What to do, what to do....

"please give me success this day"

Genesis 24:12

I love Wednesdays. 

Well, I love all days.  They each have their own schedule and personality, and I appreciate each one's routine and opportunity.

Wednesdays are special because they are the day when I take a breath.  Mondays and Tuesdays are busy, in a wonderful way, and Wednesdays are sort of a recovery day.  It's a catch-up day for anything that fell through the cracks on Monday and Tuesday.

Needless to say, I have a pretty healthy to-do list on Wednesdays.  And varied.  House stuff, school stuff, family stuff, ministry stuff...  And depending on how crazy my Monday and Tuesday went, the list can seem overwhelming. 

I know it might seem odd that I love a day that can be overwhelming, but I do.  It can be very fulfilling to accomplish things around my house and for my family.

But sometimes when the list seems overwhelming, I find myself doing less important things just to be able to complete something.  Don't you sometimes just want to call something finished?

Or to avoid doing something, I do what's in front of me, even if it's not a priority.  Maybe it's easier than what needs to be done, or maybe it's just been sitting there longer.  Of course, the reason it's been sitting there longer is because it's not a priority...

Sometimes what's in front of us matters more than it should.  It's visible, it's squeaky, and it tempts us with the feeling of accomplishment.  I think it's the same thing in us that responds to the earthly more than the heavenly; the fleeting rather than the eternal.

But our hearts and minds should be set on the things above, not on things on the earth. (Colossians 3:2)  Our goals should be His, and we should remember that if we are living out His plan in our lives, then even days that seem like we are accomplishing nothing are steps in sync with Him.

I guess that's why it's a good idea to start every day, every project, every decision with prayer.  Maybe that's why He commanded us to pray without ceasing.   Maybe my To-Do list would be better off as my "What Would You Have Me To Do?" list.  It's a little clumsy sounding, sure, but it's a far more certain path to fulfillment.

~ "Seek first the kingdom of God

and His righteousness,

       and all these things shall be added unto you." ~

Matthew 6:33

~

I'm still vacuuming up needles, though

"labor and do all your work"

Exodus 20:9

I did some cleaning this weekend.  Some long-needed cleaning.  In the garage. 

The garage is largely the territory of the Apple of my Eye.  Except of course, for my car.  The laundry is out there, so that corner is my responsibility, but the laundry is a continuum, so no clutter camps there long. 

I'm not exactly sure what a continuum is, but it really seems to work in that context, so I'm going with it.

The rest of the garage is taken up by the sports paraphernalia, and general storage ~ both his purview, with two exceptions. 

The first exception is anything pertaining to the education of our kids.  Textbooks, records and years' worth of completed work are filed in boxes and well-labeled.  I have never let this situation get out of hand; if I need to find something, I know exactly how to put my hands on it. 

The other exception to the "storage is your problem, dear" principle is a cupboard.  We have a few out there, but one of them is mine.  It's a collection of rarely used things that haven't found a place in the house, but mostly wrapping stuff; Christmas and otherwise.  And therein was the problem.  After Christmas, as I cleaned the house, I carefully collected gift tags and rolls of ribbon, folded all the salvageable tissue paper, broke down gift boxes, and stacked the gift bags according to height and personality.

Then I shoved the whole kit 'n' caboodle into my cupboard.  And there it has remained.  For five months. 

Priorities.  I haz them.

Since Christmas my life has consisted of teaching my kids, reading to stay ahead of them in literature, their sports, Bible study, writing, and, well, a continuum of laundry, dishes and miscellaneous housework.  Priorities.

And while every time I had to go into that cupboard for something I was reminded that there was a project waiting for me out there, I put it off again.  Intentionally.  Because it wasn't a priority. 

It might seem like procrastination, but I'm the kind of person who loves a project.  Reorganizing my books; labeling my spices; categorizing all the music in my iTunes.  And sometimes these events become distractions from what I should be doing. 

Busy work is just that:  stuff that keeps us busy.  Distractions from the work He has for us.  Sometimes the distractions are more interesting or more pleasant, but other times we are just putting off obedience.  Buying a ticket to Tarshish, if you will, instead of dealing with Ninevah.

The time will come for the bonus "projects".  Focus on what He has called you to, and the rest will fall into place. 

~ "Whatever you do, work heartily,

as for the Lord and not for men" ~

Colossians 3:23

~

His Will is Done

"Could He not?"

