I’ve talked enough. Today I want to hear from you. (I may make this a regular feature. We’ll see how it goes.)
Let’s talk about prayer.
Of all the tools in my Christian toolbox, I think prayer is one the hardest to understand…and to do well. It’s not that I don’t pray, I do. I just don’t think I’m very good at it. Despite my best intentions to stay focused, my mind wanders. I start out strong, but soon I’m thinking about the laundry, what’s planned for the day, a conversation I had and so on. Plus, there are so many people and circumstances to pray for, I never know when I’m done. Often I pray in bed at night. Inevitably I fall asleep. Is God OK with this?
I struggle with the concept that if God has preordained everything isn’t the thing I’m praying for going to happen whether I pray or not? Is God really listening? Sometimes God answers prayers. Sometimes He doesn’t. Why?
I've observed a lot of people using prayer as a magic wand like they’re trying to bend the will of God to their liking. Or they use prayer like a rabbit’s foot, rubbing it for good luck and a means of protection.
That said, in the years I’ve been a Christian I’ve grown a lot in regard to prayer. Among other things I’ve learned four important lessons:
1. God DOES answer prayer.
2. The more specific and personal my requests, the more specific and personal God’s answers.
3. Praying aloud with fellow believers in an intimate setting has allowed me to experience the presence of God and the Holy Spirit in incredibly powerful ways.
4. There are no perfect pray-ers. We may rank the “effectiveness” or “eloquence” of our prayers compared to others, but God doesn’t. I think nothing is more precious to our heavenly Father than a heart laid bare before Him, no matter what the words that cover it.
Now it's your turn. What's your experience with prayer? Why and how do you pray? Have you had specific answers to prayer? Do you struggle with hearing God or wonder if He’s even listening?
October 1, 2008
September 30, 2008
One Crimson Thread
From every experience, interaction and emotion we weave threads into the fabrics of our lives. From which we craft a “wardrobe” for every occasion. A bright pink sash of joy. A breezy cotton tee of comfort. A scratchy burlap sweater of suffering. A thread-bare vest of regret. A tattered shirt of self-sufficiency. We cling to old favorites—which often aren’t the most comfortable. We layer just in case. And often we change with frequency to rival a super model.
With our kids away this weekend Dan and I were blessed with a rare treat to spend 24 hours alone together. From start to finish, I should have crafted a comfy blanket of love and stayed bundled inside.
At least the weekend started that way.
On Saturday night we enjoyed a long overdue date and saw the movie, Fireproof. (Side note: This is a must-see movie for anyone who’s married or thinking of getting married. It’s honest, raw, wrenching and beautiful. Rarely have I seen a film delve so deeply and truthfully into the one relationship that’s the greatest gift from God yet receives the greatest heat in our lives—our marriages. Fireproof presents the gospel message in a moving and incredibly relevant way. Since the divorce rate among Christians and non-Christians is virtually the same, Fireproof’s message is universally necessary.)
After the movie we caught a late dinner, but because of the distractions from the Penn State game on the TV and a waiter who wanted to rush us out so he could go home, Dan and I didn’t reconnect as I’d hoped.
I wove in a few strands of regret.
On Sunday morning we attended a Mission Sunday service at a nearby church. They’d invited members of our church’s Dominican Republic missionary team, including my hubby, to participate in the service. Maybe it was worshipping in a new church. Maybe it the familiar hymns of my youth. Maybe it was listening to Dan and our good friend share their moving testimonies. Maybe it was the young people who spoke of a new life in Jesus because of a mission trip they attended this summer. But God moved in that place among those people—and among me. I sensed His presence in a way I’d been craving for some time.
A shawl of godliness cloaked my shoulders.
I was lost in my own thoughts, relishing the God moment, as Dan and I drove to his sister’s house to pick up our son. Part way into the hour-long drive my husband realized we’d forgotten to bring our nephew’s birthday present. The same one he’d forgotten to take with him the day before.
I calmly replied, “No, it should be in here. You put it in the car earlier.” (I’d seen him take the present into the garage to put into the car.)
“Oh, I thought it was trash, so I threw it away," he responded.
Trash? A gift bag with a card and tissue paper and a present inside is trash?
In the blink of an eye, anger shredded the godliness that enveloped me. How could he be so careless? And this wasn’t the first time something like this happened. I’m ashamed of the angry words that came from my mouth.
I simmered for the most of the ride, eventually and reluctantly accepting the olive branch my husband offered. Inside I wondered: how had I gone from marveling at God in one moment to freaking out at my husband the next? I felt like a big fat Christian hypocrite and a horrible example.
