cultural, religious, and many other types of barriers.  This work is not just desk work.  Their primary communication isn't email or texting.  These leaders go and meet with one another.  Our leaders go into places like Russia, Iraq, Afghanistan - and many other places that offer only a hostile greeting.  But they know they have to step into the fray.  Restoring and renewing relationships cannot be done passively.    

Repairing relationships between nations isn't even as big as it gets.  God constantly and tirelessly works on repairing the relationship between Himself and us, the world that He loves so dearly (John 3:16).  We can't number the amount of things we do to turn away from or strain that relationship.  But God loves us so much that He is willing to work on that relationship, no matter how much we push away.  He is a Peacemaker, who always enters into the chaos of our brokenness and continues the reparation process.    

God gave us an incredible role model in peace-making.  Jesus, the Prince of Peace, who provides the brand of peace that "surpasses all understanding."  We are called to go into the world on His behalf and to construct peace on this earth by sharing His love and by walking in His way.  

The words of Micah 6:8 provide good guidancee on how to live like the Great Peacemaker: Do justice. Love kindness.  Walk humbly with God.

I am also always brought back to Paul's words in Galatians 5 regarding the fruits of the spirit.  We can strive for love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Through prayer and persistence, we can learn to walk in the way of the Prince of Peace every day.

~SP

A Little Wisdom from Mama Duggar

I genuinely admire, respect and love the Duggar family.  I have never had the pleasure of meeting them, but every once in a while they grace my TV screen.  Although we live out our faith in Christ somewhat differently on a day to day basis, the faith of their family inspires me.  Especially that of Mrs. Duggar.

I caught an episode the other morning, and I just wanted to share a word Michelle imparted to a women's Bible study group on the show.

She talked about what character traits she thought were most important to teach her kids as they were growing up.  She had a huge list, but asked the women in the group to identify a few which they thought would be the most important.

The women shouted out answers, like "self control," and "kindness."  Those did fall in Michelle's top few.  However, there was one that I didn't necessarily expect fell into her top three: attentiveness.

Now, attentiveness is a great quality!  If we had more attentive drivers on the road, we would probably have fewer fender benders.  If we were more attentive with our technology, we probably wouldn't let autocorrect get the best of us so often.

But Michelle put it like this on her blog: "It's important that when I call their names [in reference to her children], I get their eyes and have their attention...Because if I don't get their eyes, I don't have their heart."

Spiritually, we often talk about a connection between our eyes and our hearts.  Psalm 121:1 says "I lift my eyes to the mountains -- where does my help come from."  We look with our eyes, but we are also searching with our hearts.  Paul writes in Ephesians 1:18 "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people."

When we give God our attention, when we look unto Him with our eyes, we are also able to lift up our hearts.  God desires our full attention.  He calls us to be on the lookout for ways we can share His grace with others, and to find the places where His light, His word, and His hope are needed most.  

Mrs. Duggar's words bring me back to one of my favorite hymns which goes:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in His wonderful face

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace

May we all choose to turn our eyes and our hearts to the One who created them, and the One who provides the light by which we see.

Amen.

~SP

Neither Height Nor Depth

Have you ever felt nervous entering a new environment?  Maybe it was a new church, college orientation session, your first day of high school...  And once you get the courage to speak up, you say something goofy.  Something you didn't mean to say.  Something that creates an unforgiving silence among the group.  You don't only do this once, you do it several more times.  You've dug yourself a hole, and you feel like there is no way you can recover from this.  You're doomed before you even begin.

Maybe there is a family member or a close friend, and as of late your relationship has been strained.  You don't call for a while.  Then they don't call for a while.  When you do see each other, bitter words are exchanged.  More and more time passes, and you are strangers.  You get a new phone and don't transfer their number.  They have their annual 4th of July bash, and you aren't invited - you only find out about it weeks later from a mutual friend.  How could you ever possibly restore the relationship with this person?

You say that you are going to stop.  You won't go near the temptation.  For some time, you are doing really well.  A lot of good days.  Then you are driving home, you pass the tavern on the corner that you have recently become a stranger to, and because work was tough today, you put on your turn signal and pull into the parking lot.  And this becomes the pattern the next few nights.  And weeks later, you find yourself sitting in that tavern, staring at the small shot glass that seems to have all the power, and you think to yourself this is it...this is how I will live out the rest of my days, however many there are left...

How far gone is too far gone?  Where can you go that is past the point of redemption?  Is there such a place?

I don't think so.

In the Bible, we know the story of Jesus' friend Lazarus.  Jesus is good friends with Lazarus, and both of his sisters Mary and Martha.  And when Lazarus falls ill, his sisters send word to Jesus.  They tell Jesus that His dear friend is ailing.  With minimal medical advancements at this time, the sisters and Jesus both know that Lazarus' prognosis is grim.  But Jesus doesn't rush to His friend's death bed.  Instead He tells Mary, who has reached out to Him, "This sickness will not end in death.  No, it is for God's glory, so that God's Son may be glorified through it." John 11:4

End is the key word here.  Jesus says Lazarus' sickness won't end in death.  This doesn't mean that He will not die - but that won't be the last chapter.

When Jesus enters Bethany, Lazarus' home, Lazarus has been dead for four days.  No pulse.  No breath.  His heart has not known a beat in almost 100 hours time.  Jesus has not entered Bethany to pay His respects to the deceased.  In fact, His disciples has previously urged Him not to visit at all.  They remind Him of His last visit, when people there met Him with anger in their hearts and stones in their fists.  But Jesus is there to call on His friend Lazarus.  And when Mary and Martha tell Jesus the location of Lazarus body, Jesus goes, and says "Lazarus, come out!"  And you know what?  Lazarus does!  Heart beating, blood circulating, lungs taking in air.  Lazarus was dead and is now alive again.

So here is the answer - no distance is too far.  Your heart can stop beating, and Jesus will still go into the depths for you.  There is no line you can cross where your Savior cannot trod and offer you a new, redeemed, resurrected life.

In this story of Lazarus, we encounter the briefest verse in the Bible. Despite its brevity, it manages to show the boundless, ceaseless compassion of the savior.  The verse simply says, "Jesus wept."  While Lazarus was gone, Jesus mourned for His friend.  He longed to be with Lazarus once again.  The story of Lazarus is the story of how Jesus feels about us when we attempt to separate ourselves from His love.  When we stray far away, or when we think we are too far, Jesus longs for us.  The beat of His heart aches for the murmur of ours.