John 11:37

Join me for a walk through John chapter 11, won't you?  It's an exciting chapter; featuring what is perhaps Jesus' most famous miracle ~ the raising of Lazarus.   I've compared reading the gospels to watching a movie, and this chapter would make for a very exciting movie.

Part of that is the people involved here.  There's Lazarus, of course, but he's really got a very small part, in a funny kind of way.

And then there's Mary and Martha.  If you know your Bible, you probably know these two sisters pretty well, and that makes them easy to "see" in your mind. 

And then, of course, there's Jesus, our Star.  But the other "player," that I don't want to forget, is "The Jews".  Also known as "the people," "the crowd," or "the multitudes".

The raising of Lazarus is an unprecedented miracle for the people.  But they knew well of the signs and wonders that Jesus had been doing to this point.  From the miracle at the wedding in Cana, people had started to pay attention to the works of this Man.  They'd seen Him expel demons, and cure leprosy and blindness, and heal paralytics and birth defects.  And they'd even seen Him raise a man who had just died. 

But Jesus handled this illness differently.  He did not come when Mary and Martha sent for Him.  He didn't heal Lazarus from afar.  He stayed where He was for two more days, and did "nothing". 

And so, when He arrived in the town where His dear friends lived, He was "too late".  Lazarus had died, and been in the tomb for four days. 

Mary and Martha each spoke to Jesus separately, but each said the same thing:  "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died."  I don't think it was accusatory, but it takes on a different light when we look at the crowd's response.

Their response is in verse 37 ~ "Some of them said, 'Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?"

There seems to be some question about Jesus' ability.   As if the people were saying, "We really thought He could do this; could He not?  Were we wrong in estimating His abilities?"  And in a way, Mary and Martha sound the same to me, as if they are saying, "You would have done something if you had been here... you would have done something if you could."

It's the difference between "Can He?" and "Will He?" 

Mary, Martha, and the crowd had not been privy to Jesus' words to the disciples, recorded in verse 14-15:  "Lazarus is dead.  And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe." 

We all know how frustrating it is to walk through difficulties, and wonder why they don't end.  And I'm sure there are those who might even feel their situation is out of control or unfix-able. 

Nothing is impossible for God.  If things don't happen the way we wish they could, it's not that He can't.  We have to trust that if He won't, it's for a reason.  It's so that we will trust, that we will believe, and that He will be glorified.

~ "for the glory of God,

that the Son of God may be glorified through it" ~

John 11:4

~

Powerless

"you shall have no power"

Leviticus 26:37

We got a notice about a week ago, from our power company, that we were going to lose electricity.  From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., which is a long time to go without power.  My apologies to those who are currently without power due to the massive snow storm on the northeast coast of the US. 

Did you know they are naming winter storms now?  Like hurricanes.  Which makes a certain amount of sense, I guess, but it's hard for me to take seriously a storm named "Nemo".  I know they're probably paying homage to the hero of Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, but honestly, it just makes me think of a clownfish. 

Photo credit: ultimatereviews.co.uk

Anyhow, our power outage was a "planned outage" which meant that the electric company had to do some repairs, so they were going to be turning the power off anywhere between 9 and 4, or as early as 9 until as late as 4, or maybe that whole time. 

You get the idea. 

And this was going to happen on a Tuesday, which was really  a pain in the neck  somewhat inconvenient for me.  I was going out Tuesday evening and I had several things I had to prepare.  I was going to need my computer ~ which has a battery, but it's unreliable, so I can't be sure how long the battery will last when I'm not plugged in to a power source.   Also I needed the printer, and that doesn't have a battery at all. 

So I had to get completely ready the night before.  I had to figure out my priorities, do the things that absolutely had to be done.  I had to be as prepared as I could.

And then, when the day came, I carefully went through my adapted schedule.  I had planned some things that had to be done, but that could be done without electricity, so I started those promptly at 9 a.m.

But here's the thing:  the power never went out.  I had prepared; I was ready.  I kept thinking, "any minute now...."  But it never happened. 

We got a notice a few days later that they had rescheduled the outage.  So I can still look forward to an afternoon of living like the pioneers, but at least it won't be a Tuesday.  That's something. 

It felt good, that Tuesday, being completely ready.  I'm not really a procrastinator, but when I plan things out, I plan based on the full amount of time I have.  In other words, I don't generally plan in such a way as to be ready early.  Or, not more than a few minutes early. 

