My life in six words...

Anilee tagged me in the "6 word memoir challenge".

Write about my whole life in six tiny words? Wow. For a loquatious person like me, that is harder then any other writing activity I've ever done. But I like the challenge, so I'm going to try.

Here's my thinking.

My life right now is all about speaking up, speaking out, and sharing my thoughts with the world (thus, the motivation for starting this blog!!). I am finding who I am and figuring out who I'm not. I'm becoming someone that, a few years ago, would not have seemed conceivable. For a shy girl who never questioned authority or defied the ordinary...my life now is the complete opposite of who I used to be! And yet, the person I WAS will always continue to shape who I WILL be and how I react to things. Does that make sense?

I wanted to capture all of that in my sentence. My defiance of the expected. My need to be heard. And my acknowledgement of who I used to be.

Here's what I came up with:

I will not be silent anymore.

(Wow. Who knew one sentence could make you think so hard????)

I'm still not sure that I'm entirely happy with that. I feel like it makes me sound TOO rebellious...and it doesn't capture my innate enthusiasm and passion....so I might keep thinking. But it's a start :) and as hard as this was for me, I truly enjoyed it. Thanks, Anilee :)

Ok, your turn. Everyone reading this blog -- whether you're a member of Blogger.com or not -- I challenge you to do this. Sum up your life in one sentence composted of 6 -- ONLY SIX -- words. I would LOVE to read your sentences once you've got them (reminder to all the non-bloggers reading this -- you can post too! Click on "comments" and choose "anonymous" or "other" -- you can fill in any name you want there. See if I can figure out who you are!)

And, just to keep the game going, I tag: Somnium and Nat.

Advice from Dr Seuss

EEEP! This blog has been getting altogether too serious for me lately. Too...dark and intense. I think that's why I haven't written lately, because I haven't been in this deep contemplative mood...I've been too busy loving life :)
I think I need to change layout, too...with Spring just around the corner and my current intense good mood, I'm feeling the need for something much happier and brighter!!


(Thank you, Hannah dear, for the idea that sparked this post. Your "bumper sticker" did it!)

So! Last week (March 2) was Dr. Seuss' birthday. (Yes, you guys remember....good ol' Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, Fox in Socks, the Biddle Beetle Battle Bubble [I can't ever remember the name of that one!!! Anyone else know the real title?!], How The Grinch Stole Christmas, The Lorax, Oh The Places You'll Go! (a personal favorite!) and so many other classics)... I celebrated this momentous occasion by dressing up as Cat in the Hat himself and reading "Green Eggs and Ham" to the preschoolers. It was incredibly exciting, actually :)

Dr Seuss is one of my all time favorite authors -- he always has been. I mean, how can you not love a writer who rhymes nonsense words and still makes sense!? In all seriousness, though, look at the themes of his books -- the spirit of Christmas is about more then gifts, there are plenty of things to do on rainy days [creativity and optimism], and even (*gasp!*) trying new (green!) foods might actually turn out to be a positive experience [open-mindedness]!! But on top of that, Dr Seuss has some truly insightful words of wisdom to live by as well.

Take this quote, for instance:

"Be who you are
and say what you feel,
because those who mind, don't matter,
and those who matter, don't mind."

Ever struggle with self-esteem? With being to shy or self-concious to be yourself? Everyone's always loudly proclaiming, "BE YOURSELF!" "STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF!" but the majority of the time, "everyone" fails to acknowledge how scary that can be. Sometimes it's much easier to conform and melt into the crowd. (Trust me, I know!) To become just one more of the sea of faces out there, and not worry about being singled out. To silence your own voice for fear of being heard.

Today in Sunday School we talked about love, and all the different facets of love. How the media portrays love. How this country sees love. How the world as a whole defines love. How we as individuals understand love. Ways to express love and how love is manifested...you get the idea.

Love is supportive. (See 1 Corinth. 13: 1-13 for more on the Biblical definition of love). It is through love that we find the courage and support we need to become who we are!! Whether we're kids, teens or adults, or anywhere in between, it seems to be a lifelong struggle to find our "place" in this world, doesn't it? We are constantly trying to figure out how we fit in and who we are....

And it is through and because of the love of our family, friends and God that we have the freedom to take some leaps of faith, try new things and figure out just WHO we are!