So the story does not end in death, but in life.  New life.  "Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:39

~SP   

Summer Update: Using Our Gifts

God works in all things.  Even through Google.  I'll let you in on a secret: when I sit down to write I usually have some idea of what I plan to write about.  And when I write I try to use God's word in scripture as the center of my own writings as much as possible.  So I sat down to write today, without a scripture verse, but with an idea - I Googled that idea and 1 Peter 4:10 was the first verse that popped up.

Now, for those of you reading that know me personally, you know I'm not the type to be all The Holy Spirit just moved the Google to speak to me this morning.  No. I know how Google works - you get results based on what other people search most frequently.  But, I do believe that God would have brought me to this verse eventually in whatever way He chose.

Enough with that sidebar...

So this summer I am working at Sendiks, a grocery store that is local to the Milwaukee area.  It is a great job!  I get to work hands on (not directly hands on - I'm a food safety professional so I diligently wear latex gloves) with produce.  I love to educate people about food and nutrition, but I especially love working directly with food.  The people I work with are great as well!

But, this wasn't my first job interview or option of the summer...

Back in the spring, during my spring break, I applied to some retail stores at Mayfair Mall.  When I dropped off my application at Ann Taylor, the woman was all like "so, do you shop at Ann Taylor?"  I almost laughed out loud - I shop at Ann Taylor second hand when I can find her stuff on a rack at Good Will.  But I got out an "...um...yes...yes!"  Which was not totally a lie, because I bought one shirt, one time, off a the clearance rack.  I also applied to Aerie and Eddie Bauer - I wanted just a simple summer job where I could smile at people when they walked in the store, help them find the apparel that they wanted, and fold some $80 pairs of jeans.  But no interviews came of those places.

I also had an interview at a great local coffee place.  It was a great interview!  And as a loyal Milwaukeean, I still love this coffee place.  Unfortunately my schedule (with the upcoming internship) was not a good fit for all the training that job would require.  So at the end of that interview, like at the end of a bad date where someone says it's not you, it's me, I couldn't get up fast enough...but that's ok, I'll probably still drink their coffee from time to time.

Then, after a few more applications, Sendik's responded and called me in for an interview - and I got the job!  Which brings me to 1 Peter 4:10:

"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms."

This past year, through the craziness of applying for my internship, I constantly prayed for God to reveal to me that He did want me to become a dietitian and serve Him through that career.  And if that was not His plan for my life, to begin leading me down a different path.  But through that time, I have learned that my passion to become a dietitian, work with food, teach others about good nutrition, are all gifts that God has given me.  

Peter urges us to use those gifts that God has given us.  He also urges us to be faithful stewards - that is the key phrase.  To me, a faithful steward is someone who devotes their gifts in a way that allows God to flourish them.

Even though I will not have this job forever, it is just a reminder that God longs to have me right where He wants me.  In Jeremiah 29:11, when He speaks of His plans to prosper us, His children, He is talking about using the gifts and blessings that He gives us so that they are abundant and prosperous.   That prosperity is for us and people around us.

He who lights the fire within us, will direct its light.

~SP

Summer Update: Mathew 6

May 10th marked my 22nd birthday and the completion of my undergraduate education.  Now that it is summertime, I have begun a wonderful summer (potentially fall/winter/spring) job at a local grocery store (more about that in another post).  I have my internship ahead of me, and I am excited that God has lead me to this place.  Like so many other students out there, my education has been partially funded by the United States of America - and they are going to be looking for a return on that soon.  Even if you got out of college unscathed by student loans, you might be facing the world of job-searching, or the reality of a tight budget.

I see God's grace in the opportunity to return home and do my internship at a location 10 minutes away from my house.  I am grateful to my parents for the home that they have provided and the ability to live at my house during this upcoming year - I won't have to carry the burden of rent and utilities.  (And if you know my parents, they aren't the type to kick their kids to the curb once they are done with school - even so, I want to express my gratitude to them.)

The financial stress we face on the cusp of adult life, or in the middle of adult life, or anywhere in life, is trying.  For me, where last year's journey was learning to trust in God's faithfulness in His plan and calling for my life, this year's journey is one where I will be learning to trust in God's provision in whatever form that may be.

----

This evening, I sat down with a canvas and paintbrush, and I illustrated the verse that has convicted me as I move in to this next chapter.  I drew it out, and now I am prepared to stamp it on to my heart.  Matthew 6:24-26; a passage entitled "Do Not Worry."  I want to break down each of the three verses:

Matthew 6:24 - "No one can serve two masters.  Either you will hate one and love the other, or you will be devoted to one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and money."

We go through life with numerous financial obligations.  There are the monthly ones: cable, electricity, water, rent, etc.  There are the big ticket items: a house, a car, etc.  We have to buy groceries.  We have to buy clothing.  We have to manage money to do these things.  

But Jesus gives us a warning.  He alludes to what money can become: an idol.  We live comfortably, but we are tempted to have more of a cushion.  We have nice, clean clothes, but it would be nice to buy designer brand.  We have a house, but it would be nice to move into a bigger one.  And then we are driven by that next possible pay increase.

Idolatry of money can also happen if we are irresponsible with our monetary resources.  Part of being a faithful follower of Christ is setting an example for other believers and those who don't know Him.  It is hard to be pure of heart when we make selfish decisions or use the blessings that God gives us in a careless way.

Money does not give grace, or love, or forgiveness.  It is an idol that needs to be fed, but will never be satisfied.  We have the choice to surrender to a greater master who asks us to give a mere 10% to His church, our lives to Him - and whether or not we do that well or we stumble along the way, He will continue to pour out blessings unconditionally.    

Matthew 6:25 - "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.  Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?"

This middle verse, I have to admit that I struggle with it somewhat.  I know there are a lot of people in this world who don't have enough layers of clothes to make it through a harsh winter.  There are also a lot of people that are wondering where their next meal will come from.  But I think there is something deeper to this verse than just food, drink, and clothing.

Last summer I gave a sermon to campers at Quest.  I talked about David and Goliath, and how God provides exactly what each of His children needs.  For David, God knew that Saul's armor would not help him defeat the Philistines.  God called David to be armed with faith, a slingshot, and a few stones.  

I pray that God's truth was heard through my words last summer.  Over the past year, I heard God speak to me through those same words.  I thought, Sarah, you got up and told those campers and friends that you love how God provides exactly what we need - you need to trust that the same is true in your life.  