Threads of guilt intertwined with the anger.
After a brief chat with my SIL and BIL, we gathered our son and headed home. We weren’t 10 minutes into the trip on the rural winding roads before we saw cars stopped ahead. An accident had just occurred. It was bad. Bumpers, tires, metal and glass littered the asphalt. A mangled car jutted into our lane. Others rested at odd angles. But what caught my eye most of all was a body lying completely motionless on the grass—a few feet from my side of the car. We didn’t know if the man was alive or dead. A visibly upset woman was with him and told us an ambulance was on the way. My husband got out to see if he could help. I stayed in the car with our upset son and prayed.
The police and EMTs arrived moments later so we cleared the way and let them do their jobs. On the ride home Dan told me the man was alive, barely, and another person was trapped in the car.
Swatches of sadness covered us.
When we somberly arrived to pick up our daughter from her youth group retreat, I hoped to weave some strands of joy into my increasingly tattered tapestry. Instead we were greeted by a sullen teenager whose sum total of describing the weekend was, “It was fine.” The evening went downhill from there.
By the time bedtime arrived I was ready to hit the restart button. This was supposed to be such a great weekend. I surveyed the frayed edges and torn garments strewn about and wondered what happened.
I thought of the apostle Paul, “I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.”(Romans 7:19-20, NLT) It’s such a conundrum. Despite our best intentions, the power of sin is so great.
Life had happened and I'd focused on feelings not faith. But feelings lie, they’re fickle, they rely on our external circumstances and they put ME at the center of it all. So humbly I gathered my homemade rags and brought them to the only One who could salvage the mess.
Forgive me Jesus for once again choosing my wardrobe over yours.
Like Paul said, we want to do right but we don’t. And the enemy is ever-present offering supplies and ideas for the handiwork of our own making.
But God loves us so much he sent Jesus, the master Tailor, to provide better garments. Righteous ones. Yes it takes time. And yes we make mistakes along the way. But when we humbly offer it all He takes our worthless, fraying remnants and crafts them into a quilt of glory. And grace.
And He stitches it all together with one crimson thread.
With our kids away this weekend Dan and I were blessed with a rare treat to spend 24 hours alone together. From start to finish, I should have crafted a comfy blanket of love and stayed bundled inside.
At least the weekend started that way.
On Saturday night we enjoyed a long overdue date and saw the movie, Fireproof. (Side note: This is a must-see movie for anyone who’s married or thinking of getting married. It’s honest, raw, wrenching and beautiful. Rarely have I seen a film delve so deeply and truthfully into the one relationship that’s the greatest gift from God yet receives the greatest heat in our lives—our marriages. Fireproof presents the gospel message in a moving and incredibly relevant way. Since the divorce rate among Christians and non-Christians is virtually the same, Fireproof’s message is universally necessary.)
After the movie we caught a late dinner, but because of the distractions from the Penn State game on the TV and a waiter who wanted to rush us out so he could go home, Dan and I didn’t reconnect as I’d hoped.
I wove in a few strands of regret.
On Sunday morning we attended a Mission Sunday service at a nearby church. They’d invited members of our church’s Dominican Republic missionary team, including my hubby, to participate in the service. Maybe it was worshipping in a new church. Maybe it the familiar hymns of my youth. Maybe it was listening to Dan and our good friend share their moving testimonies. Maybe it was the young people who spoke of a new life in Jesus because of a mission trip they attended this summer. But God moved in that place among those people—and among me. I sensed His presence in a way I’d been craving for some time.
A shawl of godliness cloaked my shoulders.
I was lost in my own thoughts, relishing the God moment, as Dan and I drove to his sister’s house to pick up our son. Part way into the hour-long drive my husband realized we’d forgotten to bring our nephew’s birthday present. The same one he’d forgotten to take with him the day before.
I calmly replied, “No, it should be in here. You put it in the car earlier.” (I’d seen him take the present into the garage to put into the car.)
“Oh, I thought it was trash, so I threw it away," he responded.
Trash? A gift bag with a card and tissue paper and a present inside is trash?
In the blink of an eye, anger shredded the godliness that enveloped me. How could he be so careless? And this wasn’t the first time something like this happened. I’m ashamed of the angry words that came from my mouth.
I simmered for the most of the ride, eventually and reluctantly accepting the olive branch my husband offered. Inside I wondered: how had I gone from marveling at God in one moment to freaking out at my husband the next? I felt like a big fat Christian hypocrite and a horrible example.
Threads of guilt intertwined with the anger.