Don't be afraid to go out there and do something crazy! Wear mismatched socks. Watch a VeggieTales movie. Go skipping down the streets of Argentina singing Dora the Explorer songs. Eat dessert first. Speak your mind. Take a walk in the rain. Re-read one of your favorite books from eons ago, back in your childhood days. Wear your clothes backwards and see how many people notice. Go out to eat at midnight in your pajamas. Smile at 50 specific people today and tell them you hope they're having a great day. Give hugs to someone you care about.

It's OK to defy the ordinary and be unique! I'm finding that the people in your life who truly care about you will love you despite..or perhaps because of!...your zaniness. When you do something silly, they'll still love you. When you speak your mind, whether they agree with you or not...they'll still love you. And it's love like this that gives us strength, hope and courage.

Don't let yourself become consumed by other's opinions. After all, EVERYONE has an opinion about EVERYTHING, somewhere deep down, and yes, there are going to be people who will look at you funny and point and whisper when you wear mismatched socks. But hey, that's OK. You've got the love of those who care about you backing you up -- because "...those who matter won't mind".

So take the immortal words of Dr Seuss to heart (No, no, no, not, "Would you eat them with a goat? Would you eat them on a boat?!"...) and I challenge you today to go out there and say what you feel. (And maybe wear mismatched socks while doing it???)

Presence or Absence?

The following is an email I received. Make sure you read the whole thing and follow the reasoning and the logic -- it's very interesting!

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"Let me explain the problem science has with Jesus Christ." The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand.

"You're a Christian, aren't you, son?"

"Yes sir," the student says.

"So you believe in God?"

"Absolutely."

"Is God good?"

"Sure! God's good."

"Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?"

"Yes."

"Are you good or evil?"

"The Bible says I'm evil."

The professor grins knowingly. "Aha! The Bible!" He considers for a moment. "Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?"

"Yes sir, I would."

"So you're good...!"

"I wouldn't say that."

"But why not say that? You'd help a sick and maimed person if you could. Most of us would if we could. But God doesn't."

The student does not answer, so the professor continues. "He doesn't, does he? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he prayed to Jesus to heal him. How is this Jesus good? Hmmm? Can you answer that one?"

The student remains silent.

"No, you can't, can you?" the professor says. He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax.

"Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?"

"Er...yes," the student says.

"Is Satan good?"

The student doesn't hesitate on this one. "No."

"Then where does Satan come from?"

The student falters. "From...God..."

"That's right. God made Satan, didn't he? Tell me, son. Is there evil in this world?"

"Yes, sir."

"Evil's everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything, correct?"

"Yes."

"So who created evil?" The professor continued, "If God created everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil."

Again, the student has no answer. "Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things, do they exist in this world?"

The student squirms on his feet. "Yes."

"So who created them?"

The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question. "Who created them? There is still no answer. Suddenly the lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is mesmerized.

"Tell me," he continues onto another student. "Do you believe in Jesus Christ, son?"

The student's voice betrays him and cracks. "Yes, professor, I do."

The old man stops pacing. "Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?"

"No sir. I've never seen Him."

"Then tell us if you've ever heard your Jesus?"

"No, sir, I have not."

"Have you ever felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelt your Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for that matter?"

"No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't."

"Yet you still believe in him?"

"Yes."

"According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?"

"Nothing," the student replies. "I only have my faith."

"Yes, faith," the professor repeats. "And that is the problem science has with God. There is no evidence, only faith."

The student stands quietly for a moment, before asking a question of his own. "Professor, is there such thing as heat?"

"Yes," the professor replies. "There's heat."

"And is there such a thing as cold?"

"Yes, son, there's cold too."

"No sir, there isn't."

The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested. The room suddenly becomes very quiet. The student begins to explain.

"You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, unlimited heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have anything called 'cold'. We can hit up to 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold; otherwise we would be able to go colder than the lowest -458 degrees. Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (-458 F) is the total absence of heat. You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it."

Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding like a hammer.

"What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?"

"Yes," the professor replies without hesitation. "What is night if it
isn't darkness?"

"You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light, but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the word. In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?"

The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will be a good semester. "So what point are you making, young man?"

"Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start with, and so your conclusion must also be flawed."