Our needs are not the same as our neighbors'; and our needs range far beyond monetary needs. I would like to see everyone in this world with a warm winter coat when needed, and a meal three times each day.  We can help others, and share the blessings God pours out - and when our resources are limited, we have to trust that God provides for others when we can't.  

Matthew 6:26 - "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow, or reap, or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they?"

This verse reminds me again, that God is mindful of His children.  God pays attention to detail.  Even the smallest details.

At my house, we have a family room that was built on in 20th century, a while after the original house was built.  Three windows at the back of this room frame our back yard.  When I sit on my couch, I can look out these windows and see the metal fence that separates my backdoor neighbor's yard from mine.  One day in particular, I looked out to see this little puff of feathers perched atop than fence.  A little bird had made it from its nest, wherever that was, to the top of this fence.  The mother bird hovered by her baby, trying to encourage the little puff to once again take flight.  I watched as the little ball of feathers tried to stretch out its legs and take flight.  It took many tries, and then the little bird was finally able to leave the fence.

I'm sure that God was watching this same moment take place from a different point of view.  And if He cares for that little ball of fluff and feathers, He also watches me.  He looks out for my well-being.  He provides exactly what He knows I need.

~SP   

The Toys We Grew Up With: How We Treat Weapons

These last few weeks have brought unspeakable tragedy.  Some occurring far out on the east coast, and one occurring in the county just north of where I live.  But because they are precious lives, precious children of God, it doesn't matter if these events had occurred on another planet.  It is simply heartbreaking and spirit-crushing.

----

When I was little, my mom was part of a Bible study that met at a local church.  The Bible study was called "Mom's and More."  The "...and More" part was where I came in.  There was childcare provided where kids would have there own sort of Bible study while the moms had time for fellowship.  We read stories, ate snacks, and sang songs.  I remember one of the songs talking about artillery and being in the Lord's army.  Although it certainly wasn't advocating for weaponry and fighting, it was not a favorite of my parents when I recited it for them at home.

I've written before about my desire to have Barbie dolls when I was little, and how my parents would not let me have them until I was older than most other kids.  For me, Barbie was the toy I really wanted, but I had to understand that the human body, the real human body, was carefully designed by God and came in many shapes and sizes that are all beautiful.

My brother David was not interested in Barbies.  David liked Transformers, and Power Rangers.  Many boys his age also had toy guns to play with - but not David.  When David was little my parents would not let him play with guns.  Why?  Guns are not toys.  Guns are weapons that are used with the intent to kill.  Whether it be aimed at a person, a deer or some other type of wildlife, the purpose of a gun is to destroy.  Yes, you can take it to a range to practice, shoot it at a target, hit clay pigeons - but a gun will never lose its capacity to end a life.  It will never not be a weapon.

----

In these recent tragedies, I do not feel a gun law reform is the only thing that needs to happen.  I think that there are aspects of mental health that need to be addressed.  There are elements of spirituality that need to be addressed.  There are family health issues that need to be addressed.  Gun law reform alone will not end these tragedies.  

In our country we have the right to own a gun.  So if my neighbor decides to buy a gun, that is ok.  I won't be there to pat them on the back, or congratulate them.  They didn't just bring a new baby home or graduate from college.  It is a purchase.  If my neighbor decides to let their son or daughter play with bee bee guns, or other gun simulators, that is ok.  But my children will not.  I will not allow my son or daughter to play games with guns involved, where they pretend to shoot at other people, where they pretend to kill other people.  I will make sure my children know the seriousness of weapons and the consequences they entail.

So, is it un-Christian to own a gun?  No.  But I believe it is not Christ-like.  You may think those are similar things - but often being a Christian bears no semblance to the ways of Jesus Christ.  If I am striving to be a Christ-like Christian, then there is no room for a gun in my home.  My protection is in Jesus Christ.  I believe in a just God.  A gun cannot bring me justice.

~SP

Dating Advice (The Kind Paul Would Like)

I can tell you this confidently: I have never wanted a boyfriend or gone looking for a boyfriend.  I have never felt that I needed a boyfriend.  Yes, I have dreamed myself into every Molly Ringwald role in a John Hughes film where she gets the guy at the end after being the underdog for most of the movie.  The thought of having someone that you have an individual and special relationship with is exciting!  But chasing it down, and constantly fretting over finding someone destroys some of that joy and can render a relationship empty purposeless - it is just a "space-filling" relationship.

Dating should be purposeful.  We should date to find the person that we want to spend our lives with.  But there are other things that God wants for us in our lives.  Marriage is just one of those many things.  When we only focus on finding a partner, when we put all other things in life on hold, we may be giving up incredible opportunities that God has for us.  

So if I could give advice to myself, my peers, and younger men and women (yes, this is not just a call out to young women, this is about young men too), this is what I would offer.

Your date-ability is determined by the One who created you, not by the measure of another person.  The first time someone told you that your value is in Christ alone, did you believe it?  For some, it just takes one instance, and for others they have to learn what value and identity in Christ mean.  Because I know that my worth is in Christ, I am fulfilled in a way that can't be taken away or matched by a person.  So I don't need to date a handful of guys to know that I am worthy of dating.  More dating does not make you better at dating - it is not something you need to gain experience in.  Dating boy or girl A will not prepare you to date boy or girl B.  If you are not approaching each relationship you have in your life as individual, you may be setting yourself up for an unhealthy relationship.

Take the stigmas off of singleness.  Singleness is not a disease.  It is not a situation.  It does not need to be remedied.  If you are using single and taken as the predominant markers of your identity, then you are in crisis.  You have to have your own identity - know who you are - before you enter into a relationship with another person.  Constantly being on the search for a relationship, or constantly being in relationships can stifle that self-discovery process that God guides us each through.  We end up spending more time discovering others that we are a stranger to our own hearts and our own gifts and callings.  As I mentioned previously, dating does not give you more experience.  In the same way, not dating does not atrophy your heart muscle, or your ability to be thoughtful and romantic.  The movies will sell us this idea that you can be "out of practice" if you haven't dated in a while.  A first date is always going to make you nervous and excited.  You are approaching a new situation - you should feel like you are exploring and getting to know things all over again.

Think about your environment and the atmosphere of your friendships.  Have you ever seen someone you know, a friend of yours, and instead of asking you about how you are doing, the first thing they ask you about is another person, maybe your girlfriend/boyfriend?  It feels like they don't care about you.  They care about the latest updates on your relationship.  When you sit down to lunch with a friend, is the first thing you talk about dating, their relationships, your relationships?  It takes away your individuality and their individuality.  