After a brief chat with my SIL and BIL, we gathered our son and headed home. We weren’t 10 minutes into the trip on the rural winding roads before we saw cars stopped ahead. An accident had just occurred. It was bad. Bumpers, tires, metal and glass littered the asphalt. A mangled car jutted into our lane. Others rested at odd angles. But what caught my eye most of all was a body lying completely motionless on the grass—a few feet from my side of the car. We didn’t know if the man was alive or dead. A visibly upset woman was with him and told us an ambulance was on the way. My husband got out to see if he could help. I stayed in the car with our upset son and prayed.
The police and EMTs arrived moments later so we cleared the way and let them do their jobs. On the ride home Dan told me the man was alive, barely, and another person was trapped in the car.
Swatches of sadness covered us.
When we somberly arrived to pick up our daughter from her youth group retreat, I hoped to weave some strands of joy into my increasingly tattered tapestry. Instead we were greeted by a sullen teenager whose sum total of describing the weekend was, “It was fine.” The evening went downhill from there.
By the time bedtime arrived I was ready to hit the restart button. This was supposed to be such a great weekend. I surveyed the frayed edges and torn garments strewn about and wondered what happened.
I thought of the apostle Paul, “I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.”(Romans 7:19-20, NLT) It’s such a conundrum. Despite our best intentions, the power of sin is so great.
Life had happened and I'd focused on feelings not faith. But feelings lie, they’re fickle, they rely on our external circumstances and they put ME at the center of it all. So humbly I gathered my homemade rags and brought them to the only One who could salvage the mess.
Forgive me Jesus for once again choosing my wardrobe over yours.
Like Paul said, we want to do right but we don’t. And the enemy is ever-present offering supplies and ideas for the handiwork of our own making.
But God loves us so much he sent Jesus, the master Tailor, to provide better garments. Righteous ones. Yes it takes time. And yes we make mistakes along the way. But when we humbly offer it all He takes our worthless, fraying remnants and crafts them into a quilt of glory. And grace.
And He stitches it all together with one crimson thread.
“I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” ~Isaiah 61:10
September 26, 2008
Running the Race — Part 2
In case you’ve been wondering...I did it. Yesterday’s spin class went much better than last week’s. I arrived only five minutes late and didn’t feel like I needed CPR when it was over. I’m making progress!
That’s the thing with fitness. We have to work at it to achieve it and keep working to maintain it. It doesn’t matter how much we spend on fancy footwear, exercise equipment or gym memberships, we might feel better for having them, but if they remain unused we’re no fitter than when we started. And no amount of positive affirmations can change that fact.
For the last several months I’ve been inspired by my friend Susan at Runner Mom. Susan’s a trail runner. Susan doesn’t just talk about loving to run or wanting to run. She runs. A lot. She even makes it seem like fun. Currently she’s training for the San Antonio triathlon. (You go, girl!) Her eyes are fixed on her goal and every day she works toward achieving it.
Do you know each of us is in training for a race? Hebrews 12:1-3 sets the scene:
But goodness is not the goal. Godliness is.
What holds us back is sin. And no amount of effort on our parts can rid it from our lives. Only Jesus can.
Yes, the journey is difficult. We often lose track of the course marked out for us and run one of our own making. We get distracted by the day-to-day, bogged down with worries, lulled into complacency, satisfied with mediocrity and ensnared by the world. But in the pages of God’s word we find a training manual to teach us and a coach to guide us.
To reach the finish line we must run the race. No one else can do it for us. Just like I made a choice to go to the gym, every day we make choices to train or not. Will we attend Sunday worship? Will we pray, participate in a Bible study or read the Bible? Will we encourage a fellow believer, reach out to someone in need or offer forgiveness? Will we choose our way or God’s?
We don’t need to work to achieve our salvation; in fact there is nothing we can do to earn it. But when we become believers, just like my friend Susan we’re training for a long distance race that requires determination, focus and perseverance. Our spiritual muscles go flabby if we don’t keep them fit.
Isn’t it awesome we don’t have to go it alone? Through our brothers and sisters in Christ, God gives us training partners who encourage us, cheer us on, offer a hand up when we’re down, guide us, hold us accountable, refresh our spirits and make the journey much more fun.
I know the training partners God has blessed me with are the sweetest part of my journey so far. Thank you for being there!
Together let us throw off everything that gets in our way, let us run with perseverance and let us fix our eyes on Jesus.
I hope these passages from The Message give you the shot of adrenaline you need today:
That’s the thing with fitness. We have to work at it to achieve it and keep working to maintain it. It doesn’t matter how much we spend on fancy footwear, exercise equipment or gym memberships, we might feel better for having them, but if they remain unused we’re no fitter than when we started. And no amount of positive affirmations can change that fact.