The professor's face cannot hide his surprise this time. “Flawed? Can you explain how?"

"You are working on the premise of duality," the student explains. "You argue that there is life and then there's death; a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it.

"Now tell me, professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?"

"If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man, yes, of course I do."

"Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?"

The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes where the argument is going. A very good semester, indeed.

"Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going Endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?"

The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion has subsided.

"To continue the point you were making earlier to the other student, let me give you an example of what I mean."

The student looks around the room. "Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the professor's brain?" The class breaks out into laughter.

"Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor's brain, felt the professor's brain, touched or smelt the professor's brain? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, with all due respect, sir. So if science says you have no brain, how can we trust your lectures, sir?"

Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his face unreadable.

Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man answers. "I guess you'll have to take them on faith."

"Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with life," the student continues. "Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?"

Now uncertain, the professor responds, "Of course, there is. We see it everyday. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil."

To this the student replied, "Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light."

The professor sat down.

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Just Because

My very best friend in the world has taught me an awful lot. Lately, though, she has been teaching me about a new phenomenon of hers which she calls, "paying it forward". In other words... doing nice things for other people "just because".

She says, "I am convinced that we could change the world [emphasis mine] if we would all 'pay it forward'. Do something nice for no reason. It puts someone else in a better mood and then they are more likely to do something nice, etc. etc. I love to do nice things just for the sake of happiness. My mom taught me. She didn't teach it, she just does it. And I have seen how people react. And it's powerful."

And she herself is an incredible example of this. We went to a sporting event last weekend, and ahead of us on the stairs was a woman trying to carry a stroller, three bags and a baby in a carrier down the stairs. Most people would have walked right by her, but my best friend stopped and offered to help and we all grabbed some of this womans stuff and helped her downstairs. It was a simple gesture, but this woman really appreciated it. Later, as we were leaving the gym, on her way out, my friend stopped to pick up empty water bottles and litter and threw it all away, so the coaches wouldn't have to deal with it later. Again, another simple gesture -- but it was appreciated. Something she did without even thinking about it. Something that came natural to her.

She is such a great example of someone who serves others just for the sake of serving. Not for any kind of recognition, not to build up her reputation and not to be praised. She doesn't help others only when people are watching, so she can build up her reputation. In fact, she probably doesn't even think anyone is watching her.

But I am. And through watching her example, I've learned a whole lot about serving others. Not for personal glory, but for God's glory. My best friend is living a life that God wants her to lead by serving others with a smiling face and cheerful attitude. She never once complained about how heavy the stroller was or how picking up water bottles made her late when she was in hurry. She is a true example of a servant with a servant's heart.

And because of this, I've found myself looking for opportunities to serve others in unexpected ways. Letting people go ahead of me in the grocery store. Letting someone else have that perfect parking space. Holding doors for total strangers. Even something as simple as just smiling or saying "Have a great day!" has been known to make other people smile.

I've experienced the powerful reactions to "paying it forward" myself. Here is a story that happened to me a few weeks ago while grocery shopping... (as told to my very best friend in the entire world):

I really do love grocery shopping... So I guess I was smiling a lot, and I was also singing preschool songs softly since we did a lot of music today, they were all stuck in my head. And I saw three preschool families there, at the grocery store, and was happy to have the chance to talk to them, so I guess I was rather cheery.

I kept seeing this Lady in the Blue Coat (for lack of any better way to describe her); somehow she was always in the same aisle as me, so I guess I probably kept smiling at her. I honestly don't remember, it was just instinct.

So anyway, I'm in line, in the express line, because my I-just-need-cat-food run had turned into a 9-item run. So I'm in the express line and behind me comes this young-ish woman trying to balance an infant carrier (with an adorable little girl inside!) in one arm and a single containter of baby food, a set of plastic bowls and a diaper bag in the other.

So I said, "Would you like to go in front of me?" No big deal. But her eyes got wide and she started saying, "Oh, yes, that would be wonderful; oh, thank you! Oh, this is so nice of you! Oh, I really appreciate this, thank you!" and on and on... So she moves up and now, behind me, is none other then the Lady in the Blue Coat... and I felt like she was watching me, but I figured I was being paranoid.

So I kept chatting with the young lady with the baby as the cashier rang up her stuff and said goodbye to her (she was still thanking me!) and then I bagged my groceries and paid for them and said Thank You to the cashier and wished her a nice day and was on my way.