Is your school one of those "ring by spring" schools?  That is an unfair expectation and an unnecessary pressure.  Marriage is not the sole purpose of your life, it should not be the sole purpose of your education.

Take your time; accumulate some "when we were dating" stories.  There is no rush.  You are never too old to get married or to start a new relationship.  When I am with friends later in life, or when I have children someday, I want to be able to tell them "when we were dating" stories.  Not just one or two stories, but a bunch of them.  There is something that is different about a dating story, that a newly married story.  There is a different element of excitement.  I also want to be able to tell my husbands stories.  Not just a few, but a bunch.  I really want to know about his life before we share our life together.  

~SP        

         

I Know Who Goes Before Me: Where is God in the Midst Of...

One of the biggest questions of our time is "Where is God," or "Where was God in the midst of tragedy."  If we laid out a calendar and penciled in all the tragedies and atrocities that have occurred over the past year, it would be a heartbreaking and painstaking task.  Some tragedies mark one hour, one day and some are dragged out for weeks, if not months.  We've watched as innocent people, innocent children, lose their lives for senseless reasons.  We've watched families and towns mourn.  And even those with faith built on the firmest of foundations find themselves wondering why it couldn't all have been stopped.  Where was God when it all happened?

Then we progress to the rationalizing - there has to be reason within all of the senselessness.  So we build ourselves a foundation of broken reasoning, lies others tell us, lies we tell ourselves.  Some will say it is God's will for terrible things to happen.  Some will say there is no God.  And the rubble continues to pile up until we are buried.

****

Here is what I believe to be true: God's will is perfect.  God created this world, and created us, and He loves us.  None of us remember this one particular moment, because the parts of our brain that control our memory are still developing at this time.  It happens right after we are born.  We give our first cry, and the nurse cleans us up just enough to make us presentable.  Then he or she hands us to our mother, and the world stands still.  It is a moment of pure joy, that we too may one day know.  It is also a moment of uncertainty, because that moment begins a journey.  There is no way of knowing who we will be years or decades away from that moment.  But our mother is so overwhelmed by joy and love that she is willing to take that journey, and let us go from that moment on.  When we were created by our Heavenly Father, He loved us with such a deep and profound love that He gave us the choice to love Him.  It is a gesture of love that we may never truly understand; and we may often become disconcerted when we witness its consequences.  Yet, when we make the choice to love Him, God's perfect will is continuously revealed to us.

****

This too, is what I believe: God's will is borne of love and He wants good things for His children.  Our will is not in line with God's will.  I believe that hatred and harm are borne out of the anger and brokenness of human hearts.  We have the opportunity to push away from God's will.  And then questions arise, like why does God let us do that?  Why does God let tragedy happen?  That is one of the grayest gray areas.  Many arguments will start with God let this happen because... Others will start with God doesn't "let" things happen... I think the answer depends on how we know God.  For me, I know that God loves me.  He wants me to chase after His will and His heart.  He has given me that choice.  Sometimes my desires step outside of God's will.  Having free will is not like being a dog with an electric fence around its yard.  I can step outside the bounds.  But that free will, that choice is always constant.  There is choice right up until the very last moment.  There is choice right up until the trigger of the gun is pulled, right up until the crime is committed.

Even now I find myself starting to talk and think in circles, because there will always be something that I can't put my finger on.  There will always be a puzzle piece that evades me.  There will always be an element I cannot explain.  I am ok with that because I trust God.

In Sunday School-type Christian education, I was often told that God's will will prevail.  I believe that is true.  What I took that to mean was that in the end of every situation, things will be exactly as God wants them to be.  What that can translate into for some is that certain individuals will survive horrible circumstances and certain individuals will not.  But I think we are meant to look at a bigger picture.  God's will will prevail.  His Kingdom will come.  It will be on Earth as it is in Heaven.  One thing I often forget, and isn't made totally clear in those short Sunday School lessons - we are a part of God's will.  God's will is for us to live out His callings for us.  We are a part of that Kingdom come.  We are a part of that on Earth as it is in heaven.

****

So where is God in the midst of tragedy?  The answer is in the question: He is right there in the midst of it.  Deuteronomy 31:8 says "The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave nor forsake you.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."  God goes before us into the rubble and destruction.  He steps into the midst of a family crisis before it happens.  He is in the midst of a town ravaged by loss.  He is in the midst of a nation devastated by war or natural disaster.  God knows every hurt that will be felt and every tear that will be shed.  He stands there.  He is the foundation underneath the rubble that we will rebuild upon.    

~SP  

We Pray that All Unity May One Day Be Restored

A friend shared with me a great sermon from a church that she has been attending.  It focused on John 17, which is a beautiful passage where Jesus pours out His love for the world in a prayer.  It is a flood of Jesus' hope for His people.

The pastor of this church called it Jesus' last lecture, likening it to the Last Lecture delivered by Professor Randy Pausch, who delivered a final lecture after he was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer.  He wasn't necessarily comparing the two lectures because of their content - but because both of these men were nearing the end of their lives.  The pastor made the point that we tend to heed the words of those that are approaching their end more attentively.  We look for them to share their hopes and their fears with us.  The pastor then begins to pick apart John 17.

One point that stuck out to me from the sermon was the extrapolation of verses 20-21: "My prayer is not for them alone.  I pray also for those who will believe in me through their [the disciples] message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.  May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me."

Unity.  God desires unity for His people.  The pastor emphasized this point at the end of the sermon, which astounded me.  I had never focused on this idea when reading this passage and now it was impossible to overlook it.

Our triune God is the perfect picture of unity.  Father, Spirit, Son are three in one.  Interwoven.  Perfect relationship and wholeness.  I had remarked in my previous post on how God desires faithfulness from us, because He was first faithful to us.  In that same way, I believe that He desires unity from us, because He first showed us what unity looks like.

The part of the verse that is particularly striking is when Jesus asks for believers to be unified specifically so the world will know that He was sent by God.  This is a huge commission to us, His children.  Our unity as Christians is a reflection of God.

We know this to be true today: there is often disunity within the smallest congregations of believers.  How can we promote or even expect unity across all of Christ's believers.

It made me think of various church organizations around the country.  It seems that some of their actions come from a place of hate and condemnation.  I struggle to witness God's love and grace when I hear condemning words, name-calling, threats of hell fire.  How do I explain to someone who doesn't have a relationship with Christ, that I have a relationship with God the Father - the same God that members of that church are serving.  And at the same time, I feel terrible even using the term that church.  I should want to identify other Christians as brothers and sisters in the faith.

