What If...We Call Sin What It Is...Sin.

I was having a fit. A full-blown emotional temper tantrum. A pity-party and I was the guest of honor.

A wrench was thrown in my perfect plan that forced me to make a decision that troubled me. I went to my Friday morning online fellowship group with "my girls" but on this particular day only one was there. How unusual. Where was the rest of the group? Strange.

Randee, I have got to share with the the blessings our Father has thrown in my lap this week. One upon the other. She went on to share her good news. And, when she finished she asked...And, you? Share your blessings this week.

I don't have any. Maybe I should leave for today. I'm discouraged, disgusted, disgruntled, defeated. I don't want to rain on your parade. I'm happy for you but this is not my day, my week, my year. (Such an exaggeration!) I don't like anyone. I don't like myself. Goodbye.

Wait! What is going on with you? Let me carry your burden.

You don't know what you ask for, my friend.

I can handle it.

So, I wailed. Really wailed. And, she listened quietly.

When I finished my tirade, she simply said...Stop this. I see God all over this temporary situation. And, then she spoke the words that I will never forget:

This season is not about your comfort.

On that day, my friend, stopped me in my tracks. She called my reaction to my situation was it was...Sin. These women, who call it what it is, are our real friends. They care enough to be bold. To take the risk. And, how thankful I am for this friend. May I be a friend like this!

What If...we let ourselves be more transparent?

At the coffee shop we were supposed to be talking about upcoming projects we were working on. Somehow, though, the conversation took a turn and suddenly we were talking about life and deeper things. I’d known Kara for about four years, but I had no clue that she’d had such a difficult childhood.

She gave me such a gift when she gave me her vulnerability and trust. Kara poured forth stories about her mostly absent father who sporadically stops by her mother’s for money and a place to sleep. She talked about the years he spent in prison after being caught running a meth lab and how he hasn’t worked in years. I don’t think this young, professional woman would have come to the point of sharing so much with me if I hadn’t already told her a little bit about my own parents being alcoholics and what affect that had on my life. I don’t talk about that very often. It’s still hard not to feel that I am betraying my parents, even though they have both passed on. However, I am coming to truly understand how God can use any part of our lives to connect with and support other human beings.

It’s easy for us as Christians to think we should have it all together and separate ourselves from each other by the masks we keep firmly in place. I am discovering that authenticity is not just about openly sharing stories of our lives, but allowing others to hold our hearts in their hands and connect at a deep and soulful level. It’s often the cracks in our hearts that make space for God to enter in. Our own brokenness can be a gift for others. I have been where you have been, I’m walking a similar path, and I understand.

In The Message version of the Bible by Eugene Peterson, I love the wording of these verses from Matthew: ‘When the Pharisees saw him keeping this kind of company, they had a fit, and lit into Jesus' followers. "What kind of example is this from your Teacher, acting cozy with crooks and riff-raff?" Jesus, overhearing, shot back, "Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick?”’

Kara hasn’t been a part of any church, but she decided to come to my church last Sunday after our conversation, and plans on coming back this week. Perhaps in my openness she is seeing a glimpse of how God loves all his children. So hey – here I am, Lord, just one of the riff-raff trying to live life wide open, with a heart willing to let you use my messiness to help draw others closer to you.

What if...we had our priorities straight?

Our mixed-up priorities scale is the culprit for a lot of the stress we experience. The truth is that we overwork, overdo, and even so continue to have unfulfilled expectations.

We live in a high-paced fast-speed world. Work and “busy work” have crowded our days, becoming top priorities. As a result, we have neglected the three most important elements of our priorities scale: God, family, and ourselves.

If things suddenly go wrong, we try to compensate, by giving God our undivided attention. But otherwise there is little time for peaceful meditation and gratitude.

I live in New York and I was awed by the sudden burst of spiritually that this city went through after the September 11 attacks: churches were overflowing, people were praying at their work places, even in school teachers were allowed a few moments of spiritual reflection to help students cope with the tragedy, but months later it was back to business as usual.

The same happens with family, because life gets in the way, we fail to keep in touch as we should. Not until there is a funeral or a wedding do we find ourselves obligated to reconnect. And even with those we live with, we only go through the motions required for having to share the same living space.

When it comes to taking care of self, we do the same. We eat not for self-preservation but for sport. We don’t exercise as we should. We allow our minds to be exposed to toxic entertainment - all in desecration of our body-temple.

Is it any wonder that we keep running around in the same circles of spiritual emptiness, physical lethargy, and emotional disconnect?

What if we were to try re-focusing? One day at a time. Let’s check our “To Do Lists”. Let’s re-write some things to include the right order of priorities: GOD – SELF - OTHERS. Life just might become much more fulfilling.

What if ... we embraced just one of our dreams?