For the last several months I’ve been inspired by my friend Susan at Runner Mom. Susan’s a trail runner. Susan doesn’t just talk about loving to run or wanting to run. She runs. A lot. She even makes it seem like fun. Currently she’s training for the San Antonio triathlon. (You go, girl!) Her eyes are fixed on her goal and every day she works toward achieving it.
Do you know each of us is in training for a race? Hebrews 12:1-3 sets the scene:
“…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus…so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”Before I went to the gym class last week, I thought I was in decent shape. The spin class showed me otherwise. Likewise the Bible offers an examination of our souls that reveals our true condition: we’re spiritually out-of-shape. Inside we might feel like we’re a pretty good and moral person.
But goodness is not the goal. Godliness is.
What holds us back is sin. And no amount of effort on our parts can rid it from our lives. Only Jesus can.
Yes, the journey is difficult. We often lose track of the course marked out for us and run one of our own making. We get distracted by the day-to-day, bogged down with worries, lulled into complacency, satisfied with mediocrity and ensnared by the world. But in the pages of God’s word we find a training manual to teach us and a coach to guide us.
To reach the finish line we must run the race. No one else can do it for us. Just like I made a choice to go to the gym, every day we make choices to train or not. Will we attend Sunday worship? Will we pray, participate in a Bible study or read the Bible? Will we encourage a fellow believer, reach out to someone in need or offer forgiveness? Will we choose our way or God’s?
We don’t need to work to achieve our salvation; in fact there is nothing we can do to earn it. But when we become believers, just like my friend Susan we’re training for a long distance race that requires determination, focus and perseverance. Our spiritual muscles go flabby if we don’t keep them fit.
Isn’t it awesome we don’t have to go it alone? Through our brothers and sisters in Christ, God gives us training partners who encourage us, cheer us on, offer a hand up when we’re down, guide us, hold us accountable, refresh our spirits and make the journey much more fun.
I know the training partners God has blessed me with are the sweetest part of my journey so far. Thank you for being there!
Together let us throw off everything that gets in our way, let us run with perseverance and let us fix our eyes on Jesus.
I hope these passages from The Message give you the shot of adrenaline you need today:
“Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!” (Hebrews 12:1-3)
September 25, 2008
Running the Race -- Part 1 of 2
The kids are off to school and the house is quiet. A perfect setting to write, except for one little thing—in one hour I’ve mentally committed to go to a spin class at my gym. If I delay, procrastinate or get distracted I’ll miss it…again.
There was a time only a few years ago when neither rain, nor shine nor black of night could keep me from spin class—or exercise commitments. I was focused, motivated and dedicated. I followed a daily training schedule—increasing my endurance, monitoring my heart rate and logging some serious time on my bike. During the weekend I might spend an entire day “in the saddle.”
Why? Because I was in training.
My goal: complete a century, 100-mile bike rides, for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training (TnT). With my TnT team, which included my husband, I've ridden through the deserts of New Mexico (at altitude), around Lake Tahoe (again at altitude), throughout coastal Maryland, and all through Bucks, Montgomery, Philadelphia and Lehigh counties. I don’t know how many miles we logged but it has to be thousands.
Riding for my patient heroes and raising money for cancer was definitely one of the most incredible experiences I’ve ever had. But along the way I discovered I don’t love cycling such long distances very much...at all. Plus as a mom with young kids, I found it challenging to balance the training requirments with family responsibilities. So after a few intense years, I gave it up. I rode off into the proverbial sunset and in time returned to a sport I really love—tennis.
But tennis time interfered with gym time so season by season most of the fitness I trained so hard for went away. Since June I’ve been sidelined from tennis because of an injury so now my once-intense fitness schedule has been reduced to brisk walks with my dog. (Who, by the way, is very happy with this arrangement!)
The funny thing is, inside I feel energetic and fit. I think if I wanted I could jump back on my bike and ride, certainly not 100, but at least 25 miles.
Well, last week I went to the gym for the first time in months. I procrastinated to get out of the house but made it to spin class, albeit ten minutes late. I jumped on a bike and joined right in. In no time at all beads of sweat ran down my face. Each gasp of air burned in my throat. My leg muscles quivered. I glanced at the clock anxious to see if we were almost done. Six minutes had elapsed. I couldn't believe I was in this much distress already. There was a time I used to “win” spin class (OK, I might be a bit competitive) and now I struggled to finish!
It didn’t matter how confidently my inner voice had comforted me with feelings of energy and strength. The hard cold truth is: I am out of shape.