But I was able to do a few extra things, because I was so prepared, so I made good use of that extra time.  And I got to thinking about the benefits of being prepared.  I thought about what God has prepared for us...

Matthew 25:34 ~ "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of the Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

John 14:2 ~ "In My Father's house are many mansions... I go to prepare a place for you"

... and about our being prepared for Him...

1 Thessalonians 5:2 ~ "For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night"

1 Thessalonians 4:16 ~ "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God"

A notification to be ready is a warning.  We can consider ourselves warned.  But He's a God of promises, not just warnings.  The blessings are prepared for you.  So get ready, and stay ready.

~ "God is my strength and power,

and He makes my way perfect" ~

2 Samuel 22:33

~

An Unexpected Journey

"the tops of the mountains were seen"

Genesis 8:5

Something has happened in my home.  Well, in my life, really.  Something has begun.  And it's really kind of a milestone.  Something I have long thought about, long debated, long intended, is finally happening.

I'm reading J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit.

My older sister has been a fan of Tolkien since we were young.  She read The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy numerous times.   Meanwhile, I was busy reading the Laura Ingalls Wilder series numerous times.  And Watership Down.

What?  Never?  Oh, I highly recommend it.

Anyhow, while I never really had any desire to read the Ring series, I always wanted to read The Hobbit.  I love the name, I love the idea of a this little critter living in his hole.  The whole concept is just so... peaceful and pastoral.  Although I know it doesn't stay that way.

But somehow, I just never read it.  All through my childhood, I just never did, and then she moved out, and the book went with her, and I guess I stopped thinking about it. 

Then I started thinking about it again after I had kids.  I have always read to my kids ~ still do, almost every day.  Sometimes it's a way of having them experience some piece of literature that I think should be a part of their education.  Sometimes it's a way of sharing something I love, and getting to experience it with them.

Well, beginning last week, I started reading The Hobbit to my Awesome and Amazing kids.   But unlike most books I read to them,  I'm not doing it for them.  I'm doing it for me.   Because it's high time.

And I could just read it to myself.  They both saw the movie at Christmastime (with my sisters, ironically), and I'm pretty sure they'd both get around to reading the book in their own time.

But I'm reading it to them, not because I want them to experience it, but because I want to experience it, alongside them.  I'm sure I'll see the movie when it comes out on dvd, but I didn't want to pay for a movie ticket.  Besides, I like movies better after I've read the book.

And the beautiful thing is, I can ask them questions.  Having seen the movie, they know the plot, and I can stop and ask questions like, "I forget; where are they right now?"  or "I don't trust this guy; is he bad news?" to which they either tell me the answer, or just say, "Read the book, Mom.  You'll find out."

I've also found myself asking pronunciations more than once.   And even though they've only seen the movie once, they know!

This whole thing is interesting to me for two reasons:  first ~ sometimes, it's all about the incentive.  I've been wanting to read the book for years, but what's finally gotten me to is my desire to share this new enthusiasm of my children.  Apparently I never had a strong enough need to connect with my sister on this topic.  {No offense, B!}  :-)

The other thing is about the idea of reading something that might be tricky.   My favorite kinds of books are non-fiction.  Fiction is okay, but when you get into fantasy, it's one step further, and you can find yourself in the realm of things that impossible or simply unheard of on earth.  So I enjoy it more if I can get my questions answered on the spot, and not have to try to figure out what I don't understand, at the same time as moving ahead on the plot.

Sort of like math.

So, this all got me thinking about reading the Bible.  So here's how it all ties in:  There are books of the Bible that we all avoid.  Or just haven't gotten around to.  Or have started to read more than once but can't seem to get through.  

Incentive.  That's what we need.  Maybe for you it's Revelation.  Or the laws of Leviticus.  Or one of the prophets in the middle.  You need to find your incentive.  Could simply be the knowledge that's waiting for you there.  Or perhaps the something that's applicable to your life.  'Cause that's what's there ~ in any book of the Bible.  He's got them all there for a reason.  And really, that's the best incentive.  The desire to understand the message of the book, and know, in your heart, why it's there. 

But the other thing we need to tackle the books that we're afraid of less interested in, is help.  A teacher, a commentator, a study group... something.  I don't think there's any shame in acknowledging that a specific book isn't our cup of tea, and having someone there to help us interpret, or understand, can be invaluable.   Might be a pastor, might be a teacher, might be an author.   And... it might take time.