And then, as I was walking out to the car, the Lady in the Blue Coat who had been behind me came running to catch up to me. "Excuse me, excuse me!" she said. I stopped and she said, "I just wanted to say...well, that was really nice, what you did in there." I must have looked puzzled, because she continued, "Letting that woman go ahead of you. That was so nice! And you yourself...I kept seeing you in that store and you just kept smiling. And it was so refreshing, because I think you were the only person in that store who WAS smiling! And you were so polite and sweet to the cashier! It's just good to know there are still some good, nice, college students out there."

I thanked her and replied that actually, I was still only in high school. She looked utterly shocked. I can't think of any other way to describe it! And then she said, 'Oh...well...wow! That's even more amazing, then! Thank you for putting me in a good mood!" And then she left.

It was pretty cool!! I mean, all of those things just came so natrual to me; I did them...smiling, singing, saying thank you, letting that young woman go ahead of me...without even thinking. It's just who I am, I guess, but it was interesting that it affected this Lady in the Blue Coat so much.

We are God's ambassadors, here to live by example and do God's work. We don't always have to be traveling overseas and making all the little nations get along or ending world hunger in order to do His work. Living a Christian life can start by just being an ambassador of God's love. Showing kindness and compassion to others in small ways. You might not feel likeyouy're making a difference in the world, but to that one person, you might be making a world of difference.

Just like my best friend, who didn't think anyone was watching her actions... I was. And I am learning from watching her. Who knows how many people will be watching you, and learning from you? Who knows how many lives you can change?

I challenge you to look for opportunities to "pay it forward". To do something nice for someone else, "just because". Let's see if we can change the world.

When Silence Becomes Singing

Today at preschool I was reading a picture book called Musical Max by Robert Kraus (a fantastic children's book author!). It's about Max, a hippo, who loves to play music all day long. He practices every instrument known to man (or, well, hippo), including the trombone, bass, trumpet, drums, piano, cymbals, and synthesizer. His mother thinks it's wonderful, but she is in the minority, because his father and all of his neighbors are NOT HAPPY with Max's continuous "music".
"This noise is driving me crazy!" says his father, who begins to wear earmuffs.
"This noise is driving us CRAZY!" say his neighbors, who give him Evil Glares and tell him to stop and spent most of the book lamenting over how they long for peace and silence.
So one day, Max announces that he no longer feels like practicing. He's not in the mood, he informs everyone, so he takes up baseball instead. And for days, there's no music. Max's father removes his earmuffs.
For weeks, theres's no music. The neighbors breathe a sigh of relief.
For months, there's no music.
"This silence is driving me crazy!" says Max's dad.
Still no music.
"This silence is driving us CRAZY!" say the neighbors.
Seasons change.
Still no music. "I'm not in the mood," says Max.......


In e e cummings' poem, "i am a little church (no great cathedral)" there is a line that caught my attention:

"i am not sorry when silence becomes singing"

I really liked this line, because it really describes my outlook on life...or at least, what I'd like my outlook on life to be.

Now, at some point, everyone likes silence. Everyone LOVES silence, in fact, and I will wholeheartedly agree that there are times when silence is the at the top of my wishlist. Like today, for instance, when both dogs were barking at the cat who was hiding in my brother's room who was gleefully clapping at the excitement which was causing my mother to yell, "QUIIIIIIET!" which caused my father to come stomping up the stairs from the basement to find out what all the racket was about and I just really wanted to write my silly essays and be done with it. Silence would have been blissful right about then.

"i am not sorry when silence becomes singing".

Look at this tiny line for all that it is. Think about what else e e cummings might be trying to convey there. I'm not sorry when silence becomes singing. I'm not sorry when nothing becomes something. I'm not sorry when uncertain hesitation becomes confident proclamation. I'm not sorry when boredom becomes joy. I'm not sorry when fear becomes relief. I'm not sorry when someone finds the strength to express themselves. I'm not sorry when seriousness is shattered by praise....

It's so easy to get so caught up in our want of silence that we are frustrated, irritated or annoyed at singing. My brother has a rather annoying habit of walking around the house "singing opera" (it's really neither singing nor opera, but he thinks it is) at the top of his lungs at any given hour. And yes, believe it or not, most of the time, if I was given the option I'd choose silence over that "singing".