How do I start to explain why the people of denomination A won't take communion with denomination B, and they both think denomination C has the whole idea of Baptism wrong.  And then wait until I try to explain to them how half the members of the church I attend are petrified every Sunday when someone leads the service with a guitar, and the other half refuses to open a hymnal.

As believers, we need to reorient ourselves in the direction of unity.  What does that look like?  I can confidently say, that I don't have a good answer for that.  The dialogue needs to start.  We need to set ourselves aside, and think about how we are showing Christ's love to those who have never encountered it before.  We need to be unified in Christ's desires for us as His people.

The hymn that is referenced in the title of this post continues like this: and they'll know we are Christians by our love.  As Christians, we should long to be a unified picture of Christ's love in this world.  If we look at the whole phrase from the hymn, it reads like this: and we pray that all unity may one day be restored, and they'll know we are Christians by our love.  Our unity, borne out of love, that loves in the way Christ loves, will reveal to others our good and loving God.  We and they will come to pass, and it will be all of us as one.

~SP

Lacking Commitment

Are you familiar with the phrase "hooking up?"  It is a term used in what we'll call the Laguna Beach generation.  Or the generation that grew up on the MTV without any real music videos.  I would consider myself a part of that generation.  It is still widely used today to describe anything from exchanging phone numbers to spending the night with someone.  In other words, it has no concrete meaning - it means whatever the user wants it to mean each time it is used.

I still hear people use it today as a college student.  I wouldn't be surprised if people much older than me use it as well.  I have heard it used so many times, that I have conditioned myself to assume the most extreme definition of the phrase.  As someone who has never used the phrase, or had a reason to use the phrase, I also have to remind myself to respond to it out of a place of love.  Not in a  way that is judgmental and condemning.

What I really feel when I hear someone use the term "hooking up," is sadness.  It is a dull pang of hurt for them, that they are settling for ambiguity instead of commitment.  Uncertainty instead of faithfulness.

Faithfulness is important in all types of relationships - not just romantic relationships.  But it seems it so often gets abused most notoriously in that type of relationship.  Faithfulness is a Godly way of affirming worth.  Our true value and identity are in Christ alone.  However, as individuals, we do acknowledge or reflect that value in our relationships.  Maintaining faithfulness is a way of acknowledging that we know each other's worth - not according to our standards - but by God's standards.

Because God is faithful, so too are we called to be faithful.  Have you ever had an experience where you feel that someone is asking something of you that they aren't willing to do themselves?  Isn't it frustrating?  But in our relationship with God, that is not the case.  That is why we can assuredly say that He is a just God.  God was faithful to us first, and continues to be faithful.  He asks us to be faithful in our relationship to Him, and the relationships we have with others that seek to glorify Him.

There is a praise song that sums it up quite nicely:

Faithfulness, faithfulness is what I long for

Faithfulness is what I need

Faithfulness, faithfulness is what You want from me

When you experience even just a glimpse, a mere moment of God's faithfulness, you will begin to long for it.  You will find it fills you like nothing you have experienced before.  You will find you need Him.  You will find that faithfulness is what He calls you to.

~SP  

      

THURSDAY APRIL 17TH: The Arby's Story (Or, How God Ordains the Little Moments)

"For I know the plans that I have for you" declares the Lord.  We often cling to this prophecy in Jeremiah 29 when we don't know what the immediate or distant future holds for us.  In this verse we often focus on our own plans.  We focus on the job plans, the school plans, the marriage plans, the kid plans, the home plans...what about the way we fit in to God's plan.  He ordains those plans too.  It is not just about God knowing where we will go to grad school or when we are going to get an accepted offer on a house.  It is about God knowing where He can use us to show His grace and spread His love.

A few years ago, back when I was in high school, my family and I stopped at Arby's after church.  We often grabbed lunch at Arby's or Culver's near our church when we had something to do right after church.  On this particular Sunday we were headed downtown Milwaukee to the Domes.  The Domes, for non-Milwaukee natives, are three large domes that contain botanical gardens.  I believe on this Sunday I was playing for a St. Patricks Day event.  So we stopped at Arby's to fuel up before heading downtown.

There was a young man who worked at this Arby's - we will never know his real name - so we'll just refer to him as Arby's guy.  Arby's guy was a notorious mumbler.  After "Welcome to Arbys..." you couldn't understand anything he said.  So orders would often get jumbled up.  You could always expect to get something different that what you intended to order.  It happened to us that day, and we ended up with an extra free sandwich, courtesy of Arby's.  None of us needed this sandwich so we just held on to it for later, and we headed downtown.

Milwaukee is a wonderful place.  It has rich culture.  It is also a place where God is at work.  There is a lot of brokenness and poverty, just like many places across the country.  God is at work through many people, churches and missions, helping to feed the hungry and to give the homeless a place to belong.  As we drove downtown that day there was a man standing on the side of a bridge with a sign.  I can't tell you exactly what it said, but I know it was something about food.

This bridge was not an easy place to pull over on our journey downtown.  We were a few lanes over from the man, and we were not able to stop.  But I can remember my brother saying, I want to give that man our sandwich.  My dad had to keep driving, but he promised we would swing back that way after we were done at the Domes to see if the man was still there.

About two hours later it was time to leave, and my dad made good on his promise.  We drove around the same way, this time in the lane closest to the side of the bridge that the man would be on.  And he was still there.  We were able to pull over, roll down the window and give him the extra Arby's sandwich.

God has a perfect will and a perfect plan laid out for our lives, and the lives of others, each day.  He knows that a messed up fast food order for a family who attends church in Brookfield, will provide a long-awaited lunch for a man living on the streets of Milwaukee.

No coincidence.  The Author and Perfector knows the words before He pens them.  He knows our stories.  Each and every detail.

I know that I am a planner.  You don't have to give me a personality test to help me figure that one out.  And when things don't go according to plan...watch out!  But I step back, and I realize that I was created by the ultimate planner.  One who has laid it all out from the beginning.  The Planner who can take the willings and the doings of broken people and weave them back in to His will and His purpose.

~SP

MONDAY APRIL 7TH: The Essay I Should Have Written

During the past year I have been up to my eye balls in personal statements and essays.  The career services office at IU would tell you the purpose of writing these statements is to market yourself in the best way possible.  What writing these statements will do is bring on a heavy dose of self-reflection.  And panic - because there are moments when you just can't figure out how to put yourself on a piece of paper.

