Who's your Daddy?

The last hike my sister and I went on was using a guide book in the middle of the desert. There were no signs, well there was a sign at the starting point, but that's it. We were supposed to go North, then North West (I think). Neither one of us is a big fan of those kind of directions...maybe we should have taken someone along who is!?! Anyway, we set out following a wash through the desert, but it was a wide flat wash with a lot of tributaries, we were heading toward the foothills and apparently went more West than we were instructed to...we did find our goal, but we went an alternate route to get there. There were a LOT of really pretty rocks to see as we walked so my sister was happy ;).

The part that made this particular hike blog worthy is twofold here's the first fold, as we were hiking back down to the car from our destination; it was much clearer where the path was. We could see the footsteps of those who had come before us; the wash wasn't as clear on the way up...the wide to the narrow...as on the way down...narrow to wide. You see we couldn't see the big picture. God does and He will give us road maps, hints, nudges to follow if we will look for them. They do require our paying close attention, hindsight is 20/20, and if we are not aware and attentive life becomes a never ending loop of looking back and realizing where true North was all the time.

When we got to the canyon we were searching for we disturbed a family of Big Horn sheep...well to be honest...I disturbed the sheep because I was the loud one in front (imagine that;)). Then, I was waving, pointing and yelling. "Hurry, you're going to miss them. Look, can you see the sheep?" I don't know why they didn't stop to chat...Anyway, the second fold of this blog is this...the Big Horn sheep went running at the first sign of intrusion...when should I run? If I run too early I might miss an opportunity to show His love. If I stay too long I might get sucked into a situation that will cause me to make wrong choices...I am quite sure it is simpler to be a sheep...oh wait I am.

Actually, maybe there are three folds to this story! The Ram or daddy Big Horn sheep was at the top of the ridge, calling for the rest to follow. He had been watching our progress and when we got too close he started calling to those in his care. He put his head down, stretched out his neck and was bellowing a warning, it was so cool. He did not stop hollering at them until all were at the tip of the ridge. So, here's the question that brings to mind...Do you have a daddy, husband or spiritual leader who will call you up from danger, despair, anger, disappointment? Do you allow him too? Someone, who will encourage you to make right choices, push you to grow past your limitations and bring joy to your life? Because, ladies if you don't you are probably searching for one in the people you date...There is someone who will be all that and more if we allow Him in to lead us. He is always calling, not just to warn of danger, but to lead us to love, to encourage us to reveal Him to others, to invite us to dance at His party. Do you know Him?

Be Still and Dance!

Be still, and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the Nations. Psalm 46:10

Sometimes this verse is addressing our physical busyness; but, God has been revealing to me over the past year that it is always addressing my state of mind, in the middle of any crazy busy or stress filled day we can have inside us and reveal to others a sea of calm. This calm is not of our making, or even our understanding it is just the gift we are given if we tap into it. It is the place where worry falls away (mostly ;)), the place where His Love abides within me and the place where Peace waits ready to fill my entire being in the most extraordinary way!! If only I could plug in 24/7/365… I find it getting a little bit easier as I spend time reading His word, but then I let busyness or other activities get in the way. It gets easier as I walk through my day with a praise chorus running through my mind, but then the busyness gets too noisy to allow the song to be heard. It gets even easier when I spend my day in a constant conversation with Him, looking for the Joy filled small moments He prepares for me; a gorgeous sunrise, a workout that gets a bit easier with a workout partner, a day that should have resulted in chaos goes smoothly and everyone involved is a happy camper! But then I allow that conversation to lapse and the light dims, the Peace fades and I wonder where I am… It’s me that has moved. It’s me that has allowed the world in between. 

Maybe to live “not of this world” is to be sure that the world is not allowed to get in between me and my Peaceful, Joyful, Christ full center. It’s me only better there! He shines His love to others; He shows His compassion to others, He invites others to come dance at the party through me!

Help me to live so that when I am poked your love is revealed, when someone around me is upset I can remain a calm center revealing you and that when chaos and stress threaten to take over… your Peaceful Joy of life is seen by others. 

To live truly loving the life He has given. To be at Peace with the good, the bad, and the ugly. To rest in the knowledge that He is MY God and He knows where I am, who I am and what is in my heart. Is to me the ability to live out this verse...Today's the day! Let's do this thing!

Perfect, Plastic, or Forgiven…

Which are you? More specifically, I need to see; which am I?

Perfect people don’t need a Savior, they have themselves. Their own power, their own career, and even their faith, has been placed in the things of this world. What happens when the darkness comes into their lives? “Because in this world you will have trouble,” does this derail the perfect life? The sad, crazy, hypocritical truth is that some perfect people even sit in a pew week after week; you see they prayed once when they were 5…so they are good with God. Or they are just there to network, to get customers.  What a conundrum we humans are...smart enough to know when someone is lying but blind to our own lies. Made in Gods image but allowed to choose what god we serve. 

Plastic people realize their need for a Savior, but they put Jesus on like a mask. Sometimes just on Sunday and sometimes for everyday of their lives. He is a cloak that is thrown over the mess inside, the thought process is… that I can show people how saved I am…the problem is the majority of people see through the cloak more often than not. This can be a defense mechanism as well, I have been hurt therefore I will protect myself with this cloak of salvation, but no one gets in even Jesus. So, true healing cannot be accomplished. 

Forgiven people see more clearly the true picture of the Trinity; the perfection of the Creator, the sacrifice of the Son, and the Baptism of the Spirit. Even so…each and every one of us need a Savior every minute of every day; big ways, small ways it doesn’t matter they are the same in Gods eyes. When will we get that? Quit Judging, Quit Persecuting, we do have the right to our own opinions…BUT that doesn’t mean that our own opinions ARE RIGHT!!  Because you see we are all desperately in need of a Savior. Even those who are trying to follow Christ, to walk through this life as Christians to us Paul says:  All of us, then who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Philippians 3:15. To me that means if you are thinking of yourself as better, more right, or more Holy, than anyone else then you better think again… there is no hierarchy of sin. Sin is a choice; a decision to pick what I want over what God wants… because we are saved by Grace…not of our own works, the only thing you may have done right is choose Christ. However unless we are walking in Love we might want to double check that. Sorry, but the bible doesn’t promise a “Happily ever after” at least not until Heaven. That’s where our Hope should be; that’s what we are here for… to love others that they might see and want to know more about Jesus who is our ticket to an eternity of JOY. 

We are NOT here to set up rules, to set up mega churches, to judge people to death; we are here to love them to life.

Can we even see the difference? Because, guess what the world sure can!!

Can we, or rather can I show the world the me that is...NOT perfect but perfectly forgiven. 

To be transparent is a scary calling…