Archives

What Do You Mean It’s Not All About Me?

Jan25

This post is a part of the Five Minute Friday link up. I write for 5 minutes on a one-word prompt with no heavy editing. Today’s word is “convenient.”

It’s very rarely “convenient.”

I’m very selfish with my time.

p1000653But I made the commitment to say “yes” more often to the things my kids want to do. Of course, I only have one kid still at home full time, but there are many other daily decisions that poke at that idol of convenience that I wrestle with every day.

I watch my 1-year-old grandson for his parents when they go to work in the evenings 5 days a week. It’s not convenient to have my days interrupted, but there’s no higher use of my time than helping to raise this tiny image bearer of God.

nqlflrg5to+idg0qntanygMy daughter does not yet have her drivers license, so if she desires to go clothes shopping or anywhere else that isn’t within reasonable walking distance, I am on the hook for taking her there. Her timing isn’t always convenient for what I want to do, but I know that I won’t always have the responsibility and I treasure the time we can spend together.

Sometimes I have friends that need a favor which could look like picking up one of her children at school if she’s running behind or is with another child on the other side of town. Or maybe it’s the use of a car if hers is in the shop. Or maybe it’s visiting her in the hospital. The list goes on and on.

True, these things are rarely “convenient,” but, honestly, it’s not all about me.

Shocking, I know.

Each daily interruption is a chance to affect the lives of those around me. And that’s what really matters in the end.

 

Under The Influence

Jan18

This post is a part of the Five Minute Friday link up. I write for just 5 minutes, no heavy editing, and see what comes out. Today’s prompt is “influence.” Check out all the other posts here.

I’m easily swayed, I admit it. Maybe it’s part of my people-pleaser personality, but it’s easy for me to see many sides of an issue and not be able to make up my mind as to which is better. But maybe that’s not a bad thing when it comes to issues that tend to divide.

Current issues like immigration, the government shutdown, racial injustice, or women’s equality. I tend to take a non-polarizing middle ground. I really can see the issues from either side. I come from a family of immigrants, just a couple of generations back. Yet I also think that we need to secure our borders.

I think women should be treated equally and get the same pay as men if they’re doing the same job and should be treated with respect. But I also know that men and women are different, created by God to BE different. Otherwise we wouldn’t need each other.

The fact is, I need to make sure that I am not being unduly influenced by those I consider authorities on certain subjects, because even authorities can differ in their opinions.

The Apostle Paul understood this. When he was writing to the Thessalonians, he said this:

“Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it” (I Thess. 5:21 ESV).

Test everything. Don’t be unduly influenced by those who may be charismatic speakers. God is faithful. If you ask Him for wisdom, He will surely supply it.

Learning to Walk

Dec7

GWe3zI5bR96vws1L63pBpA

My almost 11-month-old grandson is learning how to walk. He’s becoming more confident every day as he practices and falls and gets back up again. We’ve noticed something about this learning journey: when he’s distracted and  holding on to something else like a toy or a book, he walks with more confidence. But if he’s only walking and thinking about what it is he’s doing, he’s slower and more hesitant and falls more easily.

I thought this was a really good analogy to my walk with God. When I focus on Him, I find much better balance. If I’m thinking only about what I’m going to do next, where I’m going to put my foot, all that I think I have to do today, or tomorrow, or the next day, then I find myself unsteady and close to falling.

IMG_0696

Balance isn’t easy. By nature I want to get things done before I take time to do the fun things. But sometimes, rest and fun and play are necessary, even when there is a ton to do. I have to remember to keep my eyes on Jesus, to focus on Him, and let the balancing come naturally because I’m seeing Him and doing what He wants me to do.

Like my little grandson, I am learning how to walk, even after more than 40 years of following Jesus. One step at a time, not worrying about whether I’m doing everything right, just keeping my eyes on Jesus.

This post is a part of the Five-Minute Friday link up. Join the fun!

FMF button

The Potential Already Lies Within

Sep28

IMG_9910In his book StrengthsFinder 2.0, author Tom Rath takes on an American icon. He takes the story of Rudy Ruettiger, dramatized in the 1993 movie Rudy, and turns it upside down. He says, “While Rudy’s perseverance is admirable, in the end, he played a few seconds of college football and made a single tackle . . . after thousands of hours of practicing.”

His point is that we idolize those who overcome great odds—and a lack of natural talent—to show that “overcoming deficits is an essential part of the fabric of our culture.”

Maybe it’s obvious by the title of his book, but what Rath is getting at is that instead of embracing the idea that “you can be anything you want to be as long as you try hard enough,” why don’t we look for where people are strong and encourage them in that?

Where do they really show potential?

P1020970

My 16-year-old daughter could carry a tune before she could talk. She would sing in her sweet baby voice with words we couldn’t understand, but we always knew what she was singing because we recognized the tune. The barrier she’s working to overcome isn’t one of natural talent, that she has in abundance. Her hurdle is shyness and a lack of desire to ever be in the public eye.

Consider the parable of the talents. The master gave to each servant what He willed, and they then had to do something with it.

Rather than seeing something you want and overcoming every obstacle to gain it, why don’t you look at what you’ve been given and invest it in the absolute best way you can?

This post is a part of the Five Minute Friday link up. Join the fun!

FMF button

When It Rains, It Pours

Sep7

RainI live in Florida, so the saying “when it rains, it pours” makes a lot of sense. Seldom do we ever get just a gentle sprinkling for more than just a couple of minutes. Usually it becomes a gushing downpour that doesn’t usually last long. But in that time, it’s torrential.

In the heat of summer, those respites of rain are welcome, but the aftermath of flooding can cause major problems.

What’s necessary to avoid that is a good drainage system.

Kind of like with the showers of blessings in our lives.

If all we’re doing is letting the flood of good things come down on us without having any outlet, our lives will look like the swelled streams and overflowing banks. All that water really should go somewhere it can do some good.

When we are in our rainy season, and places like California are in a drought or experiencing devastating fires, we wish that we could take some of that rain and send it their way. But with weather, that’s not possible.

But it’s possible with the wealth of resources or time or emotion that we can give to someone in need.

Certainly let it rain on you, but then share the wealth with those around you.Rain3

Find yourself with time on your hands? Volunteer to help where it’s needed.

Get an unexpected bonus at work? Give a portion to a worthy cause.

Finding yourself overflowing with joy? Share that emotional energy with someone who could use a friend.

When it rains on you, pour out on others.

 

This post is a part of the Five-Minute Friday link up. Join the fun!

FMF button