But that's because I'm more focused on my own selfish needs or desires instead of someone else's. I'm thinking about what I need -- time to concentrate on schoolwork; time to think; 10 whole minutes without a headache...and I miss the point. That singing signifies joy. Happiness. Singing is a form of praise, and who am I to try and squash that praise with my own dull, callous, selfish silence??

I think we'd all do well to encourage a little more singing and a little less silence.

Remember our hippo friend Max?

He eventually decides that he's in the mood to play music again. He goes back and picks up his music and from the looks on the neighbor's faces, he's still just as noisy as he was before.
But his father and neighbors have made a great discovery -- that silence that they thought they longed for? It turned out to be dreadfully uncomfortable. It turned out to be horribly cold and dark and it wasn't what they wanted at all. They actually longed for the comforting sounds of Max's practicing.

So when Max started to practice again, not only did they encourage him and jump for joy...
They all joined in. Yup. All the neighborhood animals and Max's father, too, all joined in. They formed a great big band and made great music together.
They turned that awful silence into singing.
With Max as the conductor.

Here's to a little more singing and a little less silence.
Maybe we can all join in.

Safe or Stuck?

First of all, I invite you all to check out a brand new fantastic blog, Somnium of Sarcalogos. (The Latin student in me is just loooooooving that name!!)

Yes, I've been rather lax this month with posts. I'm sorry...there's just been too much going on!! Hopefully things will settle down (at least a little!) now and I can post more in February. We shall see :)

Now....

For the past two weeks in Sunday School, we've been discussing fences. We began by discussing the many purposes and functions of fences. Because really, fences are pretty extraordinary things, when you think about it!

At the preschool I work at, we have a fence around the playground -- to keep the kids in and away from the parking lot and busy road.

My friend has a fence to keep her dogs in their yard.

Fences can be used to create boundaries -- they say, "This is MINE. That is YOURS." Fences can be used as an unquestionable, visual reminder of property. Our neighbors have a fence between their yard and ours. There's never a question of who needs to mow what grass -- we know exactly where our boundaries end and theirs begin.

My youth leader then went on to state, "God's laws are like fences -- do you agree?"

Well, that was an intresting question. God's laws are like fences??

Maybe they are. God certainly lays out boundaries for us. He makes it quite clear in the Bible what He expects of us and what He expects us to stay away from. There's no question about that.

And just like that fence that keeps preschoolers safe...God's laws keep us safe too.

Do we like it? Not usually. It's easy to get so focused on the fence or the blockade in front of you that you miss what's beyond it. You might be so busy lamenting your lack of freedom that you don't see the danger beyond.
Fences do more then keep us IN. They keep danger OUT.

Take my preschoolers -- there are many days when they complain, "There's not enough room! I want to go run out there!" Every single day kids try to climb over the fence, under the fence, or run out past the gate. There is one child who seems to think that running into the fence at top speed will eventually cause it to break and let him out!

The kids don't realize that there are cars in the parking lot and a busy, dangerous road out there -- they are too focused on getting their freedom. They don't know any better -- they need that fence to keep them safe, because they don't understand that danger lurks beyond the fence. Left to their own devices, they would make dangerous choices.

We're an awful lot like those preschoolers, aren't we? God puts up fences in our lives and we spend a good amount of energy trying to climb over them, crawl under them or even run right through them. We don't pause to think about WHY the fences are there -- we're too busy complaining about them.

The fact is, God gives us laws to live by, because without them, we'd just make a big mess of things. We'd make the same dangerous choice as a preschooler running out on a busy road. Quite plainly, we just don't know enough about what's out there, beyond our fences and boundaries.

But God does. God sees everything we will ever encounter, and He builds up fences in the exact places we need them most. Not to trap us. Not to hold us hostage or make our lives miserable or deny us our freedom or be a big old meanie. It's exactly the opposite -- God gives us laws and rules to live by because He loves us, and He knows what's best for us, and He wants to prevent us from blindly running out in the middle of a road.

