Holding fast

Bolted to the wall, the new pantry:
Timo asks, "Who else has Mexican
chocolate and Asian sauces
on the same shelf?"

I'm reflecting this morning about the things we hold near and dear. There's nothing like a move to create a change in self-identity.

Yes, it's still startling and strange to be introduced as missionaries rather than professor or pastor or writer. What does that tag mean? What will it mean in the future?

We don't know. For now, we place one foot in front of the other. Letting go of the past, embracing today. We think about:

• how grateful we are for everyday things we've considered "normal."
• the security of the familiar, where we live and how our kids grew up.
• the people who partner with us. "Nothing in life is free," says Mom. Others are sacrificing to send us. THANK YOU, thank you! dear supporters.
• leaving behind our parents and children, these dear faces we'll miss and the family events we'll never attend.
• the foods we like - here and there.
• physical necessities and the overflow: how much we can live without!
• people and things we don't know yet. Indo friends. Language. Traditions. Reflexes of culture. Transportation. Living arrangements.
• the chores of relocation, here and there.
• the Joy set before us.

So many more thoughts and shifts in assumptions cross our minds. But we can let go of everything else when we hold fast to God.

What's churning through your mind today?

Read more:
*You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him. Deuteronomy 13:4 ESV

*CS Lewis, after his wife's death, from A Grief Observed: "On the other hand, ‘Knock and it shall be opened.’ But does knocking mean hammering and kicking the door like a maniac? And there’s also ‘To him that hath shall be given.’ After all, you must have a capacity to receive, or even omnipotence can’t give. Perhaps your own passion temporarily destroys the capacity.

"For all sorts of mistakes are possible when you are dealing with Him. Long ago, before we were married, H. was haunted all one morning as she went about her work with the obscure sense of God (so to speak) ‘at her elbow,’ demanding her attention. And of course, not being a perfected saint, she had the feeling that it would be a question, as it usually is, of some unrepented sin or tedious duty. At last she gave in—I know how one puts it off—and faced Him. But the message was, ‘I want to give you something’ and instantly she entered into joy."

Lent Day 28: Writer's block

Writers moan about being blocked. About words vanishing as they think about what to capture on the screen or paper. About the empty-head syndrome that baffles and frustrates them, keeping them from good work.

Each career choice has its own version of writer's block:

• Violinists get carpal tunnel syndrome. 
• Composers can't hear the music.
• Secretaries think they'll lose their mind if they have to write up one more meeting.
• Construction workers have joints freeze up and have to wait for healing.
• Pastors experience burnout and need a sabbatical.
• Doctors lose interest in staying current with research and dread the arrival of patients.

 How do you cope when you feel dead in your tracks?

1. Stop, withdraw, or step back. Don't try to push past the physical, mental, spiritual, or emotional obstacles. Examine how you got into this state of mind or body.
2. Think about the last time you rested. Have you been pushing yourself beyond reasonable limits? 
3. Build in a sabbath routine. Even while you're paused, design a day a week that belongs to you for building relationships and spiritual rejuvenation. God insisted that His people rest one day a week. Jesus did it. Why would we need to be more busy or more focused than He? During my dissertation process, I took one day a week for a complete writing break. I'd return to work after space to relax. My mind was clearer, my thoughts more organized, and writing went quicker after the break.
4. Establish a realistic schedule. God does not plant and gift us with unrealistic expectations. He doesn't demand a 14-hour workday: why should we?
5. Emphasize the life-giving aspects of your work. Do you love to interact with people? Does a brick perfectly mortared give you great satisfaction? Does a carving beautifully crafted make your heart sing? You may still have to haul out the cleaning materials, wipe away the mess, and churn out reports. But focusing on the best parts makes the less interesting things more bearable.
6. Keep learning. Refine what you know. Hone your skills. Pay attention to new developments. You might even want to train for another job that suits you better.
7. Pay attention to things that unblock you and give you energy. That way, you can keep refreshing yourself to prevent such blockages in the future.

From "Real Simple"

What do you remember most from the last time you had a "block?"

Read more:

*Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles. Psalm 119:50 NLT

*If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? Psalm130:3 NLT

*In Jesus Christ we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace. Ephesians 1:7 NLT

Moravian Prayer: Gracious God of new beginnings, there are times when the deep pains of life overwhelm us. Help us to hear anew your invitation to release our distress to your gentle Spirit, which offers love, forgiveness, and life anew. Amen.

