Serve

Serve. What does this word mean to you? When scanning goggle images for a picture, several examples popped up when asked to "search" for this word. A few were pictures of waiters serving, some indicated a volleyball or tennis serve, others displayed an image of serving your country, one even gave me a book title, Serving in Silence. Well, the Lord asked me to serve this week, and sadly no, not in either a volleyball game or tennis match - there's a reason why I stick to just plain running :) He's asked me to serve him with my hands. He's asked me to serve a friend. And up until this moment, he's asked me to do this in a way that is just between Him and I, no one else knowing about it but this friend. It's been an honor, it's been a joy, it's been a pleasure. All of the time? Sadly no.

During this time of serving this week, my thoughts have wandered. I've been serving inside, and my heart and my eyes have gravitated towards the sun beckoning me to be outside. My head gives me thoughts of the many other self-pleasing "things" I could be doing with my time. My desire for gratitude and a well-known pat-on-the-back were not to be given by several, but by one. I needed to make a choice. I could following my fleshly leading, or I could "fix my eyes on Jesus."

1 Peter 4:11
If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

This thing of the "flesh" is such a strong pull at times. I've noticed it lately when it comes to running. With cool mornings, and very warm afternoons, my body has been forced to adjust depending on the time of day, and believe me, it lets you know when it it not happy. My physical body craves balance. If my internal temperature is too far off, too hot or too cold, it gives me warning signs. It was designed this way. It protects me from long-lasting effects and damage, though it can often mask itself, appear as if it's functioning in a way, when in all actually it may be the opposite. For instance, my flesh was cold to the touch this morning, not a true indicator of what was occurring on the inside, I was roasting! Think of those cold winter days, picture yourself shoveling away, what tends to trickle down the side of your face? Yep, sweat. Our flesh is just that, a living, changing, and in all actuality, decaying, temporary matter. Can our desires be of similar nature? Do we crave that balance, comfort, ease in our life so strongly that it's the filter we use in making decisions for our day?

This humble servant is guilty as charged. Lord, I thank you for the gracious opportunity to serve you this week, just as you came to serve me. Thank you for giving me eyes to see. Forgive me when I wanted to turn from you and satisfy my own selfish desires. Lord, I do know that it would have satisfied me but for a moment. Your soul-filling satisfaction lasts for a lifetime. May I continue to learn through your manger example. May I be reminded continually that it is not about me.

The power of a touch

Never underestimate the power of a touch. Just wanted to jump on real quick tonight to share something that came to mind as I was reading through the Psalms. Last Sunday night, our family had the privilege of attending a concert/testimony time of a wonderfully passionate man from Tulsa, OK, by the name of Dennis Jernigan. Aaron posted some wonderful words about this evening, but I just had one more story to share.

Dennis talked very honesty about the struggles we face, one such topic concerning a loss (in death, of a dream, of a relationship), and he compassionately invited people to stand. As He sang words over us, he invited others as the body of Christ to surround these brothers and sisters in Christ with a touch.

I took a few minutes to do a study of verses that contained the word "touch" using Biblegateway, and I took notice of some interesting phrases. Over and over again, my eyes scanned the words - do not touch, must not touch, can not touch, will not touch - in a variety of contexts. As I kept reading, I noticed a changeover once I hit the New Testimony. Suddenly my eyes were reading words of touch in the context of healing. Why? In walks Jesus Christ, our Saviour, Healer, Protector, Redeemer. And that's exactly what took place that evening - pure, honest, real transforming healing, spilled forth in the blood of Christ.

The story I wanted to share? As I felt a prompting to walk forward, reach out, a touch a lady I had never met, a strange sensation took over. Moments later, I too felt the warmth of a touch near my lower back. As I glanced over, my eyes fell upon the source of this small, yet powerful warmth - I was looking into the blue eyes of my youngest daughter. She too felt a prompting. Without fear, without question, without insecurity, she followed the example of the one God has placed in her life. A life she trusts. A life she so easily models. A moment that took my breath away. A moment that warmed not only my heart, but went straight to the depths of my soul. Thank you baby girl. You are a joy and a treasure to me. Thank you for your touch...Jesus.