Often, we teachers find that when we ask the kids why they want to get out of the fence, they can't really come up with answer. They seem to want it simply because it's something new and interesting -- they just want to do something different. Maybe they're just bored. It usually just takes a few suggestions about new things they can do INSIDE the fences, new ideas and new ways to play, and suddenly they lose interest in climbing fences and running away.

Is that how it is with us? Do we just want to break God's laws to test our boundaries, to see what will happen, to try something new and intresting? Is there any good reason for our disobedience beyond boredom?

Next time you find yourself attempting to climb over a fence, pause and think for a minute. What might be beyond this fence that God's trying to protect me from? Is it really that important for me to be out there, instead of in here? Am I just testing my boundaries with God?

Make it a habit to look at your fences as God's wall of protection rather then a big cruel cage. Maybe you'll even find you like the view better from inside the fence.

Failings of the Future

God sees the worst of you and loves you still. Your sins of tomorrow and failings of the future will not surprise Him -- He sees them now.
And He loves you still.

I was reading Max Lucado's "Hope: Pure and Simple" (I HIGHLY recommend this book!!! All of his books, really..!) and I stumbled across this tiny passage. The magnitude of the message and the incredible-ness of the implications made me stop and think. And re-read it. Here, read it again:

God sees the worst of you and loves you still.
Your sins of tomorrow and failings of the future will not surprise Him -- He sees them N O W.
And He loves you still.

Take a deep breath and just think about this passage for a moment or two.

Being in high school, I'm having a lot of experience right now with interviews and applications. Think about an interview you had or an application you filled out: Was it about your successes or your failures? Your achievements or your mistakes?
We live in a society obsessed with pride. Listing our successes and hiding our failures. Lifting up people for their accomplishments and laughing at those who make mistakes. We are obsessed with constantly trying to justify ourselves, our lives, our deeds and live up to -- or exceed -- the expectations of others to succeed. We have this bizarre need to tell the world of our accomplishments and hide our failures.

I mean, just look at it -- your education, your acceptance in to colleges relies on all the good things you've done.
From every angle, this world is telling us, "You must be successful!! You are a worthy person when you succeed!"

Look at sports "heroes". Are people thrilled with them when they lose a game? Do fans look up to and admire an athlete who has failed over and over again?
Usually not.
In a sad way, people's love of sports heroes depends on their success.

Colleges only want you if you are successful; if you have achievements to list and reasons to be considered worthy.

Who would want a failure? Who could love a failure?

The One who sees the worst of you and loves you still.

You see, God's message is so very different then the world's. God says, "I know you are going to fail. I love you anyway. Just come to me and I will welcome you back with loving arms."

You can run as far as you possibly can from God, and He will still be right there waiting for you, with open arms and a hopeful heart, waiting for you to turn around and accept His love. There is nothing you can possibly do that will end God's love for you.
You don't need an application or an interview in order to be God's child. God already knows every solitary thing about you -- every achievement...and every single failure too.

And He still loves you. He still wants you.
And that is the most amazing and confusing and comforting concept, all at once.

Can you believe that there is Someone out there who already knows every single thing about you? Who knows every single mistake you will ever make? Every cruel word you'll utter, every angry argument you'll have, every attempt at revenge, every sinful thought and deed, every possible failure...
and that, despite all this, He loves you still?

In a world where it sometimes feels like you're not good enough for anything, there is a God who says you are good enough for Him.

Ever heard the story of the Prodigal Son? It's found in Luke 15:11-32.(Or, you can watch the VeggieTales version, The Wizard of Ha's)