Oh, it's time for class. Gotta’ go…
There was a time only a few years ago when neither rain, nor shine nor black of night could keep me from spin class—or exercise commitments. I was focused, motivated and dedicated. I followed a daily training schedule—increasing my endurance, monitoring my heart rate and logging some serious time on my bike. During the weekend I might spend an entire day “in the saddle.”
Why? Because I was in training.
My goal: complete a century, 100-mile bike rides, for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training (TnT). With my TnT team, which included my husband, I've ridden through the deserts of New Mexico (at altitude), around Lake Tahoe (again at altitude), throughout coastal Maryland, and all through Bucks, Montgomery, Philadelphia and Lehigh counties. I don’t know how many miles we logged but it has to be thousands.
Riding for my patient heroes and raising money for cancer was definitely one of the most incredible experiences I’ve ever had. But along the way I discovered I don’t love cycling such long distances very much...at all. Plus as a mom with young kids, I found it challenging to balance the training requirments with family responsibilities. So after a few intense years, I gave it up. I rode off into the proverbial sunset and in time returned to a sport I really love—tennis.
But tennis time interfered with gym time so season by season most of the fitness I trained so hard for went away. Since June I’ve been sidelined from tennis because of an injury so now my once-intense fitness schedule has been reduced to brisk walks with my dog. (Who, by the way, is very happy with this arrangement!)
The funny thing is, inside I feel energetic and fit. I think if I wanted I could jump back on my bike and ride, certainly not 100, but at least 25 miles.
Well, last week I went to the gym for the first time in months. I procrastinated to get out of the house but made it to spin class, albeit ten minutes late. I jumped on a bike and joined right in. In no time at all beads of sweat ran down my face. Each gasp of air burned in my throat. My leg muscles quivered. I glanced at the clock anxious to see if we were almost done. Six minutes had elapsed. I couldn't believe I was in this much distress already. There was a time I used to “win” spin class (OK, I might be a bit competitive) and now I struggled to finish!
It didn’t matter how confidently my inner voice had comforted me with feelings of energy and strength. The hard cold truth is: I am out of shape.
Oh, it's time for class. Gotta’ go…
September 22, 2008
A View Through Sarah Palin's Glasses
Since I write a Christian blog and not a political one, I’ve refrained from politicizing my message. But as I’ve written before, if you look hard enough you can find Jesus in the most unlikely places.
So many news stories clamor for our attention right now: the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, the latest institutional casualties in our shaky financial markets and of course the upcoming presidential election.
But one person receiving a lion’s share of the spotlight is Sarah Palin. Since the end of August when John McCain announced the Alaskan governor as his running mate “Sarah Who?” has become a household name. Already she’s been spoofed on Saturday Night Live. As testament to her popularity I searched her name in Google and received 22 MILLION results. That’s more hits than Al Gore who supposedly invented the Internet! There’s no doubt this hockey mom is a one-woman media storm.
But in the midst of the hubbub, there’s one news item you may have missed. In fact, a mini-economic crisis is upon us—and Sarah Palin is at the center of it.
The cause of it all? Her glasses.
Republican, Democrat or independent there’s one issue regarding the vice presidential nominee on which the majority agrees. We love her glasses! I suppose not since Ben Franklin invented bifocals have spectacles captured our fancies so.
Women (and even men) are flocking to their opticians in search of Governor Palin’s Kawasaki 704 series designer specs. In less than two weeks the Japanese company that manufactures the $375 frames received 9,000 global orders. That’s more than they normally produce in a year! I’m no economic analyst but there’s no way supply can meet demand. Backorders abound. According to the Wall Street Journal, manufacturing has shifted to a 24-hour production cycle.
Of course I write tongue-in-cheek, but upon closer examination there might be more here than meets the eye.
According to Gov. Palin’s optician she selected her now-famous frames from hundreds of choices. (I’ve worn glasses almost my entire life and know what a difficult decision this is!) After much searching she selected just the right pair for her—and the rest, as they say, is history.
Once the thrill of the moment passes and sticker shock sets in I imagine many of those flocking to buy Sarah Palin’s frames will regret their purchase. Something about their new glasses will be “off.” Maybe the frames won’t flatter their face shape or size, match their personality, or complement their coloring or hairstyle. Why? Because eyeglasses simply aren’t an off-the-shelf purchase. One size does not fit all. Even Gov. Palin’s glasses were custom-made specifically for her.