Feeling unbalanced?

For the past two months, I have been running in a different brand of shoe. I began running with Asics shoes, then I tried a pair of Newbalance shoes (in fact, my "first ever" post addressed this "new balance" in my life), then I felt at home in a pair of Mizuno, and lastly I've been running in a pair of Nikes. So, for the past few months I noticed a change. I experienced a pain, a nagging, familiar, grating pain that I had endured early on in my running journey, and I must say that I was not too thrilled to be giving it attention. In fact, I decided to simply ignore it.

This type of pain was not one to halt my forward process, but to simply slow it down. In my determination (and stubbornness), I kept on training, pausing to ice it and thrown down some Advil on the harder days. So what did my body do? It adapted. It adjusted. It tried it's best to meet the demands I was asking. It endured, yet in the strain, it's weakened state had no choice but to place more of a burden on the right side of body. The result - unbalance. It's effects - hip pain and knee tenderness. Again, not enough to halt all activity, yet enough to leave no doubt that my body was not functioning well due to the alignment issues it was forced to endure.

How else did I notice the unbalance? My husband told me. As we ran together one day, he needed to step in behind me on a busy street. He only needed eyes to notice my off-gait. What did I decided to do about this? I traded in my Nikes for my "at-home-feeling" Mizunos. The result? I have to admit that I feel balanced again. Though my body did adapt to it's off-kilter nature due to injury, it wasn't surviving well again the strain. Back in the "right shoes" for my body, balanced is restored. It will take a few more runs to fully readjust due to past strain, but I can already feel the difference. Isn't this an interesting analogy? How often do we push forward in our own unbalance, wanting to ignore the inconvenience, and strain to continue, even when it costs us things. In our self-seeking pursuit are we blinded to this unbalance, whereas others may see it as clear as day? Do we need to get "back-home" again to right our balance?

I got to thinking about this topic of balance on my run today. Though I realize I could perhaps be running the risk of over-analyzing, I believe the Lord had a lesson for me in this. You see, all summer I had been praying a prayer (along with Lysa Terkuerst from Proverbs 31 Ministries), that the Lord would unsettle me. I did not want to become too comfortable in my summer days, running the risk of becoming lukewarm in my faith as to settle with good enough, I wanted him to show me areas of my life that needed adjusting, that were a bit off balance. I just couldn't stop myself from thinking about the possibility that he allowed this time of physical unbalance to give me an illustration with how off-balance my spiritual life was becoming (and truth be told, my mental well-being as well), could there be a connection there?

God-timing never ceases to amaze. In looking back over the course of just the past two weeks, I can see how my prayers have been answered. And believe me, I had even forgotten I had prayed about the unsettling thing. In this time of transition with a new school year, a church home, and the lingering possibilities of a future move, God is helping me to look at some long-standing fears and hurts in my life. I believe he's bringing them to the surface, unsettling me, so that I may hold them up to the light and see the reality of what they are - so that I may call them out by name and that I may lay them at his feet, so that I may give Him the control, so that HE may carry the strain, one that He died for, one I was never meant to bear.

Matthew 11:28-30

²⁸"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

So many of the lessons I learn about my Heavenly Father come from the example I see in my children. As I was looking through pictures. I came across one I took of Brynn on her first day at preschool. She had not one fear about school. She walked in, hung up her backpack in the cubbie designated at hers, looked around at the choices, and quietly and confidently sat down at the block table. She glanced at me once (telling me "bye Mommy" with her eyes), and looked back down ready to focus on her task at hand. What an example of the balance that she possess in her young life (at that moment). Thanks for being an example to Mommy, precious girl. May I strive to seek my Jesus in the everyday moments of life so that I may share in those moments with you, my children. Lord, thank you for unsettling me. I want to be more and more like you, even through the pain. (You might have to remind me I mentioned this). I love you.

Jesus time anyone?

If I asked you, what is the purpose of your life in this point of time, what would you say? I know, deep question, yet an important one. If I would answer this question myself, I would have to say that one of my main roles, or purposes, is to be a mom. Being a mom comes with a long list of "hats" in and of itself, but one that I'm learning to claim is to be leading them to the heart of God. Leading so as to allow room for them to claim their faith as their own. As with anything, it's been a process in our home, but I just wanted to share a few ideas that the Lord has brought my way.