It's about a guy who thinks he knows better then his father. He gets fed up with the hardworking life of his family on the farm, has a bitter argument with his father, takes his inheiratance money, leaves the family farm and runs off to have the time of his life.
And for awhile, he does -- everything he could ever want or need is his. Gambling, reading magazines of questionable content, X-rated movies, smoking who knows what, buying expensive jewelry and clothes and for him, life is going well. He is living his dream -- freedom, luxury, and all the wine he can drink.
He thinks he's happy, even. Until he runs out of money.
He is suddenly left with no friends, no money, no house, no job, absolutely nothing.
His new "friends" disappeared along with his last penny.
He's afraid to go back to his father because he thinks that his failures will cost him his father's love.
He has failed too many times, you see. He messed up. He sinned. Over and over and over. And now he's feeling unlovable, unworthy.
Eventually, the son realizes that there is no where else to turn. He decides to go back "home" and beg his father to take him on as a farm hand. He feels that his father could never forgive him for all his mistakes and accept him as a son -- but maybe he can get hired, and at least begin a life; something better then wandering the streets stealing food from pig's troughs.
So he begins the long journey home -- hungry, weary, dirty. Feeling more like a failure with every step. His thoughts are consumed with all of his failures and all his stupidity -- why? What ever made me think that was the right thing to do? And did I get so far away? Why didn't I realize how bad it was? And how could I have failed so much?
Hopelessness abounds.
Days later, he rounds the final bend, and can see his father's farm in the distance. Standing in the road is one lone figure. As he gets closer, he realizes it is his father. He stops for a moment, paralyzed by fear and shame. Any courage he had for facing up to his mistakes is rapidly diminishing.
But his stomach is growling, he hasn't eaten for days and he is exhausted from his journey. He forces himself to take one step closer. And then another. And then another.
He sees his father's eyes grow wide in shock.
What will he do to me? He must hate me. He has every right. I turned against him, wasted so much of his money and now, have the audacity to return?
Unable to look at his father, he looks down at the dirt road instead. Then, he hears his fathers voice, but he is unable to make out the words. He hears approaching footsteps; they start out hesitantly at first, and then grow faster and more impatient.
What will he do? What will he do?
He looks up, and sees his father sprinting toward him with the most unbelievable expression on his face.
Not hate. Not disappointment. Not anger. Not even annoyance.
It's joy.
Utterly baffled, he freezes in his tracks, but his father finally gets to him and throws his arms around him and says,
"My son."
"I'm sorry..." He begins, but the speech he'd been rehearsing flies out of his head, and instead he is left stuttering, "But...but...Dad...I...I...messed up! You should hate me!"
"Oh, no, my son, I don't hate you. You were dead to me, but now you are alive! You were lost, but now you've been found! You have been returned to me. I love you."
And they embraced.

Pretty unbelievable, huh?
Now what if I told you that THAT father is Our Father?

We fail. We repent. He forgives. He hugs.

He knows our every failure -- past, present and future -- and he will love us still.
No applications. No interviews. No list of achievements.
We don't have to win the game or be the best to be God's -- we just have to accept Him.



(For some contemporary thoughts and examples of the Prodigal Son story, see the lyrics to Casting Crown's "Prodigal" and BarlowGirl's "She Walked Away" -- two incredible songs!)

Guidance

I received this email from a good friend of mine, and I absolutely love the whole concept...

Enjoy. It's short and sweet :)

.................................................................


"Dancing With God"

When I meditated on the word Guidance, I kept seeing 'dance' at the end of the word and I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing. When two people try to lead, nothing feels right. The movement doesn't flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky. When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow with the music. One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing lightly in one direction or another. It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully. The dance takes surrender, willingness, and attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other. My eyes drew back to the word Guidance. When I saw 'G': I thought of God,followed by 'u' and 'i'. 'God, 'u' and 'i' dance.' God, you, and I dance. As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust that I would get guidance about my life and once again, I became willing to let God lead. My prayer for you today is that God's blessings and mercies are upon you on this day and everyday. May you abide in God, as God abides in you. Dance together with God, trusting God to lead and to guide you through each season of yourlife. This prayer is powerful and there is nothing attached.

So I Hope You Dance!

Staples: A Microcosm of Divine Intention

(Many thanks to James and Marcus for their cunning and brilliance in thinking up the title of this post)

(Click here to learn the definition of "microcosm"!)

So, last night I got to go to one of my favorite stores in the entire UNIVERSE...Staples. The world's greatest and most awesomely named office supply store. Unlike most of my peers, who would rather shop for clothes or shoes or purses or silly, trivial things like that :), I am much more at home among the aisles of pens and papers and boxes and post-its and of course, Sharpies.

I love the smell of Staples...it's like the lovely old-bookish smell of a library mixed in with the smell of ink and new sneakers and... potential. The place is full of potential, I tell you!

It's a writer's dream come true.

Rows and rows of blank tablets and notebooks just waiting to be filled words and thoughts and stories... a million pens and pencils and markers and highlighters practically wiggling with anticipation...comfy dest chairs and fun-shaped post-it notes and sparkly stickers and and and...*sighs dreamily* oh, I absolutely adore it!!