Sometimes we do this with our faith. We see movers and shakers in our church, bible study or favorite ministry who appear to have it all going on. They glow under the spotlight and we think they must certainly know or have something we don’t because…well…just look at them. So we not only admire their godly ways, we try to emulate them as well—to “wear” their faith. We might try to copy how they pray or how they have devotions or worship or talk, and so on. But when we do, something doesn’t fit quite right.
That’s because nothing is more one-of-a-kind than our walk with the Lord. While we can learn from our Christian brothers and sisters, we can’t mimic elements of their walk to accessorize our own. To do so is to lose sight of what God wants from us more than anything. Our hearts. He wants us to love Him with a sincere faith that’s custom-fit to our own unique personality, passion, experiences and gifts. Regardless of how popular or trendy it may be in the eyes of the world.
Have you been borrowing someone else’s faith? Do you want to be custom-fit with a prescription of your own? Do you need to fine-tune the one you have? Go to the Jesus, the One who gives sight to the blind. And when He says, “What do you want me to do for you?” respond, “I want to see.” (Mark 10:51)
As popular as they are today, Sarah Palin’s glasses will soon be yesterday’s news. Time will tell whether she will follow their fate. As much of our attention is fixed on who will lead our country come January, let’s remember politicians come and go. In one year, one decade, one century our focus will shift continually from one to the next.
But there is one leader who HAS, DOES and WILL stand the test of time.
Jesus.
As we set our sights on the future, let’s never forget on whom we need to fix our gaze.
By the way, if you add up all the Google hits for all four presidential and vice presidential nominees, both Clintons, Ronald Reagan, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington COMBINED, Jesus still comes out ahead.
So many news stories clamor for our attention right now: the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, the latest institutional casualties in our shaky financial markets and of course the upcoming presidential election.
But one person receiving a lion’s share of the spotlight is Sarah Palin. Since the end of August when John McCain announced the Alaskan governor as his running mate “Sarah Who?” has become a household name. Already she’s been spoofed on Saturday Night Live. As testament to her popularity I searched her name in Google and received 22 MILLION results. That’s more hits than Al Gore who supposedly invented the Internet! There’s no doubt this hockey mom is a one-woman media storm.
But in the midst of the hubbub, there’s one news item you may have missed. In fact, a mini-economic crisis is upon us—and Sarah Palin is at the center of it.
The cause of it all? Her glasses.
Republican, Democrat or independent there’s one issue regarding the vice presidential nominee on which the majority agrees. We love her glasses! I suppose not since Ben Franklin invented bifocals have spectacles captured our fancies so.
Women (and even men) are flocking to their opticians in search of Governor Palin’s Kawasaki 704 series designer specs. In less than two weeks the Japanese company that manufactures the $375 frames received 9,000 global orders. That’s more than they normally produce in a year! I’m no economic analyst but there’s no way supply can meet demand. Backorders abound. According to the Wall Street Journal, manufacturing has shifted to a 24-hour production cycle.
Of course I write tongue-in-cheek, but upon closer examination there might be more here than meets the eye.
According to Gov. Palin’s optician she selected her now-famous frames from hundreds of choices. (I’ve worn glasses almost my entire life and know what a difficult decision this is!) After much searching she selected just the right pair for her—and the rest, as they say, is history.
Once the thrill of the moment passes and sticker shock sets in I imagine many of those flocking to buy Sarah Palin’s frames will regret their purchase. Something about their new glasses will be “off.” Maybe the frames won’t flatter their face shape or size, match their personality, or complement their coloring or hairstyle. Why? Because eyeglasses simply aren’t an off-the-shelf purchase. One size does not fit all. Even Gov. Palin’s glasses were custom-made specifically for her.
Sometimes we do this with our faith. We see movers and shakers in our church, bible study or favorite ministry who appear to have it all going on. They glow under the spotlight and we think they must certainly know or have something we don’t because…well…just look at them. So we not only admire their godly ways, we try to emulate them as well—to “wear” their faith. We might try to copy how they pray or how they have devotions or worship or talk, and so on. But when we do, something doesn’t fit quite right.
That’s because nothing is more one-of-a-kind than our walk with the Lord. While we can learn from our Christian brothers and sisters, we can’t mimic elements of their walk to accessorize our own. To do so is to lose sight of what God wants from us more than anything. Our hearts. He wants us to love Him with a sincere faith that’s custom-fit to our own unique personality, passion, experiences and gifts. Regardless of how popular or trendy it may be in the eyes of the world.