I am honored to report that one of those personal essays has secured me a spot as a dietetic intern at Mt. Mary University next year.  God is good.  He is patient.  His will is glorious.  I am so excited to continue on this journey to serve Him as a dietitian.  (This is just an announcement on the side :) )

I had to write a personal essay this year on what my greatest accomplishment at IU was.  I feel like I've done a lot at IU these past fours - nevertheless, it took me forever to write.  I loaded it full of academic this and teaching assistant that.  Volunteer hours here, leadership role there.  Those things are all great - but they don't do justice to what these four years have been in my life.

My mom explained it perfectly this evening while we were chatting: these four years have been remarkable because of the way I have grown in my relationship with Jesus Christ.  I have truly become a new person in Him.

Rough days, weeks and months have gone by, but I have experienced the savior who calms the storms within me.  I have experienced the redeeming power of the God who truly sees me.  I have buried myself in the miry pit, and have been pulled out by God's gracious hand.

I have watched my parents work everyday to live a life that is glorifying to God, and I have started to learn what that means for my own life.  What it means to wake up every morning and show faith, trust, grace, love - just like Jesus would have.

So if I could re-write that essay, I would say it is not about what I have accomplished, but about who I have become.  When I leave IU, I will add "Hoosier" to my identity.  I gave four years of time to this place.  But I am first and foremost the daughter of a good and glorious King.  I have given my life to Him.  My truest identity is in Him.

~SP

TUESDAY APRIL 1ST: Selfies

Have you every witnessed someone taking a "selfie?"

(First, let us formally define selfie.  A selfie is where a person uses a camera-type device - typically a smart phone - and holds it out in front of them self in order to capture a picture.  No one has yet found a floating camera.  And most of us do not have personal photographers who follow us constantly.  So we take selfies.)

It is such a strange moment to catch another person taking a picture of them self.  They know you're watching, and so they make haste so as not to make it a huge ordeal.  Because of technological developments, they are not able to see the image that the camera will capture as they take it.  This allows them to alter their hair or make different faces before snapping the picture.

Selfie-taking is so prevalent in our culture today that people are already doing studies on it.  Why are we so obsessed with taking pictures of ourselves.

This is what I want to do a study on - how many selfies have you taken that you are truly satisfied with?  How many have you taken without being critical of your looks?  How many times have you not retaken a selfie - just went with the first one you took?

Selfies are rough.  Our arms aren't long enough to get the phone a proper distance away.  Selfies get us where we are vulnerable - right up in our grill.  So we mask that vulnerability with a pouty lip or scrunched eyes.

In my opinion, a selfie also says it's all about me!  That is an attitude that may get you far in life - but you won't end up in the places that you want to be.

But here's is another problem with selfies - it is a failed attempt at introspection.  It is a good thing to know one's self.  To know your identity - specifically your identity in Christ.  But when we look at ourselves in the selfie type way, we are cheating ourselves.  We can't be honest in that moment when it is just us.  We have to prove something to ourselves - that we can live up to the world's standards; that we can compare to others.

So here is some photography advice:

Give Someone Else the Camera

You are beautiful.  That is not a cliche.  That is a fact.  The one who made you thinks so every day.  He spent time and put care into making you who you are.  He knows you in the purest and most whole way.  He can see what the world can't see.  He can see what you  can't see.  But He longs for you to see it too.  He longs for you to know that you are beautiful because He created you.  It may be difficult to understand, but if you set aside the world's standards for beauty and for living, it can be revealed to you.  You can start to embrace it.

Turn the Camera Around

The beauty of the very first camera my parents gave me was the element of surprise.  It was probably between 1996 and 2000, (that was the year, not age of the camera) and you still had to press a button to pop up the flash.  It was a film camera - not a digital camera - no screen to show you what you are looking at.  So when I didn't know what the images looked like until they were developed.  But they were beautiful.  They were what I never expected.  They were a beautiful moment captured.  I saw what was outside of myself, and it was beautiful.  If I had only spent time taking pictures of me, I would have missed everything around me.

~SP

MONDAY MARCH 31ST: God Bless the Planner

I was born a planner.  It is something that gives me security.  I like to know exactly what is going to happen and when.  It comes in handy for group projects and school projects.  It gives structure to everyday life.  But sometimes it is my roadblock to living a full life in Christ.  Sometimes I am my roadblock to a full life in Christ.

So what then...should I give up planning altogether?  Is it wrong of me to make plans?  To want to know where I am going?  What my life will look like in 6 months...2 years?

When God says to trust the plans that He has for us, that is ultimate.  That is final.  His plans will prevail overall.  God constantly works in spite of people.  God works in spite of the brokenness of this world.

Should we not plan at all?  I believe that as Christians, God calls us to responsible with our lives.  We have this idea of what freedom in Christ means, and we often think it is just like cruisin' down I-65 in our Volkswagen van, just drifting from place to place until we fall into God's plan.

God calls us to be responsible.  To make choices every day.  He doesn't want us just to float, but He wants us to be willing to let go of our plans when we know they are nothing in comparison to His plans for us.  God may adjust our coordinates ever so slightly, or we may end up in a completely different hemisphere.

I know this to be true as well: God gives us desires.  God gives us passion for different things.  Each one unique just like we are.  For me, it is wholeness and wellness of the physical body.  For some it is music or computers.  He wants us to desire those things.  It is not wrong if we want to plan for those things to be a part of our lives.  But God will ultimately determine the course.

Have you ever had a travel agency plan a vacation or a trip you took?  It might seem scary at first - because you really don't know what you'll be getting in to.  And you don't really know if you are going to like it.  But the travel agency puts a lot of time and thought into a vacation that none of their workers is taking.  It is all for you.  And they want you to have the best possible vacation!  That is kind of how it works with God, except He is with you for the whole journey.  His plans are good.

~SP

THURSDAY MARCH 20TH: Spiritual Nutrition

Truth: Your Body is a temple.  It is truly a gift from God.

In my 1 credit yoga class last semester, my instructor would often give nutrition advice.  It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but as someone who is studying human nutrition I was always sure to cross-check his advice with my knowledge and that of my professors.

Then, one class he made this suggestion: try fasting.  He said it is the best cleanse for your body.  He was correct - not putting anything into your body will allow it to clean itself out.  But what he wasn't considering is that as spiritual beings, we are made to be fed.