We all have a dream and probably even several of living a better life then what we currently are living. Whether those dreams be about our own or our loved ones spirituality, whether it be work related, family related or just something that makes us happy, it is different for all of us.

Fulfilling a dream of ours is just that, 'ours'. No one can fulfill it for us. We must take action to pursue our dreams. The problem is, too often we let life take over. Especially once we become mothers because time for ourselves is not so easily found any more. We tend to make the excuses, 'now is not the time', 'I'll start tomorrow', 'other things are more important' etc. etc. The longer we do that the more our dreams get buried and before we know it, we don't even remember what those dreams were because we allowed life to take over.

Yes, we may be busy and have several other responsibilities in our lives especially if we are mothers but our dreams are important too. I believe God gives us those dreams and wants us to take action on them and wants us to enjoy our lives as we live out our passions and dreams.

If we embraced just one of our dreams and took action no matter how small to pursue that dream, it sets in motion the passion and momentum to keep the dream from being buried. You might get off track for a bit and you might even have to go through several trials but one day, that dream will come to pass and probably be better then what you could have ever imagined.

What If....You Could Simplify

A while back, I received a little booklet from Starbucks to educate the public on how to order a beverage at their stores. It was amazing all the different ways you could order, and at the end of the booklet, they gave an example statement of how to order. My husband and I just laughed because who would have thought ordering coffee would become so complicated!

Isn't it just like us to make life so complex when we could really just simplify? So much time and energy is spent wasted on worrying, when 80% of what we worry about never actually happens!

Some tips to help simplify your life:
1. Stop worrying and start LIVING! Enjoy the days you are given.
2. Identify the one area of life that has you the most stressed and take ACTION steps to relieve the stress. Nothing changes just thinking about it-you have to do something.
3. Ask for help if you feel overwhelmed. Identify your support system and call them!
4. Pray for direction and clarity on how to tackle the complexities and identify how to simplify them.

Live Your Life Out Loud!

Lynn

What if ... I ran away from home?

I know the last post was What if...We didn't Complain? and I need to work at that daily but I hope you all don't mind that I am starting my What if question with a complaint? As I said, I need to work at it daily.

I don't know if you can relate or not but there are just some days that I wish I could run away from home! As moms we are always making sure we take care of everyone else and for the most part, I love doing just that but boy can my kids wear me down. Sometimes I wonder if I am doing what's best for my kids since I home school them with the whining and fighting among them that really gets under my skin. I find myself not being very nice and wanting to run away thinking we all just spend way too much time together.

I love being a stay at home mom but sometimes I need to get away too like my husband does as he works outside the home. Sometimes I wish we could trade roles for a time. Not that I need or want to work out of the home every day but it would be nice if I didn't have to referee or listen to the whining and complaining every day. I think it would help all of us appreciate one another more.

During this school year I signed my kids up for Awana at our church. My kids looked forward to going every Wednesday and so did I. It was the only time during the week that I could be by myself and really gather my thoughts and have some quality uninterupted time in the Word of God and doing things that refresh my spirit. I am grateful for the time I had each Wednesday night because I believe I needed that time for myself. Of course some weeks were better then others but it was those tougher weeks I felt like I wanted to run away and Wednesday nights are what kept me sane. Now that Awana is over though, I have to figure out what I can do at least once a week (I'd like even more time) so I can keep my bearings and not run away!

Blessings,
Lori

What If . . . We Didn't Complain?

"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain."
-Maya Angelou

It’s easy for me to grouse, to whine, to gossip, to be snide and witchy. Lately I’ve found myself slipping slowly into the habit of complaining and looking at the world through a lens of negativity. It’s easy to do. In fact I find it rather seductive. I can feel self-important and self-righteous, and frankly being angry and nasty brings a rush of drug-like energy.

I grew up with a mother who lived most of life looking through murky-colored glasses. Being caustic and negative just became a habit for her and the guiding force of her persona. It was, of course, intimidating and scary, because you never knew when you were going to be in the line of fire. I can empathize more with my mother now, because I see how easily negativity can grow inside me as well.

Once those seeds of complaining are planted, they take root so quickly. I don’t want them overrunning my soul – I’ve realized how indulging in negativity closes my heart and doesn’t allow Christ to flow through me. There’s a minister who started a grassroots movement to foster a complaint free world. Rev. Will Bowen, pastor of Christ Church Unity in Kansas City, Missouri, challenged his congregation to go 21 days without complaining. Since then, his story and movement has spread like wildfire, with numerous newspaper articles written and appearances on national television shows like Oprah.

I’m thinking about ordering my own Complaint Free World bracelet and taking the 21 day challenge. I know that only when my heart is open can God enter in. May I be filled with God’s presence, and may the light of Christ, the joy! the love! flow through me to everyone I meet.