Have you been borrowing someone else’s faith? Do you want to be custom-fit with a prescription of your own? Do you need to fine-tune the one you have? Go to the Jesus, the One who gives sight to the blind. And when He says, “What do you want me to do for you?” respond, “I want to see.” (Mark 10:51)
As popular as they are today, Sarah Palin’s glasses will soon be yesterday’s news. Time will tell whether she will follow their fate. As much of our attention is fixed on who will lead our country come January, let’s remember politicians come and go. In one year, one decade, one century our focus will shift continually from one to the next.
But there is one leader who HAS, DOES and WILL stand the test of time.
Jesus.
As we set our sights on the future, let’s never forget on whom we need to fix our gaze.
By the way, if you add up all the Google hits for all four presidential and vice presidential nominees, both Clintons, Ronald Reagan, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington COMBINED, Jesus still comes out ahead.
September 18, 2008
To Believe or Not to Believe?
Thank you all of you who commented and emailed me yesterday. It was nice to "meet" some of you for the first time and hear from friends I didn't know were reading.
Yesterday I touched on the responsibility I, and really all of us, have as Christians to use the gifts God has given us to honor Him and point others to Jesus.
To that end I wanted to share something based on a book I read the other day.
Many people believe Jesus was either a great teacher or wise prophet but they can’t accept He is the Son of God. They think Christians are out of their minds and that no thinking person could see things otherwise. They poke holes in the Christian faith and argue against it. Bystanders follow the vocal minority and discard or discredit Christianity as myth or fallacy without ever investigating its message. This describes my point of view for many, many years.
Josh McDowell was also such a person—until he accepted a challenge to rigorously and intellectually examine the claims of Jesus. And he found his supposedly well-formed arguments didn’t hold up. His quest resulted in the book, More than a Carpenter. Here’s an excerpt:
Jesus claimed to be God, and to him it was of fundamental importance that men and women believed him to be who he was. Either we believe him or we don’t. He didn’t leave any wiggle room for in-between, watered-down alternatives. One who claimed what Jesus claimed about himself couldn’t be a good moral man or prophet. That option isn’t open to us, and Jesus never intended it to be.”
As C.S. Lewis, a former agnostic, wrote in Mere Christianity, “I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse.”
“You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon, or you can fall at His fee and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He as not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”
Lord, liar or lunatic? Jesus didn’t leave us any choice.
Are you skeptical about the claims of Jesus? Do you accept Him, but still have doubts? Or would you like to be able to concretely explain why you have the hope in Jesus you do? Check out More than a Carpenter, The Case for Faith or an Alpha course near you.
Yesterday I touched on the responsibility I, and really all of us, have as Christians to use the gifts God has given us to honor Him and point others to Jesus.
To that end I wanted to share something based on a book I read the other day.
Many people believe Jesus was either a great teacher or wise prophet but they can’t accept He is the Son of God. They think Christians are out of their minds and that no thinking person could see things otherwise. They poke holes in the Christian faith and argue against it. Bystanders follow the vocal minority and discard or discredit Christianity as myth or fallacy without ever investigating its message. This describes my point of view for many, many years.
Josh McDowell was also such a person—until he accepted a challenge to rigorously and intellectually examine the claims of Jesus. And he found his supposedly well-formed arguments didn’t hold up. His quest resulted in the book, More than a Carpenter. Here’s an excerpt:
Jesus claimed to be God, and to him it was of fundamental importance that men and women believed him to be who he was. Either we believe him or we don’t. He didn’t leave any wiggle room for in-between, watered-down alternatives. One who claimed what Jesus claimed about himself couldn’t be a good moral man or prophet. That option isn’t open to us, and Jesus never intended it to be.”
As C.S. Lewis, a former agnostic, wrote in Mere Christianity, “I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse.”
“You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon, or you can fall at His fee and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He as not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”
Lord, liar or lunatic? Jesus didn’t leave us any choice.
Are you skeptical about the claims of Jesus? Do you accept Him, but still have doubts? Or would you like to be able to concretely explain why you have the hope in Jesus you do? Check out More than a Carpenter, The Case for Faith or an Alpha course near you.
September 16, 2008
Living (and Writing) on Purpose
If you know me and I asked you to use a handful of adjectives to describe me, “chatty” would most likely not be one you’d come up with. Because I'm not. I tend to be quiet and reflective. I prefer one-on-one chats to large group conversations. And I’m perfectly content to listen to and observe a conversation instead of dominating it. I suspect my blog reflects that part of my personality.
In the world of blogging, “chatty” is good. If you’re unfamiliar with this blogging stuff, you probably wouldn’t believe the number of moms, both Christian and not, who spend their days "chatting" in the blogosphere with others like them. (When I was a young mom craving connections this probably would have appealed to me.) Anyway it’s pretty clear the chattier blogs are more “popular.” It seems they attract a larger audience and receive lots of comments. And chatty or not, comments are the life blood of any blogger!