This is what happens in your body when  you deprive it of food: first you go through any blood glucose, and then you go through your body's glycogen stores.  These carbohydrates are the preferred fuel for your body.  Then you dip into other reserves: fat and protein.  Your body will eventually mobilize its own proteins - which are necessary for all different types of important functions in your body - and use them for energy.  Protein's primary purpose is not an energy source for our body.  Once our primary fuel source is depleted, we also dip into our fat stores.  And from the fat, we use ketones for fuel.  Ketones are helpful, but when they accumulate, they become toxic to the body.

As spiritual beings, we are made to be fed.  We have an emptiness and a hunger that only God can fulfill.  There are things that we need to fast from, but we also need to make sure we are being fed.  When we deprive ourselves, sometimes we try to run on our own reserves (like fat and protein), and that can cause us to self-destruct.  Relying on our own reserves can be like leaning on our own understanding.

Jesus calls Himself the bread of life.  In terms of nutrition, bread is a carbohydrate dense, and typically nutrient dense food.  Was Jesus thinking these things as He made this declaration?  Most likely not.  But He was getting at is the idea that He is our sustenance.  He is our provider.  We need Him.

~SP  

WEDNESDAY MARCH 19TH: I Stand Amazed

Today I just wanted to share a hymn that I love.  It talks about standing in the presence of Jesus.  Sometimes I wonder what that moment - all of those moments - will be like.  

MONDAY MARCH 17TH: Joy in Creating

I love to knit.  I taught myself to knit on a trip my family took to Niagara Falls when I was in high school.  I knew we would be in the car for a long time, so I thought learning to knit would be a good thing to pass the time.  Knitting that first scarf took forever.  I had bought two skeins of this multicolored yarn.  It unwound in reds, purples, and oranges.

By the time we drove to New York and back I had made a scarf.  It was a little crooked, and the stitches weren't extremely smooth, but it was the first scarf that I had made.

Since that scarf, I knit as often as I can.  It takes some trial and error, but I have made mittens and hats.  It is amazing how all the little stitches come together to make something much bigger.

What do you like to make or create?  Whenever I finish a piece of knitting I feel proud.  It doesn't matter if it is perfect or if a few stitches need to be mended.  What I have made is beautiful to me and I will wear it proudly.

We truly cannot fathom the depths of God's love.  But I know that because He created us, His love for us is intentional, beautiful and careful.  God feels that overwhelming pride in us when He steps back and looks at His creation.  Maybe we have a few stitches that need to be tightened, but we are beautiful because we are His.  God doesn't have a mold in which He casts His sons and daughters.  He starts from scratch each time.  He makes us all different and beautiful.  That is love, that we have been designed by a joyful creator.

~SP

  

FRIDAY MARCH 14TH: #blessed

We've all seen this hashtag before: #blessed.  Maybe we've even used it.  We take a picture or post a status about a blessing that God has given us and we just want the world to know so we #blessed.

It's not a negative to acknowledge blessings.  It isn't bad to give God glory for what He has given us.  But we have to make sure we are doing just that - glorifying God.

Blessing, like repentance should be a word or idea that propels forward.

In the Bible, we come into contact with the word blessed in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5).  The definition of the word beatitude, according to dictionary.com, is supreme blessedness or exalted happiness.  The structure of the Beatitudes is like so:

Blessed are the ___________, for theirs is the______________

or

Blessed are the ___________, for they will _________

In the Beatitudes, Jesus says that "Blessed" are the poor, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.  We don't often think of the poor as blessed - especially in our society.  But Jesus does.  Jesus knows that blessing or blessed is not just a noun - it is meant to be action oriented.  Blessing is a verb.

When we receive gifts, grace, mercy, love, anything that comes from the Father, we are meant to live it out.  We are meant to spread it as far as we can.  True, the world will know we are blessed if we tweet it or instagram it.  But they will see we are blessed if we live it out.  If we have a lot, we are called to give.  If we have a little, we are called to give.

One of my go to sites when writing my blog is Open Bible Info.  If you search "What does the Bible say about _____," it pulls up a bunch of verses on the subject.  So I asked this morning, "What does the Bible say about Blessings."  Looking through the verses, almost none of them actually incorporated the word blessed.  Here are a few of the selections:

Philippians 4:19: "And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus."

James 1:17: "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change."

Philippians 2:13: "For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure."

2 Corinthians 9:8: "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work."

These verses are good reminders of the source of our blessings and why they are given to us - so that we can live them out.

And we must always, always, remember the source of our blessings and give Him praise.  #blessedbyGod

He is our blessed assurance.  The fount of all our blessings.  The One from whom all blessings flow.

~SP

THURSDAY MARCH 13TH: Triune God

I don't remember when I was first introduced to the Holy Trinity.  It is a BIG concept whether you are a 5-year-old in Sunday School or a 55 year-old.  Our God is three in one - Father, Spirit, Son.  What does that mean?  He is three, but at the same time one...We struggle with it because it is not humanly possible.  But God is not human, so it is possible.

What does the trinity mean in our lives?  Maybe that is the question we can ask...The trinity shows us perfect relationship between Father, Son and Spirit.  The kind of relationship that is intended for us with God in heaven.

There is also something interesting about how the trinity was revealed to us.  The three parts of the trinity have always been, since time began.  From our point of understanding, we first know God, the creator of our universe.  He was there with Adam and Eve, Abraham, Moses...then we meet God incarnate, Jesus the Son.  And then Jesus talks about the advocate that God will send after Jesus leaves, that advocate being the Holy Spirit.

There is something interesting about the way that God chose to reveal the trinity to us.  We first know God.  God is great and majestic.  We don't have a tangible image of God.  We know He must be beautiful because all that He has created is beautiful.  We know He is faithful to His people.  We know that He loves His people.

And then God lives among us as the Son, Jesus.  Jesus is fully human and fully divine.  Jesus is our brother.  Jesus eats meals with us.  Jesus goes to the temple with us.  Jesus lives life with us.  God comes closer through Jesus.

After Jesus goes to be with the Father, God sends His Holy Spirit to not only dwell among us, but within us.  The Holy Spirit is sent to protect us, to guide our hearts and our minds.  God comes closer through the Holy Spirit.

God always wants to be closer to us.  We can see that through the holy trinity.  He always longs to be near to our hearts.  God just wants to be closer and closer to the people that He loves.

~SP

WEDNESDAY MARCH 12TH: In awe of creation

I wouldn't consider myself to be the biggest nature lover there is.  I like to explore the great indoors just as much as the great outdoors.  However, there are some times where I have been left speechless and breathless at the sight of God's creation.  It is a brilliant reminder of how creative and intentional God is.  We could live in a world that could be much plainer, but God made the whole planet a sanctuary where we can glorify His great works.