I could spend hours just wandering through the aisles..in fact, that's what I did last night...just thinking and planning. I really love the whole feeling of Staples -- like I said, potential. Imagination. Creativity. Newness. Readiness.

All those little writing utensils and rolls of tape and boxes of staples and computers are all there, just ready and waiting..anticipating the moment when they will be lifted off the shelf and taken home to their new family and....!!! (Ok...this is starting to sound an awful lot like the Corduroy books I was reading at preschool today....!!)...anyway, the point is, they are ready and waiting to be used; to serve, if you will.

But they're not doing anyone much good by just sitting on that shelf, looking pretty and clean and new, are they? In fact, they can't live out their true purpose...to write, to type, to tape, to draw, to staple, to stick, etc -- if they just sit on the shelf and wait. By themselves, they are nothing...I mean, yeah. They look fun and nice. And everyone can imagine their potential. But to really do anything worthwhile....

They need a Creator - someone who knows their purpose and how to best use them all together produce the most desirable result; who will use them to make something amazing.

See where I'm going with this? Imagine yourself as something in the Staples store. I myself would probably be a lime green mini Sharpie, simply because I'm bold and obnoxious and hard to get rid off once I make my mark :)....but the point is, whether you're a stapler or a roll of duct tape or a desk chair or a bulletin board or some bubble wrap -- you can't do anything by yourself. You need to submit to a Creator -- One who knows all about you; how you work, where your skills are and how to help you do what you do best. You need to allow the Creator to use you in His plan -- and by doing so, you will contribute to the beauty of the whole project; to CREATE with you.

Aren't we blessed to have the most Amazing Creator? He knows exactly what our individual gifts and talents are. He knows how to "use" us so that we can all do something different -- stapling, gluing, stickering, etc -- to achieve one grand, incredible result.

We just have to let Him use us -- and the results will be magnificent.

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. --Isaiah 40:28

..And we know that all things work together for good; for those who love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. --Romans 8:28

Yeah, so, this was kind of a corny post...
Maybe life isn't really like a pencil...But do you get the point? (hee hee)
Even if you're not like a roll of duct tape, maybe this idea will still stick (haha)...

Those Frustrating Folks...

There are some people in life who drive me crazy.

Sometimes, it's over little, stupid, pointless things...Take, for example, that person driving towards you who never bothers to turn off their headlights. Or, the inconsiderate person who drops a container of butter in the grocery store and then just walks away and leaves the mess there for someone ELSE to deal with.

Now, admittedly, there are bigger issues in life. There are people who more then just annoy me -- they infuriate me! There are people who support causes I don't agree with and criticize me for my beliefs. There are people who seem to be determined to inform me of every single one of my flaws. There are "friends" who have turned on me. There are those who are prideful and self-centered and can't stop bragging; those who are mean and cold-hearted...I could go on and on.

Everyone has people in their life that make life harder, sadder, angrier, scarier, or more unbearable. And we often wonder -- why can't it be easier?
Why do I have to deal with people who hurt my feelings, break promises, cause fights, get me in trouble, etc, etc, etc?
What could we possibly gain from all these negative interactions that ruin our day?

Look at what Walt Whitman has to say in answer to this question:

Have you learned the lessons only of those who admired you, and were tender with you, and stood aside for you? Have you not learned great lessons from those who braced themselves against you, and disputed passage with you? -- Walt Whitman

Think about these words for a moment.

Whitman implies that we can learn something from those that drive us insane; those that anger us and cause us pain or struggling.

He's right. Just as we can learn things from positive intereactions with people, we can learn just as much -- if not more -- from negative intereactions. We learn how to deal with opposition, stubborness, and anger. We can learn a great deal about patience, humility, kindness and most of all, forgiveness.

God gives us the opportunities to interact with people who will ruin our day, make our lives miserable and bring us to tears -- what matters is what you learn from it. You learn a lesson from every situation, no matter how bleak it is. You just have to open your eyes and see the opportunity!! Maybe God's giving you a chance to practice being thankful. Maybe He's letting you learn how to stand up for yourself. Maybe He wants you to try listening to someone else's opinions...but you've got to be looking for the opportunity to learn, and to love.