Sometimes, seeing all of this “popularity” and the numbers of comments others receive makes me feel overlooked and left out. Like the one not picked for the team or asked to the dance. And it’s discouraging, at times, to spend so much time writing an entry it seems hardly anyone reads.
But when my thoughts go in this direction, I give myself a whack on the head to recall why I blog. It’s not to become a popular blogger, seek out friendships or write about the details of my day-to-day life as a mom (not that I can imagine anyone being the least bit interested!). It’s to honor God with the insights and writing ability He’s given me. I'm still finding my way, and while it's not my purpose I have met some lovely people in the process.
About three weeks ago I installed a free program that tracks traffic to my blog. With it I can see how many people visit my site, how long they stay, how many pages they view and more. And you know what? I was shocked to find out—many more people view my blog than I imagined. (If you’re reading this, thank you!)
And coolest of all, a world map geographically pinpoints my blog’s visitors. (Don’t worry; it doesn’t reveal your name, address or any personal information!) The web is truly worldwide and in 21 days I’ve had visitors from all over the United States, plus South Africa, Taiwan, Australia, Philippines, Pakistan, Netherlands, Croatia, Italy, England and Brazil. Sitting at my desk, in almost complete anonymity, my words have traveled to six out of seven continents (and I don’t even think they have the internet in Antarctica)!
It’s amazing! (Although some of those visits were from people looking for something completely unrelated, like a person in Pakistan who Googled “free awesome god karaoke.”)
I’ll admit my selfish side was happy to see my words going further than I’d thought. But once the thrill of virtual world travel wore off, I realized a greater sense of responsibility to not only write well, but also to share the Good News. Because I really don’t know who might land on the steps of my blog. And each of you with a web-presence has this same opportunity
To that end I wanted to share something based on a book I was reading yesterday.
To be continued...
Check back tomorrow for part two. And one more thing...please do a girl a favor and leave a comment and say, "Hi!" Seeing you as a dot on a map is great, but “meeting” you is so much better! :-)
In the world of blogging, “chatty” is good. If you’re unfamiliar with this blogging stuff, you probably wouldn’t believe the number of moms, both Christian and not, who spend their days "chatting" in the blogosphere with others like them. (When I was a young mom craving connections this probably would have appealed to me.) Anyway it’s pretty clear the chattier blogs are more “popular.” It seems they attract a larger audience and receive lots of comments. And chatty or not, comments are the life blood of any blogger!
Sometimes, seeing all of this “popularity” and the numbers of comments others receive makes me feel overlooked and left out. Like the one not picked for the team or asked to the dance. And it’s discouraging, at times, to spend so much time writing an entry it seems hardly anyone reads.
But when my thoughts go in this direction, I give myself a whack on the head to recall why I blog. It’s not to become a popular blogger, seek out friendships or write about the details of my day-to-day life as a mom (not that I can imagine anyone being the least bit interested!). It’s to honor God with the insights and writing ability He’s given me. I'm still finding my way, and while it's not my purpose I have met some lovely people in the process.
About three weeks ago I installed a free program that tracks traffic to my blog. With it I can see how many people visit my site, how long they stay, how many pages they view and more. And you know what? I was shocked to find out—many more people view my blog than I imagined. (If you’re reading this, thank you!)
And coolest of all, a world map geographically pinpoints my blog’s visitors. (Don’t worry; it doesn’t reveal your name, address or any personal information!) The web is truly worldwide and in 21 days I’ve had visitors from all over the United States, plus South Africa, Taiwan, Australia, Philippines, Pakistan, Netherlands, Croatia, Italy, England and Brazil. Sitting at my desk, in almost complete anonymity, my words have traveled to six out of seven continents (and I don’t even think they have the internet in Antarctica)!
It’s amazing! (Although some of those visits were from people looking for something completely unrelated, like a person in Pakistan who Googled “free awesome god karaoke.”)
I’ll admit my selfish side was happy to see my words going further than I’d thought. But once the thrill of virtual world travel wore off, I realized a greater sense of responsibility to not only write well, but also to share the Good News. Because I really don’t know who might land on the steps of my blog. And each of you with a web-presence has this same opportunity
To that end I wanted to share something based on a book I was reading yesterday.
To be continued...
Check back tomorrow for part two. And one more thing...please do a girl a favor and leave a comment and say, "Hi!" Seeing you as a dot on a map is great, but “meeting” you is so much better! :-)
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