Definitely, though, you'll need the Holy Spirit.  By that I mean that no matter who you find to help you understand difficult Scriptures, it will be the Holy Spirit working through them, and in you.  God wants us to understand His Word.  And with effort and perseverance on our part ~ with a little desire, and a little help ~ He'll make that happen. 

~ "A wise man will hear

and increase learning,

And a man of understanding

will attain wise counsel" ~

Proverbs 1:5

~

Get moving!

"every living creature that moves"

Leviticus 11:46

We stayed at my in-laws' house when we were in Texas last week.  They have a beautiful new home in a beautiful new neighborhood.  So new, in fact, that the GPS navigation system in their car thinks they live in the wilderness.  The car on the little navigation screen seems to go right off the road and into the bushes.  And since their house is on the edge of their community, their backyard overlooks all those beautiful wild bushes and trees.

That wonderful view extends as far as the eye can see ~ and my eye just loved what I was seeing.  I stood there one morning, drinking my tea, and I just couldn't tear my eyes away.  And the thing that I found so compelling?

Movement.

The bushes and trees and grasses were waving in the breeze, there were birds flying and butterflies fluttering, and even the occasional buzzing insect zooming by.  I somehow felt afraid that if I looked away, I might miss something.  I wanted to see what the next bird or butterfly might be, and I wanted to see nature doing all the neat things it does.

I somehow think that movement pleases God.  Not movement just for the sake of movement, but with a purpose.  Accomplishment.  Obedience.  Being.

To be sure, there are those who are too active.  They are about their own busyness, instead of the Father's business.  {See Luke 2:49}

But there are also those who are not active enough.  Maybe not doing enough to share His love with others somehow.  Perhaps not doing what they are meant to be doing.

There's a time to be still and know that He is God.  But there's also a time for zooming, flying and fluttering!

~ "O Lord, how manifold are Your works!

In wisdom You have made them all.

The earth is full of Your possessions...

in which are innumerable teeming things,

living things both small and great" ~

Psalm 104:24-25

Counting down the shopping days...

"I have not stopped giving thanks for you"

Ephesians 1:16

I did a little Christmas shopping today.  Bought something for my sister-in-law, and something for my brother-in-law.  I also bought a little gift for a friend of mine, and something for the Apple of my Eye.  It's a good feeling to have checked a few things off my list, but also to have found the perfect something for someone I love. 

The Christmas season is filled with things to do.  Most of them are good things, like attending parties and putting up favorite decorations around the house.  Some of them are good things that can be difficult, like writing out Christmas cards or paying a slightly higher electric bill due to the lights on the tree and on the house. 

And ~ let's admit it ~ shopping.  I've never been a girl who likes to shop.  When I need something, I want to go in, get what I need, and get out.  I'd rather be home reading, or getting stuff done around the house.  I don't even like going grocery shopping any more than I have to.  So if I didn't have the "deadline" of December 25th, I'd put off Christmas shopping indefinitely. 

And that's a pity.  The truth is, I don't buy presents for people I love because I have to, I buy them because I want to.  Christmas is a wonderful opportunity to show appreciation and friendship to people who are important to me.   But if I weren't "forced" by cultural traditions to buy gifts for friends and family, would I ever take the time to show them love?  Some, yes, but others would surely fall victim to my procrastination. 

Including, unfortunately, the Apple of my Eye.  I see him every day.  Not a day goes by where I don't hug him, give him a kiss, and tell him I love him.  But let's be honest ~ the kids get more of my attention.  They need my help, my discipline and my teaching, and he doesn't.  Much.  :)   And he's not the only one.  My parents, my sisters, my in-laws... sometimes, we need a reason to tell our families how much we appreciate them, or to tell our friends how glad we are that God put them in our lives.  So praise God for deadlines, that force us to get certain things done. 

And what about God?  Christmas is about Him, but we know He can get lost in the busyness and traditions.  I'm so glad that there are reminders everywhere about celebrating Him.  The songs and nativity scenes keep me focused on Him, and remind me to thank Him, and appreciate Him ~ what He did for us, and what He does for us.  Otherwise, who knows how long I'd put it off! 

~ "Every day I will praise You" ~

Psalm 145:2