Lent Day 25: The crest of the wave

Life seems to be experienced in waves. Entire years and decades of Jesus' life go unrecorded. Then  his ministry crests: he chooses disciples and velocity quickens to wash toward his sacrifice on the cross as the Passover lamb.

The ebb of the resurrection, where God pulls back mortality's curtain to showcase His magnificence and power even over death, creates a riptide for the disciples. Jesus spends 40 quiet days with them, expounding on God's mission. He shows them their future as Life-With-God before he withdraws to allow the Holy Spirit to descend.

The Spirit roars into the life of the apostles with godly authority and power. Life and renewal splash throughout the city of Jerusalem and ripples into the world through the pilgrims attending the Pentecostal feast.

Throughout the book of Acts, ebbs and flows in the intensity mark the spread of the gospel:

• Organization and favor. 
• Persecution, outward movement, and expansion. 
• Suffering and missionary proclamation. 
• Exile and writing to preserve the record of Christ and the early Church.

Have you experienced such seasons of quiet, followed by building energy and a surge of momentum?

Where am I right now? A bucket of "aha"s have been dumped on me since last weekend. The wave is rising and I am being carried into the future. I'm not certain of the shore toward which the power of "forward" is pulling me. And that doesn't matter too much. God only requires my "being in this" completely, attentive and intentional toward the work of His Spirit.

How do we "ride the wave" in seasons of change?

1. Breathe in the time of calm and stand at ease when there's no direction.
2. Mull over (and record) lessons learned and insights acquired during the pause between what was and what is becoming.
3. Still your fears of change. God is in control. Completely. Utterly. Beautifully. He holds your future securely and will not let you go.
4. Prepare yourself. Embrace whatever comes your way. Pray. Meditate on scripture. Serve at church. Read an insightful book, listen to a speaker, or attend an event. You may unexpectedly run into an acquaintance or eavesdrop on other conversations.
5. Be willing and obedient. When work appears, when a door opens, when God clears away the clutter of the past to a clear future ... say YES.
6. Surf the wave. God's current will direct you. Enjoy the ride: fighting the water will smash you, suck you under, and make you feel like you're drowning.
7. Enjoy the view as you land on the new shore. Wherever God takes you, He has planned this in advance. What is the wonder of this next job, this new ministry, or this fresh relationship?

What's your favorite wave to date? Were you surprised where the current took you?

Time for the cure

One of five bouquets from
the January Cure

One of the most fun things I've done this year has been a January Cure. You know how it feels like time for renewal every year after the ornaments and tree are packed away?

• We typically reflect on the old year and how we lived. Were we fully engaged as humans? Did our spiritual and physical lives reflect meditation on God's word and prayer? Did we do good deeds (an old-fashioned idea) and work hard at where God has set us?
• Then we make resolutions or think about our hopes for the coming year. Some of us journal or keep track. Many of us forget our dreams as soon as the routines crank up to full speed.

I found Apartment Therapy's January Cure online here. It assigns a decluttering task every day. My floors are sparkling clean after hard exertion Friday at my LEAST favorite task in the house. (It was assigned so I did it.) The assignment after that was to buy flowers. One Costco bunch was enough for five arrangements.

Today's chore is to sit in a corner of the house and look around for 10 minutes. Hey, that's the kind of job that comes easily to me! (Click here for details.)

How significant! How few of us take time to think about how accustomed we've become to our patterns of relationships, work, and play. We walk past the people looking for friendship and meaning. We zoom by a cluttered corner of our minds or ignore a heap of sins tucked in the center of our hearts. We get less and less fit as we consume heaped plates of food three times a day.

Sitting and looking around is a good practice. I'm going to try for 10 minutes a day in several corners of the house this week. But more than that, I'm going to practice looking inside to see what God shines his light on. That way, I'm bound to leave behind what is spoiled and old and let Him grow the things that are reaching for Him.

What are you looking at today?

Read more:
*Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshipped, and he said to him, “What do you command your servant, my Lord?” Joshua 5:1

*Jesus said, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” Luke 8:2

Moravian Prayer: Holy God, as we worship you today, give us wisdom and understanding about your intention for us and courage to fulfill your commands in Jesus’ name. Amen.