When I was sixteen, my family and I explored the western US after I attended the National American Baptist Youth Gathering in Estes Park, CO.  I remember looking up at these mountains and thinking, how could anyone not believe in God.  Maybe it is because we often detach the Creator from the creation.  Even as Christians,we get so fixated on the creation and how marvelous it is.  We Facebook it, hashtag it - but we have to be careful and make sure we are praising the One who painted the landscape and not boasting about the places we've been or the things we've seen.  

For those of us that maybe have the ability and opportunity to travel out to the mountains or maybe travel across the world - that is wonderful!  It is a great opportunity and a gift.  God's creation is not exclusive.  It is not only for those who can afford to travel to beautiful places - it is for us all.  So sometimes He brings it close to home for us to admire.  Sometimes He brings it right to our front porches...

Lofty mountain grandeur is not the only thing God specializes in.  He creates the swaying trees, the lush green grass, and the gentle fields.  You don't even have to leave your back yard, and the Creator will paint you a gorgeous scene. 

(photo borrowed from summitpost.org)

Can you guess where this mountain is situated?  It's not one of our national parks...it's Mt. Damavand in Iran.  Often when we think of the Middle East, we think of all the conflict that has been plaguing those countries for the last decade and beyond.  We think about the rough desert areas where blood from people of all nations is shed.  But here, in the midst of that, God has created this beautiful landscape.  The beauty of creation is not exclusive to one part of the world - it is everywhere.  It is a good reminder that the earth and everything in it belongs to the Lord (Psalm 24:1). 

~SP

  

TUESDAY MARCH 11TH: Grateful for the Table

I am thankful for my family's kitchen table.  Truthfully, I have abused it over the years, especially with nail polish remover (mom was not very thankful about that!)  It is missing a little finishing, but it still stands on four legs.

My family likes routine, so we all have the same seats at the table every night.  Mom and I sit on the outside.  I sit across from Dad and Mom sits across from David.  And just like that routine, dinner is served around the same time each evening.

Growing up, I didn't always understand why dinner time was to be adhered to.  All plans to hang out with friends were secondary.  Dinnertime was dinnertime, and we sat down together.

But that daily fellowship with my family set a foundation for me.  It was something the whole family shared together.  Mom, Dad, David and I.  It was where we sat and prayed together - prayers of thankfulness for the food we had; prayers of thankfulness for God's grace; prayers for guidance in our lives.

The dinner table was where we talked about each other's days.  The dinner table was where we laughed a lot.  There was a time growing up where it was extremely difficult to get through a meal without David or I spewing milk.  We could make each other laugh so hard (sometimes it was even our parent's fault too) and at just the right moment.  We're long past those days (kind of...)

Sitting around that table was more about the fellowship and less about the food.  The night before Jesus dies on the cross, we are told that he shares a Passover meal with 12 of his good friends.  Jesus probably could have done a lot of things before he was crucified.  He could have enjoyed a fishing trip or hosted a larger, more festive gathering.  However, he chose to share a meal with his disciples.  That was important to him.  He wanted to break bread with his brothers.

So I am thankful for our dinner table.  Not for the table itself, but what I have learned there about family and fellowship.  It is always important to share a meal with the people you love.

~SP

MONDAY MARCH 10TH: The Joys of Siblinghood

I don't think it is any wonder that I'm telling you that one of my greatest joys in life is my brother, David.

But, fear not parents and others reading this...David and I are just like any other sibling pair, we fight (over ridiculous things), sometimes we're collectively lazy, and don't do what our parents tell us to do.  We've conned baby-sitters together.  We've covered for each other, and we've ratted each other out.

But there are also many joys in our siblingship!  Moments that I would not give up for anything.  So for your enjoyment (and possibly David's embarrassment) here are a few highlights!

1. The Early Days

There are so many moments to look back on!  July 30th was a great day for me!  I got to go to Vacation Bible School and Chuck E Cheese...and I got to meet David!  I remember stopping at Walgreens with my dad to pick something up for my new brother - an angel bear.  I still have the angel bear - somehow over the years it ended up in my room.  Life was great!  I had an in-home best friend.  Someone who wanted to hang out with me all the time (or was forced to hang out with me, it depends on how you look at it).

Halloween 1996

2. Learning Lessons Together

Another great thing about having a sibling is that you get to learn some life lessons together.  Or sometimes one of you gets the life lesson, and the other one observes and takes note :)  I won't give you an exhaustive list of the lessons we've learned over the years.  There is one that stands out in my mind.  In the house we grew up in at the beginning of our childhood there was a tiny staircase - not long enough to be a spiral staircase, but it did twist once.  Every night at bed time David and I would barrel up the stairs together.  I had the advantage of being bigger and having more strength.  David had the advantage of being tiny which gave him the ability to maneuver past me.  Every time we charged up those stairs, my dad would be behind us saying "It's not a competition."  My dad's famous phrase.  His main goal was to prevent us from critically injuring each other as we raced up the stairs.  But those words ring true in so many ways.  It's not a competition - we are loved equally and wholly by our parents.  It's not a competition if you are living by God's standards.  The world will tell you it is, but in God's eyes you make it doesn't matter when you make it to the top of the stairs.

3. Navigating Life Together

One time, David and I decided to take on the Dawson prairie at Green Lake.  And when you aren't as tall as the prairie grass, that's a big deal.  We told our parents to scram, and that we would meet them on the other side.  Five minutes later we were both lost and in tears.  But we were lost and in tears together.  We did get out of the field eventually.  And now that we're both tall enough to see over the grass, we laugh about that time that we had a meltdown in the prairie.  But we had each other.  We didn't leave each other's sides.  That was what mattered.

Madison, WI (circa 2001)

4. Watching Each Other Grow Up

True, David has only been around for 17.5 of my 21.5 years.  But nevertheless, he has watched me grow up, graduate high school, make it through college (almost, let's not jinx it)!  And I have had the joy of watching him grow up.  I've watched him play a myriad of instruments (piano, cello, trumpet...) and finally find his calling to be a drummer!  He watched me go to prom, and then I got to watch him do the same four years later.  It is fun to have a partner to reminisce with and talk about the early years.  And it is also fun to have a partner to grow up with.

So today, I am joyful about and thankful for my brother and all of the moments we've had together along the way!

Green Lake 2013

~SP