Again, not claiming to be an expert, but a humble servant, "Jesus time" started with an intention to create a time and setting in which we can place God first in our day. And I say "we" because it's also important to me that my children "see" me spending time alone with Jesus as well as having time together. "Jesus time" has taken on various forms over the past few years. It began with story-telling through the use of books, dramas with the use of homemade props (stuffed animals entering an ark), time with manipulatives such as playdough and puzzles, and even the use of curriculum materials such that the AWANA program creates. If you're wondering where to start, my suggestion is to take a family field trip. Visit your local Christian bookstore and just peruse, there are tons of great material for all ages available. I've found that the more they participate in the process, the more ownership they begin to take in their learning, and more motivation and fun is created.

This school year, the Lord is leading us to spend a week on a particular story. Soon we'll be switching to a week spent on character traits. We're starting to create our own materials in a three ring binder, that suits each child's age span. For example, we looked at the armor of God this past week. By doing a little searching on the net, lots of great reproducible materials can be found. Each morning we discussed another part of the armor. Austin read the verses from Ephesians, Emma read another verse that was indicated on the material we printed, and Brynn pointed to the pictures on the pages that we colored. They each completed an activity related to the armor, and I asked a few questions along the way. If your child is able to read, have them open the scriptures and read aloud, nothing is more sweeter to your ears, I'm telling ya! If your child is not of reading ability yet, there are tons of ways they can participate as well. As you know the learning style of each child (visual, auditory, tactile, hands-on), feel free to get creative to reach each one in their unique way.

At the end of the week, we used some homemade props to dress up in our armor. Really it doesn't need to take up much time, we average around 15 minutes, sometime we only have 5, but we do make it a priority, even if we just have time to pray. I'm telling you, this has been transforming for our day. What I thought might be a drugery after a time, has proved me wrong. I don't get any flack when I announce it's Jesus time. If you allow room for the Holy Spirit to work and move, he will.


Ephesians 3:
²⁰Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

I pray that this is an encouragement to you today. As with anything, it starts with today. And if tomorrow, you don't, the next day you can. I'm learning that living in the "now" instead of focusing to much on the "next", brings numerous possibilities and even unexpected joy. Have a great day in Him!

This is how we roll!

So here it was... a Friday night. With no prior plans, the girls and I headed to the pool for one more time this year, and the boys...started a fire :) In a spontaneous moment, we decided to go camping... Conrad style. Nothing like the great outdoors, of your backyard! The best part - clean potties are only a few steps away.

It was an amazing family night. Dinner consisted of hot dogs (with just a bit of ash), a houge-pouge of potato chips, and for dessert.... smores! We simply spent the evenings outdoors, as as the sun disappeared, the full moon simply glowed above, complete with a smattering of stars that truly twinkled. After some time exploring spider webs and a variety of bugs with our flash-lights, the kids entered the tent for the evening as mom and dad sat by the fire, basking in the joyful glees from their sleepover fun and getting lost in the amazing, mezmorizing changes that take place in a campfire.

All went well... until around 2:30, when the brisk cold weather awoke our sleeping angels, and no amount of blankets and jackets could allow their excited minds to rest, so we simply retreated to our warm beds and slept in just a wee bit later, ready for a breakfast of champions!

My heart was simply filled to the brim with warmth, and it wasn't just from the fire. We are so proud of each of our sweet blessings, that happen to come in the form of little people. Their hearts are so tender to each other (most of the time), and the way they are so fascinated with creation just lends itself so well to pointing towards our creator. He has provided such great opportunities already around our fire pit, we can't wait to see His plan continue to unfold.

Lord, I thank you for simply providing ways for me to soak in your creation like never before. I cherish the time you provide for us to live, laugh, and love together, whether it's an activity or simply a time to cuddle. May we continue to look to you for ways that might be a little "out of the box", yet ways that deepen our bond and create memories that will last a lifetime. I thank you for loving me, and never leaving me. May my faith continue to grow as I place my trust in you. I love you.